Beta Readers

Afternoon lovely readers 🙂

I’m in a bit of a quandary. I think I need beta readers. My first novel Incarnate is at the editors getting all shiny ready for a publisher, and my editor is brilliant don’t get me wrong, but in the meantime I would love some feedback from readers about how the novel is. Now I have my wonderful friend J.S.Collyer beta reading my novel; she’s very kind to do so as she’s currently writing her second novel as we speak (Haven is out in October but buy her first novel Zero now… go on… you know you want to 🙂 )

But how do I go about getting more? I’ve asked my family but they look at me like I’ve asked them to chop their own heads off (my writing isn’t that bad lol). I’d love another two beta readers I think so I can get a well defined reaction from an audience about my novel.

If you’d like to have a go please leave a comment on this post. Please keep in mind I’d love to beta read for anyone and I love to review so let me know 🙂

Next post up is my WIP Blog Tour 🙂

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Shiney Update Incoming

Evening lovely readers 🙂

I hope you’re all well 🙂 This is just a quick post to explain why I’ve been a naughty girl and been off the radar recently. Well as most will know I have the daily ins and outs of life with a nine month old. Add to this I have been packing like a maniac as my little family and myself are moving to our new house on Tuesday. Yay, our own space 🙂 Suffice it to say you know I’ll be cleaning for a week solid. We’ve also managed to set a date for the wedding so I’m floating from that too 🙂

On the literary front I am now working on the edits of my first novel and I have to say it’s exciting. I, perhaps like many others, was dreading what the editor had found. Did he like any of it? Was it cut to ribbons? Should I even bother writing anymore? However, my editor is a lovely bloke and has done a fantastic job. Where I was worried all of it was pure rubbish he liked it and pointed out certain points that needed work. He even liked my story telling abilities. I’m so happy right now I can’t even tell you 🙂

Anyhow I must get back to it 🙂 There’s so much to do and I’m loving every minute 🙂 My next post will be here before you know it 🙂

Thank you 🙂

#FlashSaturday – The Rose and the Heart Part Two

Evening lovely readers 🙂

As you can see these #FlashSaturday’s are becoming a horrible habit of mine 🙂 As some will know I have been working on my second novel while I wait for the first to come back from the editor. I had decided to turn a flash fiction I previously posted on here, The Rose and The Heart, into my next novel and have since been working on it. Here’s a slice situated about mid way through. Enjoy 🙂

 

The Rose and the Heart

 

Rose had to look at her so called father in pity. He sat there on his gilded throne making commands and expecting loyalty but was he truly happy? He was surrounded by advisor’s and courtiers but was he truly loved? She stood before him, shackled as she was, but she refused to be cowed by the man even if he is the High King of the Fae.

“Tell me Princess,” her father began, “why did you seek my enemies, those that deprived me of my Queen, for your own selfish gain?” Rose sighed,

“Spare me old man,” she replied, sparing her father none of the fake niceties he got from everyone else. “I have no desire to be here. If you’ll remember correctly, you brought me here against my will, you’re the one that sent your lackeys,” and here she glared at Frost. At least he had the grace to look a little guilty. “Why do you hold me here?” She had no desire to answer his questions. The lycans weren’t his enemy; her mother had run when she found out what a maniacal bastard he was, not to mention obsessive. From what she could see he was now delusional, believing that the lycans had taken her away. She really wanted to laugh at that. There had never been another lycan in her life bar her mother and that was because she fought her hardest to protect Rose. She’d never lived to see Rose could hold her own. A single crystal tear slid down her cheek.

“I hold you here child,” he spat the word with venom, “because you are the only heir to this throne much to my disgust. Had you been here we could have burned the wolf from you but now it is entirely too firmly ensconced. You will be taught, whether you wish to be or not, how to rule these realms when my time ends or by the divines I will make you suffer.” Rose had had enough. Her mother had never asked for a fae mate but that’s what fate had given her, the cruel old bugger. She must have had terrible luck to be stuck with the deranged old coot in front of her. She wouldn’t stand anyone tarnishing what her mother was and treading all over the kindness and love she had shown Rose, even at the cost of her own health.

“Well old man,” she was really quite enjoying her new name for him, “as much as I would love to stick around for that I’m afraid I have other plans.” She smiled as she looked at him, surprised he couldn’t guess what was coming. She felt the welcoming rush of heat as her wolf sprang forth ready to protect her. She caressed the wolf’s fur as she receded and the wolf rushed forward. Let her father deal with this. She felt bones pop and reform; her nose elongated into a long elegant muzzle; beautiful purple tinged black fur sprouted and she dropped to all fours. She watched in amusement as the golden shackles fell to the floor. She spent all of a second to see realisation sink into her fathers cold grey eyes before she leapt onto the window ledge and out into the beautiful night. As she landed gracefully on the wooded floor she heard her father scream,

“She can shift even with our magic on her??? FIND HER!!!” Rose smiled even in her wolf form and trotted off. In truth she had no idea where she was going. This forest was entirely new to her in a completely different realm but surely she must have gotten here somehow. She knew how to transport others realm to realm but she had never been able to accomplish it herself otherwise she’d be out of here in an instance. Instead she would have to find the portal her mother had told her about. Not that she had much to go on. How often do you come across a patch of air that shimmered like water. Mentally she sighed and continued on.

Eventually, after she had passed what she was sure was the same rock as twenty minutes ago, she stopped dead in her tracks. Her enhanced senses picked up something very familiar. She felt light headed and a little tingly. No, surely it couldn’t be. She looked around and decided she must be wrong. She shook her head and continued on. She had to stop again however as the feeling grew more intense. Suddenly a shadowed shape dropped from the trees above. She tensed. She was formidable against many opponents but in this new realm she couldn’t be sure. Just in case she added some of her fae magic behind her wolf reflexes in the hopes she would prevail. With bated breath she waited until eventually a great silver wolf came forward. Mentally she gasped. This was the wolf she had seen from the window of her home, the one she had thought must have escaped from somewhere. She’d had the same tingly feeling then, also when a tall and admittedly handsome stranger had walked into her at the news stand. What was this? Why did she feel this way?

She watched with trepidation as he came forward to sniff at her. With a pained groan she uttered back off Fido and singed his nose hairs. He yelped and stepped back,

You even sound like her, he mentally chuckled. What? How the Hell did he hear her?

I heard you because your mother was part of my pack, which makes you part of my pack. He moved towards her again. Rose sniffed indignantly.

I belong to no pack.

You keep telling yourself that, he laughed and got far too close to her for her own comfort.

What do you want from me? Why did you follow me to this God forsaken place? she asked frustrated and she didn’t want to admit, a little attracted.

Your mother was the Omega of my Pack, I the Alpha. We ruled together though we were not mates, but and he sniffed again you however are mine. 

*INCOMING* Excitement, Intrigue and Space Pirates

Evening lovely readers 🙂

I’m so excited for this post. Many who have read my posts before will know I mention one of my best friends J. S. Collyer quite a bit 🙂 She is an exceptional writer and loves to create fantastical Worlds of science and adventure. You can get little titbits of her creativity in the brilliant releases by the epic Dagda Publishers in the form of Tuned to a Dead Channel and All Hail the New Flesh. Her writing is known to be intricate with lovely velvety language use which draws you into her Worlds and refuses to let go. Her story in All Hail entitled Isaac Heights was particularly thrilling in my own opinion. You really don’t expect the ending and you’re left reeling desperate for more.

Anyway, I went off on a tangent there… The aim of this post today was to reveal that there has been a cover release for her forthcoming début novel. Zero is set to be released in August and promises to be an action packed space pirate romp full of explosions and LAZORSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! You know anything that J. S writes will be bordering on the epic with aspects of intrigue set to attract anyone. I for one am excited to read it and believe me when I say there will be a book review before you know it 🙂

Anyway, thank you for listening to me go on. Here’s the cover. Enjoy 🙂

A Posty Update

Evening lovely readers.

This is just a quick post to say I haven’t forgotten about the literary World I’ve just been busy with my baby girl, organising her christening and the pain in the ass that is my boyfriend. I am however working on a post for my daughter, my next review for Helena, a new flash fiction and my novel of course. These will be posted from tomorrow and I hope you enjoy them.

Oh and a quick question: I seem to be having an influx of spam comments on one of my posts, is anyone else having this problem?

Thank you 🙂

You NEED This Writer and a New #FlashForFriday

Evening lovely readers 🙂

Today I am able to write this post with a sense of excitement and wonder. Those of you that have read my previous posts will know that I mention one of my best friends and writing hero, J. S. Collyer, quite frequently (yes this is the perdy lady just above 🙂 ). Well today I’m thrilled to be able to say that her first novel is due to be released in August entitled ‘Zero.’ I can’t say enough good things about her writing (and not only because she’s my friend 🙂 ) and don’t really know where to start but I’ll give it a jolly good shot 🙂

In such inspirational writing there isn’t just one set genre that can be used to describe the diversity within. I hear cries of ‘SCI FI, YOU KNOW IT’S SCI FI, SCI FI, SCI FI, SCI FI…’ Well this would be where you’re wrong. The utter genius and creativity within her writing suggests many intricate nuances that combine to make such yummy creativity emerge. Yes, some of her stories are set in the future but from my personal experience alone there has been thrillers, dystopian futures, dark horror and more evident in the Worlds she creates. She has such a mastery of language that really helps you to picture the story as if it were playing out in front of you. I can promise you are drawn into these Worlds and you will struggle to put her novel down until you have read the entire thing. Please, check out her blog with the link above, I can promise you won’t be disappointed. You can also find the synopsis for her novel here. As some will notice, it is being published by the epic Dagda Publishing. I have mentioned them a lot in previous posts too so please take a look at their catalogue of books to get even more literary goodies to wet your appetite. Neither will disappoint 🙂

And now on to my flash fiction. Today I decided to write a flash fiction that is set in one of the Worlds from my novel. I know this won’t make much sense as my novel isn’t out (yet 😉 ) but hopefully it will be understandable and enjoyable at the same time. Please enjoy 🙂

Gifted

Aria took a deep and steadying breath. She should be used to this by now but by the Lady it still made her skin crawl. She had too much flesh on show to begin with but this had never seemed to bother any but her. She adjusted her bard ‘robes’ as the great silver doors to the throne room opened. The fact they were referred to as robes was laughable; there were thin slivers of silver scales covering her nipples and very little else with almost translucent silver lace descending from her silver belt. Honestly, it would make little difference if they entered naked. Now Aria sighed. She was surrounded by her sister bards but only a few of them in the group were true seers and unfortunately Aria was the most powerful; this could be both a gift and a curse. She knew things about the others that she was not sure that even they knew.

The sultry music began and all started to sway towards the throne, their hips swinging in time to the seductive beat. Each had determination in their eye as one could be picked to marry the crown prince and have dominion over all the rest. It was not really a choice, more what was expected of you in this life. She almost wanted to laugh; of all the roles that Fate could have tasked her with within the realm of Death why did it have to be that of a Seer? Aria looked up to see piercing chocolate eyes staring at her. The King was sat atop the silver gem encrusted throne, a handsome man himself with only a few silver hairs adorning his ebony beauty but he was nothing compared to the prince. He had the softest rose coloured lips in creation, soft brown hair that looked tousled by the fragrant wind of Ollania, a strong chiselled nose and an intelligence in his eyes that called to the deepest part of her being. She could feel her heart begin to accelerate to almost painful levels and shockingly the large decadent hall, aristocratic revellers and even the King disappeared. Only she and the prince remained. She felt that he was looking deep into her soul to discover all of her secrets but she would willingly tell him them all for just one smile from his soft lips. Eventually however even he disappeared and Aria realised she was having a vision.

A silver haze overtook her sight and Aria was dumbfounded at the timing of this particular vision. Perhaps the prince had triggered it? Clarity was soon to appear however as the haze cleared to reveal the temple of the seers, her home since she was a small child, however everything remained in the black, white and shades of grey instead of the multifaceted hues she was used to. An older version of herself was stood in the centre of the spacious marble hall arguing with the prince, only now he wore the crown of the King and there seemed to be an evil blood red aura that shone in the monotone of his surroundings. Finally the prince withdrew a shining silver dagger and plunged it into the older Aria again and again. There had been no sound to begin with but the scream the older Aria emitted echoed throughout the temple and through her own soul. She knew that there were tears streaming along her cheeks at the sight of her own Death and she longed to look away but her vision was drawn to a presence in the corner. Stood there was a beautiful woman that looked hauntingly like the Lady, the creator of Aria’s universe. Alethea, the Angel of Death, had created their Universe after she Fell and had needed to bring those humans affected by her fall to a sanctuary. How did this woman look like her? She even had the beautiful ebony wings and the scythe. She too seemed frozen as if she were watching the scene in a vision, crystal tears streaming over her ivory skin, but as she did not seem to see Aria then she must be seeing it as a past vision far into Aria’s future. What could this mean?

Gradually the scene receded from her sight and she found herself back in the middle of the bards, her eyes still locked to those of the prince. More crystalline tears fell over her soft skin. She now knew that this man, this prince with so much authority, was both her salvation and her damnation and she knew there was not a thing she could do about it…

Too Much Goo Goo Ga Ga Does Not a Novel Make

It has been a while since I have been able to publish anything on here and I’ve felt this massive hole left in my life. You see, not only do I have a dying computer (I am most definitely lucky to post this little bit at least) but I found that I am now almost four months pregnant. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, I’m very excited in fact, but I find myself suffering with intense ‘baby brain’ as it were (I can hear every single man reading this going ‘yeah what an excuse’.) Before this time I would agree but I find an increase in my dropping things, forgetting simple words and for all intents and purposes having no desire to write as I am just too tired. This is heart breaking to me as I had such good ideas to improve my novel I Cast Magic Into the Darkness when my mind could centre itself; new Angels, new personalities, everything. Does anyone have any good tips to force myself around this as writing, much like cake, is essential to life? 🙂

Thank you 🙂

I Cast Magic Into the Darkness – A K Hinchey

I took inspiration again from my wonderful friend Jex (jcollyer.wordpress.com) and added a new page to outline the story of my novel. I Cast Magic Into the Darkness is my telling of fantasy and having to survive through incomparable odds mixed with a little confusion along the way. I really hope you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it 🙂