All These Secrets #indielicious

It's Sunday. You knew that. But what you don't know is that I pitched Shattered Secrets, and now a bunch of agents are interested in reading more of it.

How cool is that?

I know! So, while I'm skimming my book one last time before sending it off to them, please pray for me and my fingernails. Not sure I'll have many left when this is over.

This week's teaser comes in the form of Derick's POV. Squee. I LOVE DERICK. He's so much fun to write.

Enjoy!

"Derick, wait up!"

I knew the long-ass day at school wouldn't end without Mark harassing me. The moron actually thought he loved Abigail, thought he knew her, but he didn't see her as anything more than a pretty piece of arm candy.

She knew that. I knew that. Why couldn't Mark figure that out?

I kept walking.

"Come on. Don't wuss out."

My car was right there. So close, yet still so far away. I rounded on him, squeezing my keys. Better them than his head. "What? Come to tell me again that Abby will never forgive me for keeping things from her? You still think she'll forgive you? Your secrets are much deeper than mine are."~

Hope you enjoyed!

Make sure to hop along to the other blogs and check out their teasers!

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Zarconian Island #newrelease #cqchat

Today I have fellow Curiosity Quills author, Aja Hannah, dropping in. I've asked her the most wonderful question ever--the same one I always ask. What part of you is in your main character.

Take it away, Aja!

~The first editor who ever read my novel had thick glasses and she towered above me in a splattered-colored chair at the Maryland Writers Conference. I was still painfully shy in those days and I could not keep my eyes on her pink face. Instead, I would repeatedly glance over the open room, searching the other tables and the abundance of professionally dressed people. As if I were waiting for one of them to say, “Is that kid really here? What a waste of time.”

One author at a table adjacent to us was furiously scribbling down everything their editor was saying—I’d forgotten a notepad and a pen—while another author stuck his hand out on his query and pointed, arguing with his chosen agent.

The editor pulled out my papers from a black folder and told me I had submitted too many. “The standard is to double-space the work,” she said.

I probably apologized. Hopefully. But honestly, I can’t remember and I don’t think it mattered to her because all I remember is her talking a lot after that and very fast because I was late and we only had a few minutes.

She pulled the first page out and said something to the effect of: “I can tell you’re using your own voice. Your main character is a lot like you.”

My immediate response was to backtrack. “Attie is more violent than I am.”

The editor grinned at me. “It’s a good thing to have such a distinct voice.”

I don’t know why it bothered me to hear that Attie was like me. I have an affinity for “A” names but aside from that I never meant to make her someone like me.

Still, I’d have to say Attie is not too far from the rough-and-tumble kid I was in high school.

We both hated our hair.
We both wore more modest clothes—more modest than Kate anyway.
We both had a rather blunt way of putting things.

But it goes deeper than that. I kept to myself a lot and had only a few close friends. While I never got in trouble with teachers, peers and adults told me that I looked “intimidating” by the way I walked down the hallways and never seemed to smile.

Trust has never come easy to me, and—while I’m no Zarconian—I kept some serious secrets from even my closest friends.

I am proud to say that that’s no longer the case. I’ve grown a little more open and a little less shy since the start of Zarconian Island. And, as I complete the sequel, I hope readers will see that Attie has too.

My stomach knotted tighter, winding so hard it hurt.

Kate watched me, rubbing a piece of her hair between two fingers.

I bit my tongue, trying to work the words out.

"The boat …we're going under.”

Possessing powers that are feared and shunned, eighteen-year-old Alexandra “Attie” Hotep is no virgin to attacks. Her ancestors, the Zarconians-- mixed-blood inhabitants of Atlantis--were rumored to be the English fairies who kidnapped children, the Caribbean sirens that sunk ships, and the dream-like apparitions who broke into psyches. By the 1850s, they were hunted to near-extinction, leaving the existence of Atlantis and Zarconians little more than myth.

When a class trip turns deadly, Attie and her friends become stranded on an uncharted tropical island in the middle of the Pacific, and Attie finds herself targeted once more. With a jungle full of extinct and prowling animals, she struggles to find a compromise between keeping her friends safe and keeping her family's secret.

Enter Doug Hutchinson—the school’s soccer star, and a handsome boy with his own secrets. But Attie and Doug soon realize the animals aren't the only threat. There is a traitor amidst the group, one that plans to turn all Zarconians into permanent myths. And Attie is next on the list.

You can find her book on Amazon!

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Are You Green?

So, I was browsing Facebook, as I do on so many occasions, and came across a picture linked to Stephenie Meyer's author account. (If you don't know who SM is, where the hell have you been the last few years?)

Anyway, I scrolled down and found a rant written by another author that linked to Stephenie's page. The rant went something like this:

ANGRY GUY: Wow...aliens that invade humans by taking over bodies....then add a romance...we all knew Stephanie Meyer couldn't write worth shit and her story telling is even worse, but REALLY? "The HOST" now is her way of copying Suzanne Collins' plagurist ways eh???? Jesus this "authors" are so shitty it's a joke. Hey, how about "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" Stephanie??? Ever heard of it? OH that's right kinda like how Collins didn't hear of "Battle Royale." Dan Brown is a bad writer who also got rich, but at least her tried something on his own. Collins and Meyer? Two frauds making money off a stupid ass American public who don't know any better.

And then, in the comments, it got worse:

ANGRY GUY: I read that...he got his genesis from it, but his storyline was his own...I mean it would be like writing a fictionalized version of the birth of Jesus...I wrote about the growth of the New World Order and used zombies as the metaphor...same thing....and yes Rowling is quite overrated too, but at least she could write....

ANGRY GUY: Nothing I write will ever be accused of being plagurist or even cliche I hope

OTHER COMMENTER: Do we blame the writers or the readers?

ANGRY GUY: Both, writers lack class or dignity (like people in many professions) and readers lack education because they are lazy.

I won't go on. I'm sure you can go to Stephenie's page and read for yourself. So anyway, this raised my hackles. Why?

No. It's not because I drool over Stephenie Meyer's work. It's not because I think she or Suzanne Collins—or even JK Rowling—are God's gifts to readers. And it's not even his hating on Americans.

I saw red because he's an idiot, and he's insulting authors and readers. And he's doing it out of a place of insecurity.

And he's wrong.

Sort of.

First, let's define plagiarism: The practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own.

Now, at first glance, you might think . . . okay, but The Host is similar to Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And you'd be correct.

Aliens taking over human bodies. CHECK.

Pretty sure the similarities end there.

You might say, but The Hunger Games really is like Battle Royale (which I haven't read). And maybe they are.
But here's the thing . . . the ranter "ANGRY GUY" goes on to say in his comments, and I quote, "I wrote about the growth of the New World Order and used zombies as the metaphor."

GASP. *POINTS FINGER* Plagiarizer!!! Quick. Someone get mad at him because he's super successful and he plagiarized someone's work (I'm not positive about the successful part. Did you see his spelling?).

Who the hell invented the "idea" (note definition of plagiarism) of zombies anyway? Who invented the idea of vampires? Arena-style fighting? Witches? Aliens?

With the exception of Arena-style fighting and witches (being that these things are noted in history and such), can you really define that?

If this man really wants to cry foul, then he also needs to look inward. But that's not truly his problem, is it? His issue is not with Stephenie Meyer's novel, or Suzanne Collins', or even JK Rowlings'. This man's issue is with himself.

He's jealous.

I see this a lot as authors rise up the ranks. That self-defense mechanism kicks in, and the "ANGRY GUY" says, "But I write better than that rubbish, and my ideas are my own. How come I'm not making millions? Why do readers like that crap?"

Then the "ANGRY GUY" goes all over the Internet to try to strip that successful author of everything they worked hard for. And they worked hard. Trust me.

Readers aren't stupid. Readers are readers and know what they like. Authors who write about similar creatures--or even the same--that other authors have written about aren't plagiarizers. They create their own story, in their own world, and the readers eat it up because they like that author's fresh take on an old tale.

Stop being jealous, people. Support your fellow author. Hell, if you're not an author, you shouldn't be jealous either. Someone on the basketball team better than you? Receive more acclaim than you? Don't be an asshole and tear them down. SUPPORT THEM.

Jealousy gets us nowhere.

PSA over.

Thanks for listening.

~Krystal (And this post does not negate that there are truly plagiarizers out there. If your book follows the same-type story line as someone else's, same character traits, occasionally the same words, then yes, that is actual plagiarism. If you're merely inspired by someone's idea and spin your own world from it . . . that's called creativity, folks, and I hope it never stops.)

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Bad News #indielicious

Hey everyone!

Well, the contest from last week didn't work out. I didn't expect it would. I whipped up my logline in a flash, and well, since my novel is a genre-bender and I called Shattered Secrets a YA Fantasy, the judges were probably left scratching their heads after the first 250 words.

I'm not offended. In fact, part of me is relieved. More about that later.

For now, we dive deeper into my made up character's problems. Dad and Mom chased Mark out of the room, but a couple officers replaced the jerky boy, and they wanted to know every detail about the kidnapping that Abby could recall.

And you guys know how overprotective Dad is . . . .

Enjoy!

~"It's late," Dad said, getting to his feet. He walked over to the officers, then stood behind them. A towering threat to leave his little girl alone.

Officer Daniels nodded. "A couple more questions, if you don't mind, Mr. Nichols?"

Dad met my eyes, the wrinkles at the edges twitching just a bit.

"I'm fine, Dad."

"You're very brave." Officer Paulson smiled. "I'm not sure how long you've been awake, or what you know of the situation, Miss Nichols, but we need to know everything that happened to you. Do you have any idea who these young men were, what they wanted, or where they were from?"

For the first time since I woke up, I realized no one told me whether my kidnappers made it out of the fire alive. "Did you arrest them, sir?"

The sting of Psycho Number Two's hand making contact with my cheek resurfaced, and I winced.

Officer Paulson glanced at his partner, who nodded.

"No, and they didn't die in the fire either. The men who took you are still out there . . . ."~

Well, that is NOT what Abby wanted to hear. Check back next week to see what happens!

~Krystal

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January Black #review

****REVIEW**** 

I've thought about this book for days, now, and it just won't leave me alone. You see, January Black is haunting. The story takes place in a futuristic society where you're never really sure if Matty and everyone around him are on a different planet, in a dystopian future, or what.

It's kind of confusing, and that's half the fun.

Matty is a troublemaker. Well, his teachers think so anyway. I think they're just jealous because he's smarter than they are—which is why they expel him from Regent school.

But the king offers Matty a sliver of hope. Answer one question, one teensy, tiny, itty-bitty little question, and the king would give Matty a Masters degree.

Who wouldn't jump at that?

But when Matty delivers his answer, he discovers the king is a friend of semantics (don't you hate those?) and then Matty plunges deeper into his world, a world where information is closed off to the public, where news and records and reality have been altered, a world where freedom doesn't ring as it should.

A world much like our own. (Oh, wait. Sorry. That was me getting somewhat political.)

In Matty's pursuit of answers, he falls in love, learns that family is more than genetics, and learns that freedom and liberty must be protected at all costs.

This was a great read (4 Stars). One I recommend for young and old alike.

Great job, Wendy. I can't wait to read more!

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Wilde's Army is on SALE!

It's the Luck o' the Irish!

Leprechauns struck and changed the price of MANY of Curiosity Quills' titles to 99 cents.

Wilde's Fire is there, and so is Wilde's Army!

Check out the other great books, and get to downloading.

The sale does not last long.

Once Upon a Changeling by V.J. Chambers 

Cappuccino Heaven by Michelle Wright 

The Space Whiskey Death Chronicles by William Vtika

18 Things by Jamie Ayres

The Charge by Sharon Bayliss

Ever by Jessa Russo

Blow up the Roses by Randy Attwood

Theocracide by James Wymore

Fade by Ayden Morgan

The Green Man and Other Short Stories by Rand Lee

The Gathering Darkness by Lisa Collicutt

Sanity Vacuum by Thea Gregory

Legasea by Krystalyn Drown

The Devil You Know (Nick Englebrecht Trilogy Book 1) by K.H. Koehler

Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish by Andrew Buckley

Nefertiti's Heart by AW Exley

Paradise Earth: Day Zero by Anthony Mathenia

Death by Chocolate by Johanna Pitcairn 

Bone Wires by Michael Shean

Shadow of a Dead Star by Michael Shean

The Green Eyed Monster by Mike Robinson

The Prince of Earth by Mike Robinson

Danger in Cat World by Nina Post

One Ghost Per Serving by Nina Post

The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse by Nina Post 

The Last Donut Shop of the Apocalypse by Nina Post

World's Burn Through (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 1) by Vicki Keire

Shadowed Ground (Chronicles of Nowhere Book 2) by Vicki Keire

Wet Dream by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.

The God Particle by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.

The Department of Magic by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.

Christmas in the Morgue by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.

Family Cursemas (The Megamillionaire Murders, Vol 1) by Rod Kierkegaard, Jr.

Dinosaur Jazz (Jurassic Club) by Michael Panush

El Mosaico, Vol. 1: Scarred Souls by Michael Panush

The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 1: American Nightmares by Michael Panush 

The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 2: Cold Wars by Michael Panush 

The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 3: Red Reunion by Michael Panush

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Jerky Boys #indielicious

Do I even need to tell you what today is? Didn't think so. Happy day-that-shall-not-be-mentioned-day.

I'm bringing you another teaser from Shattered Secrets. I mean, really, would you expect anything else? I entered this bad boy into a contest the other day, and I've been biting my nails ever since. You can yell at Jessa Russo, Mom and Dad. It's all her fault.

Anyhoo. Last week, Derick visited Abby in the hospital, and before he left, he gave her a note that she hasn't quite had a chance to read yet. Now it's her turn to talk to Mark. He's already made a snide comment about the roses Derick left for her . . . .

Enjoy!

~"What are you sorry for?"

"Abby, you're in the hospital, and I'm hounding you about Derick. I'm acting as selfish as he is—"

"Selfish? How is Derick acting selfish? I was kidnapped, and you're in here talking about who I'm dating—or not dating. The only person acting selfish is you."

"Abby?" Mom stood in the doorway, scary-parent gaze settled on Mark. "Do you need a moment?"

"No, Mom. Mark was just leaving." I glared at him, trying to imitate the hardness my mother offered, that cold calculating sternness all adults seemed to have mastered.

He stood and leaned over the bed, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me like Derick had. "Those roses, whatever piece of paper you're clutching in your hand—these are his attempts to get back on your good side, Abby. Open your eyes. There's a whole world around you that you refuse to see."

"Get. Out."~

I'd say Mark better watch out. Abby is a fighter.

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Colour Wielders #cover reveal

A couple years ago, I sat down and started writing a book. I hadn't realized how much that would change my life.

Shortly after completing the first draft of Wilde's Fire, I met Dawna Raver through a critique partner matching site. I'd already encountered a few wackos through the service, so I was insanely on edge about reading her work and marking it up. But, after a chapter or two, lots of google chats, and many phone calls later, I knew I liked her.

A lot.

Now I call Dawna one of my best friends. I also call her every afternoon on my way home from work. Me and the phone don't get along very well. Most of the time my kids make too much noise for me to carry on a conversation. But between 4:00 and 4:15 on my way to the Pentagon, I enjoy one of my favorite parts of the day (my other favorites are seeing my kids and husband, writing, and then sleep--in that order).

This is all very long winded. I'm here today to introduce the cover of Dawna's DEBUT novel, Colour Wielders.

Pretty, right?

Behind the Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where Gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell.

And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess lives.

Quinn Sinclair is clueless to who she is. She thinks she's an ordinary young woman—well, mostly ordinary—living an ordinary life with her less than loving mother in Conifer, Colorado. On the night of
her birthday, Quinn finds herself betrayed by a man who sends her life spinning out-of-control.

As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she finds herself transported into a Magykal battle forever changing her life.

Arik Morgaine—Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm—tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn Sinclair for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers.

Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks, or will powers beyond their control destroy them and their world forever?

Colour Wielders will be available in digital and print formats from Curiosity Quills Press April 19, 2013. Go to dawnaraver.com for more updates.

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Dreamscape Cover Reveal!

When Christie Rich told me she was looking for help with her cover reveal tour, I jumped at the chance. LOOK AT THAT COVER!

Very pretty, and makes me want to know what the heck she has in her hand. Right?

Check out the blurb:

Every night before Amelia falls asleep she makes a wish to dream of him – the man who calls her to their beautiful private oasis, her sanctuary where she is free of her greedy landlord’s threats. But tonight, he will not call Amelia to him. Tonight, another man will step into her world to claim her. Tonight, Amelia’s shattering reality will crumble - and disappear into the Dreamscape…along with her freedom.

When Amelia dreams tonight, her nightmare becomes her new world where Seth is her captor and anything is possible…except escape. Seth needs Amelia to break the curse that binds him to the Dreamscape. He must convince her that she was made to free him, that she was made to join him.

For if he fails, he will never escape his prison, and he will lose Earth to the Netherworld where the evil Erobos wait to consume the human realm and everything in it. If he fails, Seth will lose the one thing that matters to him: Amelia.

Doesn't that sound AWESOME?!

I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. I also dabble in painting but writing has taken over my creative time right now.  I hope to get back to it at some point in my life, but I'm not sure when I'll have time for it.  My family and I live in a quiet community  in Northern Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.

Where you can find Christie:

Website  l  Blog  l  Goodreads  l  Pinterest  l  Twitter  l  Facebook

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The Charge #newrelease

Well, it's time for another promotional post for a dear friend of mine. Sharon Bayliss and I met through Curiosity Quills Press. She submitted her novel to us, and I had the pleasure of reading it. Now, she's published.

All thanks to mwah.

Okay, some of that might have to do with her talent. But only some of it!

I asked Sharon the same thing I ask every author: What Part of You is in Your Main Character. Here's her response!

Krystal Wade asked me to write about what parts of me are in my main character. I found this especially fun to ponder since my main character from The Charge happens to be an 18-year-old male. So, we're not exactly twins. But since his entire self comes from my own imagination, we must have some things in common. And of course, we do. Here is my list, in no particular order.

• He's laid back.

There are some things in life that I take very seriously, but when it comes to the details of day-to-day life, I'm laid back to a fault. It drives my somewhat neurotic mother crazy. She usually calls or emails me more than once a day worrying about some random thing, and my answer is invariably some version of, "I'm sure it will all work itself out."

I wait until the last minute. I never know what time it is. I never know where my keys are.

Warren has a similar carefree attitude. He'd rather just go with the flow, but sadly for him, he doesn't have that choice.

• He has a sense of humor (and he's a bit of a smart ass).

Warren and I have a similar sense of humor, which is fairly obvious if you think about it. I mean, I write all of his jokes. :) We like to poke gentle fun of others and ourselves. And we're not afraid to say whatever smart-ass remark comes to mind, even in less than appropriate situations. Fortunately for me, I've grown out of this a little bit, but alas Warren is still eighteen.

Warren and I both enjoy comedy in all forms. When he's stressed out and his world is falling apart, he turns on The Simpsons. That's me all the way. When I'm upset, my mind candy is the sitcom.

• He really loves his little brother, who might be an evil genius.

My younger brother has been my best friend for a long time. And that's right, brother, I called you an evil genius. You know it's true! At least you're brilliant and beat to your own drummer. Probably not evil. :)

And I would go take on a King to save you if need be! :)

• We're not interested in money or things.

Well, not that interested. I do like money and things, but both of us came from families that don't consider wealth to be very important. Like most people, Warren does have some fantasies about how nice it would be live in the lap of luxury in a palace. He could stop delivering pizzas and waiting tables. But riches really don't provide much a temptation to Warren. Nice to have, but not worth giving up his principles. And he's not ashamed that he grew up in a family where his mom had to work hard for everything they had, in fact, he's proud of it.

Warren and I also both love micro-brewed beer, food (just in general), and think a good cup of coffee can improve almost any situation. :)

Personally, I love writing in the mind of someone who's not exactly like me. I write better when I'm stepping out of myself, but nothing makes a character more real than tapping into your own self.

Thank you for the fun prompt, Krystal! And thanks for having me here.

~And thank you, Sharon, for stopping by. Make sure you check out her book!

The Charge: Amazon  ~ Barnes & Noble  ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ NetGalley (free review copies)

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Overprotective Fathers #indielicious

Happy Sunday, everyone. This week has been AMAZING. You've all contributed to my dream, helping me reach the top of the Amazon Charts with ALL THREE OF MY BOOKS.

So, before I go on any longer, I just want to THANK YOU. Thank you for supporting me, for believing in me, for encouraging me. Thank you for reading my books and spreading the news and coming back here every week for more.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Now, onto Shattered Secrets. Last week, I left Abby in a horrible situation. The house her kidnappers brought her to was on fire. I'm not going to let you know how she got out of that--hey, you have to read the book for something, don't you?!

Here's a scene from the hospital.

Enjoy!

"Why are you nervous?"

Derick wasn't a fidgeter. Cool, level-headed—these are words I used to describe him.

Closing the distance between us, he grabbed a chair then placed it next to my bed, but he remained standing. "I'm worried about you, and your father has never liked me. Now that you're awake, he'll kick me out as soon as he arrives, but I owe you the truth."

You owed me the truth long before now.

He grimaced as if he understood my thoughts. "I know you'll probably never forgive me, but—"

"Eh-hem." Dad stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his broad chest, glaring at Derick.

As much as I wanted to hear what he had to say, I preferred my parents. My mom and her comforting warmth. My dad and his unwavering protection. I should have called for him. He would have saved me. Psycho number one never would have put me in his trunk if I'd just called out to my dad.

Derick walked up to my father and then stood there, hands behind his back. "May I return in the morning and talk to her, sir?"

Dad met my gaze. I wanted to belt out, 'Yes, please, Dad, let him come back and try to explain his jerky boyish actions to me,' but instead, I nodded.

He frowned. "We're bringing her home in the morning. I'll have her give you a call when she's settled in . . . if she wants to."

"Dad."~

Ahh, overprotective fathers! Make sure you check out the teasers from the other Indie-Licious authors!

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IndieGirlCon!

Well, it's finally happened. I've decided to attend a conference! When Rebecca Rynecki e-mailed and asked if I'd share a booth with her, I nearly fell over. A) someone wanted to share a booth with me, and B) my husband said I should go. Take note, this event occurs February 22, 2014 (a Saturday). I'll be gone a whole weekend, having girl time and promoting my books--

--and he SAID I SHOULD GO.

God bless my husband. Three kids all to himself for a weekend.

Anyway. I don't have many details yet, but I do know there will be awesome decorations at our table, and IGC is giving away lots of awesome prizes.

Stay tuned for updates.

And I hope to see you there!

~Krystal

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Wilde's Fire On Sale . . . FREE

March 4th – 6th only, the unforgettable fantasy, Wilde's Fire, will be Free on Amazon! Make sure you download your copy and tell all your friends!

Link To Amazon for those of you who want to "buy" the book now: WILDE'S FIRE

"An unforgettable experience in magic, adventure, and love. I was immediately captivated by the story and couldn't stop turning pages." - Vicki Keire, Best-Selling YA Author

"Krystal Wade's world of war, prophecy, and darkness takes readers on a twisting journey where the fate of a people is at stake and, through courage and faith, love and peace are the ultimate reward. If you're a fan of YA fantasy, look no further than Krystal Wade's debut novel WILDE'S FIRE." - Sarah Balance, Romance Author

"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?

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Smoke is Never a Good Thing #indielicious

It's Sunday, which means it's time for another little teaser from Shattered Secrets. Yep, you either love this day or hate it. :-)

If you visited last week, you know Miss Abby tried escaping, only to fall off the couch and break her shoulder . . . but, Boredas, the nicer of the two kidnappers--if you call kidnappers nice--performed a painful inspection and discovered her shoulder was "merely" dislocated. OUCH, right?

He's told her a few things that make her totally think he's a cuckoo, and then, well, this happens:

Psycho number one startled and glanced toward the back of the cabin. "I'll be just a minute. Don't try to get away again."

Oh no. The other crazies must have arrived.

There was no escape. Even if my hands were free, I couldn't run with a dislocated shoulder.

I closed my eyes and waited. Time ticked by. I listened for sounds, for a car pulling into the rocky driveway, for the rustle of wind in the trees, for the mice in the walls, for anything to take my mind off the pain, off the fear. Every shake hurt more, my shoulder throbbing harder and harder, my pulse pounding in my ears. Every second brought me that much closer to the end.

Sniffling, a new scent greeted my nose. Not the smell of rotting flesh, but a smell of burning wood. Maybe the nicer of the two murderers realized he should keep me warm. Maybe kindness truly existed in him after all.

Opening my eyes, I looked at the fireplace, but no orange light or sparks there. The smoke formed dark gray clouds overhead, blanketing the ceiling. Bad turned worse.

"Help. The house is on fire. Please, get me out of here."

So, this isn't good. Not at all. Stay tuned to see what happens next!

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