Normally I'm stoked about writing my end of the year review about my progress through the year.
This time, however, is different.
I'm not going to lie. 2014 has been one of the toughest, most frustrating year of my life that I've had in a while. I've noticed on Facebook and some of my other social media sites that fellow writers have also struggled. That made me feel only slightly better.
2014 was the first year since 2010 that I failed to publish anything. My personal life was filled with so much drama from family to the workplace to depression to good old fashion writer's block that I could never get any traction to accomplish anything that I wanted.
I've made a firm promise to myself to go back to basics and to remember the joy I had when I did write.
Here's hoping that 2015 will be a banner year for me.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Monday, December 29, 2014
Kishaz Reading Corner: Star Struck by Jamie Campbell
About the Book
Please note: This is a novelette. Shorter fiction is a fun and quick read, not a full length novel.
Melrose Morgan was your typical teenager, flipping burgers and surviving high school the best she could. Yet all that changed after a chance encounter took her face to face with the world's biggest superstar. Living every girl's fantasy, Melrose falls for one fifth of the most successful boy bands on the planet, Cole Newton. He invites her on a date and she can't help but fall in love with her idol. But in a world that is full of shining stars, can one small town girl really capture the heart of a supernova? Find out in the first installment of the Star Kissed series.
The Star Kissed Series includes:
Melrose Morgan was your typical teenager, flipping burgers and surviving high school the best she could. Yet all that changed after a chance encounter took her face to face with the world's biggest superstar. Living every girl's fantasy, Melrose falls for one fifth of the most successful boy bands on the planet, Cole Newton. He invites her on a date and she can't help but fall in love with her idol. But in a world that is full of shining stars, can one small town girl really capture the heart of a supernova? Find out in the first installment of the Star Kissed series.
Buy the Book
The Star Kissed Series includes:
 
Book #2 Amazon Smashwords |  
Book #3 Amazon Smashwords |  
Book #4 Amazon Smashwords |
Here's what I'm giving it:
Rating: 3 stars
Here's why:
This was a quick read and I'm a little ambivalent about how I feel. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't the best. There were some editing issues and I felt the flow of the story was choppy. Also the fact that this was a nod to a very popular boy band made me fell like this was a fan fiction.
I don't know if I would take a chance on the entire series or not. I'm still on the fence.
Would I recommend this book? Maybe. Depends on the reader's preference.
I don't know if I would take a chance on the entire series or not. I'm still on the fence.
Would I recommend this book? Maybe. Depends on the reader's preference.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Free ebooks Review: Gravediggers by Cindy M Hogan
Disclaimer: I received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.
About the Book
Seventeen-year-old Billy thinks his father’s murder will never be solved—until he stumbles across an old ammo box while digging a grave in his small-town Tennessee cemetery.
What he finds leads him to question everything he knows, and his search for answers will uncover more than he bargained for: lies, secrets, and conspiracies—and behind them all, a dangerous truth.
What he finds leads him to question everything he knows, and his search for answers will uncover more than he bargained for: lies, secrets, and conspiracies—and behind them all, a dangerous truth.
Here's what I'm giving it:
Rating: 2 stars/DNF
Here's why:
I picked this one up because of the blurb. I like to read the occasional mystery and stories that border the young adult/new adult line.
The idea of a young person wanted to learn about a parent's death (or murder) is natural and can make for a good storyline.
I made it 22% of the way through (according to my kindle counter) before I called it quits. I'm not sure if it was because I felt the main character was a little bit unrealistic or the plot was moving at a snail's pace or maybe it being in first-person, but I lost interest. I wanted to like this story, I really did but unfortunately it didn't grab me enough to compel me to finish it.
Would I recommend this book? For those who like mysteries, coming of age stories or contemporary young adult novels, this book might be something you'd enjoy.
The idea of a young person wanted to learn about a parent's death (or murder) is natural and can make for a good storyline.
I made it 22% of the way through (according to my kindle counter) before I called it quits. I'm not sure if it was because I felt the main character was a little bit unrealistic or the plot was moving at a snail's pace or maybe it being in first-person, but I lost interest. I wanted to like this story, I really did but unfortunately it didn't grab me enough to compel me to finish it.
Would I recommend this book? For those who like mysteries, coming of age stories or contemporary young adult novels, this book might be something you'd enjoy.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
#IndieHooplaPromos Tour: The Guardians of Man (Part 2 of 2)
Tour Schedule Here
I'm excited that I get to host on this tour because I met Lori several years ago and she's an amazing person and author. Crystal, I hope to get to know better. So ladies, I'm putting you in my hot chair, one at time of course, to see what myself and readers can learn about two authors working as one. Time to play 10 questions with Crystal!
Do you prefer to write with a typewriter, pen and paper, or a computer?
Hi guys! Thanks so much for your time today. I like to write everything out by hand, once I get to the point where I’m satisfied I type it out and save it for my editor.
Do you need music or silence to write?
Once I start writing it doesn’t matter what’s going on around me. Once I started writing while I was in a movie theater. The movie wasn’t boring but sometimes, especially when I get to a certain point in the story, my writing trumps everything
Did you read a lot as a child?
As far as reading is concerned I was a late bloomer. I really didn’t start reading on my own until Jr. High.
How did you pick your cover art? What was the inspiration?
For the covers of In the foothills of Mt. Empyreal our inspiration came directly from the stories, which is why there are angels and birds on both covers. Our cover artist for this project is Rebecca Treadway over at http://atrtink.com/
I’ve worked with her before, this was Lori’s 1st time working with Rebecca but because I trusted her so completely Lori trusted her too. We sent her a few images and gave her an idea of what we wanted then we stepped back and let her run with it.
Because both books revolve around the same event and takes place in the same location, but are completely stand alone stories she reversed the images and joined both books together by using fire and ice color schemes. We both approved the very 1st concept.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Hopefully for the little things, for my random acts of kindness, something nice that I said. I hope that I can be forgiven for the times I was bullheaded or intentionally cruel because I let my anger get the best of me or I wanted to hurt someone for hurting me. Being a good person is hard and I haven’t always been that, so hopefully if I do what I need to, if I can think before I speak, to think before I act, I can be remembered as being a good person.
Are there any of your characters that are based off of any people in real life?
No. Some of my characters do and say things that remind me of people I know in real life and after the release of my story The Monster I had distant cousins contact me asking if some of the characters were based on family members, that was fun but, it was just a coincidence.
Of your characters, whom do you favor most, and why?
I don’t have an all time favorite but for instance like in the Spectrum Trilogy there are parts in the story as a whole where one character will blow me away.
How long did it take you to write your very first novel?
My very 1st novel The Darkness took five years to write, but I wasn’t writing full time.
Of your characters, who is it that you just love to hate? Why is that?
Lol, sometimes they piss me off but I don’t hate any of my characters. When I was working with Lori on Mt. Empyreal I created a character named Khrystle that I wasn’t really feeling but Lori wanted to keep her and that made me resent her for a while but I didn’t hate her.
How old were you when you first started writing?
Well I always told really creepy stories, I remember being invited to slumber parties for the sole purpose of telling a spooky story but I really didn’t start writing them down until I was in Jr. Highschool.
Do you prefer to write with a typewriter, pen and paper, or a computer?
Hi guys! Thanks so much for your time today. I like to write everything out by hand, once I get to the point where I’m satisfied I type it out and save it for my editor.
Do you need music or silence to write?
Once I start writing it doesn’t matter what’s going on around me. Once I started writing while I was in a movie theater. The movie wasn’t boring but sometimes, especially when I get to a certain point in the story, my writing trumps everything
Did you read a lot as a child?
As far as reading is concerned I was a late bloomer. I really didn’t start reading on my own until Jr. High.
How did you pick your cover art? What was the inspiration?
For the covers of In the foothills of Mt. Empyreal our inspiration came directly from the stories, which is why there are angels and birds on both covers. Our cover artist for this project is Rebecca Treadway over at http://atrtink.com/
I’ve worked with her before, this was Lori’s 1st time working with Rebecca but because I trusted her so completely Lori trusted her too. We sent her a few images and gave her an idea of what we wanted then we stepped back and let her run with it.
Because both books revolve around the same event and takes place in the same location, but are completely stand alone stories she reversed the images and joined both books together by using fire and ice color schemes. We both approved the very 1st concept.
What would you like to be remembered for?
Hopefully for the little things, for my random acts of kindness, something nice that I said. I hope that I can be forgiven for the times I was bullheaded or intentionally cruel because I let my anger get the best of me or I wanted to hurt someone for hurting me. Being a good person is hard and I haven’t always been that, so hopefully if I do what I need to, if I can think before I speak, to think before I act, I can be remembered as being a good person.
Are there any of your characters that are based off of any people in real life?
No. Some of my characters do and say things that remind me of people I know in real life and after the release of my story The Monster I had distant cousins contact me asking if some of the characters were based on family members, that was fun but, it was just a coincidence.
Of your characters, whom do you favor most, and why?
I don’t have an all time favorite but for instance like in the Spectrum Trilogy there are parts in the story as a whole where one character will blow me away.
How long did it take you to write your very first novel?
My very 1st novel The Darkness took five years to write, but I wasn’t writing full time.
Of your characters, who is it that you just love to hate? Why is that?
Lol, sometimes they piss me off but I don’t hate any of my characters. When I was working with Lori on Mt. Empyreal I created a character named Khrystle that I wasn’t really feeling but Lori wanted to keep her and that made me resent her for a while but I didn’t hate her.
How old were you when you first started writing?
Well I always told really creepy stories, I remember being invited to slumber parties for the sole purpose of telling a spooky story but I really didn’t start writing them down until I was in Jr. Highschool.
To see Lori's answers, VISIT HERE.
The Guardians of Man by Connor TitusIn the valley of Mt. Empyreal, the fight for humanity has already begun.
In the mountain community of Fate's Keep, the global power outage and the onset of winter are only the beginning of what is yet to come. Along with the first snowfall, an ancient evil has come. With time running out, will the Guardians be able to save mankind?
Buy the Book: Amazon
About the Authors
Lori Titus
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
The Darkest of Lore Blog | Twitter | Goodreads |
Amazon Author Page
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
Crystal ConnorWashington State native Crystal Connor has been terrorizing readers since before Jr. high School and loves anything to do with monsters, bad guys, rogue scientific experiments, jewelry, sky-high high heel shoes & unreasonably priced hang bags. She is also considering changing her professional title to ‘dramatization specialist’ because it’s so much more theatrical than being just a mere drama queen. Along with inducing insomnia within her readership Crystal also reviews indie horror and sci-fi movies for HorrorAddicts.net
GIVEAWAY
Thursday, December 4, 2014
#IndieHooplaPromos Tour: The Guardians of Man (Part 1 of 2)
Tour Schedule Here
I'm excited that I get to host on this tour because I met Lori several years ago and she's an amazing person and author. Crystal, I hope to get to know better. So ladies, I'm putting you in my hot chair, one at time of course, to see what myself and readers can learn about two authors working as one. Time to play 10 questions with Lori!
1. Do you prefer to write with a typewriter, pen and paper, or a computer?
I usually write on my computer, but when I want to experiment I will go back to pen and paper.
2. Do you need music or silence to write?
I don't like writing in silence. I usually have on some music, or have the tv on for background noise.
3. Did you read a lot as a child?
Yes, I was a voracious reader! I think that was one of the things that inspired me to write.
4. How did you pick your cover art? What was the inspiration?
R.L. Treadway did both the covers for The Guardians of Man and Hunting in Closed Spaces. I discussed the stories with her and she came up with a few choices for each.
5. What would you like to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered as someone who enriched the lives of others in some way.
6. Are there any of your characters that are based off of any people in real life?
None are actually based on real people, but some of the characters do have qualities of people I know. For example, Marradith's mother in Hunting has some personality traits of three different women.
7. Of your characters, whom do you favor most, and why?
In The Guardians of Man, I love Rythy. She is so completely evil, and has no clue about rules or limits. Justin Granthem is a favorite because he's flawed and sometimes comical, but in many ways he is an ideal man.
8. How long did it take you to write your very first novel?
About a year and a half.
9. Of your characters, who is it that you just love to hate? Why is that?
There are several! Leighton Ryder, Marradith's great grandfather, and Adam from Guardians.
10. How old were you when you first started writing?
I was nine.
1. Do you prefer to write with a typewriter, pen and paper, or a computer?
I usually write on my computer, but when I want to experiment I will go back to pen and paper.
2. Do you need music or silence to write?
I don't like writing in silence. I usually have on some music, or have the tv on for background noise.
3. Did you read a lot as a child?
Yes, I was a voracious reader! I think that was one of the things that inspired me to write.
4. How did you pick your cover art? What was the inspiration?
R.L. Treadway did both the covers for The Guardians of Man and Hunting in Closed Spaces. I discussed the stories with her and she came up with a few choices for each.
5. What would you like to be remembered for?
I would like to be remembered as someone who enriched the lives of others in some way.
6. Are there any of your characters that are based off of any people in real life?
None are actually based on real people, but some of the characters do have qualities of people I know. For example, Marradith's mother in Hunting has some personality traits of three different women.
7. Of your characters, whom do you favor most, and why?
In The Guardians of Man, I love Rythy. She is so completely evil, and has no clue about rules or limits. Justin Granthem is a favorite because he's flawed and sometimes comical, but in many ways he is an ideal man.
8. How long did it take you to write your very first novel?
About a year and a half.
9. Of your characters, who is it that you just love to hate? Why is that?
There are several! Leighton Ryder, Marradith's great grandfather, and Adam from Guardians.
10. How old were you when you first started writing?
I was nine.
The Guardians of Man by Connor TitusIn the valley of Mt. Empyreal, the fight for humanity has already begun.
In the mountain community of Fate's Keep, the global power outage and the onset of winter are only the beginning of what is yet to come. Along with the first snowfall, an ancient evil has come. With time running out, will the Guardians be able to save mankind?
Buy the Book: Amazon
About the Authors
Lori Titus
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
The Darkest of Lore Blog | Twitter | Goodreads |
Amazon Author Page
Lori Titus is a native Californian with a penchant for stories that are twisted, scary, or both. She also enjoys a dash of romance in her storytelling when she can get away with it! She is the author of Hunting in Closed Spaces (The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 1). She is also half of the writing team known as Connor Titus (with author Crystal Connor) and has co-authored two novels, The Guardians of Man and The End Is Now. Lori has authored many short stories and two novellas, Lazarus and Hailey's Shadow. Some may know her as the Managing Editor at Flashes in the Dark. Upcoming work for 2015 includes a novel called The Bell House and the second installment of the Ryder Series.
Crystal ConnorWashington State native Crystal Connor has been terrorizing readers since before Jr. high School and loves anything to do with monsters, bad guys, rogue scientific experiments, jewelry, sky-high high heel shoes & unreasonably priced hang bags. She is also considering changing her professional title to ‘dramatization specialist’ because it’s so much more theatrical than being just a mere drama queen. Along with inducing insomnia within her readership Crystal also reviews indie horror and sci-fi movies for HorrorAddicts.net
GIVEAWAY
Netgalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2015
If you wish to participate, you can sign up HERE.
I'm proud to say that I'm going for round 2 after having done this during 2014. I chose the Gold Level (50 books) and fell a little short so I'm going to go for it again in 2015. I'm ambitious, what can I say.
Here are the 2 TBR lists from Netgalley that I'm working through.
TBR 2013
A Shimmer of Angels - Lisa M. Basso
Broken Forest - Eliza Tilton
Compliance - Maureen McGowan
Defy
Dragonwitch - Ann Elisabeth Stengl
Dream Girl
Echo Prophecy
Elfin
Endless
Escaping Reality
External Forces
Forbidden to Love - D.A. Wills
Hereafter
Hero's Lot, The - Patrick W. Carr
King Hall
Mage Fire - C. Aubrey Hall
Mistress of the Solstice
Night Creatures
Rebels Divided
Rival
Runes (book one) - Ednah Walters
Safe in His Arms
Scrap - Emory Sharplin
Sekret
Shadow Allegiance
She Is Not Invisible
Spirit - Brigid Kemmerer
Stargazing from Nowhere
The Bane - Keary Taylor
The Dominant - Tara Sue Me
The Naturals
The Professional
The Silver Chain
The Trials of the Core
The Waking Dreamer
Tin Star
Turned
Unspoken
Will in Scarlet - Matthew Cody
Winds of Purgatory
TBR 2014
Alex + Ada volume 1
A Secret Colton Baby
Black Rook
Blind Faith
Blood Assassin
Blood Orange Soda
Catch Me When I Fall
Clipped Wings
Cursed by Fire
Dark Hope
Darkness
Dark Wolf Returning
Danny Dirks
Desired
Divided
Don't Judge a Lizard by His Scales
Dragon Defender
Fire Heart
Forbidden
Freed
Jhanmar World Travellers
Lingering Echoes
Longing
Love's Paradox
One is Enough
On Her Watch
Outshine
Raytara - Judgement of the Stars
Seed
Shadow Heart
Since You've Been Gone
Star Trek: Khan
Stitching Snow
Street Fighter Origins: Akuma
Tales from OZ
The Amulet of Sleep
The Boy a Thousand Years Wide
The Circle
The Fifth Vertex
The Mark of the Dragonfly
The One
The Professional
The Thirteenth Tower
Waking up Pregnant
We are the Goldens
Worth the Fall
Wrecked
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