9.26.2012

Gotta love ARCs.

Yesterday I received the ARC (advance reading copy) for my upcoming urban fantasy romance Witch's Soulmate (formally known as Soulmate's Curse). For me, that generally means intermittent adrenaline spikes and plenty of nail biting.

What's the big deal? One should ask.

Well, when you have an ARC it means you can start sharing your work with the world. Thus, you start getting feedback, reviews, love letters, and hate mail. So, yes, it's a bit exciting.

Witch's Soulmate is my first attempt at fantasy. I was am nervous about all the world building expectations/requirements of fantasy. That's probably why my book is urban fantasy, which means it happens in this world—and at present time. Dodged that fireball! 

Still, the paranormal elements of the story needed to be plausible. At least for me, even the craziest things have to have a good explanation about how they came to be. And I know there's a lot of very smart and very demanding readers that won't swallow any kind of bull!@#%. Neither, would I ever give it to them. So, yes, it's a bit exciting.

This book is also the first of a trilogy, so I'm hoping to have a lot of feedback that will make writing the second and third books very, very exciting. Yes, they're not written yet. A lot can still happen with the story. (Hope my editor is not reading this. If you are Jennifer, don't worry I'll try to stick to the synopsis.)

So, what's next?

Give out ARCs to people wanting to read Witch's Soulmate at first hand and, hopefully, review it on the major book retailers websites, wait for the cover (intermittent adrenaline spikes and plenty of nail biting), and promote the heck out of it.

Meanwhile, here a little blurb of Witch's Soulmate for you enjoyment:

 Through mythology and South American indigenous traditions they’d be known throughout history by several names: goddesses, fairies, mermaids, alchemists, but they prefer to call themselves: witches.The guardians of Earth's living energy. Jade is a young witch scarred by the murder of her parents and determined to evade her soulmate and never fall in love. Unfortunately, falling in love is not up to her or Peter—the human whose life-energy is identical to hers. The soulmate is the missing key to unlock the witch’s power and Arrow, a powerful organization whose only intent is to kill the soul-mates and keep the witches in check, is ready to do whatever it takes to destroy their connection, that means hunting down and murdering the soulmate through an ancient ritual. After a chance encounter, Jade and Peter are swept in a battle that takes them to Europe and South America in hopes to uncover a secret that will decide the very fate of their love—and their lives.

Also, click here for a dialogue nugget.




9.19.2012

Keep calm and carry on

I've seen the catchphrase many times, but never really stopped to find out what it's all about. Not only until I've read an article on cnn.com titled William and Kate: Keeping calm and carrying on, I learned the motto was "a propaganda poster produced by the Government of the United Kingdom in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War, intended to raise the morale of the British public in the event of a Nazi invasion of Britain."

Here's a great video made by Barter Books that tells us more about the origin of the poster:


I, too, like millions of people love the phrase and hope to introduce more and more "keep calm and carry on" to my daily life.

9.02.2012

Dialogue Nugget Sunday - Through the Lens

“Are you taking pictures of me?”
“Um?”
“Well, are you?” Mika asked accusingly.
“It’s only fair. I saw you getting shots of me earlier. I see everything, Mika.”
She sucked in deep breath of air, causing her breasts to rise and his own most intimate parts rose along with them. “I won’t have you making fun of me.”
“I’m not making fun of you. You know I never would. Besides, what was all that with you photographing me?”
She let out a huff. “You were in my shot. That was all.”
Ale started to walk toward her. “Really, Mika, you can do better than that. What’s with the pictures?”
She nervously nibbled at her bottom lip, then stopped and tilted her chin up at him. “Maybe I wanted to take your picture,” she challenged. “Put you on the other side of the camera for a change.”
He looked at her long and hard; her biting her lips made him want to bend down and do the same. He had to get a grip. “That sounds fair. But if you’re putting me on the other side of the camera, then I’m doing the same to you.”
Her eyes sparked for just a moment, and she looked away. He could practically see the wheels turning. Would she allow him to photograph her? Mika loved to hide in the background. She’d never agree. Unless …
“So, game over. You concede I guess you’re too scared to live up to your own challenge,” Ale teased.
She instantly fired her gaze back to his. “Of course not. I only suggest we start with you.”

Available for pre-order on Amazon