INCONCLUSIVE TRAVEL PLANS – 2012

My brother forwarded this to me in an email, author unknown. I LOVE IT! I hope it makes you smile (like I did).

I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can't go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I've also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

Neverdark by C.S. Einfeld

I thought I'd share a middle-grade book with you today. Check it out:

Description:


The Faeries of Southnut are in big trouble. Lord Darkwater is up to no good.

The White Castle of Doru is under attack by the greatest army Princess Fiera's ever seen. Lord Darkwater is poised to crush her tiny kingdom unless the king gives Fiera up to become his wife.

Well, fffungus! She's having none of that!

The race is on for Fiera to outwit Lord Darkwater's Dragonfly Riders, Bat Brigades, and even a giant, faerie-eating Spider to save herself and, before it's too late, her whole world.

Ever been Desperate?

Desperate to make it in the writing industry? I checked out a couple of articles about publishing and agents recently. You should check these out too. Basically, Ann Voss Peterson guest posted on Joe Konrath's blog about not being able to afford to publish with Harlequin anymore because her royalty was just eaten away by various clauses in the publishing contract.

From the Mouths of Babes

I have a wonderful guest post by Lauren Grimley today, but I couldn't resist putting her cover up first. I just love it and can't really explain why other than to say it evokes a nostalgic feeling, reminding me of old Hollywood movies. Enjoy her teaser and post!

Unforeseen teaser:

Alex was quite sure giftedwas a term delusional parents applied to their strictly average children, vampires were gorgeous dead guys in her eighth-grade girls' novels, and Seers was a middle schooler's misspelling of a department store famous for power tools. Teachers, however, don't know everything–it’s Alex’s turn to be educated.

Hoping just to clear her mind Alex Crocker leaves work for a late night run across the small city of Bristol, Mass. Instead she is dragged violently into a feud she never would have known existed had she not become the newest quarry. She quickly learns she’s being hunted for possessing a gift she never wanted, one that could kill her or provide her the power she’ll need to protect herself and those she cares for.

Despite her desire to maintain her independence, Alex quickly becomes tied to the Rectinatti vampires through bonds of friendship, loyalty, and most surprisingly, love. These bonds, coupled with the new knowledge that she is in grave danger are enough to make her want to stay. But it’s learning what is really at stake that drives her to fight.

Towards Yesterday by Paul Jones Review

I finally managed to finish Towards Yesterday. Yay! It took me a while because my life is so absolutely crazy right now but it is definitely a book you want on your shelf. :)

Description from Goodreads:
What would you do if you had the chance to undo all your mistakes? For humanity, that chance is here...

When a seemingly simple experiment goes disastrously wrong, James Baston finds himself stranded alongside the rest of mankind, twenty-five years in the past. A past where the old are once more young, the dead live and the world has been thrust into chaos.

Contacted by the scientist responsible for the disaster, James is recruited to help avert an even greater catastrophe. Along with a team of scientists, a reincarnated murder victim and a frustrated genius trapped in her six-year old body, James must stop the certain extinction of humanity. But if the deluded leader of the Church of Second Redemption has his way, humanity will disappear into potentiality, and he is willing to do anything to ensure that happens.

A serial killer, a murder victim, a dead priest, and James' lives are all inextricably bound together as they plummet towards an explosive final confrontation, the winner of which will decide the fate of humanity.

I got the Sunshine Award!

WOW! Good news...I got the Sunshine Award from Michelle at http://indiewritersreview.wordpress.com/! THANKS!

Thanks Michelle! I will display it proudly. :)

Now the award does comes with some rules…

1.Include the award logo in the post.
2.Link back and thank those that nominated me.
3.Answer 10 random questions.
4.Nominate 5 other bloggers and link them to the award in their comments.

Reading is My Escape

I wrote this piece for Jamie B Musings' blog http://jbcultureshock.wordpress.com some time ago and thought it appropriate today since my daughter's reading has really kicked into high gear.

Excerpt from Silver Knight:

“The legion was marching past on their way to besiege Lilybaeum on the coast. I gasped at the sight of one particular soldier—it was Alexander! Near the roadway, a large crowd had gathered to cheer them, throwing flower petals for them to tread on as they went by. He was near the front edge of the men, and though he was some distance away, he seemed to sense my presence. In a flash his black eyes met my startled gaze. For one, single, second, I thought he was not going to come for me. Then hope fled as he leaped into the crowd. Turning, I ran madly, pushing people out of the way in my desperation.”

Silver Demon Sneak Peek

Yesterday I gave you the Preface of Silver Demon, the sequel to Silver Knight, which will be released on the Summer Solstice. Now if you go to www.caronrider.com, you can get more of a sneak peek with a glimpse of Chapter 1.

Silver Demon by Caron Rider Preview

I thought I'd give you a little taste of the next installment in The Silver Series. Enjoy!

Silver Demon

PREFACE

      Sometimes our fears are without visible cause, sometimes not. But everyone, everyone I tell you, is afraid of the dark. You leave a person long enough without any source of light, in complete and utter darkness, and you leave a person who will slowly lose his sanity. The person might know intellectually that he’s in a room by himself with only one door and no windows. He knows, he knows that nothing could have gotten into the room with him without his knowledge, but eventually, he will begin to hear a scrabbling, a light scratching, maybe the softest cough of sound. His heart rate will increase and then it’s impossible to hear anything over the thud, which only increases his fear.
       Scientists feel that our fear of the dark is genetically hardwired—evolution at work. In the dark, there were and still are predators. Our fear gave us the edge to survive they think. No disagreement here, the dark is real and we should fear it. But most disagree and term it ‘imagination.’ Little do they know.
       The very Dark itself is our enemy. It tries to crush the pinpricks of light spread throughout its area but nothing seems to eradicate it! Where one is snuffed out, another begins. The battle lines were drawn eons ago as creatures of the Dark defend themselves against those of the Light.

Meet Solitaire Parke

Rather than just one book, for this post I want you to meet Solitaire Parke. The cover and description for the novel Vengeance of the Wolf really drew me in. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but can't wait! Then I discover that he's posting one chapter at a time of another book (see the cover below). If you want to know if you're going to like someone's writing, this should give you ample opportunity! Am I using too many exclamations? I can't help it! I'm excited about this one. See for yourself:

Vengeance of the Wolf Description –

“Vengeance of the Wolf” is a harrowing story of a man exacting revenge on those he has deemed responsible for the loss of his beloved wolf puppy, killed many years before at a Presidential parade. A fragile young boy was at that moment forever changed, and the maniacal vendetta of a psychotic killer was created. What follows is a killing spree so brilliantly carried out, that it seems nearly unstoppable. Detective, John Yardley, and FBI Agent, Frank Williams, are on a quest to stop this manipulative, unknown mass murderer, whose targets seem to be specific politicians, in a bizarre and insane killing spree…one that draws them into a world of dreams and nightmares beyond their wildest imaginations. Awaiting them are unbelievable terrors, chilling twists and turns and a scope of destruction that they would never have believed possible!