My Books Are Available in More Stores!

That's right. Earlier this month, after being with Kindle Unlimited for well over a year, I decided to cancel my exclusivity with them and branch out into different stores.

So I've updated my book links tab above. You can now find where all my books are sold there, which for now include Kindle, Kobo, Nook, iBooks, Indigo and Angus & Robertson.

Wish me luck!

Great Way to Start a Monday...

So, I wake up, I crank open Tweetdeck to see what's happening in the Twitterverse, and wah-hoo, I see a sweet little post in my interactions column from J.M. Blackman.

Click to see the review: http://jmblackman.com/2013/10/20/t-k-toppin-author-spotlight-double-header-review-of-the-lancaster-ruleto-catch-a-marlin/

First of all, thank you J.M. Such kind words, and as an author yourself, I'm sure you know how nice that feels. Yep, J.M writes some incredible Sci-Fi/Speculative Fiction.

J.M. recently finished reading both The Lancaster Rule and To Catch A Marlin. I wrote TLR in 2008, and TCaM in 2011, and I'm sure she noticed how much my writing has changed (she did), and how little it stayed the same (I didn't know) in regards to how I treated the characters and the world-building. It's nice to be able to find out about these from completely unobjective eyes.

It's also great to start the week off grinning like a fool.

Again, thanks, J.M.

Cheers!

5 Years, 4 Books, 3 Novellas, and some Shorts later...

Well, I couldn't let the year progress any further without some mention of where I am right now. Where? It's like the title to this post says and then some: 5 years writing, 2 publishers, 4 books, 3 novellas and some short stories later...and, wait for it...lots more to come since the ideas keep a-coming!

My journey began early 2008, with a promise to myself and a new year's resolution on the beach among friends. One insisted we write down a list of the 200 things we most wanted to do. Well, I couldn't think of 200 things - just the one thing, and that was to write. Write something, anything. That thought stayed with me like a kick in the ass for a few weeks. I waffled a bit, thinking how best to tackle this whole writing thing. So I wrote down notes on plots, ideas, tooled around with characters, and then I just pushed it aside and instead, ruminated with a few scenes that kept reoccurring in my head.

My mid-January, the very shaky beginnings of The Lancaster Rule formed, and by March, I was hacking out the beginning. By April, I was just about done. But I was far from done, and The Master Key, spewed out of me before I could even finish Lancaster. And shortly after, the seeds of The Eternal Knot germinated in my head. Within 2 years, The Lancaster Trilogy was complete and I was a published writer!

Then I discovered, I simply could not stop writing. Like breaking through a blockage and forging a new tributary to empty out into the vast river of creativeness, it seemed I'd found another outlet to 'vent' my thoughts out. It felt right.

Last year, out came my fourth novel, To Catch A Marlin, and I gained a new publisher game enough to take a chance on me. Shortly after, 3 novellas in the Marlin series. Rounding things off, I also completed a couple of short stories, still seeking their way to publication.

I've also got a collection of unfinished stories (well, one is done) that need to see their own 'the ends' in good time.

Then, after The Lancaster Rule was published, it received a Novel of the Year nomination from my publisher, Champagne Book Group. And then, The Eternal Knot was voted Best Book of the Month by Long and Short Reviews. (Check out the link and my interview with them). Soon after, it was up for nomination as Best Book of 2012. How cool was THAT?

So, not too shabby. These past five years have been busy and productive, filled with fantastic plot bubbles and adventures that have taken me 300 years into the futures as well as traipsing about the depths of space. Heh, and I didn't even have to leave the comfort of my home. Isn't writing fun!

Cheers!

Nominated for Best Book of 2012

Getting good news on Monday mornings is a great way to start the week! Mine came in the form of a nomination from Long and Short Reviews for my book THE ETERNAL KNOT which is up for Best Book for 2012. Wow! How cool is that?

You might remember that last year, The Eternal Knot was rated as Best Book by Long and Short's reviewers in their Science Fiction & Fantasy catagory, and then voted Book of the Month (May 2012) in the polls. (Click HERE to see). As if all of that wasn't enough, now it's up for Best Book for 2012. Sweet!

Voting begins February 1st until midnight EST February 14. Once the link goes live, don't worry, I'll be sure to remind you again.

In case you didn't know, The Eternal Knot, is the the final book in the Lancaster Trilogy, published by Champagne Book Group under their SF/F arm, Burst Books.

THE ETERNAL KNOT - out in PAPERBACK

It's nice to wake up to an email from your publisher saying that your final book in the trilogy is out in paperback!

THE ETERNAL KNOT - hot off the presses!

Unable to resist the lure of finding her niece, Josie picks up the crumbs of clues left behind. With her old friend and savior, pod-hunter Quin Aguilar at her side, she seeks out Fern Bettencourt who is assumed to be sleeping for over a hundred years.
From an unlikely source, Fern’s location is discovered, and together with her husband, Josie seeks out her last link to her past. Will Fern want to be found? And will finding Fern be enough to bury the ghosts that haunt Josie? Can Josie bring herself to destroy her last remaining family in order to save herself?
The Eternal Knot, the final chapter in the Lancaster trilogy. Will Josie finally rest in peace in the new future she lives in?


Of course, they are still available in ebook format (for all e-readers) from most of the major ebook stores.

Cheers!

New Interview at Long and Short Reviews

Stop by Long and Short Reviews today for my latest interview.  Have a chuckle at my expense.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Jan 28

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday once more

This will be the last snippet from the recently released The Eternal Knot, the final in the Lancaster Rule trilogy, published by the Champagne Books Group. From next week, I'll be showing off some stuff from my works in progress

In this scene, Josie is witnessing the unveiling of a stasis pod, which is suspected to have held a very intriguing person...

    The pod was simple. Sleek, like a bullet, with a smooth, multi-toned tempered-glass casing over the black metal cocoon frame. It rested on a thick triangular base so that instead of lying horizontal, the main pod sat at a forty-five degree angle, allowing the sleeper to appear as though they reclined. In a word, it looked sexy as hell. Unlike my pod, which had been thick and chunky, rectangular and cumbersome, and out-dated like the prehistoric relic that it was. I was glad that Quin had destroyed it. 

   Apart from my own pod, I’d never actually seen these newer models in person. This pod before us looked impressive, even to my ignorant eyes. Quin and Aline’s near-orgasmic mutterings was merely the background soundtrack for this unveiling.

For the complete listing of the Lancaster Trilogy, check out my author page at Burst Books, or over at Amazon Kindle.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Jan 21

It's that time of Saturday again: Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday

Due to popular demand, I give you another snippet from the recently released The Eternal Knot, the final in the Lancaster Rule trilogy, published by the Champagne Books Group.

In this scene, Josie and her party are ambushed, to say the least.  She witnesses, from her POV, her mother-in-law in action.  Griet is, well, kind of scary...

    They materialized as if by magic. I couldn't say how many there were, only that they were dressed in black and moved like ominous shadows. Their phantom sight alone seared a shiver down my spine.
    Then everyone moved at once.
    The blur that was Griet Lancaster made it hard to focus on the pressing danger. But the destruction that was Griet Lancaster, left bodies dropping to stain the white floor like black-clad rips in the earth.
    I let out a startled yelp of horror. Then hands tugged me in every direction, dragging me into the hellish black. I slashed out with my krima to wrench free. Someone yelled out, sucking in their breath as my krima hit home.
    So, they were human after all.

For the complete listing of the Lancaster Trilogy, check out my author page at Burst Books, or over at Amazon Kindle.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules and use the #SFFSat hashtag.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Jan 14

Happy New Year everyone!
Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday is back!

Here's another snippet from the recently released The Eternal Knot, the final in the Lancaster Rule trilogy, published by the Champagne Books Group.

Today, Josie has just been injured, quite seriously, and is "having a conversation" with her worried husband, John.  Though, from his response, it's pretty hard to tell that he's concerned.

   "Hurts?"

   "Lots." She squeezed an eye shut for effect.

   "Hmm...good," he smiled. "You deserve it."

   "I know," Josie smiled back. "Are you going to kill me later, too?"

   He nodded with a grave expression. "Of course. I have to. You have to learn your lesson."

   "I know, I deserve it," she grinned. "And after you kill me, I'll never be allowed out of the house--ever."

   "You'd better believe it." He kissed her gently on her forehead. "But I know that will never happen. Your life is just too full of surprises."

   "John?"

   "Mmm?"

   "I really need med-cal."

   "I know."

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Jan 07

Happy New Year everyone!
Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday is back!

On January 02, The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, was released by Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

Today, I share an encounter Josie has (from her POV) with a particular woman whom she has a keen dislike for.  For obvious reasons, of course...
         

She greeted me with a wide spread of her arms. Several gold bracelets jangled at her wrist and caught the afternoon light. She’d been lounging on a bench, posing, seemingly enjoying the gardens when I had walked in and stood aloofly motionless. A true stage diva, she played her part perfectly. Upon seeing us, she allowed her face to light up with pleasure and airily walked towards us, certain that we’d see her near-naked body through the sheer dress. Even Loeb, conservative and stoic as ever, proved he was still a man and not a robot, flicked his eyes to keep time with her jiggling boobs.

I would have rolled my eyes if I didn’t have to maintain a pleasant face.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

The Eternal Knot is Released!

What a great way to start the new year!

The final installment in my Lancaster Trilogy is out!!  THE ETERNAL KNOT released over the new year weekend, bringing to an end the tale of Josie Bettencourt and all the comings and goings in her life.  I suppose it's kind of bittersweet that the story comes to an end.  The Lancaster world dominated my life for a good part of three years, and to see it through to the end, is like seeing the last of your children fly the coop.

For those who have followed Josie's journey, I hope I did this last book justice by answering all the questions that lurked about.  It was, by far, the hardest book to complete out of the three.  Maybe because I knew that this was the end, maybe because I didn't want the story to finish.  But, who knows, another story with Josie might be born in the future...so I won't say never.  I promise to keep you posted.  For now, enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is the Lancaster Trilogy, finally complete at last!  Hang on to your knickers -- it's gonna be a wild ride!

Cheers.

SFF Saturday - Dec 17

Time for another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday!

Staying with The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, due out January 2012 Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

Last week, we encountered Josie and Loeb after her crash. Today, I thought I'd share a little bit about the crash.
         

What she didn’t take into account were the hard tree trunks and branches that catapulted her from one tree to the next like a violent game of pinball. Cocooned and relatively safe in her cockpit after the first impact, and a finger near the eject button, she endured the last jarring crash and rolled end over end across the forest floor.

She really did need to learn how to land and made a conscious promise to herself to do so...if she ever survived.

When her world righted itself and she hacked away the surround-gel with her krima, Josie kicked the battered door away, crawled out, and promptly threw up.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Dec 10

Time for another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday!

Staying with The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, due out January 2012 Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

Today, Josie has crash-landed her "car" and her aide, Loeb, has intercepted her for retrieval...much to her chagrin.
         

“Madam,” Loeb nodded, calm and collected as if it were another normal day at the office. He looked immaculately clean despite the sticky heat. “Your Snare Gun is holstered and your krima is still disengaged. In any event, the jacket around your waist would have hampered your movements by at least one second--enough time for me to elude you. Are you all right? I saw the crash site, I wondered if…”

“I’m fine.” Josie propped on one leg and studied the aide. “How did you get here?”

“I followed the road,” he replied matter-of-factly and waved vaguely behind him. “Madam, we should head back. I was pursued by an unidentified vehicle--lost it just before you dropped out of sight and into those trees,” he pointed to his left. “It won’t take them long to pinpoint our location.”

Ignoring his suggestion, she gaped. “You took the road? There’s a road?”

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Dec 3

Time for another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday!

Staying with The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, due out January 2012 Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

Today, Josie, from her POV, reflects on her life so far...
         

Living in this future was very hard work, and to date, I hadn’t had much time to wind down and appreciate it. Having your life threatened--constantly--and living on the edge, really took a toll on you. And I still hadn’t seen all the new wonders that this future had to offer. There still was so much I wanted to do and see, but trying to stay alive took priority.

But I did manage to strike one major thing off my ‘to do’ list. I’d gone into outer space. 

And as if staying alive were not hard enough, I still had official duties to perform. Some days, I really wished I hadn’t helped my father out by stepping into that stasis machine. Being the president’s wife was a royal pain in the ass at times.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Nov 26

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday time again.

Once again, I'll be showing off The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, due out January 2012 Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

Still staying with Quin, today we reflect upon his life...
         

Though he’d retired from pod hunting, he still hadn’t forgotten how to find people. In the quiet moments of his living while hiding, the old itch of wanderlust would afflict him until it became unbearable. He was a scientist, but adventure beckoned him like a mistress. He’d been almost bowled-over-glad when he’d been found. Living rough for over a year in Chile, while it could be entertaining, had not been all pleasure. Many days he’d spent in utter solitude, pondering his life, thinking of Madge, dipping ever-close to the edges of depression. He’d drifted from one obscure town to the next, meeting old friends, staying with an aged cousin, simply existing.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Nov 19

Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday time again.

Check out the spanking new cover art, designed by the talented Amanda Kelsey.

And because I just got this amazing new cover art, here's another little treat with a snippet from The Eternal Knot, the final in the The Lancaster Rule trilogy, due out January 2012 Champagne Books and its new SFF dedicated imprint, Burst Books.

For those of you who have been keeping up with the tale so far, you might remember a certain individual called Quin.  For those who don't know...well, your loss.  Hah, kidding.  Not really.

Here we have Josie and Quin discussing some interesting medical advancements...
         

“We’ve checked out most already and they’re all men. Fern’s good, but not that good that she can grow a dick and a pair of balls.”

Quin gave her a scowl. “Persistence, Josie. When tracking someone who wants to be hidden, always assume everything you learn is not as it seems. Dig deeper and remove the layers of illusion.”

Josie let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine. I swear, Quin. We’re on some kind of loop here. We had this exact conversation just yesterday.”

“No we didn’t. For example, we learn something new every day. It is possible to grow a dick and a pair of balls in this century. You can’t procreate with it, but it’s doable.”

         Josie returned a deadpan look. “Whatever!”

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Nov 05

Time for another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday.  I know, that's a mouthful.

Today, I return to The Master Key, sequel to The Lancaster Rule, published Champagne Books.

I couldn't decided which snippet to use -- there's just so many.  But here we go.  Here we have Josie, who has once again done something rather impulsive, and now, regretting her actions.

My head spun. I reached up tentatively to touch the sore spot—right at the back—and felt a knot. Whatever Ho used to hit me, it was something reassuringly hard.

A groan spilled out of my mouth, making me feel nauseous. I swallowed hard and brought the hand from my head to my mouth. My nose hurt too, where Lee smacked me in the face. It felt twice its normal size.

Whether it was the knock on my head or the time-out in blackness that brought me to my senses, I wasn’t sure. But I felt like an idiot. I acted impulsively and foolishly, putting myself, Aline—even the unsuspecting Dr. Maines—in serious danger. Everything that I’d learned and had been taught to do in times of danger, I threw clean out the window.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

Remember, Remember the 5th of November...

...The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent...

And so on and so forth.  Now that I've gotten your attention, let's hope I get to keep it long enough.  Well, at least until Saturday November 5th.

The Champagne Books SF and F writers have banded together in a raggedy group of a dozen to host a LIVE CHAT.  While I can't ensure they'll be any fireworks and gunpowder, there will be loads of giveaways that we writers are offering up.  From PDF books, paperbacks, and trinkets (I hear there's Jelly Belly tins up for grabs).  How cool is that?

Here's a list of the amazing writers being spotlighted that night: K.M. Tolan (Dancer Series), T.M. Hunter (Aston West Series), Ashley J. Barnard (Fox Trilogy), Jude Johnson (Dragon and Hawk Series), Helen Henderson (Windmaster), Jane Toombs (she got soooo many books I don't know where to start).  And we have some newly signed writers as well: Marc Davies (Hive), J.A. Garland (The Mutatio Project), Leia Getty, Ronald Hore, Joanne Renaud.  There is also the chance that Ciara Gold might pop in (Celestial Dragon). And of course, there's me...

Up for grabs on my end, a personally autographed paperback of The Lancaster Rule OR The Master Key...whichever the lucky winner decides.

Where is this live chat taking place?  Over at the Champagne Books Chatroom: http://champagnebooks.com/Chat.html on November 5th (yep, Guy Fawkes Day) at 7pm EST.

So stop by then for a chance to harass me...oops, I mean, for a chance to win something.

SFF Saturday - Oct 15

Time for another SFF Saturday.

From the recently released sequel in the Lancaster trilogy called The Master Key, published by Champagne Books.

Last week, we saw Josie flee the scene in a hypersonic rush.  Today, she and her party are still making tracks to get to safety.

I had no chance to speak with Margeaux other than to give her short instructions, nor did I get a chance to look at her in any close detail. As we boarded the shuttle, already primed and ready for take-off, I was sent directly into a safety ejection pod—strapped in, secured, and sealed off from the rest of the passengers.

This pod, upon sudden altitude change, impact or manual override, was designed to immediately eject outwards, engage its own independent engine and transport me directly back to the Citadel. It was fully equipped with its own air supply, communications consoles and navigation equipment. Not that I was required to use these unless emergency manual operations were required. Ironically, to date, I’d never been given any flying lessons.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!

SFF Saturday - Oct 8

Hello everyone!  I missed out last weekend but I'm back again.

For today's posting, here's another short snippet from my recently released sequel in the Lancaster trilogy called The Master Key, published by Champagne Books.

Following is a short snippet where my girl Josie and the trusty Simon need to flee the scene from a particularly nasty dude.  Enjoy!

After our communications were knocked out, Simon drove like a bat out of hell and beat his own estimate by arriving at the landing strip in four minutes flat! I barely managed a few clipped words through tightly clenched teeth during the ordeal, my face felt stretched from the G-force. He’d pushed the vehicle until the speeds clipped just under the hypersonic mark. Any faster, and we’d have zoomed straight off the country and into the next continent. As it was, Simon had to go half-airborne so he wouldn’t crash into trees or wreck the asphalt from the heat coming off the engine.

If you're interested in participating in next week's SFF Saturday, stop by their sign-up blog which is open every Wednesdays.  And don't forget to follow the rules.

Cheers!