@Lord_Ra_Krishna Reflects from In His Cell - LUCIFER & THE INDIGO KIDS #NonFiction #Poetry

In My Cell

Sitting in my cell / meditating, half dreaming...
See a picture on the wall / black girl in bikini

And we’re both looking happy / we embrace and we smile

As I got my eyes closed smoking on a black and mild...

Better yet / a cigarette
I wish I had one now

Meditate a little harder...
Then I crack another smile...

Cause I'm back on the beach
Sun shining on my face…

Ask me what did I learn?
Most of all / appreciate

Every moment... every second...
Every thought... every breath...

While they’re killing all the prophets / I'm the last one left...

With a wrist full of beads
And a neck full of crystals...

And the city that I'm from busting Shots with their pistols…

But I'm sitting in my cell / and my soul's in outer space

As I astral project / sun kissing on my face…

Now I'm back on the beach
With my son and my daughter

And my son thinks’ he's God
So he’s walking on the water…

And my daughter thinks’ she God
Cause that's what daddy told her...

And they both think that they could save the world when they get older....

As I'm sitting in my cell,
My body's there but I'm not in it

Tell my babies "Not to worry"
I'll be home in a minute

"This “new age” book of poetry reflects the diverse views and philosophies of it’s author Ra Krishna EL. It’s an intimate, humorous and thought provoking group of poems intended to evoke strong emotion. To quote the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, this style of poetry can be called “Zukunfts poesie“ which translates into “Poetry of the future”, where truly original ideas are presented thru poetry. Also known as post Nietzschean poetry.

It’s subjects include society, pop culture, love, religious dogma, God and the new age of Aquarius. This book was written and published during the false incarceration of its author in Chicago’s notorious Cook County Jail, the largest jail in the country."

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Genre - Poetry, Philosophy

Rating – PG-13

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#Authors John E. Wade II & Charlotte Livingston Piotrowski on Happiness, #Inspiration & Writing

Note: 

These interview questions are being answered by John E. Wade II (JW) and Charlotte Livingston Piotrwoski (CP), as indicated below.

Tell us a bit about your family.

JW: I grew up in small towns in Mississippi and Georgia, and though my family started with very little, because he was an excellent investor, my father eventually endowed the football stadium at Mississippi State University, now the Davis Wade Stadium.

What makes you happiest?

JW: I am seeking my third and final wife, and I believe finding that true love would make me happier than I can even imagine.

CP: My husband, Darrin, and I enjoy traveling very much, though the simple things in life, such as cooking a wonderful meal together, bring me the most happiness.

What’s your greatest character strength?

JW: I have been told I am the most honest and ambitious person (my therapist had ever worked with).

Why do you write?

JW: I believe my calling is to write about heaven on earth, and that feeling is so strong that I do it on a nearly daily basis.

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

CP: I am most proud of the fact that, after having suffered much loss after Hurricane Katrina, I was able to piece my life back together, change career paths (leaving my beloved field of litigation for health reasons), rebuild my home, and trust that I would eventually love again. I am happy to say that although my life is much simpler in many ways than it had been, it is more fulfilling and happier than ever. I give my husband, Darrin, much credit.

What books did you love growing up?

CP: I read “The Outsiders” many times. I suppose, even though I was basically from the “right side of the tracks,” having gone to an excellent school, I always felt a bit different. As a young adult, I loved “The Awakening,” for its image of feminine strength.

What genre of books do you adore?

JW: I believe in reading for growth, so I read only non-fiction, mostly biographies. I have enjoyed learning about some of the most important and influential people of our times.

Editor and author John E. Wade II has compiled a spiritual guide of invaluable insight for finding peace and meaning in life while making the world a better place for all. Along with co-authors Charlotte Livingston Piotrowski, Daniel Agatino, Michael Nagler, and Martin Rutte, this collection of enlightening essays and inspirational quotes from renowned thinkers and leaders throughout history provides the intellectual tools needed to live a more harmonious life.

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Genre - Inspirational

Rating – G

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Hank Quense Discusses the Importance of Scene Settings @hanque99 #WriteTip #Fantasy #Humor

Why choosing your setting is important

A setting for a new story is one of the earliest attributes I assign. I need the setting on order to develop the rest of the story design elements. More about the story design elements later. There are two separate types of setting in a story. One is the overall setting such as a Medieval kingdom or Victorian London or an alien planet. The second type of setting is a subset of the overall setting and this second tip is used in scenes. Thus, scenes set in Victorian London could include a private men’s club, a private home, the docks on the Thames, and the London Bridge. All of these are readily identified as part of the London overall setting. It is an essential requirement of the story that the scene settings be consistent with the overall setting. For instance, if the scene on London Bridge includes modern automobiles, the reader will have a difficult time suspending belief.

In other words, choosing a setting limits what the writer can do and it also limits the characters. Likewise, a character in the Medieval kingdom setting can’t use Kung Fu to disarm an opponent. Using Victorian London as the story setting will require research in order to write convincingly about it. However, since no one is alive who lived during that era, the author has a bit of leeway in describing the setting. That’s not true if the writer uses a modern setting. If the writer gets the details wrong, some readers will call him on the mistakes.

I live outside New York City and I love to visit Central Park. I’ve used the Park as a scene setting in a few stories. In one story, the climax took place in the Park at a spot that includes Cleopatria’s Needle, an Egyptian obelisk. The story called for characters to be dropped off on the east side of the Park (5th Avenue) and go through the Park to get to the obelisk. To ensure accuracy, I went to the Park and walked the route my characters would take. I also took pictures to ensure I wrote the details correctly.

If you haven’t been to Central Park, don’t try to use it in a scene, it’s unique. In similar fashion, don’t write about San Francisco’s Chinatown unless you’ve been there and are familiar with the area.

I’ve written a number of scenes in a fantasy city called Dun Hythe. I picture the seaport as resembling Quebec City. This city has two parts called the Lower and Upper towns. The Lower Town is along the St. Laurence River and extends back a few hundred yards. The Upper Town is atop a rock palisade a hundred feet or more high. My Dun Hythe is constructed similarly and I have photos to took while in Quebec so I get the details correct.

Do you enjoy untypical coming-of-age stories? Well, you won’t find one more untypical than Moxie’s Problem. Moxie is an obnoxious, teen-age princess who has never been outside her father’s castle. Until now. The real world is quite different and she struggles to come to grips with reality. The story takes place against a backdrop of Camelot. But it isn’t the Camelot of legends. It’s Camelot in a parallel universe. So, all bets are off!

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Fantasy, Sci-fi

Rating – G

More details about the author

Connect with Hank Quense through Facebook & Twitter

Website http://hank-quense.com/wp/

Caskets From Costco & What You Didn't Know by Kelly Wilson @LiveCheap #AmReading #Memoir

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Caskets From Costco

When it’s time for a trip to Costco, shopping for a casket probably isn’t the first item on your list. There are many questions that come with potentially buying a casket from Costco, such as whether or not you should store this purchase in your garage and if Costco would accept a return on such a purchase.

In Caskets From Costco, the author ponders these kinds of questions and more in this funny book about grief. Here are ten things the average person does not know about Caskets From Costco.

Costco really does sell caskets. And urns. And additional funeral…accessories.

Costco doesn’t sell any of these items in the warehouse. They are probably afraid of people like me, who would lay down in the caskets and then pop out, shouting “BOOOOOO!” to scare other shoppers.

When I asked the Costco corporate office for permission to use their name in the title of the book, they answered my request within 24 hours.

All characters in the book except for four of them have fake names; many of the people in the book chose their own fake names.

A few of the fake names are “bar names,” like Rod Johnson and Alexis Everlasting, also chosen by the people they represent.

It took me ten years to complete the book, at the cost of hundreds of trees in drafts.

The title comes from my writing friend Jone, who suggested it after we had gulped down a glass of wine (or two…or three).

I wanted to burn the manuscript in my backyard a couple of times. My writing friends stopped me.

When I didn’t know how else to revise and edit the book, I hired an editor – one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I have no regrets writing or publishing Caskets From Costco (I thought I would) – although I was nervous-pooping for days before it was officially out.

Author's Bio: 

Kelly Wilson is a Portland, Oregon author and comedian who loves a bargain and will probably end up buying her casket or urn from Costco. She is the author of Live Cheap & Free, Don’t Punch People in the Junk, and Caskets From Costco, along with numerous articles and short stories for children and adults. Kelly Wilson currently writes for a living and lives with her Magically Delicious husband, junk-punching children, dog, and cat, with a stereotypical minivan in the garage. Read more about her at www.wilsonwrites.com.

Kirsten Mortensen on Facing Her Fears, Writing & Reading @Kirstenwriter #Suspense #GoodReads

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

I’m a strong believer in facing your fears. In fact, I’ll go even further and say that facing our fears is one of the most important, and fulfilling, things we need to do during our lives. Fear can be an asset if we make friends with it, but if we habitually respond to fear by shrinking away from experiences, it can be enormously limiting. And what’s the point of being alive if you’re living inside a cage?

What scares you the most?

Reaching the end of my life and realizing that I’d failed to make the most of every opportunity that came my way. I’m not so worried about failing, but I’d consider my life wasted if I felt I hadn’t given my best effort to the things that mean them most to me: my writing and my connections with the people I love.

What makes you happiest?
Wringing the most out of any given moment, whatever it is I’m doing. It’s so important, in my opinion, to be fully present, whether you’re boiling water, making love, jumping out of an airplane, or holding the hand of a family member in a hospital. When I’m fully present, I’m happy in the deepest sense of the word.

What’s your greatest character strength?
My independence. I pride myself on being able to think for myself. And although I am part of a web of relationships—and rely very much on my family and loved ones for support in many ways—I am also comfortable with being on my own and taking care of myself and people dependent on me, if I need to. I believe this independence leads to personal happiness, for me, because if something in my life is bothering me, I automatically ask myself what I need to do to make changes for the better. I know that it’s up to me to fix my own problems, or if they can’t be fixed, find healthy ways to cope with them.

What’s your weakest character trait?
Lack of trust. It’s the “shadow side” of my independence. Sometimes it manifests in a hesitancy about trusting others, but most troubling, I suspect that I have a “go it alone” streak that cuts me off from support that would help me achieve the things I want to achieve in my life.

Why do you write?
This may come out as clichéd, but I write because I have to. There’s a part of my mind that is constantly assembling experiences—whether real or imagined—into words. I can’t imagine not giving that impulse room in my life to fulfill itself.

What motivates you to write?
There are three primary motivations. It starts with the pleasure I derive from writing—I simply enjoy it. Second is the desire to say certain things or explore certain scenarios. In my most recent novel, Dark Chemistry, for example, I wanted to explore some ideas I have about what love really is, and how people distinguish between physical attraction and “true love,” which is a spiritual and karmic bond. A third, and equally important motivation is my desire to share my creations with other people—and hopefully bring them pleasure in the process.

A woman's worst nightmare

Drugged by something...that makes her think she's fallen in love.

All Haley Dubose has ever known is beaches and malls, clubs and cocktail dresses.

But now her father is dead.

And if she wants to inherit her father's fortune, she has to leave sunny Southern California
for a backwater little town near Syracuse, New York. She has to run RMB, the multimillion dollar
chemical company her father founded. And she has to run it well.

Keep RMB on track, and she'll be rich. Grow it, and she'll be even richer. But mess it up, and her inheritance will shrink away before she gets a chance to spend a dime.

Donavon Todde is her true love. But is it too late?

He's RMB's head of sales – and the more Donavon sees of Haley, the more he's smitten.
Sure, she comes across at first as naïve and superficial. But Donavon knew Haley's father. He can see the man's better qualities stirring to life in her eyes. And Donavon senses something else: Haley's father left her a legacy more important than money. He left her the chance to discover her true self.

Donavon has demons of his own.
 
He's reeling from a heartbreak that's taking far too long to heal. But he's captivated by this blond Californian, and not only because of her beauty. It's chemistry. They're right for each other. But has Donavon waited too long to woo this woman of his dreams? Because to his horror, his beautiful Haley falls under another spell. Gerad's spell.

A web of evil.

Gerad Picket was second-in-command at RMB when Haley's father was alive. And with Haley on the scene, he's in charge of her training. But there are things about RMB that Gerad doesn't want Haley to know.

And he must control her. Any way he can.

Romantic suspense for your Kindle

Will Haley realize that her feelings are not her TRUE feelings?
Does Donavon have the strength left to fight for the woman he loves?
Will the two of them uncover Gerad's plot to use RMB pheromones to enslave the world?
And even if they do – can they stop it?

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Romantic suspense

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Kirsten Mortensen through Facebook & Twitter

Website http://kirstenmortensen.com/

Amy Lewis on Why She Writes & What Motivates Her @AmyLewisAuthor #AmWriting #Memoir

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

When I’m writing I am very intentional in creating a safe, creative zone to work from. I come from a theater background, and I remember learning early on that the stage was a place of safety and creative freedom where there was no room for self-doubt or judgment. I try to mimic that in my writing space. I do not think with a critic’s mind when I’m in that zone. It feels amazing and free – no editing allowed. This helps a great deal with keeping my fears from creeping into my work. When the work is ready to go out, well, then I must say I do have to contend with those fears. I have not found a way to get rid of self-doubt at that stage, but I think that’s part of being a creative artist.

What scares you the most?

What scares me most is not leading the life I was meant to live. I do believe we all have a purpose, certain gifts that we are meant to express in this life. The universe wants to see our own unique flower blossom, and while that sounds beautiful, I’m keenly aware of how hard it can be to allow yourself to bloom. Your flower might not look anything like what you thought it would, or what you wanted it to look like, or what your family or town or community wants it to look like. The courage to first discover and then be who you really are is no small thing.

What makes you happiest?

Stillness makes me happy. Slowing down makes me happy. Watching my daughter sleep and hearing her howl with laughter when I tickle her. Sitting under the stars with my best friend and feeling immense gratitude for his presence in my life. Dancing makes me insanely happy, Expressing emotions that have no words but come out in movement. Spending time with people that get me. Being around boldness and creative energy.

What’s your greatest character strength?

This one is not so easy and clear as my weakest trait. I’ve been told by many people that I have a great deal of courage – I’m ballsy. I’m an Aries so I have that strong, I’ll go first and I’m not afraid of anything energy. I can definitely see that trait in me, but I can also be very timid so it almost feels like a toggle switch that is either on or off. I also have a very strong awareness of my emotions and what I’m going through at any given moment (thanks to years of therapy, acting classes and a masters in spiritual psychology).

What’s your weakest character trait?
I have very little patience. In fact, I don’t even have the patience for this question. It’s been like this all my life. I blame it on the stars. Seriously. So many tasks, challenges, and goals I gave up on too soon because I didn’t see any early success. I would like to say I’m working on this but I’m not. I don’t know even know where to begin. Perhaps there’s a support group?

Why do you write?

I write for many reasons. Pure selfish self-expression is one reason. I write sometimes to discover where I am at psychologically speaking. I feel like I can move energy when I write and in doing so heal. I write stories to perform on stage. I write to tell people’s stories who might not have been heard. I write because it feels alive to be living in a story and not know where it will take me.

What motivates you to write?

Creativity equates to aliveness. It’s where anything is possible. And when I write, I feel alive. The irony is that my mind is necessary for me to write but I prefer to write as if I’m out of my mind. And by mind I mean my inner-critic, the judging, non-life affirming part of me.

Diagnosed with Borderline Personality disorder, Amy struggled with depression and an addiction to sharp objects. Even hospitalization didn't help to heal her destructive tendencies. It took a tumultuous relationship with a man named Truth to bring her back from the depths of her own self-made hell.Amy's marriage to dark, intriguing Truth was both passionate and stormy. She was a fair-skinned southern girl from New Orleans. He was a charming black man with tribal tattoos, piercings, and a mysterious past. They made an unlikely pair, but something clicked. 

During their early marriage, they pulled themselves out of abject poverty into wealth and financial security practically overnight. Then things began to fall apart.Passionate and protective, Truth also proved violent and abusive. Amy’s own self-destructive tendencies created a powerful symmetry. His sudden death left Amy with an intense and warring set of emotions: grief for the loss of the man she loved, relief she was no longer a target for his aggression.

Conflicted and grieving, Amy found herself at a spiritual and emotional crossroads, only to receive help from an unlikely source: Truth himself. Feeling his otherworldly presence in her dreams, Amy seeks help from a famous medium.

Her spiritual encounters change Amy forever. Through Truth, she learns her soul is eternal and indestructible, a knowledge that gives Amy the courage to pursue her own dreams and transform herself both physically and emotionally. Her supernatural encounters help Amy resolve the internal anger and self-destructive tendencies standing between her and happiness, culminating in a sense of spiritual fulfillment she never dreamed possible.

An amazing true story, What Freedom Smells Like is told with courage, honesty, and a devilishly dark sense of humor.

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Genre – Memoir

Rating – PG-13

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Connect with Amy Lewis through Twitter

Website www.WhatFreedomSmellsLike.com

#Excerpt from "Witness to My Heart" by Loni Flowers @LoniFlowers #AmReading #Romance

“Do you know how great that bathing suit fits you?” he commented.

I was surprised by the unexpected compliment. “Thanks. It’s definitely not the bikini I should have been wearing, according to Caroline.”

“You can see just as much in a bra and panties, which I’ve already seen.”

“Only the bra,” I corrected him.

“Personally, I’ve always preferred a woman in a one-piece. The way it molds to the skin… perfectly outlining every delectable curve on her body. There’s only one thing sexier than that.”

“Oh yeah? And what is that?”

“Nakedness.”

When I didn’t respond to his answer, Max plucked my empty bottle from my hand and set both bottles on the on top ledge of the pool behind my shoulder as he moved in closer. “Shall I get you another?”

I shifted back a bit. “No, I’m good. I hope you’re not trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?”

He took another step closer. “You accepted the beers. I didn’t make you drink them, or ask you to get in the pool. And I would never force myself on a woman just to get what I want.”

“Is that because alcohol makes it so much easier for you?” I retreated another step and my back reached the tiled side, indicating I had nowhere else to go.

“The alcohol means nothing; and the fact that you brought it up tells me you’re trying to find an excuse. What I’m trying to figure out is: do you want me more right now? Or that day I pushed you against the wall? Or was it when you came out of the bathroom last night, dressed in a tight, little tank top and shorts?”

My heart started racing at his sudden forwardness, but I couldn’t let him get to me. “I see the decent conversation we enjoyed tonight has ended. Now you’re full of delusional assumptions.”

“Your eyes give you away.”

As soon as he said that, I stared into the water. There was only about an inch of space between us.

“And so does your breathing. I affect you more than you realize, or will admit.”

“You’re so full of yourself. I just met you. I don’t even know you.”

“I’m only stating the facts. You want me and you can’t even admit you do.”

“I do not! I’m not sure what gave you that idea.”

“The gaze in your eyes, your increased breathing, your mouth, hell your whole body reacts to me when I’m around. I can even smell it on you!” Max raised his arms and put them on each side of my head as he gripped the ledge with each hand. Water trickled down his arms and dripped back into the pool. “When I’m this close, your body sends out pheromones and signals, like it is calling me. Your hands find their way to my skin… like now.”

My hands were pressed against his chest. Like a magnet, they were drawn to him over and over again without any forethought on my part. Closing the gap between us, Max pressed his body against mine and I found it hard to resist the moan that nearly escaped my mouth.

Leaning down, his lips barely brushed mine when he spoke. “And right now, you’re wondering what it would feel like to have my lips tasting yours. Possessing you. But I won’t take what I want, Abi. So, tell me… what do you want?”

Keep a low profile. That's what Abigale Peterson was supposed to do, especially when the person she was being protected from was one of the world's worst crime lords. After seven years in the Witness Protection Program, she felt no safer now than she did when she was seventeen. Revenge was rarely forgotten when it came to a professional criminal like Zerilli.

Low profiles meant no social life and definitely no love life.

Paranoia and lies became daily habits, going against everything Abigale believed in, but they kept her safe. They kept everyone safe.

Until a house fire puts her out of that safety and into the arms of a stranger. Max Smith is sexy, smart, and has major attitude. He’s the only one who seems to get her. He calms her fears and comforts her from her nightmares. But he also sees right through her lies.

Before Abigale can stop, she’s in too deep; confiding too much and breaking the one rule she promised herself to uphold: Never fall in love.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Romance

Rating – R

More details about the author

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@KimberlyShursen on How Failing Has Never Made Her Fearful #AmWriting #AmReading #Thriller

How do you work through self-doubts and fear? The only thing I fear is losing one of my sons or a person I care about. Failing has never made me fearful. A bigger fear would be to never try to achieve my goals.

What’s your greatest character strength? Loyalty. Once I take you in, I’ll never let you go.

What’s your weakest character trait? Writing for hours, sometimes forgetting about eating or sleeping.

Have you always enjoyed writing? Always. I am an introverted/extrovert. I enjoy being around people, but value and protect my alone time to write.

What writing are you most proud of? (Add a link if you like) I am proud of all three of the books I have written. I cannot write a book in two or three months. It takes a lot of time for me to research the cities, neighborhoods and even bars or restaurants where the novel takes place. Using HUSH as an example, I wanted the legal facts to be correct and spent hours talking to friends who are lawyers, and using an online law site where I paid for answers to legal questions.

What are you most proud of in your personal life?  I am proud that I am a strong role model for my three sons. We all go through difficult times in life. They have watched me pick myself up and dust myself off more times than they’ve wanted.

What book genre of books do you adore? Thrillers of any kind. I am not into blood and gore, or reading about it, but enjoy being held on the edge of my seat.

Soon after Ann Ferguson and Ben Grable marry, and Ben unseals his adoption papers, their perfect life together is torn apart, sending the couple to opposite sides of the courtroom.

Representing Ann, lawyer Michael J. McConaughey (Mac) feels this is the case that could have far-reaching, judicial effects -- the one he's been waiting for.

Opposing counsel knows this high profile case happens just once in a lifetime.

And when the silent protest known as HUSH sweeps the nation, making international news, the CEO of one of the top ten pharmaceutical companies in the world plots to derail the trial that could cost his company billions.

Critically acclaimed literary thriller HUSH not only questions one of the most controversial laws that has divided the nation for over four decades, but captures a story of the far-reaching ties of family that surpasses time and distance.

*** Hush does not have political or religious content. The story is built around the emotions and thoughts of two people who differ in their beliefs.

 EDITORIAL REVIEW: "Suspenseful and well-researched, this action-packed legal thriller will take readers on a journey through the trials and tribulations of one of the most controversial subjects in society today."

Katie French author of "The Breeders," "The Believer's," and "Eyes Ever To The Sky."

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Thriller

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Kimberly Shursen through Facebook and Twitter

Website http://www.kimberlyshursen.com/

LICHGATES: Grimoire Saga Book One by @TheSMBoyce #AmReading #Fantasy #GoodReads

The king returned to his throne and bellowed his next words so that they reverberated off the walls of the cavernous hall.

“Stand and accept what you were born to be, my son.”

“Never.”

“Like I said, it’s not a choice.”

Carden reached toward him and clenched his hand into a fist. Braeden’s stomach tightened, as if his father had reached into his gut and squeezed. He curled over himself, stifling the agonizing yell in his throat.

The king twisted his hand and opened his palm, where sparks snapped and fizzled. Braeden’s muscles tore at the movement. Popping noises surged along his biceps and neck. His veins chilled and slowed. He unconsciously stood at a twitch of Carden’s finger. Braeden’s grip on his form was slipping. Smoke escaped his pores. Organs shifted. He screamed in pain until a heavy weight fell on his chest and closed his throat.

“Screams are for the weak,” Carden said.

The weight eased off Braeden’s lungs, letting him sink back to the floor as the internal tearing and popping stopped. The staggering numbness returned. His cuffs twisted as he moved, and searing fire coursed through his veins. Tremors pulsed through him.

Carden scowled from his chair, and the green lizard from earlier peered from the shadows beside the throne. Its outline blurred for a moment, but returned to normal so quickly that Braeden questioned what he’d seen.

It flickered again, more prominently this time.

Dark lines melted around its face. It grew taller, its skin stretching and pouring into the space around it. In a matter of seconds, the lizard filled the massive hall as it transformed into a dragon.

Braeden’s mouth went dry.

The dragon reared its head above the stunned hall and roared. The creature’s tail landed squarely on Carden’s chest, sending him flying into a support column by the main entry. The pillar crumbled on top of the king, burying him, and the dome it supported shattered. The dragon thrashed its wings against the walls by the thrones. Chunks of black marble pummeled downward, cracking the polished floor. Glass rained down on the cloaked subjects. A stampede began for the door.

A new, shriller roar echoed through the great hall, shooting chills through Braeden’s body. A red dragon with a long black stripe down its spine stood over Kara, baring its thick teeth. One dragon was bad enough, but two would be unstoppable. He tried to stand, to run, to possibly escape and at minimum find cover, but one of the spikes shifted and lodged into his bone. The pain buckled his knees.

Another patch in the ceiling crumbled. Pebbles and thick shards of painted glass showered to the floor. What yakona remained fled. Braeden grit his teeth, forced himself to his feet, and staggered to the edge of the hall.

Two thick claws engulfed him, pulling him into the air and pressing the spikes deeper into his hands with a single, deft motion. He cried out as the throbbing agony pulsed through his arms. Shimmering green scales blotted out the sky. The red dragon appeared in the air beside them, Kara tucked away in its claws.

The familiar weight of his father’s control returned on Braeden’s chest. Hatred coursed through his mind like a fever. He turned to the floor. Carden lay trapped beneath the rubble, a shredded look of fury consuming his gray face, and Braeden lost himself to the final ounces of his father’s remaining energy.

Kill the dragon, he was told. Rip it apart. Return.

He writhed, consumed by his father’s commands, but the green dragon clutched him tighter until the pain of the poisoned cuffs outweighed even his father’s will. He dangled in the dragon’s claws and watched the Stele recede from sight.

“The writing is flawless. The kingdoms and surrounding landscapes breathtaking. The Grimoire is a piece of imaginative genius that bedazzles from the moment Kara falls into the land of Ourea. – Nikki Jefford, author of the Spellbound Trilogy

Spring 2013 Rankings

#6 Kindle Store | #1 Science Fiction & Fantasy | #1 Epic Fantasy | #1 Sword & Sorcery | #1 Teens

Now an international Amazon bestseller. Fans of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Eragon will enjoy this contemporary remix of the classic epic fantasy genre.

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Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things: Ourea.

Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother’s recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With nothing to do, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book’s untamed power. Discovered by Ourea’s royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict – a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn’t trust anyone… but she’s being hunted and can’t survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn’t know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

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Novels in the Grimoire Saga:

Lichgates (#1)

Treason (#2)

Heritage (#3) – Available Fall 2013

Illusion (#4) – Available Fall 2014

Buy Now @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Fantasy

Rating – PG13

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 Connect with SM Boyce on Facebook & Twitter & Pinterest

Cheryl Rice Shares a Conversation with Her Inner Critic @RiceonLife #AmWriting #SelfPub #Memoir

How I Tackled My Inner Critic

I had carried the dream of writing a book for at least twenty years. I’m not quite sure where the dream emerged from, but for most of my adult life it lived like a seed inside a tightly sealed packet inside of me. It wasn’t a lack of time that stood in the way of planting that seed (as a life coach I challenge clients who use the lack of time or money as excuses for not pursuing their passions), it was a backpack full of fears and internal negative chatter (who are YOU to think you can write a book?) that held my book writing dream hostage.

Even after my mother died from a swift illness and I felt an urgency to stop my procrastinating and find a way to write my book – the truth of my own mortality more acute than ever – I was still stymied by doubt.

But one day I was walking on my favorite wooded path when it hit me – I was living under a false assumption that I could only write my book if and when my inner critic was conquered and my doubts, fears, and judgments had evaporated. Challenging that erroneous assumption was the first step in moving me forward in my writing journey. I realized I could take my doubts with me and still move forward. Big exhale.

Here are some other things I did to wrestle my inner critic into submission long enough to write and publish my book:

• I gave myself permission to write a bad book – realizing that I would rather write junk than write nothing at all.
• I separated out the writing from the publishing aspect of creating a book and made my first goal to write my story. The decision of whether and how to publish could come later.
• I practiced reframing some of my most virulent self-criticisms:

Inner Critic: Cheryl, it’s all been said before.
Me: Yes, but it’s never been said by me.

Inner Critic: Cheryl, you’re not a writer, you’re a coach. Your father and brother are award-winning writers who make a living writing. You majored in psychology. You don’t know the difference between an adverb and an ad lib.
Me: That may be so, but no one can tell my story but me. Plus, I can certainly hire someone to help with the editing. A writer writes.

Inner Critic: Hasn’t it all been said before?
Me: Well, that’s like asking hasn’t it all been painted before. There are only three primary colors in the world but an infinite variety of colors.

• I hired someone to take me seriously.
• I gave myself a deadline.
• I told my three best friends I was writing a book and asked them to hold my feet to the fire.
• I gave my inner critic only ten minutes of air time a day and not one minute more.
• I focused on what I wanted more than what I was afraid of.

I sat myself down at my desk and wrote my book. Page by page. Story by story. Day by day.

I wrote my book.

And you can too.

Where Have I Been All My Life? is a compelling memoir recounting one woman’s journey through grief and a profound feeling of unworthiness to wholeness and healing. It begins with the chillingly sudden death of Rice’s mother, and is followed by her foray into the center of mourning.

With wisdom, grace, and humor, Rice recounts the grief games she plays in an effort to resurrect her mother; her efforts to get her therapist, who she falls desperately in love with, to run away with her; and the transformation of her husband from fantasy man to ordinary guy to superhero. In the process, she experiences aching revelations about her family and her past—and realizes what she must leave behind, and what she can carry forward with her.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Memoir

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Cheryl Rice through Facebook & Twitter

Website www.yourvoiceyourvision.com