Wilde's Fire

The exciting first book of the Darkness Falls series!

Wilde's Army

The second installment of Darkness Falls.

Wilde's Meadow

The conclusion of Katriona and Arland's story.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Poor Guy #sixsunday #wildesarmy

This has been an amazing week. Wilde's Fire earned a shiny, new cover, and Wilde's Army is only a couple weeks away from the full-scale editorial process. Woah. I guess that means I need to start working on a trailer . . . .

Sigh. One of these days I'll get a chance to write. :-)

Anyway, today's scene comes from Wilde's Army. Not too much to set up here. Kate and Perth were riding in the forest, and Kate's thoughts dwelled on her sister. Next thing she knew, everything went black . . . .

Enjoy!

~She turns her neck to the left and stares at Arland—the pain of this turn radiates through my neck.

Arland's head hangs, his hands are tied above him, and he's been beaten. Cuts and fresh pink bruises cover the side of his face, and blood drips from his mouth. "Do you know if Kate can hear you or not?" he asks, his voice ragged. He doesn't lift his head to look at her.

"I haven't told her I hear and sometimes see her thoughts; I'm just praying she hears mine, too," Brit whispers.~

Poor Arland. Can you believe someone would want to hurt him? Such a shame!

To read other amazing Six Sunday posts, visit the official site. *DISCLAIMER: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18!*

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For those of you waiting to get your hands on a copy of Wilde's Fire, the book's official release date is May 13th. :-)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Absolutely Stunning Cover

Hey everyone!

I know I've not been around much, but it doesn't mean I haven't been writing and working on the release of Wilde's Fire. Some of you may be saying, "WHAAAT? Wilde's Fire already hit the stands." And you'd be right. However, a few minor behind the scenes changes required some downtime.

BUT with changes, comes well, CHANGES! Today I'm here to show you the brand new, shiny cover of Wilde's Fire. The folks over at Curiosity Quills did a fantastic job. If you are seeking a publisher, these guys should be your next query! They love books, and they love AUTHORS. CQ has done everything in their power to make this experience wonderful!

Okay, without any further lovie-dovie talk, I give you, Wilde's Fire (to be released very, very soon!):

“There is no pain in this death, only peace, knowing I am going to die with the one I love the most.”—Katriona Wilde.

Katriona Wilde has never wondered what it would feel like to have everything she’s ever known and loved ripped away, but she is about to find out. When she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, she finds herself faced with more than just the frightening creatures in front of her. Kate’s forced to accept a new truth: her entire life has been a lie, and those closest to her have betrayed her. What’s worse, she has no control over her new future, and it’s full of magic and horrors from which nightmares are made. Will Kate discover and learn to control who she really is in time to save the ones she loves, or will all be lost?

So how amazing is this cover?!

Thank you all for your support!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Lost #twc1

Living on the boundary of what used to be civilization isn't easy. We play games with our lives every day. Hunger and thirst are the least of our concerns, though we do suffer through famine. No, our struggles with the wild cats, if you can truly call these beasts cats, are our biggest problems.

Their size rivals that of an extinct bear, and that only adds to our enemies' strength. The cats make no sounds as they slink through the waters surrounding our small village. They fear nothing, and they stop at nothing to steal our last breaths.

And they've stolen so very many over the last three years.

Every night I stand guard over my brother and two sisters. All three are too young to fight. They are even too young to leave our hut. In a few years, I will teach them how to watch, how to protect what's important, but for now, they must survive. Only.

My parents protected me, and now I am the second eldest remaining human known to mankind.

Or at least known to our village, the longest surviving since the animal outbreak.

Click, click, thump, thump.

That sound is never good, always a warning, and comes from the only person older than me: Graham. My heart hammers against my chest. No matter how long I've fought, no matter how many battles I've won, the cats always scare me.

Fear keeps me alive.

I turn around and close the hut's door. So flimsy, made of twigs and scrap branches tied together with whatever twine we could salvage from abandoned home improvement stores, before they burned to the ground—people do crazy things when the world as they know it ends. The other building materials were too heavy; they would have gotten us killed had we tried to take them, but they would have protected us a lot better. Our version of a door doesn't even cover the hole in our mud huts.

"Matt," I whisper, stirring my little brother. He needs to learn to be more alert. "Matt," I whisper significantly louder, significantly more dangerous.

Rubbing his eyes, he sits up.

So slow. If the cats don't kill him, I will. "Hurry up."

Matt throws his blanket from his legs, then puts his face up to the top of the door. "What's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong? Watch your sisters. Do not open the door. Block it with anything you can find. They're here."

He nods then takes off toward our pile of logs in the back of the hut. I keep my eye on him to make sure he does what he has to, but then he rushes right back up to me.

"Clarissa?"

I growl. "If we all die tonight, it's your fault."

My brother slinks back. I'm too hard on him. He's only seven. I'm twice his age, plus two years.

"Stay safe."

"I'm sorry, Matt. I will. I love you." I run away before the tears come. Crying will get me killed for sure. Mom was crying the night she died, and Dad died crying over her.

"Rissa," Graham calls. He's crouched behind a tree, spear in hand, blond hair glistening in the moonlight.

This is not how we typically prepare for a fight. I jog over to him then kneel beside him, glancing every which way to make sure nothing is about to attack.

Graham points across our moat, pathetically dugout moat at that. "I saw light, behind those two trees over there."

"Light?" We ran out of batteries months ago. Hell we ran out of everything months ago. After the last of the adults died, Graham and I were left in charge of two-hundred middle-school aged children. We aren't exactly parental material . . . yet. Though given our two-year age difference, he may be my only option in life. Not that he's a bad option.

"Yes. Like flashlights. The cats are smart, but not that smart. I don't know where the stupid things came from, but aside from their strange golden collars, I've never seen them have things like light." He stands, stretching out his long, muscular legs. Thank God for him. He's brave and willing to protect his people, and Graham has the strength to back up his best qualities. "I'm going to check it out."

"What?" I scramble to my feet and grab hold of his arm before he can walk away. "You can't. No one has ever come back. Ever, Graham. You can't. You can't go away and die and leave me with all these kids. I need you."

The muscles in his face tighten. He knows I need him. He knows everyone has died. Graham can't be stupid enough to make this mistake. Not him. Anyone but him.

"Three years we've lived like prisoners because of these cats. We've lost our friends, our families, our childhood." He turns his face away from me, clenching his teeth and fists. "I can't deal with it. I can't deal with looking at you every day and knowing if I fail, this day could be your last."

I touch his cheek, trying to get him to look at me again, but he refuses to budge, refuses to meet my eyes. His skin is so warm, so dry and rough against my blistered hands. My breaths quicken, and I back away. I've never touched him like this. Ever. "Why are you worried about me?" I whisper, staring at my feet.

Graham storms toward the water, but I'm not stupid enough to follow him into the open. "Stop. Where are you going?"

"To figure out what I saw and to find a way to get us out of this. I'll be back."

No he won't. He won't ever be back. No one has ever returned. But trying to stop him would be suicide.

Those tears finally fall. I know I shouldn't let them, but I'm tired of losing people I know and love. I'm tired of staying up all night and sleeping all day. I'm tired of being in charge, of burying people I know—or what's left of them.

I stomp back to our hut, sobbing like a little baby, then cross my arms over my chest to stand watch. Like usual.

"You shouldn't cry, girl. Crying will get you killed," someone with a smooth, deep, sadistic voice says.

What the . . . ? I spin around, but no one is here. Nothing.

"Look lower. Look where you like to stab my creations in the eyes."

Emerging from the darkness, a big, black cat with green, glowing eyes walks up to me.

"I-I don't understand. Why are you speaking to me?" Why is this thing speaking at all?

He lowers his head, bringing it too close to his front paws. The beast plans to pounce me. Maybe I should have gone with Graham. Maybe we all should have.

"I am not like the others." The thing shakes—violently—then transforms into a man. A tall, dark-skinned man with bright cat-like, green eyes. Naked. Completely and utterly naked.

I'm trapped. I won't open the hut door. My brother and sisters are in there. Safe. For now, but I wish I could run away.

"I created them to be like me. Man who can turn into beast, be free, experience a carefree life, but they did not inherit the man in me. Only the cat."

I shake my head, clutching the weapon in my hand tighter and tighter. "Don't come any closer. I will kill you."

The maniac grins, revealing his brilliant white teeth. "And not figure out where your precious Graham went? He followed the same light as all the others. Don't you want to know the secrets to this new world you live in?"

Not another word. I lift my spear then thrust it into his heart, but my efforts were for nothing.

Transforming back into the cat, he laughs then lopes off toward the water. "Sooner or later, he'll come for you. Maybe he'll even eat you."

"Maybe he'll eat you first," I scream, slumping against the hut.

Everything just changed. Everything.

~~~~

To read other writer's take on the subject Lost, visit http://www.thewriterscollection.com/.

Today's entry is from one of my novels in progress.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Are You Afraid of Horses? #sixsunday #wildesarmy

Happy Sunday, everyone. Today's snippet comes from Wilde's Army, the second book in the Darkness Falls trilogy.

Perth and Kate are in the stables, preparing to leave and find the others. Perth is acting unusually skittish around the horses, and his behavior is driving Kate batty. But, if you've read Wilde's Fire, you know Perth isn't the nicest guy in the world. He's just asked why they're bringing extra horses when it's just the two of them . . . .

Enjoy!

~If Perth ever betrays me, I'm going to stick him in a barn with a hundred horses and let them scare him to death. This is ridiculous.

"You are bringing Bowen for Arland. You may admit it; it is okay." The creepy Perth is back. His eyes lose their decency, turning into cold slits, and he puts on a wicked smile.~

Creepy Perth is so not nice.

To read other Six Sunday author's, please visit the official site. *DISCLAIMER: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18!*

Friday, April 20, 2012

The World We Live In

Going to the gas station isn't a particularly annoying event for me. I drive a fuel-efficient car, so the pain in the pocket book is there, but I don't feel the pinch as much as other people.

However, owning the diesel powered vehicle that I do (Jetta TDI – Blue Diesel…cleaner than your average car) means I have to find a station with my kind of fuel. There's this Valero on the corner of I-95 and Route 610 in Stafford Virginia that I love to go to. The manager is friendly as hell, and there's rarely a line.

This morning I had to stop at said station, but something was different. My friendly manager lady wouldn't turn on the ancient pump without a credit card reader.

I stood there, pacing back and forth, contemplating whether she could see or recognize me. I've been coming here for years. Of course she recognizes me! But the money guzzler still didn't turn on.

Sighing, I grabbed my purse, locked my doors, then headed toward the cashier.

"Hey," said a teenage boy obviously late for school, "The lady said she's sorry, but you have to go in now."

"Thanks. On my way." But what I was really thinking was, [Insert String of Bad Language here; I'm going to be late for work].

Pulling open the door, I cringed as the little cowbell on the door jingled. Too merry. I wanted to be grumpy!

The manager threw up her hands. "I'm so sorry. They took away my button."

I didn't even ask what button. Not worth it. "It's okay. They should put a credit card reader on those pumps."

She adjusted her glasses and jabbed at the buttons on her register. "I've been telling them that for a long time."

What year is it? "Here's my card. I'll be back."

"I can't," she said, looking even more confused than me. "I'm not allowed to approve. You have to pay first. We had a large drive-off. Thieves make everyone suffer for their crimes."

[More internal grumbling I'd rather not admit to.] "I guess just charge fifty."

Nice manager rang me up, then I went out to my car and finally pumped my fuel, but the stupid car only needed forty-eight dollars worth. Normally a couple bucks wouldn't bother me, but given diesel costs $4.11 per gallon, I was going in for my spare change.

The oil industry is not getting anything extra from me. They do not deserve tips!

The lady saw me coming and had my change ready when I walked inside. I love her. I really do, but I'm going to have to hunt down a new gas station, one that has machinery with technology for the day and age we live in.

And, as a note, if you are one of the asses who drove off without paying for your fuel: Don't you know your actions make life harder for the rest of us? Don't you know they make them harder for you? You steal gas and the prices are only going to go higher!

There. I feel better.

Happy Friday everyone!

The song that's been stuck in my head since the gas station incident!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Chicken Anyone? #sixsunday #wildesarmy

Just finished helping my mother-in-law move into her new house. So I'm going to keep this short.

In Wilde's Army, Perth and Kate are going to try to find all the soldiers and children who were taken from Watchers Hall. He thinks it will be a wise idea to bring a chicken for food, but the bird would be too noisy, so he breaks its neck . . . .

Enjoy!

~Mirain seems more nervous than the others, stomping and swishing her tail.

"What is it, girl?" I ask, approaching her with my hand held out, palm up.

"It is me. Animals have never liked me very much," Perth says, still standing in the storage area, backed against the hay bales.

I eye the dead chicken in his murderous hands. "I cannot imagine why not."~

Lovely. :-)

Happy Sunday everyone.

To read other Six Sunday entries, visit the official site. *DISCLAIMER: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18!*

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Janey Means a lot to Me

Nearly a year ago, I stumbled onto the blogging, Twitter, Facebook scene . . . for the author me anyway. I was timid, afraid of what kind of people I would meet in the writing world. But settling in was easy after discovering people like Derek Flynn. We laughed. We cried. We red-penned each other's work. Most of all, he was real.

Real is important, guys. Very.

One of the first conversations I had with Derek was about music. He claimed his tunes to be dark, and I wanted him to prove it. So, after about a month of pressuring him, he did it. Derek Flynn started a blog and posted New Music Mondays.

When he shared Janey with the world, I cried. This song touched my soul, reached in and said . . . YOU CAN RELATE TO THIS, KRYSTAL WADE! And boy, was that song right.

Today, I'm happy to announce Derek has released a CD, and Janey's video is premiering to the world here on my blog.

I might sob like a baby all over again.

So, please, have a listen and leave Derek a comment of congratulations. He deserves it.


You can listen to samples or buy the CD here.

Or you can discover more about Derek at his website, blog or you can Twitterstalk him.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Time for a Change!

I've been secretly working on something. This project has been so tightly under wraps, only two or three people know about it. I haven't even updated my Coming Soon pages! But let me tell you, this novel is coming soon, and I think you're all going to love it!

For those of you reading the Darkness Falls trilogy, don't worry. I'm working on that, too. But this is a new book based on my daughter's wild personality. She is quite the character. Now, Abigail Nichols shares my daughter's name and awesome traits, but that's about it.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, someone tagged me in the Lucky Sevens game. I've been avoiding this for the Darkness Falls trilogy because page 77 would give away the plot for Wilde's Meadow, but I think sharing from Abby's story will be okay.

Here we go:

"Yes, sir." Derick reached in front of me then opened the glove box. "It's okay," he whispered, pulling out the owner's manual.

How? Good lord, we hadn't even made it a hundred miles and we were already in trouble.

"Let's see . . . warranty, insurance . . . . Here it is, sir." Derick handed over the piece of paper.

~~

Now, because I'm not one for following rules, I'm going to give you the next seven as well:

Trooper Daniels took the registration, then Derick reached into his wallet and pulled out his license.

"Here's my id, sir." So calm. So collected.

Not me.

"The car belongs to you, Mr. Crawford?"

"Yes, sir."

~~

I can't wait to get this book onto the stands. The few people who've seen the inner workings, tell me it's good!

Okay, now onto seven other writers.

Kelly Seguin
Raine Thomas
Wendy S. Russo
Jessica Wentz
Blaire Kensley
Kelly S. Gamble
Johanna Pitcairn

For those of you who aren't familiar with the rules. Go to Page 77 in your WIP, go to the 7th sentence, then copy the following 7 sentences into a blog posting. Cheat away. I did.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Bloody Sunday #wildesarmy

I have been a bad blogger. So sorry. I know you've missed my flash fiction, Friday funnies, random posts, etc, but I've been so focused on writing. And then I just read this really amazing book. I'll post a review soon . . . .

I have to visit with a certain floppy-eared bunny, so I'll keep this short. Oh, and umm, I'll just say the standoff between Kate and Perth has calmed a bit!

Enjoy!

~"B-blood." I point to the line of blood on the floor, trembling as I walk along the stains with Perth behind me. The trail leads up the stairs.

"Someone was injured," he says, his voice void of emotion.

Swallowing hard, I raise the candle to see his face. "I understand that, but who?"~

I'll give you two guesses who Kate thinks the blood belongs to!

Have a great week!

To read other Six Sunday greatness, visit the official site! *DISCLAIMER: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18!*

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Tide of Lies #newrelease

Life has a way of putting amazing people in our . . . well . . . life. When I met Sarah Ballance, we were pregnant and due around the same time. Then I began writing, and realized she was a writer as well. There are few people who can claim responsibility for molding the mechanics of my words on paper. Actually, there is only one person who can claim responsibility for that, and that person is Sarah Ballance.

She is an amazing writer, mother, friend, cake baker (I had to mention that), and I'm sure her husband would admit she's a pretty amazing wife. So, if you don't know Sarah, you should get to know her. If you do know her, you're lucky.

And today she's here to tell us about her new book!

~~~


This week I'm celebrating the release of my new romantic suspense, TIDE OF LIES. For the most part I've kept my clothes on, but the day isn't over yet, so consider yourself warned, LOL.

Truth is, this is a big deal because TIDE OF LIES has been a long time coming. It started with the idea for FAMILIAR LIGHT, a story I was supposed to keep to 10k.  However, my muse is about as stubborn as my husband *might* think I am (ahem), and not surprisingly it refused to be contained. My subsequent frenzied writing streak for a second book was met with unending delays (<slight exaggeration) but now it's all *so* totally worthwhile. I have a shiny new *published* copy of TIDE OF LIES, which, although it continues the action from FAMILIAR LIGHT, is a complete stand-alone story. If you want to see the LIGHT (ha!) it's on sale for just $1.50 from Noble Romance. If not, your journey starts here. Shall we?

TIDE OF LIES | blurb

A devastating secret. A shocking betrayal. A deadly obsession.

Haunted by three unsolved murders, Detective Holden Whitlow is stunned when his cold case takes a heated turn. Julia Cohen, his ex-lover, is back in town, and in the face of a brutal attack she’s ready to run. No matter how tightly she holds her secrets, for Holden, turning away from the woman he’s spent a decade trying to forget isn’t any more an option than walking away from his job . . . even when it threatens to cost Julia her life.

Julia is still reeling from a past she can’t bear to face. When she becomes the target of a killer, fate throws her back into Holden’s arms, but she’s yet to recover from a truth that has stripped her of everything—and everyone—she loves. Will she tell him the secret that will destroy him, or will her lie destroy them both?

TIDE OF LIES | excerpt
Julia Cohen. The name wasn't familiar, but the nagging feeling Holden should know it tailed him all the way to the hospital. The unease kept him company in the otherwise empty elevator where he now stood, thumbs hooked in his pockets with his fingers tapping his thighs. The numbers above the doors lit in rapid succession before landing on six with a quiet ping.

Julia . . . Julia . . . .

The doors slid open to reveal a bustling nurses' station. Ahead, a uniformed officer leaned against the wall, saving Holden the trouble of asking directions. He flashed his badge to the desk nurse and made his way down the hall, sidestepping an elderly woman in a wheelchair and food cart with a stack of covered dishes. The smell of the waiting dinners made his stomach rumble, reminding him he'd skipped lunch.

His stride faltered as he neared the room. He should have stopped for an update on Ms. Cohen's condition. Now, thanks to his bull-nosed curiosity, he had no idea what to expect. With a nod to the officer, Holden knocked lightly on the door, and then waited a few seconds before letting himself in.

Afternoon sunlight bathed the room in an earthy glow, casting a deep shadow over her face and masking her identity from him. His only clue was the shape of the blankets draped over her, which suggested her frame was slight, her height petite. Lacking anything else to go on, Holden took her name for another spin. Julia . . . .

"You cut your hair," she said.

Startled, Holden drew his hand to his head, his palm pressing the soft spikes aside.

Quiet laughter met his ears. "You didn't know?"

Holden squirmed inside, feeling every bit the schmuck for not recognizing her, though she clearly felt she knew him. But her voice . . . it might have been familiar if not for the dry, raspy undertones—a beating could do that to a person, though. Damn. His victim knew him—or thought she did—and he hadn't a clue who she was. After the trio of murders hit Barrier Shoals, he'd had plenty of cameras shoved in his face. Was she one of those so-called murder groupies? Either way, she had the advantage. If he could only see her . . . he struggled with the urge to turn on the overhead light, eliminating the shadows. Grasping, he tried to remember when he'd last made a change to his hair.

Seventeen. Right before his first semester of college, his mom pleaded with him to ditch the shaggy surfer cut—something to do with the world not taking him seriously with his hair in his face. She equated grooming with respectability, and Holden had fast learned the fine art of choosing his battles. Maybe that's why he felt for the kid standing in his socks at the crime scene—Holden had been there and done a little too much of that.

But choosing battles wasn't the only thing Holden had done that summer.

He'd been engaged . . . .

Recognition slammed into him.

##

And no, Julia was *not* his fiancée! LOL. There's a whole lot more to the story, and if you want to check it out you can read the first chapter in its entirely for free (no registration required) on Noble's website. 

~~~~~

Now let me tell you guys, I've read FAMILIAR LIGHT and most of TIDE OF LIES (Miss Sarah wanted to drive me absolutely insane). These books are amazing. She is truly a talented writer!

What are you waiting for? 

OH! LINKS! ;-)


SARAH BALLANCE | bio & links

Sarah and her husband of what he refers to as "many long, long years" live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they're asleep.  A full time homeschooling mom, she often jokes she writes to be around people who will listen to her, but her characters aren't much better than her kids.  Fortunately her husband is in her corner. Quite supportive of her writing career, he's generously offered to help her research "the good parts."  She's never had to ask twice.

Weekly gift card giveaways @ http://sarahballance.wordpress.com/

Monday, April 2, 2012

We've All Done It

We've all prank called someone . . . .

We were all kids once. Some of us are still (*raises hand*).

But while surfing the ever-addicting website known as YouTube, I came across this hysterical prank call placed by Lego Man. How awesome is that?

Check this out:


I kind of felt sorry for the poor sap who answered the phone. I mean, if someone told you they had claws and only liked to work with brick, what would you do?

At least the construction company had benefits. *Snickers*

Happy Monday Everyone!

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Wilde's Fire: Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Bookstrand


Sunday, April 1, 2012

OUCH! That hurts! #sixsunday #wildesarmy

Woohoo. It's Sunday. The day where all my awesome fans and Six Sunday friends converge in one space...here! YAY!

I'm sharing another snippet of the opening scene to Wilde's Army. If you still haven't purchased a copy of Wilde's Fire--and I think you're nuts if you haven't--then run out and grab it so you understand why these six sentences are sooo amazing. Or, if you want to try your luck winning a free copy, check out this fun poll to see how you can win!

Enjoy!

~"If you would stop trying to kill your future husband, I would be happy to tell you," he says, taking a step back when I pierce his skin with the tip of the claymore. Blood soaks through his white linen tunic and forms a red stain down to his belt.

I'm not playing games. Stepping toward him, I dig the blade back into his chest over the bleeding wound. "Why shouldn't I kill you? Right here, right now?"

Perth puts up his hands in surrender. "Because we are not so different, you and I."~

Ooooh. Now, I know Wendy Russo and Kelly Seguin are going to go nuts for that.

To read other Six Sunday greats, check out the official site. *Disclaimer: Not all sites are appropriate for children under 18!*

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