Welcome to The Book Nymph PR! Enjoy short stories, writing articles, and a few incredible books from our outstanding clients. Enjoy The Last of the Jinn by award-winning author, K.N. Lee Psychic Storm by, ten bestselling authors Rise of the Flame by, K.N. Lee Death’s Servant by, CJ Ellisson Returns and Reunions by, Michael Holman An Interview with Author, Steven Woodford Vampire Vacation by, CJ Ellisson The Writing Process by, Lawrence BoarerPitchford My First Travel Book by, Anna Othitis
The Last of the Jinn By, K.N. Lee From the Collection, A Gifted Curse
Malah rummaged through the dead guard’s clothing. Sweat dripped from her forehead onto the man’s chest as the heat of the room gained intensity. Malah grew dizzy and despite the heat felt a debilitating coldness crawl under her skin as her hand searched the last pocket.
Nothing. She pulled her dagger from the guard’s head and wiped it clean on the bottom of her nightgown. Her eyes scanned the corridor. Four dead Parthan soldiers lie on the stone floor. None of them had an antidote for whatever poison the clerics had given her. Her full belly churned. She pressed her hand to her belly and closed her eyes with a sigh. Life stirred beneath her palm. Two innocent lives. The Parthans may be strong and powerful, but her gifts gave her an advantage. The Reen guards that patrolled the exit would not be so easy to kill. They were larger, stronger, and composed of stone. Malah opened her eyes and breathed in deeply. Within moments, cold air made her golden skin tighten and her toes and fingers numb. Her arms raised and she squeezed her eyes closed as she fed power to the air around her. She peeked through one of her eyelids to see the stone guards turn from brown, to gray. Frozen, they would not give her any trouble for the next few minutes. Minutes. That’s all she had. Whispers filled her head as she ran down the chilly corridor. The dark didn’t bother her, but the voices did. They’d never allow her to escape. Not when the entire planet needed her for its survival. Malah didn’t care about them anymore. She wanted to go home. If she could rid their poisons from her body, she could finally think straight again. She cursed herself for being so stupid. Why had she allowed herself to fall in love? She should have known better. Love never ended well. Hadn’t she seen the results of such a foolish emotion enough times before?
Malah wrung her hands. The gray guards slept upright, like statues, their hands formed into daggers, but kept inside the metallic scabbards at their sides. It looked like they simply had their hands in their pockets, but she knew better. She only hoped they wouldn’t be activated before she could escape. “One, two, three, four,” she chanted into her cold hands. Her power was weak. She had neglected her practice for far too long. She rubbed her hands together and poured out a tiny burst of power. “Yolie! Please, come forth!” A small light formed in the palm of her hand. Malah smiled. Her heart thumped, but this time it was with hope. Perhaps her skills weren’t too rusty after all. The light turned into a ball. She kissed it and it began to take the form of a tiny figure. The figure uncurled itself from a ball and rested on its knees. Malah could have jumped for joy. Instead, she hid in a corner, with her back against the stone wall. She watched the tiny person look up at her with large red eyes that sparkled like rubies. Then, it tugged at its black hair, making it longer and longer, until the curling locks could be coiled around its body like a dress. “Blessed One,” the creature called. She stood in Malah’s hand and looked around. “Where are we this time?” Malah closed her eyes and sighed. She rested her head against the wall and shrugged. “Yolie, we are in big trouble. We are in Partha.” Yolie’s big eyes widened. “No, Blessed One. We have to get out of here! This is not one of ours!” “That’s why I summoned you. I need your help.” Yolie nodded but pursed her thin lips. “But Blessed One, what do you need me to do?” She sprouted red wings and flew from Malah’s golden hand to hover just inches from Malah’s face.
Malah’s gaze lifted to the open air ceiling. The passing sky beckoned to her. The clouds seemed to float and dance and she remembered what it felt like to be free. Free to fly with her family. She felt a stab in her heart as she realized that she would never fly with them again. She was the last, but she would not let that stop her. “How did you get here, Blessed One?” Yolie asked. “We are far from home.” Malah sighed. She gave Yolie a sheepish look from beneath her golden bangs. “I was curious. I wanted to see what this new race looked like.” Yolie frowned. “Why? I don’t understand.” Malah shook her head. “It isn’t important. I need you to fly me out of here.” Yolie clapped her hands. “Oh yes! Yes! I can do it! Let’s go home! Let’s play together again. I do miss our games, Blessed One.” Malah glanced back. It was still quiet in the temple. She might have a chance. Her hands shook. She looked down at them and nearly wept. Blood covered her small golden hands. It had seeped into the crevices of her palm and dried to a dry, sticky, paste. She’d never had to kill anyone before. She’d never had a reason to. Now, nine dead guards and a cleric would haunt her dreams for all eternity. Even if they deserved their fate, the guilt would never fade. “Good,” Malah said and stepped back to give Yolie room. “Go on. Shift.” Yolie made a face. “You forget, Blessed One. I need more of your blessing.” Malah sighed. She had forgotten. Her head was so full of fuzzy thoughts that she could barely think straight. She was losing time. The
poison was too strong. Her vision blurred, but she nodded and held a palm out for Yolie to sit in. “Okay, quickly.” Yolie flew into Malah’s hand and bowed on her knees. Gold light filled the room as Malah ignited her blessing. Her golden body levitated as she breathed soft words into her palm. “I give you love. I give you light. I give you the power to Shift and take flight.” Yolie opened her eyes and smiled. “That was beautiful, Blessed One. Thank you.” Malah fell to her knees and hung her head, drained. “You deserve every blessing, Yolie. Now please hurry.” Yolie nodded quickly and flew into the air. She stretched her red wings and flexed her dangling legs. Her hair unwrapped from around her body and floated around her as she Shifted. Red feathers started to grow all over her pale naked flesh. Her face was covered, and her hair continued to float. Like a giant bird, Yolie’s nose became a red beak and her eyes grew larger. She bowed to Malah. “Climb on, Blessed One.” Malah leapt into the air with grace and landed onto Yolie’s smooth back. She pressed her face to Yolie’s feathers and held onto her neck. “Take me home, Yolie,” Malah whispered. A loud explosion made Malah gasp. Shards of green magic shot out towards her. Something clamped around her neck and yanked her from Yolie’s back. Malah screamed for her friend as she was pulled from the air and sent crashing to the hard floor. Yolie fought back and was stabbed by the tip of a red bone spear. Her bird-like screech ripped through the air, sending waves of vibrations throughout the entire room.
Malah had to act quickly. She reached out and created a glowing door that hovered in the air. She could never live with the guilt of a friend’s death, and so, she banished her. “Away with you!” she cried. Yolie obeyed, as always. She nodded. Her white body flickered and faded into the cold air. Her essence seeped into the doorway and the door vanished. Malah wiped the blood from her face and glared at the clerics in red cloaks that surrounded her. Protecting the clerics were Parthan soldiers with their bone spears. Vornid peered down at her from beneath his hood. He reached a hand to Malah’s face and grabbed her by her cheeks. Malah squirmed as the abnormally tall cleric lifted her from the ground. She dangled before him like a child as his black eyes bore into hers. “Who said that you could go anywhere, Blessed One?” he snarled.
****
Waking up was hard. Malah hadn’t been beaten when she was returned to the royal chambers on the night of her failed escape attempt. The Clerics injected her with more of their special poisons. The thick blue liquid filled her veins and forced her into a coma that was deep enough to make her sleep through the birth of her twin daughters. Malah never even imagined actually birthing children. She’d never had to. She’d always had her blessings to keep her company. She’d watched, from outside of her body, as her beautiful girls were taken from her stomach and ushered away. She’d wept and screamed, and no one had heard her. She’d pleaded with Dwy. She’d begged him to forgive her, let her have another chance at being a dutiful wife, and to, please, wake her up. She had been foolish, like a child. Curiosity got her tricked and captured. Of course, no one could see her. The people of this land could not leave their bodies like the Jinn. And there were no more real Jinn. She was the last, and that is why they lured her with love and kept her prisoner. She wondered if Dwy ever truly loved her. He’d been so gentle in the beginning. Malah knew the truth. The Parthans needed her for this last task. That was when the harsh reality truly hit her. She was merely a vessel. A treasure used to make their race more powerful. Malah retreated to the corner of her quarters and curled into a ball, and waited for someone to finally awaken her. The moment she opened her eyes and breathed fresh air again, didn’t come until four years had passed. Dwy stood beside her cot. His black eyes were fixed on hers. He touched her face. “Dwy,” she croaked.
He reached over and handed her a cup of red liquid. Gremmina. A drink from her homeland’s enchanted springs. Malah snatched the cup from him. She wondered how he had got his hands on the precious fluid as she drank the pungent substance down. She watched him with wide eyes as she hurried to drink every drop. When the cup was empty, she shot to her feet. She balled her fists up and glared at him. “You stupid creature,” she said. “You do know that Gremmina gives me enough strength to kill all of you. I could crush this palace into a pile of rubble.” Footsteps drew her attention. Her glare shot to Vorrid. He came from the archway that led to her study room. He was cloaked as always and carried a large pitcher of the Gremmina. Malah stepped back. “It isn’t Gremmina? Is it?” Even as she asked the question she knew the answer. It had to be Gremmina. She could feel its effects. But why would her enemy give her such a valuable weapon? Vorrid nodded. He poured more into the cup. “It is, Blessed One.” Malah raised a brow. “You sound as if you mean it now. And yet, you do not pay homage.” Her hands were held ready to summon all manners of creatures to aid her in killing them both. One thought stopped her. She had two girls somewhere in the palace that she would not leave without. To her surprise, they both bowed to her. Malah swallowed. “What are you up to?” Vorrid and Dwy shared a look. Dwy was king. Vorrid was his personal cleric, the most powerful sorcerer in Partha. But while at her optimum strength, Malah did not fear anyone or anything. She would never let her guard down again.
“Shall I show her?” Vorrid asked from his knees. When Dwy nodded, Vorrid stood and turned to walk across the large stone room to the tall window that stretched from the high ceiling to the granite floor. Malah watched him. Her heart beat loudly in her ears. She only wanted her daughters, Keema and Livie. Dwy had at least told her about their daughters’ triumphs and milestones during her long slumber. She wondered if he knew that she had seen it all. Even if her physical body was at rest, her mind could still work wonders. She had watched them grow, but from a painful distance. When Vorrid opened the black shutters, Malah slumped to her knees. Her hand shot to cover her mouth as she stared at the scene outside her bedroom window. The once lush and beautiful land of Partha was a black, desolate wasteland. Malah stared at the scene with wide, horrified eyes. When she finally found her voice she stuttered, “What happened?” Vorrid sat in a stone chair at her breakfast table beneath the window. He removed his cloak’s hood and ran his long, thin fingers through his silver and black hair. He sighed. “Sire,” he began. “You should tell her.” Dwy took a deep breath. He was a big Parthan, with broad shoulders and muscles that bulged. He towered over her by two feet and now he looked small to her. He looked afraid. That made Malah afraid. And Malah had rarely ever felt fear. “You did this, Blessed One.” Malah came to her feet. Her jaw hung slack. “What?” Vorrid nodded. “It is true. As you slept, you destroyed our land. We want you to forgive us, and leave.”
Malah’s hands balled into fists. She hadn’t realized what she had done during her slumber, she’d been so focused on her children. She hadn’t paid attention to what the dark places in her mind were doing to the world outside. An almost evil grin came to her lips. “You should have listened to me. I told you who and what I was, and you tricked me. I may have been too young to learn everything from the other Jinn before they vanished, but your treachery has taught me a great lesson.” Her palms opened. “I hope I taught you something as well.” She breathed into both of her palms and summoned two giants to restrain her husband and his cleric. The cleric and the king didn’t even fight back. They were docile, defeated. She raised a hand and the door burst open. Freedom. She darted like lightning through the palace. “Keema! Livie!” she shouted at the top of her lungs until she was hoarse. She swept past palace servants too quickly for them to even catch a glimpse of her. When at full power, a Jinn was unstoppable. The Parthans knew that now. They’d never doubt again true power. Her hair flew behind her as she searched for her children. Hate and rage boiled inside of her. The Parthans would pay. They already had. She’d made sure of that. She didn’t pause when she saw that there weren’t any guards around to stop her. All she passed as she searched the labyrinth of hallways were frightened servants and clerics who bowed to their statues and begged for forgiveness and aid in their last hours. The sight almost made Malah feel bad for them. Almost. She finally sensed them, her babies. She could smell their sweet golden hair that was nearly the same shade as her own. Her little beauties would rule worlds once she took them from this place. She pushed through the double doors that led into the temple. She slowed down at the sight of
rows upon rows of Parthan citizens and clerics bowed to the worship platform at the end of the red and black room. Malah’s eyes went down the aisle. She froze when she finally saw them. Malah’s golden face turned red as she saw the bodies of her daughters laid on a pyre before the god Huji, a large snake-like statue of gold. To the bitter end, they remained pagans. Her scream remained trapped in her throat. She felt every vein pulse with rage as black tears poured from her eyes. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t speak. Their tiny bodies were impaled and now waited to be burned. Finally, Malah found her voice, and with a scream she called every creature she’d ever learned about as a child in the temples. She called them forth with one breath of power. Chaos erupted in the palace, but Malah was numb to it all. Her spawn killed everyone in sight as she slowly walked over to the golden pyre. She stroked her daughters golden hair and buried her face in the silken strands. The black tears fell down her cheeks as she sobbed like a baby. She’d never had a chance to hold them. Not in real life. Only in her dreams. A familiar whistle made her pause. “Yolie?” she whispered. “Blessed One! We can go now! Let’s go!” Malah turned to her. She almost smiled at her friend’s beauty. She glowed in the midst of such darkness. Behind Yolie was a massacre. Her creatures had killed everyone in sight and now, they all bowed to her, silent and waiting for a command. Malah pulled her children free of the piles and cradled their bodies into either side of her as she sat on the bottom step of the worship platform. Yolie looked confused. “Who are they?”
Malah wiped tears from her eyes and sucked in a painful breath. The tears wouldn’t stop. She could barely talk. “They are mine.” Yolie flew over to her. She landed on Malah’s knee and looked at the girls. “Yours?” Malah nodded. “Mine. I don’t even want to think of what they could have been.” Yolie lifted herself off of Malah’s knee and flew before her face. Her small face was full of innocence and purity that Malah almost felt at peace just by looking at her. “They could have been true gods, like you,” Yolie said. Malah turned away. The shame was too much to handle. “Right, Blessed One?” Malah simply nodded. She didn’t want to admit that she had failed not only her people on her planet, but her children. Yolie flew closer and kissed the tip of her nose. “Do not cry, Blessed One,” she said. Malah sighed and tried to will away the tormenting pain in her heart. “We can make another world,” Yolie said. “It wasn’t so hard the first time. I remember when we started that world centuries ago. Since then we’ve become much better, right?” Malah felt even deeper sorrow at her first failed world. “Can’t you breathe life back into their bodies?” Yolie asked. Malah shook her head. She looked down at her children. Their souls were already gone. Malah stroked their hair.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a baby mouse skitter across the floor, the last surviving creature of her world. Yolie caught the tiny, grey creature, cradled it in her own small hand. “Life is such a fragile thing,” she said, before letting the creature go free. Malah gently laid her children down, kissed their foreheads, and reached a hand out for Yolie to rest in. Yes, so fragile, but together, they would give life one last try. They would make one more world. Malah vowed that if they failed again, then she would simply rest. She’d rest until the pain faded. She’d never fall in love with her creations again.
A Gifted Curse Available on Amazon
PSYCHIC STORM: Ten Dangerously Sexy Tales of Psychic Witches, Vampires, Mediums, Empaths and Seers
Ten books. Ten internationally bestselling authors. Ten different tales of sexy psychics, empaths and seers who solve crimes, fall in love, make magic and fight to save the world.
Over 2,000 pages of extrasensory reading await, with three brand new, original novels and over 1,400 5-Star Reviews for the rest! From Bestselling Author, HEATHER TOPHAM WOOD –– NEW REVELATIONS –– Life should’ve been perfect. Kate Edwards won the heart of police detective Jared Corbett and is coming to terms with her psychic ability. Things are blissful—until the day she meets Declan Brayden. Kate doesn’t trust the damaged and arrogant seer, but knows combining their abilities would allow her to help more people. When visions of a missing fitness instructor turn into a race against time to save her life, Kate might have no choice. HEAT LEVEL: 2 From Bestselling author, APRIL AASHEIM –– ARMAND ––"Never trust a warlock…” Before Maggie Maddock and her sisters returned to Dark Root, Oregon, a generation of witches and warlocks reigned over The Council -13 men and women devoted to holding back the dark they believed would eventually end the world. This is the origin story of Dark Root's most notorious warlock: Armand. HEAT LEVEL: 2 From USA TODAY bestselling author, DALE MAYER –– TUESDAY’S CHILD –– What she doesn't want...is exactly what he needs. Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can't control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she's tapped into a killer--or rather, his victims. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her? HEAT LEVEL: 3 From bestselling author, JESI LEA RYAN –– JUST A LITTLE NUDGE –– Marley Sexton never aspired to be a stripper. But it’s the only job that puts a dent in her mother’s medical bills. It’s also the only job where she feels justified using a little talent she calls nudging. But JC Moreno figures out Marley may have taken the nudge too far. Marley’s not big on trusting people, especially a man with a gun, a badge, and a story that doesn’t add
up, but maybe they can work together to both get what they want…if they don’t end up dead. HEAT LEVEL: 3 From NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author DEANNA CHASE –– HAUNTED ON BOURBON STREET –– Jade loves her new apartment—until a ghost joins her in the shower. When empath Jade Calhoun moves into an apartment above a strip bar on Bourbon Street, she expects life to get interesting. What she doesn't count on is making friends with an exotic dancer, attracting a powerful spirit, and developing feelings for Kane, her sexy landlord. But when the ghost moves from spooking Jade to terrorizing Pyper, the dancer, it's up to Jade to use her unique ability as an empath to save her. HEAT LEVEL: 4 From bestselling author, MORGAN HANNAH MACDONALD –– SPIRITS AMONG US –– WHAT HE SEES WOULD SCARE YOU TO DEATH. Cajun bad boy and ex-FBI profiler Jon-Luc Boudreaux is in Paris hunting a serial killer. That's nothing new, neither is being haunted by the victims, but watching the murders through the killers eyes, now that's something new entirely. Jon-Luc is on the hunt for the most diabolical killer he's ever encountered, and Angela Henderson, fashion designer, is next on the killer's list. HEAT LEVEL: 4 From bestselling author, JC ANDRIJESKI –– LONDON –– If there was ever a race-traitor job, this was definitely it. Revik arrives in London with a new job, a new home…and new people watching him, seemingly more than he has helping him watch the Bridge, a holy warrior hidden among humans to keep her safe from dark Seers called the Rooks. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Allie has no idea that she’s the Bridge…or even that she’s a Seer. Then she meets Jaden. HEAT LEVEL: 4 From bestselling author, JORDAN CASTILLO PRICE –– AMONG THE LIVING –– Victor Bayne, the psychic half of a PsyCop team, is a gay medium more concerned with flying under the radar than making waves. He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic from an
adjacent precinct at his ex-partner’s retirement party and it seems his luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer with a gruesome M.O. surfaces--and no one agrees what he looks like. HEAT LEVEL: 5 From NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, C.J. ELLISSON –– VAMPIRE VACATION –– Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions creates the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true. The powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guest room minutes before the next arrivals. HEAT LEVEL: 5 From bestselling author, HAZEL HUNTER –– TOUCHED –– In the world of Isabelle de Grey, eyesight isn’t the only way to see. When she touches objects and people, she looks into their past. But her gift is equal parts curse. She has yet to find the lover who can accept the brutal truth of what she sees. Isolated and rejected, she is ready to leave Los Angeles and abandon her career when she meets FBI profiler Gavin “Mac” MacMillan. Thrown together when the daughter of a mutual friend is abducted, Isabelle discovers that Mac could be the man who won’t push her away. HEAT LEVEL: 5
Psychic Storm Available on Amazon
Rise of the Flame K.N. Lee From international bestselling author, K.N. Lee comes Rise of the Flame, an epic beginning to the Eura Chronicles. There are six races, four realms, and one human girl who can bring them together in peace...or war. Lilae has been hunted since the night of her birth. She is the only heir to the human god's throne. For centuries the races have been separated by an ancient barrier. Now that the barrier is crumbling and vanishing, the races are once again pitted against one another.
For years Lilae and her surrogate family have avoided the dangerous Shadow Elf that hunts her. Years of training seem lost when Lilae is captured and enslaved by the emperor of an enemy race. Through every hardship and moment of torture, Lilae finds comfort only in the strange man from her dreams. On the other side of the world, Liam leads his army of Tryan’s across the realm to protect his people from Shadow Elves that are invading his land now that the barrier is broken. With his best friend, his betrothed, a fairy, and a specialized order of soldiers, he sets out on a journey to find a grand weapon that can aid him in this inevitable realm war. The plan seems clear, until Liam dreams of Lilae... and Lilae falls for the emperor that made her his slave. **Bonus Material** Chapter One of Night of the Storm: Book Two of the Eura Chronicles Sub-Genre Keywords: Epic Fantasy, Swords and Sorcery, Magic, Fairy Tales, Mythology, Science-Fiction, Paranormal
Warning: This book contains (violence and some adult content) and is intended for an audience 13+.
Rise of the Flame Available on Amazon
FREE READ for a limited time!
From USA Today and New York Times Bestelling author, C.J. Ellisson:
Jonathan Winchester has clashed with his alpha one too many times. After another argument he leaves the Manitoba pack, his only home since the werewolf attack that changed his life. He returns to his home state of Virginia to start a new life free of pack politics. Jon finds work and meets a
young waitress, Raine, who appears to be a lone werewolf, too. As their relationship progresses, Jon’s embroiled in more intrigue than he bargained for and a danger bigger than he can handle. He's running scared until his own alpha tendencies surface, making him unable to leave the pretty werewolf’s problems behind. The young man is desperate to save Raine—even if his efforts may lead him straight to death. Journey along in this first prequel novel involving the favorite characters from the bestselling V V Inn series. Written at reader demand, this standalone story explains how the beloved Jonathan came to serve the deadly redheaded vampire, Dria. Warning: This book contains one sex scene and graphic violence and is not intended for readers under 17.
The V V Inn, in reading order: Death's Servant, First prequel novel
Vampire Vacation, Book 1
The Hunt, Book 2
Big Game, Book 3
Death Times Two, Book 4 ~ A Grim Reality and V V Inn novel co-authored with Boone Brux
Blood Legacy, Book 5 (pre-order available now: http://amzn.to/1uUsNmy)
Death’s Servant Available on Amazon
Returns and Reunions Michael Holman
"Tabitha, Ben’s vampire girlfriend, has at last asked one question that can forever align their destinies: does she have his free will consent to turn him from a human into one of her kind? Before he can answer, a traitor they have both made the mistake of forgetting about wreaks havoc. Any long-term romantic dreams the couple may have made get obliterated as they and their allies—introduced in Resolve And Retribution—desperately attempt to thwart an embittered enemy of Tabitha who wants a far less mortal-friendly Council of Thirteen chartered. It was such a predatory council Lilith had intended to start, which was her motive for annihilating the original one Tabitha and her mother had served. But nefarious as the ancient Roman vampire had been, there were boundaries even she didn't cross. To Ben's alarm, her protégé, the same traitor whom Tabitha had once believed to be her friend, is delighted to
trample over and past those boundaries without a second thought. Once again, Ben must act decisively to protect family and friends alike. In this sequel novel Returns and Reunions, Ben, Tabitha, and remnant allies holding fast to their principles regarding peaceful human–vampire coexistence face an adversary as dangerous as she is unpredictable. And when the inevitable confrontation ignites, more than one final good-bye will have to be said."
About the Author Michael W. Holman is a bachelor who has spent his entire life in the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Salem, Oregon. His favorite activities include distance running, reading fiction, and playing strategy board games with his nearby immediate family members on Friday nights. This book, Returns and Reunions, is the sequel to his first novel, Resolve and Retribution. Available on Amazon
Steven Woodford **Author Spotlight & Interview**
Why do you write? Because I can’t sing! What made you decide to sit down and actually start something? I have had a remarkable life and have recently become friends with four writers who shamed me into sitting down and getting it done. Do you write full-time or part-time? Part time; I do volunteer work for a Key West AIDS organization and have a house, a garden and pets to take care of; therefore, writing only when I set an unbreakable rule for undisturbed writing for a minimum hour a day. Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured? Writing is from 10-12 a.m. And if something “urgent” comes up I set aside another hour (two is better) later in the day after the “emergency” passes. Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand? Computer Where do your ideas come from?
My twisted imagination, my life experiences and/or LOTS of research into specific people and places. What is the hardest thing about writing? Getting everyone to leave me alone to work. What is the easiest thing about writing? Finding a character who is so “real” to me that he or she simply takes over and puts the words on the screen. How long on average does it take you to write a book? About one year. Do you ever get writer’s Block? No; I call it laziness. Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? Stare at a blank screen (or piece of paper) until a word or a sentence comes to you; write it down , even if it has nothing to do with what you thought you were going to write, and see what follows. If you are awake a word or two will come to you and others will follow like lemmings. Steven Woodford, author of SHORTS, auto-bio collection from a life in the deep south, the upside and downside of New York City, falling in love, suffering the death of love (both figuratively and literally, teaching middle school for 28 years, spending 30 years as a NY theatre and music critic and then……….finally………coming to rest, mid-flight, in the Florida Keys. Connect with Steven Woodford: Website: www.stevenwoodfordauthor.com
Facebook: StevenWoodfordAuthor Twitter: @AuthorWoodford GoodReads: Steven Woodford
SHORTS is currently available in a Kindle edition and in Paperbackfrom Amazon.com Short stories of three generations of a southern family, focused on a gay boy who grows up in a redneck town, moves to NYC, deals with love and loss, teaches theatre and becomes a music and theatre critic, rubbing elbows with celebrity in spite of prejudice.
80% off the cover price for a limited time! The V V Inn series, from the USA Today & New York Times Bestselling Author, C.J. Ellisson:
Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.
Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests. Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect?
Warning: This book contains adult content (violence, blood, and sex) and is not intended for readers under 18.
The V V Inn, in reading order:
Death's Servant, First Prequel Book (Jon's Tale) FREE READ for a limited time!
Vampire Vacation, Book 1
The Hunt, Book 2
Big Game, Book 3
Death Times Two, Book 3.5 A Grim Reality and V V Inn novella co-authored with Boone Brux
Blood Legacy, Book 4 (Available for pre-order now: http://amzn.to/1uUsNmy)
Vampire Vacation Available on Amazon
Lawrence BoarerPitchford shares with us his writing process. Go on...enjoy the magic!
Authors are awash with writing processes. Those who teach creative writing teach “the process” of writing, and those who write articles advise the reader on “the process” of writing, and in particular writing fiction. There are those who advocate the use of outlines, and those who discuss free-writing; those who write using chronological order, and those who write out-of-order chapters as they come to them. There’s processes for short stories, and novels, screenplays, plays, and television scripts. My “process” for writing fiction you may identify with, but I’ll wager that yours is as unique to you as mine is to me. As an author I write fiction because I love telling stories. I’m no genius, and certainly won’t be remembered for my groundbreaking prose, but hopefully my audience will remember that they had one hell of a rollicking good time reading my adventure stories. As I’ve matured in my style of writing, I’ve grown aware that I have a “process”. My way of composing a story, be it a novel, novella, short story, screenplay, or other, is relatively the same; it starts with an idea. I have ideas all the time for stories. As I reflect on my past, I’ve done this all my life. Perhaps it’s related to true delusion, or just an overactive imagination, who knows, but it is constant
and pervasive within me. So, an idea comes to me, and I sit down at my computer and begin. I begin putting down what I see in my imagination. I, for lack of a better term, spew out the raw thoughts in as coherent a foundation of sentences as I can. Oh, it’s flawed alright; misspellings, character confusions, lack of continuity, corny or anachronistic phrasing. I write a few pages, or even a chapter, then I step away. I take some time to think about the protagonist, and what direction I want the story to flow in. I grapple with plotting – plotting the course of the story to a logical and pleasing end. When I say pleasing, I don’t mean pleasant. I mean that the ending fits the story, characters, and resolves in a way that lets the reader feel that the climax of the tale has terminated without contradiction. So, there I am with a page (or chapter) and a head full of thoughts. I try and envision the ending of my story; who gets what, why, when, and where? For me, without this wrap-up figured out, I will stall, virtually hung up in the process. Once the end is known to me, I set to filling in the middle, but in a chronological order. I write chapter one, two, three, four… well you get the idea. Each chapter is like a mini novel. Each chapter has a beginning, middle, and end. Each chapter ending leads into the next chapter. If the book is part of a series, then the last chapter will lead into the next book. If not a serial, the last chapter is only the tie-up of the story. Once I’ve come to the end, I stop. I take a break for a while. I work on other projects. After a month or so, I begin the arduous part of reading what I created. This is very laborious, and as I go along I make changes to the draft. I wade into the work hacking this out, changing this, rewording that. As I do, I find the broken bits of logic, lack of continuity, misspellings, clichés, and bad phrases. I hack with impunity. I may junk an entire chapter, half the book, or completely rewrite the whole thing. This part takes months of painstaking effort. When I come to the end, I stop. I put the work away for a little while. I work on another project. Eventually, I come back, and read it again. If it seems relatively coherent, I’ll send it out to some beta-readers to get their take on it. If they tell me it’s a good read, I’ll then put it out on www.absolutewrite.com (The Absolute Write Water Cooler web site) on
the share your work forum, and see what those who don’t know me and are free of favoritism have to say. Sometimes it’s very constructive, sometimes it’s down-right ego-neutering. Depending on the un-bias reviews compared to the potentially bias review by my beta readers, I decide if the project needs an overhaul or is good to go onto the first phase of editing. This first phase is just the cleanup, the seek-and-destroy of as many spelling and grammatical errors as possible. Once done, it goes under the microscope again. I then reread it again. Correct any errors I notice, improve any rough sentence structures for easier reading, and see if the story is matching with the plot correctly. At this point I’m ready for independent editing to take over. Editing can take a while depending how fast the editors can do the copy edit, the content edit, and the final edit. I make the correction as they come, and only if they make good business sense to me. After the editing, it’s off to the formatting. The book is formatted into e-book and paperback formats. After formatting, comes the cover art. I do my own, and make several mockups of what I am thinking would capture the essence of the book, and be appealing to the perspective buyer. After I get feedback on the covers, I go with the one that is the most appealing, and I’m at an end of the Lawrence BoarerPitchford creative writing process, and onto the creative marketing process. I’m sure that there are some of you out there that read this and said – “That dude is crazy,” or “Hey, that’s like what I do,” or even “Why did I read this?” Nonetheless, the fore mentioned “process” is what I do, and if you’re a writer of fiction, or thinking of doing so, or an avid reader of the type of fiction I write, I hope that you found it illuminating. Buy a Lawrence BoarerPitchford novel/novella and reap the benefits of going on a raucous adventure while never leaving the comfort of your living room – if indeed you have a living room.
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We’d like to Present Author, Anna Othitis' Top 10 Favorite Travel Destinations New York City – USA The Statue of Liberty, Museums, Arts, fashion Niagara Falls – Canada The Falls, Great lakes, frozen wine farm tours, fine cuisine Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe, Africa The mighty Falls, wild life site seeing Kenya –Africa Serengeti Park, wild life site seeing, beaches, mountain climbing. Athens – Greece The Acropolis, historical sites, Arts, beaches, wine food, Greek Islands France - The Eiffel Tower, Historical sites, French cuisine, fashion, the Riviera Rome – Italy Coliseum, Historical site seeing, beaches wine, food London – UK - Big Ben, Bughingham Palace and the royalty the Historical castles, London Bridge Alaska - the Northern Lights, the Whales Brazil - Rio De Janeiro, festivities, food wine and beaches Biography: Anna Othitis lived and was raised in the beautiful land and country of Zimbabwe, Africa (home will always be home. She left all of her life long memories, endless charity work and good people behind vowing that she will continue supporting the needy children in her land Zimbabwe, Africa and beyond. After traveling long and short distances from the East coast to the West coast twice she and her family eventually found their sense of belonging and final settling destination in New Jersey, USA.
Her husband George, sons Johnny, Elia and Frankie encouraged her to write her first children's book titled "My First Travel Book", inspired by Frankie (Captain Frankie), who is graduating from his Masters degree in Aeronautical Science and beginning his career as a professional pilot. Anna's favorite saying is "Be Bold Be Brave". She was inspired to write her children's books with a vision to link up the children Africa and of the world on Angelic Airlines to so many beautiful places of interest and popularity on our wonderful planet Earth with all its beautiful some natural and some man made creations and resources. One of the beautiful natural wonders featured in her books is in her birth land of Zimbabwe "The Mighty Victoria Falls" All of her books educate our children and widen their scope of interest in the amazing surroundings, creations and nature to appreciate and look after our environment for many generations still to come.
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Note from the Editor & Founder Kenya Cooper Thank you for reading The Book Nymph PR’s January issue. Special thanks to our guests. More can be found on our website and blog. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. Cheers, The Book Nymph