July 31, 2015

Review for Gabriel (Path of Angels - Book 4) by Patricia Josephine



Blurb:

The end is in sight.

To stop Uriel from freeing Lucifer, Gabriel and his brothers must fall and go to Hell. It is a sacrifice Gabriel is not entirely ready to make. Will he fight alongside his brothers or forge his own path? There is only one choice.

Alexander doesn’t want to help Uriel nor does he trust him, but the angel has promised him a better life. He swore to protect Charlie, and he’ll do whatever it takes. When he meets the archangels and learns the depth of Uriel’s lies, he understands the true meaning of sacrifice. If there’s any hope of stopping Lucifer from being freed, Alexander, Charlie, Zephyr and Lake will have to get to Hell and help Gabriel and his brothers in the fight against Uriel.

The path is finally ending, but the price may be too high.

Book Links:


MY REVIEW:

In this last installment of the Path of Angels series we have Gabriel's story. In the previous stories, Michael, Zadekiel, and Jophiel found love and fell from grace. The last brother left to fall, so they can battle Uriel and stop him from setting Lucifer free, is Gabriel. Gabriel's anger over being chosen, over his set path, and even in God is refreshing. But it is his anger that could be his downfall.

One thing I found interesting about Gabe (other than his anger) was the secrecy behind his divine gift or "weapon." All of his brothers have angelic gifts and weapons that they use when they fight Fallen, but we never so much as glimpsed what Gabe's could be. Until now. Another thing that held my interest were these nagging questions: what type of person would steal Gabe's heart? Who would he fall in love with? Well...not one but two! Which makes perfect sense.

This story also combines a sweet romance between Alexander Cook and Charlie, a girl who doesn't talk. Their relationship is super cute. I loved how Patricia Josephine used facial expressions and body language as Charlie's way to communicate. She was truly a lovely character with her silence, sparkling eyes, and blushing cheeks.

As Gabe and his brothers try to complete their destiny, there is blood shed, shocking turns, and new secrets. And I loved how all of the minor characters (not so minor in my eyes!) had bigger purposes.

Angels, love, and sacrifice. Hell, death, and pain. This story has it all! And it is my favorite one of the series. :)

Note: All of these stories contain love in one form or another: M/M, M/F, even M/M/F.

5 Stars!


About the Author:

Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes young adult under the name Patricia Lynne.

Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.

Alexander doesn’t want to help Uriel nor does he trust him, but the angel has promised him a better life. He swore to protect Charlie, and he’ll do whatever it takes. When he meets the archangels and learns the depth of Uriel’s lies, he understands the true meaning of sacrifice. If there’s any hope of stopping Lucifer from being freed, Alexander, Charlie, Zephyr and Lake will have to get to Hell and help Gabriel and his brothers in the fight against Uriel.

The path is finally ending, but the price may be too high.

Author Links:


QUESTIONS: Have you read this series? Do you like angels? 


July 27, 2015

Writing About: Summer


Summer is the season of fun, vacations, and weddings, which makes it the perfect season for romance books or stories about family. Here are 10 things that make Summer unique that you can use in your story:

1. Hot Temps

Summer is the season of sun and heat. The temps rise to especially in the Southern states in the United States, and the islands below Florida. Show the effect the hot temperatures have on your characters. Let your character sweat, stand in front of a fan, use ice cubes on their hot skin, down iced tea/water/lemonade, and wear shorts and tank tops.

2. Thunderstorms

In the summer, thunderstorms are popular and frequent. They rumble in in the afternoon and stick around for the rest of the day while dropping heavy downpours of rain and slashing the sky with angry lightning. A well placed thunderstorm could add suspense to a thriller or romance to a romance.

3. Summer Fun

Let your characters have a little fun! When you complicate their lives with whatever action, suspense, and hardships you throw at them, I believe you should also let them have a few moments of normalcy and fun. You can add a light moment into any story.
Summer Fun: camping, bon fires, BBQs, beach trips, and water sports like jet skiing, fishing, boat trips.
4. Holidays

To give your character a reprieve, take advantage of the holidays. Places that experience their summers at different times will have different holidays happening. 
Below are two major American summer holidays:
4th of July – fireworks, picnics, patriotism, family time, sun and sand.
Labor Day – veterans, BBQs.
5. Food and Drinks

Add something special to your story by letting your characters enjoy the food that are in season and drinks that quench thirst.
Food – watermelon, corn on the cob, burgers, lobster, crabs, shell fish, BBQ ribs, cold salad, fruit salad, frozen yogurt, and ice cream.
Drinks - cold coke, lemonade, iced-tea, Kool-aid, and water. 
6. Wedding Season

June is the time for weddings, so writing a romance set during the summer is a smart idea because you’ll be able to write your characters’ wedding.
See: Writing About: A Wedding for more wedding tips.
In the summer, outdoor and beach weddings are big. If your character get married outdoors, give details to the wind, the sun and the heat, the smell of the ocean or flowers, the feel of grass or sand beneath their feet as they walk across the lawn or beach to the altar.

7. Summer Break

If your main character has children, they will be out of school in America. Stay-at-home moms will have to keep their kids entertained. My mom would bring us to the library and do arts-and-crafts with us. Just as with the winter break, this could put a hitch in a budding romance for single parents. And this could be fun for a story with a bit of humor. Working parents would probably utilize babysitters, though.

8. Clothing

Summer is the time for cotton, light-weight clothing, and bright colors such a yellow, orange, and hot pink. Have your characters dress accordingly with sundresses, bikinis, swim trunks/board shorts, shorts, tank tops, and flip flops.

9. Family Vacation

A vacation is perfect for a family-orientated story. They can go anywhere. Make sure yo describe their vacation as you would any other event in your story. What do your characters do and see? Are these glitches such as lost luggage, a flat tire, track, or illnesses? Aside from the bad, detail the good (their fun and laughter) and the moments they’ll likely remember long after summer is over.
See: Writing About: Florida if your fictional family takes a trip to Florida and it’s many amusement parks.
10. Daylight-Saving Time (US)

In the summer, the days are longer and the nights are shorter. Now the sun will be setting around 7:30 Eastern Standard Time. Make sure to use this fact while writing your story. In the summer, it’s usually still bright out at 8:00pm in Florida.


QUESTIONS: What do you love about summer time? What do you hate?
I love the 4th of July and hate how hot it can get here in Florida.



July 24, 2015

Reader Interview with Sherry Fundin



When it was time for me to find another reader to interview, I immediately thought of Sherry. She recently reviewed both of my short stories Ghost of Death and Witch of Death for me. I enjoyed her thoughts on my stories and characters. Reading her reviews is like hearing a good friend telling you about a book she read. So please welcome Sherry to Write with Fey!



1. Tell us about fundinmental.

I started blogging in June of 2012. My sister, Laura at fuonlyknew turned me on to Goodreads and I started my blog shortly thereafter and have never looked back. I also like to post about my adventures, some near and some far from home. I like to share videos, music videos and book trailers. Funny things too, I think we can never laugh enough. I have 1000+ followers on my blog. I have a lot of followers on twitter, goodreads…so I will not list them all. Check out the links in my bio blog below and you, too, may become one. J

2. Who is your favorite author and why?

Hmmm. The only way I know to answer this question is:  the one I am reading now. LOL But...I will say, if you love romantic suspense, check out Kristine Mason. She is a master storyteller. I love that her novels stand alone, even though they are part of a series and the characters pop in and out of all the books. I have read thousands and thousands of books, so to surprise me like she does is pretty hard to do. Her suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your fingernails (if you are that kind of person) and looking around to make sure no one is paying undue attention to you.

Sherry's Shelves.
3. Thanks for the tip on Kristine Mason. What book can you read over and over again?

Once upon a time, I could have answered this. Now, there are so many books out there and I want to read them all, that I rarely reread anything. So…next.

4. Next...What kinds of book covers attract you?  

I am a “cover girl”, so this is a great question. I love simple covers that convey the story inside. Anything with water or trees, vibrant colors, blood (LOL, I love murder stories) will make me pause and investigate further. Author alert:  I must confess that I am turned off by the “naked six pack”. They are everywhere and I am sure I have missed some great books because I “turned the page”. I’m just sayin’…

5. I'm turned off by bare chests on covers too. Who is your favorite fictional character?

Again with the favorites. LOL Again with my answer, the one I am reading about now. I am lucky to be able to jump in a book and lose myself in the story, getting invested in the characters quickly. I rarely find one that I cannot finish or appreciate.

6. Sorry about the favorite questions. Let's try this: Which author do you have a love/hate relationship with?

None. All I want is a good story and I am fortunate enough to choose some good books with authors who can tell a tale. It amazes me…the number of super books I found through blogging. I never would have known these authors without the Kindle, and books I have been exposed to through blogging, so kudos to the internet and Amazon for seeing the future.

Sherry's favorite reading spot.
7. Growing up, what was your favorite children’s book?

As soon as I read this, I thought of a book by John F Kennedy. But that was in my early teens. I really don’t remember a favorite children’s book, but I am familiar with all the stories so I must have read them.

8. What would you like to know about the authors you enjoy reading the most?

My first question to an author is about the cover, most of the time. Do they do them, if not, who does? How much input or control do they have over the final product. Then, I ask them about the characters. If you could be a character in your book, which would it be and why. I think that tells me a lot about the author.  I read everything – cover to cover – so when an author shares their acknowledgments, etc, it gives me more insight into their personality.


Hyper Round:

1. Ebooks or Print books?

Ebooks, very convenient.

2. Movie Adaptations: Yay or Nay?

Sure, why not?

3. Favorite reading spot?

My Patio.

4. Favorite reading snack?

Pretzels.



BIO: 

I live in the United States.

My two greatest passions are reading and photography, not necessarily in that order, and I have developed a real enjoyment for reviewing. I want to be able to share my love of books and help people when they are looking for their next book. Shortly after I started reviewing, I started my blog and I now find myself sitting at the computer, totally engrossed in what I'm doing, not realizing hours have gone by.

I am a sun and water worshiper, so it is not unusual to find me lounging around the pool, reading or piddling in the yard. I also spend a lot of time wandering around the beach, looking for photos to take. For some reason, I have this insatiable urge to be near the water. Was I a mermaid in a former life? My wonderful hubby thinks so. ^_^


Links:
Blog  /  Twitter /  Facebook /  Pinterest /  Goodreads /  Bloglovin /  Google+  


Thanks for spending some time with me Sherry!

Please leave a comment for Sherry. :)


July 22, 2015

Nature Pictures

These pictures were taken at Erna Nixon Park in Central Brevard Florida.




Can you see the heart?





I call this a gnome door. :)







July 20, 2015

How to do a Cover Reveal


I know many people think cover reveals are irrelevant, annoying, and unnecessary, but they can actually be useful to help authors promote their books before they are released, and it especially helps new writers to get their covers in front of the eyes of potential readers.

A Few Cover Reveal Techniques:

1. Some authors set up elaborate cover reveals on dozens of blogs. While this gets your cover out far and wide, keep in mind that many people follow several blogs in the same communities and will end up seeing your cover reveal over and over again in their blog feed, which they don’t like. On the other hand, I still argue that doing the reveal this way (although I don’t do it this way anymore) can help authors to find new readers.

2. When Hurricane Crimes came out, I did a cover reveal on maybe five other blogs as well as my own. And that’s because I got the cover a couple of weeks before it was to be published! So I had to work fast. I think pinpointing a handful of blogs 5-10 with a big following and a lot of traffic to host your cover reveal is a good idea instead of going to 20+ blogs and bombarding the same people with your cover. 


3. For 30 Seconds, I did the cover reveal solely on my blog, which is what I’ll be doing from now on. The next day, I shared it on my Faceback page for those who didn’t catch it on my blog. This approach may not reach as many people as the first two options, but it’s more intimate. Besides, if you do a blog tour, your cover will certainly get around then.
TIP #1: If you do a cover reveal on your blog, or on other blogs, include the blurb so readers can have more to grasp onto than just an image. You can also share an excerpt.
TIP #2: If you have a newsletter, you can give your followers a sneak peak of your cover before the actual reveal. If they follow your newsletter, they’re most likely big fans and will enjoy this opportunity to see it before everyone else.





QUESTIONS: Authors: Do you do cover reveals? If so, how do you go about it? Readers: Do you like cover reveals? Bloggers: Do you host cover reveals?

I love cover reveals because I adore cover art. I still host them for that reason.



July 17, 2015

Feng Shui For Writers / M.C. Simon Author Interview


I’ve got a special author interview today! M.C. Simon is talking about a book that can benefit all writers: FENG SHUI FOR WRITERS. Check out the details below and her interview. 

Title: Feng Shui For Writers
Series: How To Master Your Life
Author: M.C. Simon
Genre: Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback and Kindle
Length: 152 pages
Publication Date: June 16, 2015
Publisher: IML Publishing
Kindle Price: $7.99 Kindle
Paperback Price: $29.26 Kindle

DISCOVER HOW TO MASTER YOUR WRITING LIFE

The fully illustrated, comprehensive FENG SHUI FOR WRITERS provides all the dots that you have to connect to control the flowing Chi for each writing category. What is harmony for a romantic novel writer is different from what is harmony for a journalist writer, and for sure very different than for the writer writing for the horror domain. To bring the Feng Shui technique into the writer’s life, it is not enough to merely explain general principles and ideas; we have to dig deeper because the branches of writing are so numerous.

Find Out HOW TO:
  • Attract productivity, successful publishing and money using Feng Shui
  • Overcome writer’s block with Feng Shui help
  • Organize your writing place to achieve your goals
  • Influence your writing life through colors
  • Use crystals for creative writing
  • Use lighting to Feng Shui your writing space
  • Choose the plants that will boost your creativity
  • Influence your “writer’s zone” and the creative mind
  • Boost your children’s creativity (yes… children are young writers also)
And much more.

Books Links:


1. What inspired you to write this Feng Shui For Writers?

To make the explanation short, while I was working on a novel, I realized that my surroundings didn’t influence me as I wanted.

I suddenly noticed that the Chi flow around my desk and office was stagnant for what I needed to write. Instantly the cogwheels in my brain started working at a high-speed level, and a new creative idea was born… I have to Feng Shui my office, to let the Chi flow freely, to accurately boost my environment for this writing project. I did it… and for some time I wrote like never before; I almost couldn’t be stopped by any external influences.

But… after a while I realized something; I couldn’t keep this information only to myself. I had to share it with my fellow writers. Thus started the process I dubbed “the birth of my second first book”. Yes, like this I referred to my project through which the book “Feng Shui for Writers” was born. I called it “the birth” because even the smallest ideas we have, cross through a birth process before manifesting into this world. I called it “my second first book” because it is my first published book, but the second one to be implemented and emerge from the embryo phase.

And this book was born for YOU - the Writer!

2. What books would you compare to Feng Shui For Writers?

As I know, Feng Shui for Writers can’t be compared with any other book. There are tons of books talking about Feng Shui, but none are dedicated to the writers. There are also several articles on this subject, but all of them are general and don’t treat each writing genre, as this one does. I can say that until this moment, Feng Shui for Writers is unique.

3. Did you do special research for Feng Shui For Writers?

Yes and no. Because Feng Shui was one of my subject of interest ever since I’ve decided to be a writer, all the research I have done during my life, I applied in this book for the writer’s world, trying to separate the information according with the type of writer everyone is. For more details about this, you can check an extract from the book on my website: Who Is A Writer?

4. If you have a pen name, can you explain how you came up with it?

M.C. Simon is my pen name indeed. I really love my real name, but it is hard to spell in English. At least until now, each time when an English speaker wanted to say my name, it brought a huge smile on my face. None of them succeeded to say it correctly. Therefore, I decided to choose M.C. Simon as a Pen Name, which, in fact, is only a short form of my real one. This gave my readers the chance to say my name with a correct pronunciation.

5. What are a few things we would find in or on your desk?

Other than a regular laptop for my daily computer activities like checking emails, and the writing laptop that I use only for writing articles and books, you can sure find tons of “To Do” lists, notebooks, and colored watermarks. I simply love colors and everywhere around me that’s all you see; the only exception to this rule are my clothes because I mainly prefer black clothing.

6. Can you tell us about your journey to publication?

Since the moment when I decided to self-publish, I focused only on the steps that I must do to reach my goal. I have to admit here that the main role was played by my husband, who is my webmaster and designer also. Because he is an expert in these fields, it was not too hard to first see my Kindle book up on Amazon and after that even easier to touch the physical version of Feng Shui for Writers. For us, the hardest part of this process was the painting phase for the illustrations in the book. We decided to manage all the steps ourselves. 

Therefore, all the paintings included in the book are our own doing also; I painted all of them and my designer converted the paintings to digital format. This process was… let’s say about 60% of the time dedicated to publishing our book.

7. How long have you been writing?

I suppose I have been writing since the first day I learned to write J . But the decision to become a writer and a published author was made exactly one year ago, when at the same time I decided to quit my job as an engineer and also to move from the country in which I was born and lived.

8. What lessons did you learn early on in your writing career?

Maybe it will sound like a common lesson, but I think the main one that I learned was to always believe in myself. If anyone can do anything on this planet, this means I can do it, also!

9. If you could write anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

Anywhere where there is an ocean or a sea, and I can hear the waves crashing on the shore.

10. Your advice to new writers.

Never forget that the real power in this world belongs to the writers. Through their words, through their imagination, they can really influence on all levels life on this planet. My advice is to never forget this important mission that a writer has: to make this world a better one. Always write from your heart. Nothing else matters. Always, always, always rise up after a fall. Never give up. Your book is there inside you. Your mission is to make it real.




BIO:

Writer, translator, engineer, researcher, project manager, blogger, eternal student… these are only a few words to describe MC Simon.

She strongly believes that energy is ours to use freely, and we need only to open our hearts to regain the lost perception of our true powers. She thinks that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. For this reason, M.C. Simon has never hunted the information but rather waited for the right moment when she would be ready for the information to find her. In the same way, she knows that when someone needs her, the Universe will proceed in such a way that the meeting will take place.


Author Links:


Please leave a comment for M.C.! :)


July 15, 2015

My Sunflowers



Doesn't look like much...
My nephews and I planted sunflower seeds in April. My youngest nephew
put a few too many seeds in this spot. haha
Look at my sprouts!
Look how tall! 6 Weeks.
The first bloom.
This one is ready to bloom
Check it out!
Pretty!
My sunflowers!
Can you see my hand? I'm holding a yard stick.
 Sunflowers aren't tall blooms for long. When they start growing seeds, their heads droop, their petals fall off, and their leaves turn brown. They look pathetic, but it's what they do. I tied them to dowels to keep them upright and put a mesh around the heads to keep critters from stealing the seeds.
One of my big sunflower has babies growing off it!
This is the first sunflower I harvested. Check out all of the sunflower seeds.
The flower head after the seeds were removed.
All of the seeds from just one sunflower. See how big they are?
Now I can plant these seeds and grow even more, bigger sunflowers! 

QUESTION: Have you ever tried to grow sunflowers?

I live in Florida and found it very easy.