And We're Back!

So now that the holidays are over and things are settling down, I've managed to get all three of the Hell House books back up on Amazon, and with the new KDP programs, They are all FREE for Amazon Prime members! How cool is that?

Now it's time to get back to writing more stories!





Now available at Amazon for Kindle!

Hell For The Holidays...

Just in time for the holidays, the first story in my young adult Hell House series is back up for your reading enjoyment! (and this new version includes a snippet of the next book in the series, Fairy Fury)

Holiday Hell House



There’s no place like Hell House for the holidays…

At least that’s what Danielle Stewart hopes for as the director of Hellsner Halfway House for Troubled Paranormal Teens. But all her plans come to an abrupt halt with the help of bickering teens, unannounced zombies, and a portal to hell, among other things. When the arguing leads to things quite literally going up in smoke, will Danielle find that her true calling lies elsewhere, or will the help of an unexpected angel show her the family she has longed for is right before her eyes?



Available at All Romance eBooks and Amazon for just 99 cents!

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

One Horrific Summer...

So, I've always been a big fan of books. I can't even remember NOT knowing how to read. I wore out my library card, and always had more books than would fit on the shelf in my room.

But 25 years ago, there were only so many young adult books available. Judy Blume, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High - these are what I read the most of because that's what girls my age were supposed to be reading. And there's nothing wrong with those books, it's just that, well, I craved...MORE.

Every summer I would spend a few weeks at my aunt and uncle's house. They were book lovers as well, and truthfully, passed that passion on to me through many a trip to the library or out of the way bookstore. They had loads of books at their house, so one summer, I decided I was going to read some grown-up books.

What did I pick to start with? Salem's Lot by Stephen King. Probably not the best choice for a 12 year old, but I was determined and could not be swayed.

The book scared the crap out of me.

I was mesmerized, and read it all in one day. I read until my eyeballs felt like they would pop out of my head and every noise that house made was a vampire about to get me. I was frightened and exhilarated, and...couldn't wait to read the next one.

Thus began my love affair with horror and the paranormal. I became obsessed, and that summer I also read Cujo, Carrie, Christine, and Firestarter. The world of horror and the paranormal opened up and swallowed me whole. Something about finding fear in the everyday or that there's more to this life than we know totally appealed to 12 year old me and made my imagination take flight.

That's when I really started writing my own stories, filling notebook after notebook, all the while devouring books like a person starved. I specifically became obsessed with vampires, and to this day have one bookcase in my house devoted entirely to vampire fiction.

I owe that "horrific" summer the credit for steering me onto this path of a writer, showing me so much more than I could ever have imagined. Books are and always will be what sustains me. And I pray they continue to inspire and entertain generations to come.

Who knows? Maybe even one of my stories will spark a light in another 12 year old...

All I can do is hope!

Happy Reading!

Sweet Bytes by Kimber An

Check out this new release from fellow YA author Kimber An!

Sweet Bytes


Ophelia’s escape from Martin, an Addicted Newblood, came at a terrible sacrifice.
Adrian, the boy she loves, is now infected and hunted like vermin.

As her new Protector, Tristan Li represents the Oldblood determination to destroy Adrian, along with all the Newbloods, addicted or not.

In her grief, Ophelia hates everything about Tristan, until his subtle strength empowers her to resist being turned into a vampire by the High Prefect.

As Tristan helps Ophelia harness her empathic ability, his need for redemption rings in her heart. Her own strength grows, along with her passion for freedom.

The veil of mourning lifts.

The evil of Martin returns.

Ophelia seizes ownership of her destiny.

Available NOW from Noble Young Adult!

Fabulously Young ePubs

Just a heads up to let you all know that I've been invited to be a regular contributor for a blog that includes a great group of young adult writers!

It's called Fabulously Young ePubs, and I will post the fourth Wednesday of each month. There's some great authors here, and I'm sure you'll want to check it out EVERY day as well.

Here's where I'll talk specifically about my Hell House series, as well as any other young adult stories I may be working on.

And who knows, I just might give away some books periodically too!

So be sure to follow and enjoy!

Fabulously Young ePubs

New Release!

The third book in my YA Hell House series released today! It's called Vampires Don't Dance.


Blurb:

Teenage fairy, Sora Starwind, is finally making her way in the mortal world. The guy of her dreams, Liam Crawford, has asked her to his school’s Spring dance, and she finally feels, well, normal. Trouble is,Liam has a secret of his own that brings with it a whole new set of complications. Not only does Sora have to worry about Liam’s friends liking her, she also has to guard his secret, and deal with the school harlot that wants Liam for her own. Add a pair of obsessed paranormals that intend to unleash more chaos than just ruining her evening and Sora finds her newfound control stretched to the brink. Can she find more answers than questions this time, so that this first dance won’t also be her last?

Available from Sapphire Blue Publishing

Happy Reading!

New Release!

Fairy Fury Released today! YAY!



Sora Starwind just wants to have a normal life. Well, as normal as a banished teenage fairy living in a halfway house for paranormals can have. Squashing her magic mishaps is just part of the equation.

Catching the eye of a certain hottie named Liam Crawford would be a plus, if she could only figure out how to not act like a complete dork around him. Then a surprise visit from her estranged mother brings an ultimatum that threatens to turn Sora’s world upside down.

Unexpectedly faced with her past, Sora has to find the inner strength to deal with her banishment, but there’s more to her story than even she knows…


The characters in this series are very close to my heart, and I'm so glad Sapphire Blue Publishing continues to believe in them and me so that I can share it all with YOU!

Purchase Fairy Fury

Happy Reading!

New Cover Art!

My second book in the Hell House series, Fairy Fury, has cover art! Take a gander!



Kendra Egert has done an awesome job, once again! I just love how tough my teenage fairy, Sora Starwind, looks. She sure doesn't take flack from anyone, and I'm SO excited to tell more of her story!

I'm going through the galley now, and should have a release date sometime soon!

SQUEE!

To Read, Or Not To Read

One of my fellow authors, Lisa Pietsch, posted a blog recently about a children's book that had caused a bit of a stir at another author's school board meeting. The book in question was Newberry Award Winner The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Apparently, some of the parents were concerned that this book was on the reading list for the fifth graders at that school, and felt it was too mature for that age group and requested the book be removed from the list.

I am always one to take the side of the book, but I wanted to find out about it before I made my decision. So, I picked up The Giver from my local B&N and settled in for what I hoped to be a good read.

The book blew me away.

I was sucked in to the story at once, fascinated by the world Lois Lowry created. The Giver takes place in a futuristic "utopian" society where everything is organized and controlled. There is no worry, no hunger, no war. But in trade, there is also no individuality, no joy, no love. People make no decisions for themselves. The young hero, Jonas, is about to turn twelve and get his job assignment for the rest of his life. He is chosen to be the community's new Receiver of Memory. All memories of all life before will be transferred to Jonas to bear alone, so that society may continue to exist without the burden. Jonas discovers many things that he can't belive have been "lost" to the community, such as colors, music, snow - but he also finds out what pain is, loss, and in the end discovers the hipocrisy that this utopia is built on, driving him to make the first and possibly final choice in his young lifetime.

There are so many things to spark discussion for young people in this book. The topic of what utopia means, or world peace, or what sacrifices might have to be made for a society to run without trouble. What emotions really mean, and how can we say someone is wrong if they have never been shown another way? Not to mention the underlying theme of how a world would be if no one was treated as an individual - complete and total equality. I would have loved to have read this book as a student, and I see no problem with the 7-12 year age rage it is rated.

I think parents that get up in arms over books that obviously were chosen for their literary contribution to the learning process should step back and take a real look at why they are uncomfortable. Turn it around. TALK about it with your kids. Use the opportunity to get to know your child better and how he or she thinks.

That's the power of books for children.

Use it.