Unseen Character Intros - Bordor and Nafeez

I don't know what it is about writing bad characters, but it's so much fun. Most of my favourite scenes involve the villains in a story. The Elements Trilogy is no exception.

Two characters that came to life in Unseen are Bordor and Nafeez. When I initially put this trilogy together, I had not planned on either of these men, but when Safeer went to meet with the Elite, these two stepped into my story and became important characters.

Let me introduce you.

Bordor is the commander of the Elite, a powerful group of assassins that work for King Ashan. They dabble in magic and are a formidable enemy. Their task is to find and eliminate the seekers so that the prophecy will not come true. They also have some much grander plans, but I don't want to give too much away. Bordor is a very strong, confident character that enjoys intimidating people and although he comes across as callous, he'd do anything for his men.

Nafeez is the sorcerer for the Elite. He loves to brew potions and create weapons with greater power. He has designed black bladed swords that can burn and weaken an average blade. He also supplies King Ashan with a special elixir that makes him bigger, stronger and more powerful. It is made from the dust of a powerful obsidian rock, which makes King Ashan's veins run with black blood. He is a wicked man who revels in people's suffering. A nasty character indeed.

Tomorrow I will make my final pre-release introductions for Unseen. Then keep your eye out for a giveaway :D

Unseen Character Intros - Cori and Eshron

Continuing on from my Unknown Character Intro series, I wanted you guys to meet a few more people that are introduced in the second book of the Elements Trilogy.

Cori and Eshron are two very special characters... much like Adamar and Mya. I have come to love these children so much. I can't wait for you to get to know them better.

Cori is a dainty girl. In spite of her age, she behaves like a lady. She holds herself with grace and elegance. But the thing I love most about her, is her compassionate heart. She is so caring, always mindful of how people are feeling and what they need. She has a strong intuition and is very aware of the darkness. I think of her as a young mother hen who wants to protect those around her.

Eshron is a strong character. He's passionate about his beliefs and doesn't like things to stand in his way. He has had a tough life and this has made him resilient. I love his fiery directness and his confidence. Although he can come across as a little rude at times, everything he does comes from a love of the God of Light.

Unseen is going to be released next week! I still have a few more characters I want you to meet before then.

Tomorrow I'll introduce you to a couple of brilliant baddies that have been so much fun to write!

NEW RELEASE - Whispers of Razari by Cindy C. Bennet and Jeffrey Moore

Whispers of Razari by Cindy C. Bennett and Jeffrey Moore

Blurb:

When sixteen year old Olivia Adams wakes from a horrible car accident that killed her parents, she knows she’s something different. Olivia died, and now the soul inhabiting her body needs to find out who - and what - she is. A glimpse of a world called Razari burning is the only clue to her previous existence—a tragic memory, sparking events that endanger the people helping her.

Jacobi McKenzie has lived in Crescent, Montana for more years than he can remember, even though he's only seventeen. He's been waiting, but for what he isn't sure. Jacobi recognizes Olivia for what she is before she's even aware of it herself and the effect she has on him threatens to expose his true identity--a thing he’s worked hard to conceal.

They come together in an explosion of emotion that neither of them is supposed to feel. As Jacobi fights for Olivia's life, protecting her from those who would use her for their own selfish purposes, together they unravel the mystery surrounding the destruction of their race.

Sales links:

https://www.createspace.com/4337730

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/329991 ISBN 9781301306619

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMTGT24

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940016799902

Excerpt:

The smell of blood, iodine, peppermint, and ammonia blending with sweat is my first sense of awareness. These are scents I recognize. A dozen other foreign smells seem to be a mix of different elements. If I could concentrate and study the odors, I’m certain I’d be able to break them down into their base elements, but the noise is too distracting. I’m not as good with sound as I am with smell. I can make out several distinct voices and artificial sounds that are probably machines. If I could open my eyes, I’d be able to connect the noises with the smells. I think my eyes are fastened shut.

Slowly, I begin to explore the body of the host I’m in. I come upon damaged areas that cause intense pain and I quickly retreat from these areas. The body is broken in several places. I sense voices come from those repairing the host body. A name comes to me: Olivia. With effort, I crack open my eyes. Gauzy images of people work on me. A tall man has his hands in Olivia’s body and he speaks softly, as if afraid of startling anyone. I retreat and turn to exploring Olivia’s memories.

Reliving Olivia’s life from her earliest memory is instinctual for me. I think I’ve existed for a long time. Parasite. I find the word while searching through Olivia’s memories—a parasite is what these people would think of me if they knew what I was. But a parasite by definition lives in or on a host and steals everything, giving nothing in return. I’m not really like that. I entered Olivia shortly after her soul departed. Her body’s not the ideal place for me to be, being only sixteen earth years old and badly broken, but I was drawn to her. What made me choose her? I can’t remember. Typically I acquire a host much younger and definitely less broken—at least, that feels like the thing I’d do.

As I’m learning about Olivia, her culture, and the society in which she lives, it sparks the knowledge that I don’t remember where I came from. I know I’m not human, and I know what I need to do to exist in Olivia, but why I’m here eludes me. With that comes the idea that my kind only moves to a different world as a last resort, so I figure something terrible must have happened not only to me—or actually my former host—but the world from which I came.

Cindy C Bennett

Bennett is the YA author of several books. She lives in Utah with her husband and two daughters. Both of her sons have married, giving her two more daughters (in-law). She loves gooey cookies, dark chocolate, and cheese popcorn. She hates housework and cooking, and has no plans to become a domestic goddess. She occasionally co-hosts a geek podcast with her son, called Geek Revolution Radio. Her favorite pastime is riding her Harley.

Find more about Cindy at www.cindycbennett.com

Geek Revolution Radio www.geekrevolutionradio.com

Jeffery Moore

Moore was born in Germany. As a military brat, much of his childhood was spent abroad, growing up in Germany on military installations. He subsequently enlisted in the military and served for ten years as an army pilot. While in the military, he lived in Italy and South Korea and deployed to many European countries. He has traveled to Australia, Japan, Singapore and most European countries. His experiences and contact with many different cultures helps form some of the elements in his stories. He currently works for a global IT company and lives in Massachusetts.

Find more about Jeffery and his work at www.jefferyemoore.com

Summer Book Crush Sale!!!

Hot sun, hot sand, cool drinks, dark tans. Ahhhh. But your summer won’t be complete until you land a new BOOK BOYFRIEND, right? Lucky for you, we’ve got you covered!  

  SUMMER BOOK CRUSH offers 50+ titles in many genres. This means 50+ chances to (fictitiously) fall in love. And the best part? Each of these gems is only 99¢, but for a limited time only. The SUMMER BOOK CRUSH event starts on June 26th and ends (yes, even the best things in life end at some point) on June 28th. So don't wait up! Mingle with our BOOK BOYFRIENDS and invite all your friends to participate too. There are plenty of BOOK BOYS to share!

  Find your summer’s fling between the pages of a book. And don't stop on one - after all we have many BOOK BOYFRIENDS for you to mingle with.

* HAPPY READING * HAPPY SUMMER *

 

New Release! Wandering by Heather Sutherlin

When you’ve travelled between worlds, there’s nowhere left to go but home.

Rory has never been so cold in her life. But the biting wind only reminds her of another pain that grows more intense with each passing day. Each night Jaron’s beautiful voice sings in her dreams, and each day her footsteps draw her closer to his side. Danger and intrigue at every turn, no distance is too far when you’re returning for true love.

Rin has spent the last five years searching for Rory across two worlds. Now a series of visions have him convinced he’s growing closer to finding her. But when Rory slips through another portal, taking his visions with her, he finds himself back at square one. To find her now he’ll need the help of an old friend and a little otherworldly magic.  This time he intends to bring The Wanderer home for good.

Wandering

Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and iTunes

June 25^th, 2013

Links for purchase:

Amazon

Nook

iTunes

An Excerpt from Wandering:

      Sometimes I think I've seen her face more times than my own.

 Tonight she stands on top of a snow- covered mountain with the wind in her hair.  Her eyes crinkle at the corners as she squints into the distance. She shifts her stance, leaning, her body reaching forward and I can almost feel the racing of her heart as the wind billows around her, lifting her cloak and whipping her hair into her eyes. It reminds her of something she once felt, something powerful.  Blood pounds in my ears and for a moment we are connected, The Wanderer and I. Her pain, her longing, they choke me. She holds her breath as the wind grows stronger. It pushes against her so that her footing slips. I want to shout to her, warn her that she might fall, but I can almost hear her thoughts. She hopes it will carry her away. To bring her back.  

The wind whips around her, swirling ice and snow at her feet and she begins to cry. Her tears freeze as they slide down her cheeks.  She doesn’t cry from fear or pain.  Not even the bitter, endless cold could cause her tears.  No, she cries because it is only the wind.

***

 I woke up, panting, covered in sweat.  Turning over, I clenched my eyes shut in a desperate attempt to bring the images back into focus. 

“It’s no use,” I groaned.  I knew it wouldn't work.  It never did.  She was gone.  That one little glimpse was all I would get –for now.

The visions began the very day we returned home from Rutahn, the world beyond the portal. I fell asleep on my aunt’s couch and probably hadn’t even started snoring when her face filled my mind. She was lying in the corner of a little hut, bundled in blankets and furs. I remember how she shivered, like she was trying to shake off her own skin. Her cheeks were flushed a bright red and she gasped for air, tossing in her makeshift little bed. An arm with skin the color of caramel reached toward her and wiped her face with a wet cloth. That’s when I realized she was sick. I woke up in a panic, my heart racing. I had fallen asleep afraid she might be dead and now instead of feeling relieved that she was alive, I was more afraid than ever. We still didn’t know where Rory was, but now I knew she was very sick. I worried incessantly about her after that. I dreamed of her nearly every night, gathering bits and pieces of information, clues as to where she might be.  After that, the dreams gradually increased in frequency, and then grew more intense.  Now, instead of just seeing Rory, I could feel a little of her thoughts, her emotions.  Most of the time it was a relief.  I saw her safe. I watched her grow strong again. I even saw her smile once or twice. 

Then, there were nights like this one.  Nights where I could sense her terror, her despair, the aching loneliness or desperate longing for those she had lost. I would lie there helpless, watching her cry deep, heart wrenching sobs and I would wake up with my pillow wet, my face covered in sympathetic tears. Those were the nights that weighed on me.  Visions like this one often forced me out of bed and back into my research. It was impossible to sleep knowing she was out there somewhere in pain and longing to find a way home. That’s why I keep searching. For five endless years I’ve searched and I’ll keep searching until I find her and bring the Wanderer home.

Wandering is the sequel to Seen by Heather Sutherlin.

Author Spotlight: Cindy C. Bennett, author of Geek Girl

Author Bio 

Cindy C Bennett was born and raised in beautiful Salt Lake City, growing up in the shadows of the majestic Rocky Mountains. She and her husband raised two daughters, two sons, and a plethora of pets without wandering far from the fold. They’ve now added two beautiful daughters-in-law to their family. In addition to writing YA fiction, she volunteers her time working with teen girls between the ages of 12-18, all of whom she finds to be beautiful, fascinating creatures that constantly inspire her stories. She developed a love of writing in high-school English, when a teacher introduced her to the joys of escaping reality for ten minutes each day in writing. When she’s not writing, reading or answering emails (notice there is no mention of cleaning, cooking, or anything vaguely domestic) she can often times be found riding her Harley through the beautiful canyons near her home. Learn more at www.cindycbennett.com.

Social Media Sites 

My Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Geek Girl:

Jen’s teenage life of rebelling and sneaking out is growing stale. In an effort to combat her boredom, Jen makes a bet to turn Trevor, a nice geek, into a “bad boy.” Unexpectedly, she is pulled into Trevor’s world of sci-fi movies, charity work, and even--ugh!--bowling. Jen discovers that hanging out with Trevor isn't so bad after all.

But when Trevor finds out about the wager, all bets are off.

Heart on a Chain:

17-year-old Kate has lived her whole life in abject poverty, with an alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother, who severely abuses Kate. At school, her second-hand clothing marks her as a target. Her refusal to stand up for herself makes her the recipient of her classmates taunts and bullying. That is, until Henry returns.

Henry Jamison moved away six years earlier, just as he and Kate had begun to develop feelings for one another. He returns to find the bright, funny, outgoing girl he had known now timidly hiding in corners, barely speaking to anyone around her, suspicious of even him.

Kate can't figure out what game Henry is playing with her - for surely his attempts at friendship are a game. What else would the gorgeous, popular boy from her past want with her?

Immortal Mine:

Niahm (pronounced Neeve) Parker is thoroughly content with her life in the small town of Goshen. When Shane Coleman and his nephew Sam move into town, it's the biggest event to happen in as long as anyone can remember.

Sam is drawn to Niahm against his will. He'd prefer to not be bound to this angry, stubborn, unlikeable girl. For Immortals, love is not only forbidden, but dangerous for her.

Niahm finds herself attracted to the tall, copper-headed boy, who becomes her friend and then her support when tragedy strikes. Soon, she begins to realize that there may be more to Sam than she ever suspected... much more. But what he truly is, she can't begin to imagine.

Rapunzel Untangled:

Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction.

But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

Enchanted Fairytales: (Anthology)

Enchanted Fairytales is a retelling of five different fairytales from the imagination of Cindy C Bennett.

Beautiful Beast: Though she knows it's cruel, Calli agrees to accompany her friends to Monster House where it is rumored the beast howls at the moon each sunset. Alex believes Calli has bribed her way into his home in order to get a look at the beast of Monster House, and is determined to hate her. He isn't prepared as she batters down the hard walls of his soul with her kindness and humor.

Red and the Wolf: Three years ago, Rafe Wolfe left their tiny mountain burg of Piera, leaving Ruby Hood behind to mend her shattered heart. Now, Rafe has come home to compete with his brother Lowell for Ruby's heart. But Rafe and Lowell have intimate knowledge of the wolf attacks that threaten their home. Can Ruby live with the same knowledge, or will it forever destroy her?

Snow White: Left at the mercy of her stepmother Katarina, Snow White is sent into the forest to be killed. Escaping, she stumbles upon an enchanted village created by Katarina to entrap Prince Philip after he spurned her. Philip believes Snow White is the one spoken of who can break the curse that holds Fableton. Snow's only hope of winning freedom for herself and Fableton is to defeat the evil and powerful Katarina.

The Unmasking of Cinderella: Amella Augustus has lived under her stepmother's cruel reign since her father's death. Then she runs into Char - literally. Just when Amella begins to believe she's found her happily ever after, Iona pounces in threatening to take away Amella’s dreams of happiness. Now Amella must take charge of her own destiny, and make a decision that can either give her the peace she’s longed for . . . or return her to the misery she’s lived in for so long.

The White Swan: Benno von Rothbart, a powereful sorcerer, is jealous of Odette's love for Victor. Victor and Odette are unaware of Benno's powers and manipulations to come between them and win Odette for himself. When Benno uses his powers to transform Odette into a swan, she finds herself in a fight for her freedom and for Victor in this retelling of the classic Swan Lake fairytale.

In the Beginning: (Short Story from It’s a Love Thing)

Before coming to Earth Alashon and Vindar vow to find one another. The vow is not made lightly: if they fail, they will spend their eternity’s alone.

Drake has lived a hard life. In and out of trouble with the law, sentenced to juvenile corrections and finally released to the custody of his parole officer, the strange, surfer-dude Tom, Drake is forced to move to the tiny beach town of Seaside. There, he meets Megan, Tom’s off-limits daughter. Though he tries to avoid her, it seems she turns up constantly in his life. It isn’t long before he finds himself looking forward to visits from the ultra-optimistic Megan. But does she really care for Drake, or is he just another charity case? And why does she seem so very familiar to him?

Reluctance: (Short Story)

Twenty-year-old Dahlia hates the life that she is forced to lead. But the time is quickly coming when she must make a decision that will shape the rest of her life. She's set her sights on Jace. He is someone her family will approve of, someone that will finally gain her acceptance among her people. Then Cam comes into her life, making her question what she assumed was her inevitable destiny, giving her hope that she might be able to lead the normal existence that she longs for. But fate has its own plan for Dahlia. Now she has to find courage she didn’t know she possessed to fight for her own future.

Watched: (Short Story from Screams in the Night)

Sixteen-year-old Stephanie Beasley has it all. She's a top student, head cheerleader, popular, with a great boyfriend. But she also has it.

It stands in the corner of her bedroom in the dark of night, watching, waiting. Always waiting. Until it follows her out of her room for the first time ever, bringing her terror to a new level.

Soon, Steph is losing sleep, unable to function, stressed about when it will make its move. And when it does, she'll be forced to do anything she must to protect those she loves. 

Interview: 

1) What is your all-time favorite book and why? 

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale, which is odd since it's completely outside of the genre I write and generally read (YA). It's a historical romance so it's strange that it's my all-time fave, but I love the language used in the writing and descriptions, the flawed hero, the unusual heroine, the intensely romantic love story. 

2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why? 

I don't compare myself to anyone because I feel authors are unique with their own voice, and I don’t think it’s fair to try to say my writing is as good as someone elses. My characters are mostly teens or young adults, living in a contemporary world, so I suppose they'd relate to other characters in the same situation. 

3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it? 

“You, Kate, I fell in love with you! With your strength and courage, with your naiveté and innocence, your unschooled sense of humor. With your loyalty and how willingly you gave your love and trust.” 

This quote is from Henry to Kate in Heart on a Chain when he’s trying to convince her to take him back. I like it because he’s taking about her qualities without mentioning anything about her physical self. It’s important to me for my characters to fall in love with someone not because of how they look but because of how they are. 

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing? 

Almost everything in the world can be an inspiration if you just open your mind. Romantic stories, lyrics, movies probably inspire me more than anything, but honestly, just the world in general. My husband and I recently returned from a trip and I have oodles of characters in my head bursting to be released simply from observing others around me. Sometimes something as simple as a thunderstorm inspires me, or the way the sun slants through a tree. 

5) Describe your typical writing day or week. 

I write best in the middle of the night. I begin writing heavily around 10 pm and write usually until around 4 or 5 am. I sleep until noon, then get up, get ready, and work on marketing. Marketing is something I can fairly easily stop in the middle of to take care of family, life, whatever. I hate stopping in the middle of writing, so that's why nighttime writing works best for me - no one to interrupt me. 

6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you're writing?

Water always to drink, because I don't want to have to get up if I'm thirsty. And usually I have chocolate of some kind nearby. 

7) Can you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)? 

I'm nearly finished with a book I'm writing with Jeffery Moore, a YA sci-fi, again outside my usual genre. I don't have a cover yet, nor an official blurb, but it's about a creature who wakes up on earth inside of a human teen with no memory of who she is or where she came from. It's a novel of self-discovery, and finding the person she’s meant to be with. I'm also writing a book (I'm about 1/2 way through) that's a contemporary YA romance with a hero who feels no emotion, and a heroine who has extremely unusual home circumstances (not abuse), making them both a bit broken. (I may have the one book finished before 6/21 so if I do I'll send the info at that time and change this answer) 

Excerpt: Rapunzel Untangled 

RG: If I can discover my address, then I'll tell you where to find the correct trellis. There might be more.

Fab Fane Flannigan: You genuinely don't know your address? Huh. Weird. Okay. Maybe I can find you by your last name if it's not common.

RG: I know the name of my house. Does that help? It's actually my own last name.

Fab Fane Flannigan: Your house has a name? Can't be too many of those, so maybe that will help. Especially if it's also your last name and your last name isn't Smith or Lee.

Rapunzel took a deep breath, then plunged.

RG: My last name is Gothel. I live at Gothel Manor. Do you know where it is?

The cursor flashed for so long without response Rapunzel thought he'd signed off. It showed him as still online, though. Maybe he was Googling the information. She smacked her forehead. Of course. Why hadn't she thought of that all this time? She probably could have discovered her own address in that same manner and not had to let him know that she didn't know where she lived. She moved her mouse to open a new tab for that very purpose when his message came.

Fab Fane Flannigan: Sorry. Just a bit stunned, here. Are you saying you live at GOTHEL MANSION??? The Gothel Mansion? I'm having a hard time believing that. You’ve been playing me this whole time? Is that the reason for all the secrecy? I'm just kind of feeling . . . disbelieving, I guess.

Rapunzel stared at his words. Was her home well known? Why did he call it Gothel Mansion instead of Gothel Manor? And why did he think she was kidding about living here?

RG: My mother calls it Gothel Manor, so maybe that's different?

Fab Fane Flannigan: No, Rapunzel, there's only one that I know of. It has to be the same. Are you telling me the truth here?

RG: Yes, of course.

She made a decision.

RG: Okay, time for me to stop being so "secretive" as you say. But I have good reasons for being so. I have a disease

She stopped and deleted the last four words.

RG: I can't go outside because if I do I will get very sick. I live in a specific area of the house. It's the southeast corner. I only know that because I have a compass. I don't know my address because I've never had any reason to need to know it. I suppose I could have Googled it, but honestly the thought never crossed my mind. Is it weird that I live here?

There was no response again for a few long minutes before he answered.

Fab Fane Flannigan: No, not weird, just . . . never mind. So you live in the tower?

RG: Uh, the tower? I don't know. Is it a tower?

Fab Fane Flannigan: Yes, it is. I know where it is. I'll be there Friday at 8.

Rapunzel sensed the difference in his tone. Something wasn't right.

Fab Fane Flannigan: Rapunzel, promise me one thing.

RG: Okay.

Fab Fane Flannigan: Don't Google your house.

The Indie Inked Solstice Sale!!

Summer Solstice. It isn't just the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In Celtic lore, it is also the day of the epic battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. Brothers—twins—who symbolically battle each year to gain control of the seasons. The Oak King, fair and golden, rules until Midsummer, the day of Summer Solstice. The darksome Holly King reigns until Winter Solstice, when the Oak King—and daylight—regains his power.

Celebrate the solstice with us! Enter to win two fabulous prize packs: The Oak King prize, a collection of luminous covers and enchanting stories, and The Holly King prize, a bounty of haunting covers and enthralling tales. Each paperback will be signed by the author.

Entry details are on the Rafflecopter form below.

Throughout the week, we will be highlighting these amazing books, so keep an eye out for blog posts and further details - www.indieinked.com.

If you'd like to grab a copy of these books, here are the purchase links. One purchase equals 10 POINTS in the Rafflecopter draw.

Set in Stone by Beth Balmanno
Freak of Nature by Julia Crane
Forever Fae by LP Dover
Falling to Pieces and Dazzle by Amber Garza
Impossible by Komal Kant
Their Promise byBrina Courtney
Tragic by JA Huss
Recalled by Cambria Hebert
Selling Scarlett by Ella James
Wicked Fate by Tabatha Vargo
Forged by Greed and Forged by Magic:Origins by Angela Orlowski-Peart
Descent by Cameo Renae
Ever Shade, Ever Fire and Ever Winter by Alexia Purdy
Unknown by Melissa Pearl
Flutter by Melissa Andrea
Dark Summer by Lizzy Ford

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