Wednesday, February 12, 2014

PoSSeSSive S

Happy Hump-day, everyone! Snow in Georgia again and all the kiddies are out of school. I have to say, I'm more than ready for spring so I can get back to a normal schedule. This weather and being sick last month has really thrown me off. Anyway, enough about all that. Let's move on to today's post about the possessive S. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!


If you aren't familiar with INDIE Books Gone Wild, allow me to share a bit of information with you. Every now and then, one of us posts on that blog about grammar, punctuation, or other little tidbits we find frequent errors revolving around. Before we get to the good stuff here, pop on over there and check out Tia's post on the Apostrophe. Yeah, it matters. Go read that sucker.

Now, I'm a Chicago Manual of Style lady. I have a copy of the 15th edition, and I follow it to the letter when doing an edit. Of course, this causes some of my clients to have small hernias when they don't agree with my edits or they have a style guide that's different from mine (which is totally fine, they should go with what feels right to them). I try to be very clear on our About Us page over on IBGW and state that I use the book I own as a reference. So, today's discussion will be the rules from that style guide.

When you show possession of a singular noun (not the demonic kind), the rule says you add an apostrophe and an S to the end of the word (section 7.17). Examples:
  • Dora's shoes.
  • Kitten's playground.
  • Lola's necklace.
But what if those words end in S?

Well, here's where we get into a bit of a pickle. When choosing names, one usually avoids the ones ending in S so they don't have this conundrum. If you happen to select one that ends in S, how do you handle it? This is where the general guides don't agree.

If you're showing possession of a collective, like a family or group whose names or title of the collective end in S, the solution is easy, you add an apostrophe to the end. Examples:
  • The Huss' house (this is the Huss family).
  • The Picketts' son (this is the Picketts family).
  • Those kittens' meows (more than one kitten).
  • These dogs' leashes (more than one dog).
However, if you have a character who's named Cleatus, how do you show possession?

In section 7.18, page 282 of The Chicago Manual of Style 15th Edition, it states: The general rule covers most proper names, including names ending in s, x, or z, in both their singular and plural forms, as well as letters and numbers. This means writing the name and adding an apostrophe with another S at the end. Examples:
  • I saw Cleatus's sneakers over there.
  • We went to the mall to get Kriss's new purse.
  • I can listen for hours to Venheis's violin.
Now, this is the way it's written out in the guideline. I think, when reading, it keeps me from thinking there's more than one Cleatus who owns sneakers I saw over there, and makes the possessive name read more easily.

All this is great! But...

Yeah, you knew there was a but. *grin*

In section 7.23, there's a suggestion for an alternative usage by simply adding the apostrophe to the end of the name. While easier to remember and apply, I think it reads with a clunky timbre. But, try it both ways and see what works for you. This goes back to Tia's post I mentioned above, where she talks about Strunk and White.

Before we wrap this post on possessive S up, I'd like to remind you of another rule of possession you may not be familiar with. Section 7.24 talks about more than one noun. When mutually exclusive, both nouns get an apostrophe S. If both are owning the same item, only the second named gets the punctuation. Examples:
  • My daughter-in-law and son's house.
  • Our niece and nephew's car.
  • or
  • My ex daughter-in-law's and son's houses.
  • Our niece's and nephew's cars.
Seems a lot of stress rests on the S.

How can you avoid this when writing fiction? Easy: Choose names that don't end in S when you're making your list.

I hope you all enjoyed our little lesson for today. If you have questions, comments, or otherwise, feel free to pop them into the comments section.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Book Review - The Memory Witch

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you another book review from my extensive TBR list that was created to support the endeavors of Indie Fever 2014. What's Indie Fever? Well, it's a collaborative of readers who get together and read Indie books all year and write reviews. There are many different levels to sign up at! You can see them all here. I invite you to join the reviewer roster, read Indie books until your eyeballs ache, and write some reviews. It's easy; just decide how many books you're going to review, add your name to the linky list, and get busy. Not interested in reviewing but love to read reviews? Check out the reviews written by members here. Grab your comfy chair and let's get going!

First, a little about the book on the butcher block today!

Title: The Memory Witch
Author: Heather Topham Wood
Genre: Young Adult (I think it's maybe supposed to be New Adult) Urban Fantasy
Length (Print): 230 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $7.99 B&N (paperback) $12.98

Synopsis: Ten years ago, Quinn Jacobs’ mother made a bargain with a local witch—steal away Quinn’s memories from the first eight years of her life and in return, Quinn would spend a year in servitude to the witch.

On Quinn’s eighteenth birthday, she’s forced to leave her home and friends behind. For the next year, she’ll live at the Chadwick House, learning everything she needs to know about being a spellcaster. As her powers grow, Quinn begins to unravel the secrets of the past and the reason her mother was so desperate to conceal the horrifying truth.

~                  ~                   ~

*Will not appear in review elsewhere*
Let me start off by saying how much I LOVE the cover for this book. I did a look inside over on Amazon and I wish the inside matched the cover awesomeness. Even the chapter lead-ins done in the same font as the cover would've given it that little something extra. Being a lover of great typography and a graphic designer, I'm a huge fan of those gems I find in interior design when checking out the preview of a print book I enjoyed on Kindle. All that being said, I don't knock off points in a review for the cover of the book; I just like talking about them. *grin*

On to the good stuff!

I grabbed this title during my 12 Days of Christmas party, that special time of year when I stock my Kindle with books I intend to review over the next twelve months. Heather is an author whose work I love reading and she showed up with a pitch for The Memory Witch I couldn't say no to (I've also been sitting on pins and needles waiting for this title to hit the shelves). So, I popped on over to Amazon and ponied up the dough. I have to say, I'm glad I did. While Amazon has this categorized as Teen and Young Adult, I don't think it's appropriate for those under the age of sixteen/seventeen because of some graphic scenes. But, enough rambling, let's get to the review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
I loved the main character, Quinn. Wood has such a unique way of painting her characters so the reader can identify with them, I really enjoy delving into the mind of a new one she comes up with. That being said, Quinn seemed a bit prudish to me. According to the book, she's eighteen and a member of the dying breed known as virgins. That doesn't bother me so much, but her actions during the story threw me for a loop a time or two. I was left scratching my head and asking, "Why?" But the premise of the story and the pacing (which was wonderful and fast) made me care less about the questionable morals of a teen and more about what secrets would be unraveled during the course of the tale. I was hooked. Magic, a father Quinn can't remember, and an unanswered mystery about the past kept my eyeballs riveted to the pages. You'll cringe a number of times when the author gets to some very graphic scenes, but she wrote them well. Details were horrifying. Either way, I adored the story and stayed up late to finish it. Can't wait for the second installment! Let's move on to talk about the writing.

From an Editor's Perspective:
I waited on this novel for so stinking long, I thought I'd get the best of the best of the best (Sir! With honors!) as far as writing goes. Well, not so much. As anyone who reads my reviews knows, I mark errors as I go (it's an editor/proofreader thing). I found over seventy errors. Not misplaced pronouns or comma drops, but errors like: "I hadn't stay up hours each night..." and "...dating back almost thousand years." or "A startled sound broke into..." Needless to say, my head landed in my hand a lot. This isn't the norm for Ms. Wood. These errors didn't fudge with the story, but they were noticeable and did make my mind stutter over the words.

Rating:
+ 1 Star for a great reveal
+ 1 Star for pacing (fast)
+ 1 Star for the well written magic and horror scenes
+ 1 Star for hooking me with a world I felt could exist
- 1 Star for editing
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. A highly recommended read if you love fantasy, magic, and curses.

Join me next week for a review of The Bestiarum Vocabulum (a collection of beastly short stories).

I hope you all enjoyed that review. If you've read it, what did you think? If not, will you take a chance on it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Monday, February 10, 2014

A Guest Post by Carlyle Labuschagne

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have with me author Carlyle Labuschagne with a guest post on why it's important to read when you're a writer, and how it changed her life. Carlyle is the author of Evanescent and The Broken Destiny, as well as being one of the authors attending UtopYA Con 2014 in June. If you don't have tickets to that event yet, click the name to buy yours soon. So grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Reading and Writing and How it Changed My Life
by Carlyle Labuschagne

Thank you Jo for having me on as guest today, I am absolutely thrilled.

Why is it so important to read as a writer?

Books are very much an addiction to many. I read because I enjoy it, but as a writer I learn a lot from other books and authors. As many might know, English is not my first language, so by reading as much as I can – I learn the way of the English language. It is also good to see what is out there, what grabs at you and what you can bring differently than others. There are an abundant of gifted Authors I have read and yet to read. I am one of those readers who are swept away totally by a read. I am there within every book I read. My imagination allows for it. I think we are addicted to our imaginations more than anything, but what would our imaginations be without reading and for the talented Authors to ignite it for us? Books to me are a work of art, they are feelings, thoughts, and souls between the pages of books.

I write because I want to understand others as well as myself. I first started expressing myself at a very young age though poems, song writing. But finally found my true passion. Novel writing. My first novel The Broken Destiny is as I am sure many authors can relate to, is a combination of my experiences my world and the world inside my head, understanding myself as well as others , and feeding the passion. A almost craving for the feeling that writing has brought me. I have overcome the biggest obstacle of my life – to believe in myself , to prove myself to no one but myself of what I am capable of. To be a hard worker and enjoy it. To see things through.

Through writing I have learnt a lot about myself. Finally being able to move on from my mistakes. The Broken Destiny is about a girl who has to find her true self to unleash her Destiny towards greatness. Every person has good and bad, and everything comes down to a choice, and sometimes making the wrong choice is actually the write choice at the time - To grow, to learn - To love yourself. The only person who can hurt you is you. You are your worst enemy. Don’t change who you are for the sake of satisfying others, in the end it hurts only you. Your path is one of greatness and being true to yourself is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others. But it is often only through experiencing who you are not to know who you are. To know the light you have to have experienced the dark. But always remember everything you go through, no matter how hard - is for a reason. Writing gives me great pleasure and satisfaction. Writing heals.

My desire for everyone is to find that one thing and go for it, no matter how impossible it may seem at the time, you will never know if you don’t try, and once you have tried you will know you can never be without it. If you have a passion, you can perform deeds you never thought you were capable of.

~ Don’t be crippled by fear. Let love and passion give you wings ~ The Broken Destiny
Happy writing all
~Carlyle Labuschagne

I couldn't have said it better myself, Carlyle! Inspiring words.

If you'd like to check out Ms. Labuschagne's books, you can find The Broken Destiny here on Amazon as well as Evanescent here.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to enter the rafflecopter giveaway to win!
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Got questions or comments? Pop them down below!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Friday, February 7, 2014

What's in a Name?

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Oh, man, the weekend is right around the corner. I know you can smell it. Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful Saturday and Sunday! Today, I'm going to talk with you a little about naming your characters and why any old name won't (and shouldn't) do. So, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

When naming characters, there are a few things you should always be mindful of:
  • Is the name difficult to say/read?
  • Does the name have more than two syllables?
  • What does the name mean?
  • Do any of the names sound too similar?
  • How many of the names begin with the same letter?
  • What does the last name say about the heritage of the character?
A lot of authors make a name swipe list for minor characters that run from A-Z. Time is spent gathering names that sound different from one another and those are organized in alphabetical order. When the author needs a new name, they simply pull out the list, choose one of the names, and mark it off. That way, they're guaranteed not to have too many characters whose names sound alike. This is a great plan! Do it! However...

In my humble opinion, you should also look into what every one of them means and write it next to the name in your swipe file. For example, the meaning of the name Trixie (MC in I, Zombie) is "bringer of joy," Bronya (Mystic, book one) means "strength," and Stormy (MC in The Bird) means "impetuous nature." Those names fit the personalities of my characters because I took the time to do the research. Guess what? It didn't take me long at all.

How did I discover that information and think to use those names in my books?

Well, there's a super secret website that I'm gonna share with you in a moment where you can search by name, meaning, number of syllables, gender, or first letter.

Yes! I'm actually telling you someone took the time to help authors out and give us a place where we can find hundreds of thousands of names at the click of a mouse.

What is it? BabyNames.com

Click on advanced search and get your happy on.

I know, you all just groaned inwardly. But this is one of the best resources I've found for character names. I wouldn't want a meek, confused girl to be named Bronya or Stormy. Just like I wouldn't want either of those characters to have a name like Naomi, which means "gentle."

Yes, readers will pick up on that. Even if they don't know it right away, they'll feel something is off if they're reading about Naomi kicking butt and shooting bad guys.

Thought I'd share!

Did any of you know about this site before today? Did you use it? What gems did you find?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Excerpt! Sneak Peek at Mystic ~ Markaza

Hello and happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today I'm giving you all a sneak peek into the pages of Mystic ~ Markaza, the sixth and final book of the series. It's been outrageously popular (especially since I released the five in one book) and I've had a few messages from readers asking when Markaza will be released. Answer: I'm going to try to have it out before UtopYA Con in June of this year. I have a good bit of it written and am almost to the point where the big baddie begins to cause trouble for the world. This one is a full length novel, so it's taking me a little longer.

After all, we have to have some burning questions answered before the girls can fight! What the heck will their powers be used for? You'll have to wait and see. But, here's a snippet for all those who've been asking. Kindly remember it's unedited and a NEW ADULT novel. There's some strong language in here. Grab a cup of coffee, relax in your chair, and get to reading. I hope you enjoy it.

This is for those of you who read chapter one of Markaza in the back of the last book, Coralie. It's around 3200 words so be prepared to read for more than a minute.


Chapter Two ~ Happy Birthday!

Markaza woke up screaming. Her vision from the night before paralyzing her body as the horrors replayed through her head.

Sunny was standing on the tarmac at a small airfield, watching the instructor show them how they’d be tethered to the seasoned skydiver. Her face was lit up; eyes sparkling with excitement.
 
Markaza was inside Sunny, feeling everything she felt. Her thoughts were as clear as a summer sky.

When the instructor showed the girls where the straps would go and how their tandem partner would have to hold on, her heart leapt in her chest. What a thrill it would be to have her body strapped so tightly to his! Antsy, her mind playing out sexy scenarios, she bounced from foot-to-foot, not hearing half of what was being said.

He paused. “Sunny, are you listening?”

“Yes.” No!

“Okay, let’s continue.” His lecture went on for another ten minutes before he finally told the girls to get their harnesses on and follow him.

Sunny stepped into hers and buckled the straps like she thought she remembered seeing the hot instructor do it. Satisfied she was good to go, she sauntered over to her friend. “Holy hell he’s hot! Which one of us do you think will get to be strapped on to that?”

The friend giggled. “Maybe you will. It’s so cool of your mom to sign us up for this!”

“Right? I’m so excited!” Sunny’s feet went into a tap-dance as she waited for the others.

Once everyone was geared up, they followed the instructor to a place where a group of young men were waiting.

Her heart started beating double-time. These dudes were as good-looking as the one who showed them how to get into the gear! She smiled and locked eyes with a boy who had brown hair that was almost shoulder-length, warm green eyes, and a perfect set of teeth. He smiled back and she felt her face grow warm at the contact.

They were assigned their jump partners and, as luck would have it, Sunny ended up with the one she’d been eying.

He approached slowly, looking like a bronzed god, and her brain played scenes from every romantic movie she’d ever seen.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hey.” She wanted to slap her forehead for being lame.

“You excited about the jump?”

She nodded, feeling like if she talked, she’d sound stupid.

While the other team members were getting ready, Sunny and her jump partner sat down and chatted. She found out he was seventeen and had already made twenty jumps solo.

“Yeah, I just fell in love with it from the first time. This is only my second go-round with tandem, but I’m sure glad I’ll get to wrap my arms around you.” His gaze was smoldering and her ability to talk whooshed right out of her again.

All she could do was smile while her inner-goddess danced and sang a happy song.

They climbed into the plane and everyone sat down for takeoff. He reached over and grabbed her hand, caressing her thumb with his own as they rolled down the runway.

Roaring of the propeller was drowned out by her heartbeat echoing in her ears.

They reached jumping altitude and everyone was buckled to their partners. When he put his arms around her, she melted back into him. Instructions were being shouted over the din of the engine, but all she heard was his whispered words. “You smell so good.”

At once, the door was opened and the first pair of jumpers dove out. Screams of the young lady wafted back through the door as she experienced the first tingles of free-fall.

Sunny was shuffled to the opening. “Don’t be scared. I got you.” He had to yell because of the rushing wind, but she was grateful for the reassurance.

She leaned over and looked down. Squealing, she jumped backward, making him stumble a little.
He put his hand over hers and pulled her tightly to him. When the boss yelled, “Go!” they tumbled out into the open air.

Wind.

Warmth.

His strong arms around her body.

Her hair blowing around her face.

Blue skies and fluffy, white clouds as far as she could see.

Brown and green landscapes, broken only by the appearance of the white dot of a house now and then.

It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.

When he squeezed her, she fell a little in love with him and her entire body tingled. Adrenalin rushed through her veins, causing her to scream, “Woooohoooooo!” It was a welcome release.

She could hear him laughing as he let go of her so he could pull the ripcord.

A jerk.

Pain searing through her inner-thighs.

Suddenly, she was falling again. She couldn’t feel him near her anymore and she grew cold. Her body began to flip and bend in awkward ways as the speeding wind abused it.

A scream ripped from her throat as she plummeted toward the ground; completely out of control. Her heart did flips inside her body and caused her throat to constrict. Then, everything went quiet except the rushing sound of the wind and her jumpsuit flapping. I’m going to die.

She quit fighting and was flipped upside down just in time to see the ground as it rushed at her face.

Her body slammed into it like a bullet into a target.

Markaza buried her face in her hands and screamed again; letting her feelings flow out with the sound. Death. The word consumed her mind and she recognized the agonizing fear for what it was. Never had she been in the body of the person who died. She began to shake so hard, the bed banged against the wall as it moved with her tremors.

Her mother rushed in, gathering the girl up, trying to console her. “What happened?”

“I… I… Where’s Nancy?” Markaza screamed.

“I don’t know! Can’t I do anything?” Her mother screamed in return, flapping her arms like a penguin’s wings.

“No! Get her! Find her! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” Only Nancy would listen and not have Markaza committed for what she saw.

An agonizing five minutes passed, during which she collapsed to the floor and cried, letting the sobs tear from her lips, not caring who heard.

Nancy arrived and sat down on the floor. “What is it, child? What did you see this time?”

Markaza threw herself into the woman’s lap, wrapping both arms around her waist. “Oh my God it was horrible! Nancy, we have to do something!”

Rocking the distraught child, Nancy used an even voice when she spoke. “Calm down. I can’t understand you when you’re hysterical.”

Markaza gulped for air, taking it in like she was being suffocated. Her stomach settled as her hair was stroked. “Sunny died.”

“Baby, you’ve seen these kinds of things every year since you were just a little thing. What was different this time?”

“I was inside her head. I saw what she saw; felt what she felt. I died, too,” Markaza whispered. She pushed back and began to tremble again. It started deep in her belly and radiated out through her limbs, causing her words to come through chattering teeth. “She went skydiving and got severed from her partner when he pulled the chute open. We hit the ground… What do I do?”

“Oh my God.” Nancy’s eyes were wide and blank, her lips were pressed together, and her hand flitted up to touch her forehead. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine…”

“It was horrible.” Rapid breathing ensued and Markaza could feel she was losing her grip again. “What do I do? If I call her, she’ll think I’m a freak! She’s the only friend I have.”

“Let me think. Just try to calm down, okay? We’ll figure it out.” Nancy pulled the girl back up and embraced her. “Shhhh…”

They rocked for a long time. Markaza felt her body relax; sure the woman would know what to do next. After all, she’d saved almost everyone for the last six years.

“Okay, I’m gonna call Sunny’s mom. I’ll tell her you said Sunny was going skydiving but we decided to have a party for you and were wondering if she could come. That’s all I can do.”

Markaza nodded. “That sounds like a good plan. But what if her mother says no?”

“Then you’ll have to call Sunny and hope she listens.”

A knot of dread tied itself around her body, holding her prisoner, but she agreed.

Nancy pulled out her cell phone, got the number from the rolodex on the office desk, and dialed Sunny’s mother.

“Hi, this is Nancy, I work for the Turner family?

“Yes, hi there. I’m calling because it’s Markaza’s thirteenth birthday today and we’ve decided to throw her a party. I was wondering if Sunny—

“Yes, I realize this is late notice and she did tell me Sunny was—

“Yes, ma’am. I understand. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

Markaza’s heart was bouncing around like it had been put on a trampoline. Looking at Nancy’s face when she hung up and turned, Markaza knew she’d have to call and sound like a crazy person. After pulling her thoughts together, she picked up the phone and dialed Sunny’s cell number.

“Hey, girl! How are you?” Sunny sounded like she was smiling.

Markaza took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “I’m okay. Hey, I was thinking about having a birthday party today. I know I said I wasn’t going to, but I thought maybe you could blow off that thing you were going to and come see me instead!”

“There’s no way you’re asking me to blow off skydiving to come to a party you just decided to put together, right?” Sunny laughed. “Have you gone crazy?”

“No. I just thought you might be able to re-schedule.”

“What is it? Are you jealous because I didn’t invite you to come?”

Girls could be heard giggling in the background.

“No.” Markaza’s heart sank.

“Then why bother suddenly throwing yourself a party that you know I can’t come to because I have plans?”
“I… I thought, maybe…”

“Seriously, what’s really going on? Can’t I do anything without you?”

“I saw you die while you were skydiving!” The words flew from Markaza’s mouth before she could stop them.

“Oh my God! You’ll resort to anything! Girls, listen to this: Markaza says she saw me die while I was skydiving.”

Giggles echoed in the background again and someone shouted, “What a freak!”

Markaza’s blood boiled.

Sunny laughed and snorted. “You’re so lame. Go have your stupid party with no one there. I’m out.”
“Fine! When your fucking head slams into the ground, remember I tried to warn you, bitch!” Markaza’s phone beeped, signaling the call had been ended. She looked up, tears streaming down her face. “She wouldn’t listen. I lost my temper. What can I do now?”

“I was afraid that was going to happen,” Nancy said.

“Oh, you have no idea what I just did to myself. Now those cows in the car will tell everyone at school what happened. If Sunny dies today, I’ll be a freak show. Not to mention I’ll be losing someone I thought was my friend.” Markaza started to shake again. “Guess I just did that anyway. Why does this stuff happen to me? What did I do to deserve this curse?”

“You can’t look at it that way. Instead, think about all the people you’ve saved with your gift.”

“Funny thing; I don’t think they ever would’ve been in danger if it wasn’t for me. It seems the people I love the most are the ones who get hurt.”

“I’m still here and in one piece.” Nancy smiled.

Markaza shuddered. “Yeah, and I’m trying to work out why that is. Of all the people I care about the deepest, you, Mom, and Dad seem to all be immune.” She let out a sigh. “It’s weird. You’d think you three would be among the first to get hurt.”

Nancy laughed. “You sure have a way of making people nervous. Don’t jinx me, okay?”

“Okay. Sorry. This thing with Sunny has my head all messed up.”

“You did what you could. So did I. If people won’t listen that’s not our fault.” Nancy brushed Markaza’s hair back. “Why don’t I bring you something to help you sleep? You can pass the day that way. You need to calm down; your face is still all flushed.”

“You’re right. Okay. Thanks.”

Nancy returned a few minutes later with some pills and a glass of water.

Markaza downed them and crawled back into bed.

“You want me to stay until you fall asleep?”

“No. I’ll be okay.” An odd numb feeling had taken over her body and she wondered if she was experiencing shock. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. Get some sleep.” Nancy left, closing the door softly.

Markaza could hear her mother arguing with the woman in the hallway. They were doing their best to whisper, but the walls carried the sound.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Nothing. She just had a scary dream.”

“Is she going on about those stupid visions again? I hear you two talking sometimes; you really shouldn’t encourage her.”

“I help her try to deal with what she sees. I don’t know if any of it’s real, but she believes it is, and I’m going with the assumption she’s not crazy.” Nancy’s voice got rough and low, like she was getting angry.

“I’m taking her to a psychiatrist. She needs help.”

“You do whatever you think you have to. She’s your daughter.”

“Yes, she is. You might remember that.”

Everything went quiet and Markaza fell asleep, the drugs making her feel heavy and peaceful.

Banging on the door roused her from her slumber.

“Markaza, wake up! Get out here!” It was Mom. She was having a fit.

Markaza ground the sleep out of her eyes and rolled out of bed. Her head spun and she sat back down.
“Are you up?”

“Hang on a second! My head is spinning!” After a moment she was able to walk to the door and pull it open.
Her mother was completely disheveled. Hair that was usually perfectly coiffed stood in every direction and mascara streaks—that for some reason went right into the wrinkles—marred her face, making her look really old. With her eyes as big as hula-hoops, she leaned down and whispered, “You have to come see what’s on television.” Alcohol wafted from her body and caused Markaza to gag.

“Geeze, Mom, how much have you had to drink?”

“Not nearly enough. Come on.” Mom grabbed Markaza by the hand and dragged her to the living room. “Look at that. It’s on every channel.”

A reporter was holding papers in his hand and looking at the camera with a gloomy expression. “It seems to have been incorrectly used equipment that cost this young woman her life.”

They cut to a video where a tiny figure could be seen plummeting from the sky.

“Her tandem partner said the buckles weren’t fastened properly. You can see in the video how she’s jerked up for a moment when the chute opens, but falls away from him when it begins to slow their descent. Let’s watch it again.”

It was rewound and played back, this time showing the entire grisly scene. When the parachute opened, the figure was flung away from the body it was attached to and went spiraling out of control before slamming head-first into the ground.

“They say her name was Sunny Carter, daughter of James and Melanie Carter. She was fourteen years old. We’ll bring updates as the investigation…”

Markaza fled down the hallway and dry-heaved over the toilet before passing out on the tile.

***

“When I woke up, my mother asked me if Sunny’s death is what I’d seen. I told her it was and I ended up at a psychiatrist’s office that same night. He put me on a bunch of pills that made me groggy and skewed my visions. I went months feeling like a zombie. I’m kinda surprised I didn’t walk around moaning and drooling all over myself. It was the first time I was heavily medicated for what they called depression.” Markaza paused and blew her nose. “Who the hell wouldn’t be freaked out? Geesh. Because of that little fiasco, I was bullied at school so badly, my parents had to pull me out and send me somewhere else.

“That’s how I ended up at Her Majesty’s Other Preparatory Academy—which we New Yorkers lovingly call Hemop. Those years were some of the best and the worst of my life.”

“So your mom thought you were crazy because you saw the death of someone and had the gumption to try and stop it?” Lily’s voice rose as she asked the question.

Markaza nodded.

“That’s more like hero stuff, in my opinion. What a bitch!”

“Yeah, well, she didn’t really understand, did she?”

“Still. Argh!”

“How about we take a little break before I get into life at Hemop?”

Everyone agreed and Markaza ordered dinner to be sent up. Nancy pushed a cart into the room an hour later.

All the girls hugged the woman and thanked her for being awesome.

She smiled at them. “Markaza’s been telling her tales, I see. You ladies doing okay?”

“We are,” answered Melody. “Thank you so much.”

“Good.” Nancy turned. “Markaza, we need to talk. It’ll wait until tomorrow, but I wanted to let you know.” Her voice lowered. “It’s about your mother.”

“Okay. I’ll come down first thing in the morning. Thanks.” Markaza hugged the woman and ushered her out the door. “See you soon!”

After they ate dinner, they gathered in the living room once again with a huge pot of coffee and a tray of fruit and veggies; courtesy of Nancy.

“Where was I?” Markaza asked.

“Ooh! You were gonna tell us about the shrink, the meds, and life at Hemop.” Coralie was sitting forward, looking eager for more. “I’ve heard of that school. Always wondered what it was really like.” She grinned.
“I promise not to leave out any of the gritty details.”

“Great!”

Melody swatted Coralie on the leg. “Shhhhh! Go on, Markaza.”

“Hemop is the priciest school in New York State and is K through twelve. My parents were trying to avoid sending me there, because they wanted me to hobnob with more ‘down to earth’ kids—or so they said. Let me tell you, Mom and Dad weren’t crazy. Those were some of the strangest teenagers I’ve ever met.
“It was like they’d never been real kids and were born as adults. They had perfect hair, perfect clothing, and perfect grades. I went to school with the president’s daughter, the vice-president’s son, and tons of movie star offspring.

“Because I started in sixth grade, everyone wanted to know where I came from the minute I set foot in the door. It was like I was famous.

“I also got my first period right before I transferred. Talk about dealing with a lot of shit! Ha!

“Of course, it didn’t take me long to realize, if I was going to survive, I had to pretend to be something I wasn’t.”

~ End of preview

 If you enjoyed that, consider picking up the Mystic Anthology of books 1-5. It's just $3 over on Amazon and you get over 100k words for your money. Plus, you'll get to read chapter one of Markaza!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Book Review - Masked Encounters

Happy Hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! Today I bring you yet another book review from the Indie Fever Reading Challenge 2014. I'm slowly but surely making my way through the list. If you'd like to join in the fun, click here, fill out the linky thing, and grab the badge from the sidebar. Indie Fever is all about reading and reviewing great Indie books.


My list for 2014 (in no particular order):

Rebecca Trogner The Last Keeper's Daughter Amazon Kindle $7.99
Scott Marlowe The Five Elements Amazon Kindle $2.99
L.K. Evans Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 1 REVIEW HERE
Sarah Mäkelä The Witch Who Cried Wolf Amazon Kindle $0.99
Felicia Tatum Masked Encounters REVIEW BELOW
Peprah Boasiako The Hitman Amazon Kindle $0.9
David T Griffith The Bestiarum Vocabulum Amazon Kindle $3.99
C. S. Janey Surrender To You Amazon Kindle $2.51
Thaddeus White Sir Edric's Temple REVIEW HERE
Gloria Piper Finnegan's Quest Amazon Kindle $4.99
Elle Todd The Elect Amazon Kindle $2.99
Heather Topham Wood The Memory Witch Amazon Kindle $7.99
N. L. Greene Illusions Begin REVIEW HERE
J. A. Huss Tragic REVIEW HERE
Morgan Wylie Silent Orchids Amazon Kindle **FREE**
Laura Howard The Forgotten Ones Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pauline Creeden Sanctuary Amazon Kindle $0.99
Casey Bond Winter Shadows Amazon Kindle $7.99
Casey Bond Devil Creek REVIEW HERE
Skylar Hamilton Burris The Strange Marriage of Anne de Bourgh Amazon Kindle $2.99
Christina Marie Morales Ambience Amazon Kindle $0.99
Tamar Hela Feast Island Amazon Kindle $2.99
Molly Taggart Off Target Amazon Kindle $2.99
S. G. Daniels The Druid's Doorway Amazon Kindle $3.99
Misty Provencher The Fly House Amazon Kindle $0.99

Now, let's get into the book on the chopping block today!

Title: Masked Encounters (Intoxicating Passion #1)
Author: Felicia Tatum
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 44 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Synopsis: Korah Daniels has been through a lot in her nineteen years. Broken hearts, abusive relationships, and horrid dates have caused her to doubt love. When her friend talks her into attending the local frat house’s Halloween party, will she find the one person who can change her outlook on life?

Dane Davidson is the worst kind of playboy. The ultimate frat boy, drinking and ending up with a different girl every night. When his frat house throws a masked Halloween party, a certain angel catches his attention and may just turn his life upside down.

Masked Encounters is the first in a five part novelette series.


I think the cover fits the contents perfectly! It's enchanting and clandestine, like the characters. But let's move on to the really important stuff, shall we?

I snagged this book after I checked out a sample on Amazon. Felicia Tatum pitched the title to me during my 12 days of Christmas party and I really got into it. Needless to say, I picked up a copy pretty quickly when I hit the last page and was left screaming, "Noooo! Not yet!" I read it in an hour or so and will now give you my review.


From a Reader's Perspective:
I liked the main characters, Korah and Dane. It was obvious each had their fair share of pain the in past, and a novella was the perfect way to introduce the two. Masked Encounters is a quick read with a lot of action and college-age angst between the sexes. There are a couple of graphic scenes that bordered on erotica but they never played out "just because." It seems the main characters needed the interactions to happen and the reader needed to see/feel exactly what was going on during the act(s). That being said, there's plenty of good stuff for a series starter and the characters are well developed for this to be a novella. I'll be checking out the other books in the series because I want to find out what happens between these two.


From an Editor's Perspective:
There are a couple of tense hops in the beginning of the story that left me scratching my head until I worked through them. Other than those, the editing was pretty good. I did find a couple of minor errors. Here's a funny one: ...I shared with Leela and Windi, I slid my shoes off hoping they wouldn't hear me enter. Again, this is a pronoun mix-up. They is referring to shoes, not the roommates like it should be.


Rating:
+1 Star for giving me a fast, interesting read that left me wanting more
+1 Star for well developed characters despite the length of the book
+1 Star for making me actually care what happened to the characters
+1 Star for a great plot (so far)
+.25 Stars for not writing "those" scenes just because
-.75 Stars for the tense hops, making for a slow start
Overall, 4.25 stars! A highly recommended read if you want to lounge and indulge in something that will read fast and hold your attention.


I hope you all enjoyed that review! Next week, I'll be reviewing The Memory Witch by Heather Topham Wood. You don't wanna miss that one!


Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!


Jo

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Most Popular Posts of 2013

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I know, I know, I'm late. But, I have good reason. This morning, I had a meeting with Ms. Sandi Tuttle, a dentist appointment, and a very sick child to contend with. Onward and upward! Today, I'm going to give you all links to some of the posts on my blog that have had the most traffic. They're probably the most useful posts, too. Strap in, get your fingers ready to do some clicking, and let's get going!

Because all posts are better with a cute baby with cake on his hands and feet.


Up first, I'm gonna give you my two free PDFs. These have been downloaded a lot and are free for you to keep and share, providing you don't change any of the content.

This one is on Branding Yourself.
This one is a A Novel Checklist.

Now, we move on to the posts!

Monkey Wrenches
Dialogue Tags vs Action Tags
Pesky Pronouns
Human Nature Series (last post)
Enneagram Personality Types
Comma Part 3 (links to part 1 and 2 included)
Timeline Tips
Common Editing Errors
Templates for Using MS Word for Print
He Said, She Said, Who Said What?

Love those? Here's a page with them all (plus others that didn't get as much traffic but are still just as useful). I even categorized and summarized them. Yup, all for you readers.

Thanks for making 2013 awesome. I hope to bring just as much great content in 2014!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo