Lengths For Love by CS Patra

Chapter 2

From that point on, I visited her whenever I could and stayed as long as possible. She spent most of her time in bed now, so I decided not to do anything big. Whatever vampire-related thing she wanted to do, I would do it without fail. Sometimes all we could afford to do was talk all night. It worked for me. By then, my exams were over and I was ready to help her with anything else.

Yet I didn’t know what was happening with her cancer. I wasn’t sure when she was going to start chemotherapy or if she had even started it. She wasn’t telling me very much about the treatments or the illness. At first, I figured she was just embarrassed by it, but she never felt like bringing it up. Worst of all, I had not heard anything from her family. I had no idea if they even knew she was sick. Who was driving her back and forth from the clinic? Who looked after her at night? Why did no one come around while I was there? To make matters worse, her stress was giving me stress. I would look in the mirror and notice the same skinny black-haired, brown-eyed guy that I had always known. The difference was that he was worn out.

I kept my silence about the whole thing until that night, when we had a date. It was our first date since her exams started. Alexis was feeling well enough to go out. I made my way to her dorm room and found her sitting on the bed again, reading the rest of her book. She was in her pajamas and looked surprised to see me.

“Ian, I had no idea you were coming,” she said.

“Well, of course I’m coming today. You said I could. You ready to go?” I asked.

“It’s a date night, isn’t it? I completely forgot.” She closed her book. “Oh, I’m sorry. I swear I’ll get better at remembering things.”

“Ah, don’t worry about,” I sighed, sitting down with her. “I can wait for you. Is there any place in particular you want to go?”

“Not really,” she admitted. “We should just get pizza and a movie and stay in here. You can always rent ‘Interview With a Vampire’ again.”

“You have the movie, babe. You have every vampire movie ever made.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine, you choose something.”

“How about that vampire documentary that you taped some time ago?” I suggested. “We don’t have to rent it and we’ll just get them to deliver the pizza here. We’ll have your favorite: mushrooms and red peppers.”

“Delicious. You know what I love, Ian.”

I ordered the pizza while she popped in the movie. For the next hour, it was just the two of us. We sat and ate in silence, not sure how to break the ice between us. Alexis kept looking up at me like she wanted to say something, but no words came out of her mouth. It was as though she was afraid. I decided to give her a little help and see what I could pull from her.

“You know, I wish you didn’t have to go somewhere else for better treatment,” I said. “I don’t see why they can’t do it here.”

“These doctors are good, but they aren’t the best,” she explained. “At this point, I want the best. I want a chance at living. My parents aren’t upset with me going away. I wish they could be here to help me with this, but it’s impossible at this point. Work, money... all that’s getting in the way. It’s going to cost a lot in terms of medical bills and I can’t stand it. I don’t care if I only get one more year or even six months of life. Heck, I’ll take two more months of living. That’s more than enough for me. But so far, no one can predict that much.”

“So you think that if you go away, someone can tell you?” I felt the pit in my stomach getting larger. I did not like where the conversation was headed.

“Ian, remember what you told me back in the day? That you’d go to any length for love?” she began, picking up her plate and dumping it in the trash.

“Um, yeah. What about it?”

That had been a big mistake on my behalf. Not the question to ask. I knew what Alexis knew—there was no way we were going back to the way we were. Even if Alexis had six months left, it would not feel the same. We would not be able to go everywhere we wanted or do everything we had left to do. I could keep hoping and wishing things would change, but I had hoped and wished she would get better, and that didn’t happen.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Supernatural / Romance / Fiction

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with CS Patra on Facebook & Twitter

10 Things You Don’t Know About Harriet Hodgson

10 Things You Don’t Know About Nonfiction Author Harriet Hodgson

1. I’ve been a freelance writer for 35+ years.  My career began when I was teaching at a private nursery school and I wrote a book about making toys and games from trash. At the time, I also submitted articles to teaching journals, and they were all published. “This is fun,” I said to myself, “and I get to see my name in print.” A new career was born.
2. I am the author of 32 published books. My first sale was to Warner Books. Titled “I Made it Myself!” the book had a second printing and sold well. After this success, I wrote three more books for teachers about making toys, games, and contraptions from safe throw-aways.
3. I have 32 published books to my credit. Though some of my books are long and some are short, I count every one. Non-writers may not realize that writing “short” is harder than writing “long” and takes more time. For me, writing short is like writing poetry.
4. I had a poem published in the American Anthology of Poetry. It is called “First Steps, First Snow” and based on a night walk in the North woods of Wisconsin. Even if I’m the author, I can say I love this poem so much I asked a calligrapher to letter it for me. The framed poem hangs in the front entry of the house. I also wrote a book of poetry for young children.
5. I am a bereaved parent. In 2007 my elder daughter died from the injuries she received in a car crash. Two days later, my father-in-law succumbed to pneumonia. Eight weeks after that my brother, and only sibling, had a heart attack and died. In the fall, my grandchildren’s father died in another car crash. My husband and I were appointed as their legal guardians.
6. I changed my writing because of grief. Before the deaths I was writing about aging, Alzheimer’s, and other health topics. A week after my daughter and father-in-law died, I sat down at the computer and vowed to write my way through grief. Six grief resources came from this decision and you can learn more about them by visiting www.harriethodgson.com.
7. I speak at national conferences. Recent speaking engagements include the Association for Death Education and Counseling conference, and The Compassionate Friends national conference. In addition, I serve as a volunteer Forum Editor/Writer for www.opentohope.com, an Internet community for those who are grieving.
8. I’ve been married to my husband for almost 56 years. We met in college and married when we were both 21 years old. My husband is a retired physician, an internist and specialist in aviation medicine. He continues to fascinate me and I love him more every day.
9. I love to cook. Unfortunately, when it comes to cooking I am my best customer, and have to monitor my eating. Baking really makes me happy because it makes the house smell so good. Earlier in my writing career I was a food writer for a local magazine.
10. Other than family, writing is my passion. I write every day. My writing projects include Internet articles, brochure writing, article writing, and working on books. When I’m writing I become so absorbed in the task I lose all track of time.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Health / Wellness

Rating – G

More details about the book

Connect with Harriet W Hodgson on Twitter

Website http://harriethodgson.com/

Corr Syl the Warrior by Garry Rogers

When an armed Danog patrol crosses the border into Wycliff District, the Wycliff Council sends a young Tsaeb warrior named Corr Syl to investigate and recommend a response. Corr soon learns that spies have infiltrated his district, and already many lives are at risk. He catches a glimpse of something truly evil, and with no time to spare, must choose between a safe response that might fail, and a sure response that might start a global war.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Science Fiction

Rating – PG

More details about the author

Connect with Garry Rogers on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://garryrogers.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Orange Karen: Tribute to a Warrior by Multiple Authors

Change Finds You

by Cara Michaels

“The date of record is October thirtieth, two-thousand-twelve. This is Special Agent Everett Benjamin.”

The voice drew my attention from the digital voice recorder resting on the table. The red recording light assured everyone observing that my words would be captured for all time, with “all time” defined as “until the Gemini Group buried the story”. At best, anything I said today would end up in a heavily redacted report buried in some government archive. Hadn’t stopped me from trying to get the word out, though. No, the FBI could take credit there. Getting nabbed at a convenience store just proved I’d never been intended for the undercover life. I’d only lasted two months on the official run.

“For the record, please state your name.” The special agent sitting across from me held an air of comfortable superiority. As homegrown investigative organizations rated, he still believed his FBI sat at the top of the food chain.

How sweet.

“Dr. Savannah Welborn.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” For a tough FBI guy, he had a nice voice. Kind of deep, kind of mellow.

The pen held between his index and middle fingers drummed an uneven, impatient beat. The air conditioning kicked on, a background hum of recycled air smelling faintly of paper and dust. Like the room needed to be colder. What brainless desk jockey thought hypothermia contributed to productivity? The beds of my fingernails had turned blue some fifteen minutes of waiting ago. My body had already forgotten how it felt to be warm. Inside, outside, and everywhere in between. I ground my teeth to hold in a shiver.

“Not a problem, Agent Benjamin,” I said. I even flashed my gritted teeth as I smiled. Just call me Doctor Cooperative.

His gaze slid over my Celldweller concert tee. Beneath the table, worn blue jeans allowed refrigerated air to sneak in at the torn knees. Like I needed his visual disdain to tell me I was way underdressed for a federal interrogation. They didn’t do anything without a tie or stockings.

At least my feet stayed warm in socks and sneakers.

“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t get apprehended in my Sunday best. I’ll try harder next time.”

His lips pinched, biting down on whatever he wanted to say and emphasizing his stern features. Add a sense of humor and strip away the premature aging of his job, and I put him in his early thirties, maybe. Salt dashed his black pepper hair, the cut military short.

“You understand why you’re here, yes?” he asked.

“I can play stupid if you’d prefer to explain it for the viewers at home.” I gestured to the large mirror dominating the end of the room on my left.

Benjamin clenched his teeth, let out a slow breath.

“You’ve been charged with obstruction of an ongoing investigation, as well as aiding and abetting the vigilante organization known as the Paladins.”

He made a good show of flipping through a manila folder stuffed with evidence. Of my so-called crimes, no doubt. My actions over the last several years tied me to the Paladins and — if one knew where to look — to the Gemini Group who had unintentionally created them. I’d built the Gemini Group, created the experiments, written the procedures. I’d documented its transition into a monster as the sons and daughters of my trial groups grew and revealed the changes in their genetic codes.

The cells made to save their parents had resulted in unexpected, even terrifying mutations. A woman with Ehler Danlos Syndrome gave birth to a daughter who could dislocate and reshape her bones and body at will. A man with early-onset Alzheimer’s fathered a child with eidetic memory. A treatment for severe hypothermia resulted in a son with extreme cold tolerance, who could manipulate the temperature around him, and even generate ice from the water in the air.

In short, my efforts to cure disease created superhumans.

But Karen Gemini, the reason any of my work had been possible, accused me of using her to play God.

She had it right, maybe. At least in the beginning.

Like a proud parent, I’d been thrilled by these gifted children. But like regular humans, they came in all shades of good, bad, and indifferent. Some made an effort to use their unique abilities to help the world around them. The public had taken to calling them the Paladins, and it suited them. Honorable, fierce, and steadfast in the face of a world turning on them.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Karen Gemini gathered the blackest souls to her bosom, a nightmare brood poised to unleash hell on earth.

The FBI and Agent Benjamin might not yet realize it, but the Paladins stood in the way of gathering darkness. And as the woman whose research had started all of this, I stood to shield the Paladins.

If Benjamin meant to intimidate me, he needed a new strategy.

Go ahead, Agent Benjamin. Take me down. This is so much bigger than you know.

“Dr. Welborn?” Benjamin’s gaze, his eyes an eerie amber-orange, fixed on me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Did you want me to deny the allegations? For dramatic effect?”

He turned away, but not before I saw him grimace. Aw, did my attitude hurt his career advancement opportunities? Tough shit.

He needed to toughen up his poker face for this job.

I’d stepped into sharky waters with open eyes. I’d known the risks of siding with the Paladins. Of siding against Gemini.

I smiled.

He rolled his eyes, tension visible along his jaw. “Belligerent charm. Does that work for you often?”

“What do you want from me here, Agent?”

“Names. Aliases. Addresses. We want the Paladin operation.”

I laughed. Not a polite titter, but a snort of disbelief. “Sorry to say, but you’re doomed to disappointment.”

“Doctor—”

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Short Story Anthology

Rating – PG13 (some strong language)

More details about the book

Connect with this cause on Facebook Events & Twitter

Paula Boyd – 6 Practical Tips for Beginning Fiction Writers

6 Practical Tips for Beginning Fiction Writers

by Paula Boyd

Author of the Award-Winning Jolene Jackson Mystery Series, Hot Enough to Kill

When you’re just starting out on your dream of becoming a published author, you can get wrapped up in the technicalities of it all and miss the big picture. Here are a few practical tips to remember that will keep you on track of your goal of writing stories people want to read—books they want to buy.

1. Forget about being a great writer. The number one thing to remember is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a great writer, what matters is that you’re a great storyteller. Big difference. Learn the rules and the ropes, but don’t hang yourself with them. You can turn readers off just as easily with stiff and stilted perfect prose as with poor grammar and ignorance of punctuation.
2. Write what you know. I know you’ve heard it, but do you know why it’s so important? It’s easier! It’s also more authentic. I’m not saying you can’t research anything enough to write about it. I’m saying it is far easier to craft a story around a setting, occupation and even character traits that you have lived with. There’s enough to deal with in writing a first novel without adding unnecessary complications, so stack the deck in your favor however you can!
3. If you don’t read it, don’t try to write it. The prerequisite to this is that if you aren’t a reader, you can’t be an effective writer. Unless you awake one morning with a vision and a script divinely delivered, you’re going to have to know your craft, your audience and their expectations. And, by being well read in your genre, you naturally and intuitively know the language and rhythm and will write accordingly.
4. If you have to explain it, it doesn’t work. Just because it makes total sense in your head doesn’t mean it does in anyone else’s. If you have people saying they don’t understand—believe them. You can’t be there to explain to every reader what you actually meant, so make sure your words convey what you intend.
5. Be cautious about critique groups. We all want to share our work, and the support of kindred spirits is essential, however, you have to find the right fit. A critique group can be a lifeline and leapfrog you forward in improving your craft and getting published. It can also kill your personal voice and your creativity and set you back years in being able to write a publishable book. It is a fine line to walk between getting the feedback you need to improve your work and writing to please a particular or person or group who aren’t any farther along than you are.
6. Just because you can publish it doesn’t mean you should. These days, anyone can instantly and overnight become a “published author.” It is a fabulous time to be a writer! Unfortunately, most of what gets published isn’t ready for prime time—no matter how many times your friends said it was. If you want to be a professional writer and author, hire a skilled book editor with expertise in your genre (no, your friend the English teacher can’t do it). Once it’s been published—errors and all—you can’t take it back and the reviews will haunt you forever.

Ultimately, your job is to create a world that your readers lose themselves in. You want to make them forget they’re reading and keep turning pages to find out what happens next. So, learn your craft, find your voice and tell a great story!

* * * * *

Paula Boyd is the author of the award-winning Jolene Jackson Mystery Series. To register for chance to be a character in her next book, visit www.PaulaBoyd.com

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Mystery & Thriller / Women Sleuth

Rating – PG13

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Paula Boyd on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://paulaboyd.com/

Author Interview – JD Combs

How many friends does a person need? You know, it’s funny.  A writer friend, Julie Farley, and I were just talking about the perception most people have about writers.  We both came to the conclusion that most people assume writers are solitary people who prefer their own company.  Julie and I feel that we are not the same as other writer’s.  Both of us need the company and companionship of friends to help keep us motivated and moving forward.

The last book I read was Finding Emma.

My favorite color is green.  It coordinates with my favorite place in the world.  Ireland.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it? Writer’s block.  Every writer’s worst nightmare.  When it happens to me I find a writing prompt and write through it.

How did you come up with the title? I came up with the title to my book as I listened to the soundtrack to The Phantom of The Opera.  The Point of No Return epitomized the journey of my main character, Charley, and the choice she had to make.

How important do you think villains are in a story? Villains are as vital to a story as they are to life itself.  They are the ying to the yang.  You can’t have a hero or heroine without a villain of some sort.  Just like in life.

Charley, a devoted wife and mother of five, has a life that looks picture perfect to those around her. But years of living life in a neglected marriage make her question her relationship with her husband. Charley spends sleepless nights writing in her journal and trying to find happiness in the life she has. She’s not sure she can continue living a dull, loveless life anymore.
When an old high school crush strikes up a conversation on the Internet, an innocent flirtation begins. Charley begins to, once again, feel alive and vibrant, but she quickly learns not everything is what it seems. Will her naiveté in the online world propel her toward the point of no return? Will the woman who seemed to have it all lose it in the blink of an eye? Or will Charley finally find the happiness she’s been craving?

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre –  Romantic Suspense

Rating – R (adult language / sexual scenes)

More details about the author

Connect with JD Combs on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.jdcombs.com/

Paula Renaye – Looks Count

Looks Count—Why Book Covers Are So Important and 5 Tips for Creating Your Own

by Paula Renaye

Author of Living the Life You Love: The No-Nonsense Guide to Total Transformation

There’s just no way around it, people do judge a book by its cover. Whether it is an eBook image online or a hardback jacket on the shelf in your neighborhood store, looks matter.

Most writers don’t know what elements are required for a great book cover—nor would they know what to do with them if they did. I certainly didn’t, which is why I hired a pro to do the cover of Living the Life You Love. I was solid on my content, but I had no clue what would appeal to buyers on the outside, including the title. So, I hired a pro to guide me. Here’s what he has to say:

“Well-designed book covers are crucial. I have found in many years of calling on senior buyers at chain stores, wholesalers, and independent bookstores, not to mention international publishers that we deal with for foreign rights sales, that if the cover isn’t professionally designed, there’s little chance of selling the book. People who say, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover,’ have never met with top buyers in the industry. It often ends the conversation when the cover isn’t excellent. On more than one occasion, I was able to salvage a book getting picked up by Barnes & Noble by having the original cover redesigned. The Barnes & Noble corporate buyer liked the content of the book, but the original cover (which, in their words, looked ‘self-published’) would have been a deal breaker. ” –Nigel J. Yorwerth, President of Yorwerth Associates (www.PublishingCoaches.com)

An amateurish cover tells the world that you’re not a pro and that what’s inside probably isn’t ready for prime time either. And remember, once you push that “publish” button, you can’t take it back. Yes, you can unpublish it, but it will always be “out there” to be found—and judged.

Also, remember that “graphic designer” does not automatically mean book cover designer. The best option is to hire someone specifically skilled and experienced in designing books. However, if you absolutely can’t afford to do that and must take charge of your cover creation, here are some tips:

1. Stalk the Competition. Study successful books in your genre and use them as a guide for creating your own cover.
2. Shoot Straight. A book cover must accurately reflect the tone and emotion of the book (e.g. don’t put a dark foreboding image on a light funny book). If your book is scary, the cover should reflect that.
3. Can the Cheese. Forget the cutesy fonts—don’t even think about using Comic Sans, Chiller or the like. Ditto the standard issue Times, Arial, etc. Try matching the font used on a successful book.
4. KISS it. Keeping it simple is key. A clean cover with an intriguing image and properly placed title can be more effective than trying to do a Da Vinci hidden meaning thing.
5. Ask the Pros. It doesn’t matter if your mom and best friend like it. Ask as many industry pros—local bookstores and online sources—as you can for feedback. And remember, this isn’t about convincing people your baby isn’t ugly. It’s about creating an effective product, so listen objectively.

Of course, if you are a household name or have 100,000 people on your mailing list, you can ignore everything and do whatever you want. If you don’t, you have to play you’re A game. That won’t automatically guarantee success, but it certainly won’t hinder it, and at the very least you will have a product that you will be proud of for years to come.

* * * * *

Paula Renaye is a life and relationship coach, speaker and eight-time award-winning author. Her award-winning self-help book, Living the Life You Love: The No-Nonsense Guide to Total Transformation was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012 and won the Independent Publisher IPPY Gold Medal for Self Help. The book is available worldwide in English, Spanish and Chinese. Writing as Paula Boyd, she is also the award-winning author of the Jolene Jackson Mystery Series. www.paulaboyd.com For more information, visit www.paularenaye.com

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Personal Development / Self-Help / Motivational

Rating –G

More details about the author & the book

Connect with Paula Renaye on Facebook & Twitter