Player, Yassa, The Abigale Chronicles - In Earnest

With The Abigale Chronicles - Book One published, it's time to continue work on Player. I'm very excited about it because it holds what we all know but are afraid sometimes to write: the truth.

I am following the mantra of Stephen King and writing about what I know. I knew the characters in Yassa almost as well as I know myself. If there are fractions of me here and there in them, then I achieved my goal. I have written my synopsis of Yassa and am presenting it to you now. My cover will be option 3 (the one with the cherry tree on it) and you'll get a good sense of the book by combining the imagery with the synopsis.

Without further ado:

Yassa

In ancient Mongolia there lived two great and ferocious men who became fast friends at the hands of slavers and pledged to be brothers in life. When one of the men sees the wife of the other and falls madly in love, what ensues is the greatest recorded rivalry of all time. Bound by Yassa law, young Temujin is torn when the time comes to make the ultimate decision: Kill his best friend and brother in life for the dishonor of coveting the precious and beautiful Borte, or break the law Temujin wrote himself and show mercy. But is the beautiful Borte in love with Temujin's best friend, Jamuka, or is she faithful to her husband through all of the obstacles thrown in their way; even his infidelity? When Temujin is named Khan, changes his name to Genghis, and becomes drunk with power, what will happen to the love he has so carefully nurtured for his wife?

Find the answer in the book!! Due out in June!

I hope you are all enjoying this blog and accompanying me on my journey through the wide world of self publishing!

Don't forget to leave a comment here or send me a message via Twitter to get your coupon code for a FREE copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One. Remember, it's a Young Reader's chapter book with a lot of suspense so if you know a child that loves to read, this is the book for them!! This offer is only good until May 2, 2012, so get your copy today!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Smashwords Publish!

After much contemplation, I have decided to publish The Abigale Chronicles - Book One at Smashwords.com this week. Yassa is still set to release beginning of June so, if you were looking forward to that one, stay tuned!!

For everyone following or reading my blog, please send me a message if you would like a free copy of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One and I will send you a coupon code (good through May 2, 2012) good at the Smashwords.com website.

You can click here to access the book's page directly:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/155659

Time to get busy writing more wonderful stories!!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Yassa Art Part 2

One more...

 

Option 3

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo

Yassa Cover Art

Came up with two designs. Would love some feedback from all you readers of this blog. Which one?

Option 1

 

Option 2

I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Bursting at the Seams - Cover Ideas!

Today, I intend to delve very deeply into Player and go ahead and edit the crap out of The Abigale Chronicles - Book One for which I have a sample book cover.

I would love some feedback from any of you following or just reading.

 

Color version and black and white for NOOK devices.

I am off to write! It is 9am and I am bursting at the seams with words.

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Abigale is Done - New Novel!

The Abigale Chronicles - Book One is complete. A short, 10k word Young Readers book is what I ended up with. I am so proud of myself for getting it done so quickly! I can't wait to share the cover art for Yassa and TAC!! I would love to hear feedback from any reader of this blog so, keep your eyes open and make sure to vote!!

I started a new novel titled Player that is the story of a man looking to change his life. He finds something along the way that he never expected to find but the end has a twist that will leave you reeling. Here is my synopsis:

Richard Meritis has it all figured out. He has enrolled in an MBA program in order to change his life and get out from under his wife of fourteen years, Julia, who cares more about her nails and social life than she does about Richard, and he begins a journey that he has carefully planned every step of over the last year.

Kathy Miller is a young woman struggling to find her purpose in life. With five children and a husband that treats and uses her like property, she feels like there is no way she can change anything and has, instead, found ways to live with her situation. When she discovers a deep, dark secret about her husband, Gordon, and her life begins to unravel, she realizes it’s a sign that it’s time to take a leap of faith.

Richard meets Kathy and both of them find something they never expected. Will Richard’s ultimate plan succeed or will he be derailed by the unexpected newfound companionship? Will Kathy be able to see Richard’s true intentions? What is his game?

Player brings surprises at every turn and you will be left guessing what Richard’s true plan was and if meeting someone like Kathy was really planned from the beginning. You will fall in love with Richard because of his flaws, Kathy because of her temerity, and by the end, you will realize that not everything is what it seems to be.

I hope this piques your interest and I hope you will follow along with Richard and Kathy as they make life-changing decisions.

Remember, keep an eye out for cover art choices coming soon!! I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time, WRITE ON!!

Jo

Excerpt! Abigale!

Here ya go, an excerpt from Chapter 1!!

            Just about the time she saw the school, the first rock hit her; his aim was getting better and it smacked her right in the back of the leg. She knew the next few would not be aimed quite so low but bit back her panic and kept moving her feet forward at a normal pace. After all, Emmett had never seriously injured her; just gave her small bruises. Because of her earlier resolution not to run, she refused to even acknowledge that the first rock had hurt and bit back her scream and her tears. Her heart pounded in her chest and her palms began to sweat; she braced herself for the second blow.

            Abigale opened her eyes and blinked sleepily. She was disoriented but could hear the voices around her saying things like, “She must have tripped and hit her head.” and, “Look! She’s waking up!” When she tried to sit up, she found she couldn’t because she had been strapped to some sort of board. A man’s face suddenly appeared in her vision and he asked her to please lie still and to try not to move. He explained that she had taken a nasty bump to the head and they needed to make sure she was okay before they released her.

            She croaked out, “Okay. What happened?”

            He smiled at her and said, “We don’t know yet. Can you remember anything?”

            She knitted her eyebrows together, trying to remember how she had ended up unconscious, and said, “No. I just remember walking and being scared because Emmett was throwing rocks at me. But I didn’t run.”

            A look of concern clouded the man’s face and he simply said, “Okay. Just lie still.”

            She licked at her lips and tasted something that was familiar. She tried to place the taste but her brain felt like it was filled with cottonballs and, though she tried as hard as she could to stay awake, she passed out.

            When she woke again, she was in a hospital bed with a bunch of cords and tubes connected to her. After momentary panic, she closed her eyes, counted to ten, and opened them again to take in the whole scene calmly. She had read somewhere that you are supposed to calm yourself that way but it didn’t seem to be working because with every new thing she saw, her urge to scream doubled. There were fresh flowers in a vase with a “Get Well Soon” balloon attached, dying flowers in a vase on the other side of the fresh ones, and an enormous stack of books from her favorite author, Tomas Cleary, on a table that extended over the bed. How long had she been here?

Until next time, WRITE ON!!!

Jo