Decisions, DARKLING, & Dolls

(This was originally posted to my Tumblr account.)

I still haven’t decided if I want to keep my blogspot blog, create a wordpress blog, or just use Tumblr & Twitter for everything. I don’t exactly keep up with my blog right now; life and actually writing my novels get in the way. I do have followers at my blog (through my other google+ account, found via the other blog posts), though, as opposed to [Tumblr]. Not important except if someone is interested in knowing more about my main novel I’m writing, DARKLING.

It’s an YA Fantasy set in 21st century America (I guess it could be considered, possibly, Urban Fantasy just without fairies, vampires, werewolves, and the like). DARKLING has an array of new monsters, a scarred chick who can run in high heels, creepy bad guys, and the slightly geeky-techno-nerd-with-a penchant-for-trouble-ex-boyfriend.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the classics and that’s what DARKLING (then titled Hunted / Devour / Dancing Demons ) originally revolved around. It’s a bittersweet realization to know that those earlier version were, in fact, cliche and cookie-cutter. I always knew something was missing, that those versions just didn't add up. Whether this version will add up to lit agents and publishing houses standards, I'm not sure. Guess we'll see when the time is right. However, I'm happy with what those versions have evolved into, which is DARKLING 

It’s essentially a completely different story but with the same CORE. Yeah, that wouldn’t make much sense to me either if I’d read that. The plot, story-line, and even characters (to a degree) have changed. I can’t say too much without giving it away, and once I finish all the revisions and edits I WILL either traditionally publish or go the indie route.

What I can say is Amberlyn (the protag) has worked hard to make this story into what is it, and has never given up getting me to tell it. The least I can do is never give up on her, finally get the first part of her story out there, and the entire thing finished. (Meaning there’s a planned total of four novels for Amberlyn’s OVER ALL character and story arc). I’m excited & so is she :).

Something else I’m excited over… Amberlyn in doll form! No, I’m not actually sculpting a doll. Don’t get too excited. I had planned too, once I eventually honed the sculpting skill (yeah, I’m adventurous like that, whoo), BUT I saw the Doll Chateau Christina head and… I won’t say fell in love because I’m not in love with Amberlyn, but Doll Chateau Christina is almost a dead ringer for what I envisioned Amberlyn looking as. Makes it difficult if I ever do decide to sculpt my own Amberlyn, BUT impulse got the better of me. Soo… wait for it…

…

…

I now have a Doll Chateau Christina head on layaway with Mint on Card! (wait until she has a face-up to look like Amberlyn!) They’re so awesome they even do custom face-ups if you order through them, which I’m getting for my DC Christina head to make her Amberlyn.

Pretty awesome in my book. Not to mention their customer service is superb. I’ll definitely go through them for my other dolly purchases unless they don’t sell the brand I’m after (like Resinsouls). I’ll start rambling if I’m not careful about how awesome they’ve been so far, but I’ll save that for when I actually get my Christina head in. This post is already long enough. But seriously they’re awesome. I haven’t decided on a permanent body for her yet, but when I do it’s Mint on Card I’m going through. (until I can decide which body I want to invest that kind of money in, I might just get a Mirodoll body. They’re cheapest and I can also use it for any other floating heads I purchase in the future,) All that for later though, when I actually have doll head Amberlyn aka DC Christina head in possession.

But I think I’ve rambled on enough today. Until next time!

~ Katie S. Taylor

FAERY MARKED by MARY WAIBEL

A special treat today! I'd like to welcome Mary Waibel, author of the fantastical Princess of Valendria series, novella THE MYSTERY PRINCE, and now her newest novel, FAERY MARKED!

I had the personal delight to read an ARC addition of FAERY MARKED in return for an honest review and guest spot on my blog. Without giving away any spoilers, I'll say FAERY MARKED makes for a quick, light read you'll fly through - in a good way - to find out what happens in the end. And the end is one of the best I've read in a while - an ominous cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more and not knowing what will happen next. The light tone quickly gets a dose of dark, which I'm personally a huge fan of. You'll be begging Mary for the second book - I was! The characters are fun and the guys swoon-worthy. Reece is definitely easy to fall for! Great for younger and older teens. Without giving away anymore, I welcome Mary to the proverbial floor, and invite all to continue reading below.

ENJOY!

K.S.

Thanks so much for hosting me today, Katie, for this musical day of the Faery Marked blog tour.

I love listening to music when I write. Most times, it’s just playing quietly in the background as white noise, but other times, it really inspires me. So, what music was inspirational to Faery Marked? Here are the top ten songs from my playlist (in no particular order)

1. Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
2. Broken by Seether (with Amy Lee)
3. Dance with the Devil by Breaking Benjamin
4. Iris by the GooGoo Dolls
5. Haunted by Evanescence
6. I Remain by Alanis Morissette
7. Someday by Nickelback
8. Hanging by a Moment By Lifehouse
9. Nothing by The Script
10. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica

As you can see, the list is quite varied. Now out of these songs, and some others I listened to, I found a few that seemed to define my characters. So, here is the cast of Faery Marked in song: [All lyrics taken from azlyrics.com]

Callie: Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol

I love this song.

We'll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don't need
Anything
Or anyone

This section sums up Callie so perfectly. She knows that with Reece by her side, she can do anything, even save the world.

Reece: Nothing Else Matters, Metallica
Ah, Reece. He'd give his life for Callie if he had to, but he's never told her how he feels. But, I know he thinks the words of this song when he looks at Callie.

So close no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
And nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
And nothing else matters


Ryan: Dance with the Devil, Breaking Benjamin
I'm not sure anything from this list could be more fitting for Ryan than this song. He's a wildcard. Not to be trusted. Yet he believes in Callie, no matter what.

Here I stand, helpless and left for dead.
Close your eyes, so many days go by.
Easy to find what's wrong, harder to find what's right.

I believe in you, I can show you that I can see right through all your empty lies.

Gwen: Everybody’s Fool, EvanescenceThe Fae love double entendres, and to me that's what these lyrics are for Gwen.

Perfect by nature.
Icons of self-indulgence.
Just what we all need,
More lies about a world that...
...never was and never will be.
Have you no shame? Don't you see me?
You know you've got everybody fooled.

Look, here she comes now.
Bow down and stare in wonder.
Oh, how we love you.
No flaws when you're pretending.

She's supposed to be the perfect Fae, and to humans her world doesn't exist, so she really has everyone fooled.

What do you think? Do these songs fit the characters from Faery Marked? If not, what song do you think would be better?

Book Blurb:

When Callie Rycroft wakes to find purple flames flickering on the ceiling, she believes she’s still dreaming. But soon she’s forced to accept that she has magic―a special magic that grants her entrance into the Faery Realm.

For centuries humans have been banned from Faery, but dangerous times call for dangerous measures. Declared Champion by the Faery Queen, Callie is assigned a Guardian, and tasked with finding the Cordial―a magical elixir needed to keep the portal to the Faery realm a secret from humans.

The upside? Reece Michaels, the boy she's been crushing on for years, is her Guardian. Callie hopes that, by spending time with Reece, he'll start to see her as more than just his best friend's sister.

The downside? She's in a race not only against time, but against another Champion, and a rogue Guardian―a Guardian who stands to threaten her developing relationship with Reece.

Magic, mistaken identities, and hidden agendas are the least of Callie's worries when she learns that the Cordial requires a sacrifice. Will Callie be willing to risk everything―even Reece―to complete her task as Champion? Or will she let the portal open, and doom both realms?

Available at AMAZON

Win a signed copy of Faery Marked and other swag. Details HERE. Don’t miss out on this LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!

About the Author:
YA author Mary Waibel’s love for fairytales and happy-ever fill the pages of her works. Whether penning stories in a medieval setting or a modern day school, magic and romance weave their way inside every tale.

Strong female characters use both brain and brawn to save the day and win the heart of their men. Mary enjoys connecting with her readers through her website: marywaibel.blogspot.com

SOULLESS by Crystal Collier: Cover Reveal: A MUST READ

Have you met the Soulless and Passionate? In the world of 1770 where supernatural beings mix with humanity, Alexia is playing a deadly game.

SOULLESS, Book 2 in the Maiden of Time trilogy

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she's forced to unleash her true power.

And risk losing everything.

What people are saying about this series: 

"With a completely unique plot that keeps you guessing and interested, it brings you close to the characters, sympathizing with them and understanding their trials and tribulations." --SC, Amazon reviewer

"It's clean, classy and supernaturally packed with suspense, longing, intrigue and magic." --Jill Jennings, TX

"SWOON." --Sherlyn, Mermaid with a Book Reviewer

Crystal Collier is a young adult author who pens dark fantasy, historical, and romance hybrids. She can be found practicing her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, three littles, and “friend" (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her blog and Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

COMING October 13, 2014

PREORDER your print copy

or 

Sign up for Crystal Collier's newsletter to receive release news and freebies.

Guest Post & Cover Reveal! WHITE HELLBORE by Nicole Zoltrack

Hey, howdy, hey! Nicole Zoltack here and I'm so happy to share with you the cover for WHITE HELLEBORE. The second book in the Heroes of Falledge trilogy kicks off with an amazing cover.

All right, all right, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. I know you're dying to see it!

Told you it was awesome! I'm not biased at all. Nope. Not even a little bit.

BLURB: After destroying Skull Krusher, Nicholas Adams thinks Falledge is safe and becomes a security guard at the museum, watching a valuable statue. Unfortunately, the Egyptian statue houses the soul of a scorned witch, biding her time to have her revenge on the descendants of her cheating lover.

Kiya the witch isn't the only new foe in town as the drug that created Skull Krusher has now transformed a scientist into yet another monster, forcing Nicholas to don his Black Hellebore mask again and save Falledge.

Nicholas has no help this time as Kiya gains possession of his love Julianna's body and brings the soul of Justina, Nicholas's high school sweetheart and Julianna's twin, with her. Despite himself, Nicholas is torn between the sisters. If he can't stop the fiends from taking over the world and destroying humankind, he'd never be able to find lasting, true love.

So I'm sure you're dying to know the release date and luckily it's not that far away! WHITE HELLEBORE releases April 21st! Be sure to grab it on the 21st! :D

Add it on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21912639-white-hellebore

BIO: Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit http://NicoleZoltack.blogspot.com.


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Katie, here, just adding my thoughts. I'm stoked to read it. I haven't read the first one yet, but it's definitely on my TBR SOON list. Check out her other books too. They're just as compelling! (Really can't wait to get my hands on her little mermaid book with a zombie twist - awesome)

~Katie S. Taylor

Celebrate the Milestones!

Today's post is less of a mood-downer. No worries. Actually I'm quite pleased with myself. I'm down to 89K in Dancing Demons. Not a big deal to some, but considering the original draft started out at 180K, and I NEVER thought I'd be able to lower it to a decent word count, it's a great milestone for me. I feel like it has a better chance at reaching readers too, because let's face it, anything over 100K is scary in the YA universe, and I can completely understand why.

With each revision, my writing gets tighter and the overall story has improved as well. I'm actually quite grateful for any rejections I received on it in the past. Comparing this version to the old drafts, I shudder to think of it in the hands of readers. So to any CP's who read the old version, I'm so sorry.

My characters have developed even more - namely Kaleb. His background was always a bit of a mystery, but he's finally whispered his secrets to me. And I gotta say, I'm pumped. He's one kick-butt dude, if I do say so myself. He's definitely not a white knight or prince charming. Then again, Dancing Demons isn't exactly a fairy-tale.

I just wonder how Amberlyn will react when everything comes to the light.

Until next time!

Stay Tuned for More

Over the next few weeks, I'll be interviewing different writers about the works and the journey to get them where they are now. Personally, I'm psyched to have this opportunity. It helps get their name out there and gives everyone a chance to discover them, and I'm all about helping other writers out. Do unto others and all that jazz =).

I'll probably do two a week. Once I get the schedule lined up a bit better, I'll let everyone know so you can stay updated. If you're a writer and interested, feel free to drop me a line.

Now, about my recent endeavors. Still waiting to hear something back about Dancing Demons. I'm about to send a few  more queries out, see if I get any bites. In the meantime, I'm working on a YA dystopian fantasy titled DEADLOCKED. I had started it a couple years ago, but for one reason or another let it dwindle away. Then I forgot about it. One night I dreamt about it out of the blue, and to make a short story even shorter, decided to pop it open and start on again.

Must say, I have a pretty good feeling about it too. I'm almost to the half-way mark, so I'm pretty pumped. As I mentioned in another post, I'm trying a new writing style. So far it's working fabulously! Instead of getting every detail the first go around, I'm more focused on getting the actual story down. It's increasing my productivity and speed. Not to mention, I'm not falling victim to writer's block as much. Always a great day when writer's block isn't involved! For anyone who hasn't suffered writer's block, it's the devil. Period.

But I'm off to do some more writing before the hubby gets home. The Soul Eaters have just attacked, and Helena has a choice to make. Save Maddy, or find the person who could save the world. It's a toughie!!

Until next time =)

Katie

A Special Interview with Sabrina from Quest of the Hart by Mary Waibel

Hello all, I've been lucky enough to score an interview with Sabrina, from Mary Waibel's Quest of the Hart. She's a fiesty one! Hope you enjoy! And be sure to visit Mary Waibel's blog - lots of great stuff over there.

Now, onto to the interview!

 

 

Me: I've made my way to the Stygian Swamp, home to Grizzelda, the witch, and her daughter Sabrina. (Sabrina steps outside with a basket slung over her arm.) Sabrina! Do you have a few minutes to talk?

 

Sabrina: As long as I can keep working while we talk.

 

Me: Wonderful. So, what are you doing?

S: (She cuts some flowers from the garden and lays them in the basket.) Gathering plants for making potions and spells.

 

(The door to the cottage opens and an old woman shuffles out.)

 

Grizzelda: I apologize for my daughter's lack of hospitality. Please, come in and enjoy a cup of tea with us.

 

Me: Thank you, but I need to get back to the castle soon. And, Sabrina was fine; I was enjoying the beauty of your garden.

 

G: What brings you to our home?

 

Me: I was wandering, looking for people to talk to about Prince Devlin and Princess Kaylee.

 

S: Ah, the pretty, girly-girl. (She rolls her eyes.)  Prince Devlin could do so much better than that weakling. He needs a strong woman at his side, not someone who looks like they need protecting from their own shadow.

 

G: Sabrina! You know better than to judge people by their looks. Princess Kaylee is much stronger than you give her credit for. Just you wait.

 

S: (She snorts.) I'll believe that when I see it. Are you certain you don't want some tea?

 

Me: Unfortunately I have some other people I need to see. Maybe another time?

 

G: Time is the key. Time and love. Yes, that is the answer.

 

S: But what was the question?

 

G: You will know when the princess comes.

 

Me: And we'll know when we read Quest of the Hart!

Blog Tour - Quest of the Hart

 

A reverse Sleeping Beauty tale where the princess goes on the quest to save the prince.

 

Princess Kaylee has never had to fight for anything. Her entire life has been arranged, even her marriage. But when Prince Devlin falls under an enchantment, she finds she is willing to do anything to save him, even if it means fighting a dragon.

 

Devlin's own sister, Princess Arabella, is behind the deadly plot. She wants the throne and will use any means necessary to gain it. Her perfect plan unravels, leaving Devlin caught in a magical sleep that is slowly spreading through the kingdom of Breniera. All Arabella needs to finish her spell and claim the crown is a drop of Kaylee's blood, but obtaining the single drop is proving more difficult than expected.

 

To save her betrothed, Kaylee embarks on a quest to find an ancient sword and gather a drop of dragon's blood, while trying to stay out of Arabella's traps. But Arabella's traps aren't the only danger. Time is everything. For once the last inhabitant of the kingdom falls asleep, the spell will be sealed, and not even true love's kiss will break it.

And here's a mini excerpt to tease you!

Arabella’s fingers trembled on the hilt of the dagger as desire for the animal swept through her. He was perfect, not a point out of place or a blemish on his coat. She gazed longingly at him, until a sound from Kaylee brought her back to the task at hand.

 

Shaking her head to clear it, she watched Kaylee speak to the creature. Did she honestly expect him to answer? Arabella stopped her snort before it gave away her presence. There would be no better chance than this.

 

Holding the dagger before her, she lined up Kaylee with the tip of the blade. It had to be a perfect throw, as she would not get another chance. She dipped the blade forward once, twice, thrice, then let it fly through the air with a flick of her wrist. The blade spun, end over end, sailing forward. Arabella held her breath, watching, praying her aim was true.

 

The dagger flew on target, but just before it buried itself in Kaylee’s back, the princess moved, and the dagger embedded itself into the chest of the hart.

~FIN


Quest of the Hart is a definite MUST NOT MISS. It's heartfelt and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Mary Waibel weaves a truly magical tale you'll want to read over and over again, and has created characters you will fall in love with. It's hard to get on my favorites list, but QotH has earned it rightful place on that spot. A charming tale for all ages. =)

Now a bit about the author!

 

Mary lives with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't twisting fairytales, she enjoys reading, playing games, watching hockey, and camping. Her debut novel, Quest of the Hart, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing April 19, 2013. Charmed Memories, a companion novel, will be available from MuseItUp Publishing in August 2013

 

You can find Mary Waibel at:

http://marywaibel.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/authormarywaibel

@mewtweety14 (twitter)

 

Buy Link (Quest):

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=620&category_id=6&manufacturer_id=292&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

 

Book Trailers (Quest):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SvEAbFQtE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-ohY2CEVo

Don't miss the chance to win a free copy of Quest of the Hart!!