Wonhundred Word Wednesday--I stared at the flames that had...

It's Wednesday again! Which is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week :) This week's prompt was super fun, since, if you've read my books you realize I have a thing for fire (ironic, since I'm afraid of it in real life). So! Here it is:

Here's my take:

I stared at the flames that had just tried to swallow me whole. They’d leaped right out of the fire place and chased me around the room, slowly growing smaller until they were just little now—and they looked distinctly people-like.

They stared back at me, sparks dripping from their mouths and scalding the rugs.

“So…yeah. You should probably get back in the fireplace before you, like, extinguish or something.”

“We’ll die either way.”

“Then what’s with the chasing?” I asked.

They grinned, flames leaping from their heads. “We’re taking you with us.”

And then they leaped.

Now see how everyone else did it!

Kelly Martin, Author

Alison Woods

Jessica Winn

R.K. Grow

Stephanie Worlton

Leah Sanders

Laura D. Bastian

Jaclyn Weist

Amryn Scott

K.R. Wilburn

Lindzee Armstrong

Kat!e Larson

Miranda D. Nelson

Angela Schroeder

Storymakers Recap--Warning-tons of pics!

This past weekend, I went to the Storymakers Writer's Conference here in Utah. Utah has a HUGE writing community, and we have a few really awesome conferences a year. I like them all for different reasons--some are more for networking, some are for learning...speaking of--I took a horror writing class from J. Scott Savage that was SO AWESOME, and a creating an author brand from Ali Cross that were both phenomenal. They were my favorites.
But.
But for me, the best part of these conferences is getting to see my writing friends. We talk a lot online, but it's more awesome to see them in person. So, despite my fear of cameras, I take lots of pictures :)

Four Astraea Press Authors in one place!

Dauntless girls. We are spectacular

Isn't she cute? Mindy Holt was in charge of the Whitney Awards

Rebecca Rodes, Marcia Mickelson, me, and Jaclyn Weist. We were signing table buddies

Um, yeah, so that's Jaclyn and I with Brandon Sanderson. He's thrilled at our fangirling, obviously

Me, Donna Weaver, and Amber Argyle. We're super cute.

So glad Tara came to find me. It was awesome to meet her!

Some of my most favorite people ever. We're only missing Lindzee Armstrong. Someone photoshop her in!

Meet the Character Monday-Livi!!

Livi is one of my favorite characters to write, I think partly because her voice and character is so unique and different from everyone else in any of my books. Livi, even though she's a teenager, is still excited about life. She's super enthusiastic and bubbly and, like Nev, open and friendly and loyal.

What a lot of people don't know is Livi is based on my oldest daughter. She's only eleven, so hormones and stuff haven't made her completely insane yet. It's a side that not very many people get to see of her, because she's very shy, but it's my favorite. So I captured it and put it into Livi.

Meet Livi:

Name: Olivia aka Livi

Age: 17

Book/Series: Feudlings/Fate on Fire

Hometown: Saint George, Utah

Family: Livi's dad left when she was little. Her mom and Nev's mom were best friends, so they moved in together to help make ends meet. So Livi grew up having her very best friend as a sister. She's technically an only child, but she claims Nev and Nev's brother as her siblings.

Appearance: 5'1", long brown hair, brown eyes, and glasses. Super tiny and petite, and very bouncy.

Best Friend: Nev! Livi's adorable and everyone loves her, but Nev is the one who protects her and keeps her from getting hurt. They stick together through the hard times and the good times and don't let any guys ruin their friendship.

WonHundred Word Wednesday

Here's our prompt for the week:

"Would you like fries with that?"

And here's my take on it!!

Why couldn’t I have a normal job like every other sixteen-year-old? Maybe work in a McDonalds and complain about how the grease ruins my nails?

As I slithered toward my target-a drug lord who had more blood on his hands than I did, I pretended I had a normal job. I raised the dart gun and blew, watching as the tiny dart found its mark in his neck. I sprang to my feet to retrieve my dart. As I stood over his lifeless body, I blew the hair out of my face and grinned. “Would you like fries with that?”

Now see how everyone else did it!

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Alison Woods (Peering Into. . .): http://alisonmillerwoods.wordpress.com/

Jessica Winn, the distracted writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton's Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://www.krwilburn.com/my-blog.html

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Kat!e Larson http://katesnovelidea.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Meet the Character Monday-Dani!

Here's the thing about Dani. She was supposed to be sort of a tortured bad guy--I mean, she does betray Will and Ari, right? But as I was writing her, she didn't fit that idea. She took on a life of her own and ended up saving the day in not one, but two Feudlings books. I LOVE Dani. Because she was put in the most impossible of situations--save your little brother by betraying the Prodigy, or let him die.

I don't know how anyone could make that decision. But Dani was smart. She knew Ari couldn't be killed. She knew that if Ari had a say in the matter, she'd give herself up. So she saved her brother and put all her trust in Will, knowing he would save his sister.

It wasn't until Dani was written and Feudlings was released that I met the real live person that Dani seemed to be based on without me even meeting her yet. She happens to be on the bravest, sweetest people I know, and she looks exactly like I pictured Dani in my head. So when I wrote Feudlings in Smoke, I kept her mind a lot.

Here's my Dani

Name: Dani

Age: 26

Book/Series: Feudlings in Smoke/Fate on Fire

Job: Computer programmer for Will's company. Friend/girlfriend/Carules warrior.

Hometown: Wilcox, Arizona

Family: Her parents are high up in the Carules ranks. She has a ten-year-old little brother who stays with his parents. After Feudlins, her family comes to live in Will's colony, where they're protected.

Appearance: 5'9". Shoulder length Dark brown hair, brown eyes. She's tall and slender, as are most sorcerers in the Feudlings series.

Best Friend: Dani is friends with everyone in the colony. She's fiercely loyal and a hard worker, so everyone loves her. But Will, always, is her best friend.

Cover Reveal--Banshee at the Gate

I may have mentioned once or twice that I'm working on a Middle Grade series with five other authors. It's about different mythical creatures who have to save Atlantis--we even have one from the bad guy's point of view!

Ahem.

Anyway, it's my week to reveal my cover. The series will be coming out late June or early July--I'll keep you posted!!

Ta-DA!!!

The fabulous Mikey Brooks ( also one of our authors) designed and hand-drew all the covers for the series. Isn't he amazing? So here's the blurb:

Thirteen-year-old half-breed banshee, Seven, likes her life. She leads souls safely to Death and she has the planet’s most awesome dad and little brother. But a cryptic message from Atlantis asking for her help changes all that. And then there’s Death, who has decided it’s time to take her brother’s soul. Now she’s racing across the world, trying to stay one step ahead of Death.

Unfortunately, getting to Atlantis from Ireland isn’t easy, and there are evil minions determined to keep her away every time she turns around. But fighting for their lives teaches Seven one very important lesson—she isn’t human, and she isn’t a banshee. She has to be both if she wants to save her brother and make it back home alive.

WonHundred Word Wednesday

It's that time again :) Here's the prompt:

Today's Horoscope: Your Prized Possession Will End Up In Someone Else's Hands

Here's my take:

I left seven years ago, ready to conquer the world and find love. Now I was home, world conquered but no love. At least the Chinese food was good. I cracked open the fortune cookie. "Today's Horoscope: Your prized possession will end up in someone else's hands."

Awesome. Someone would steal my stuff.

"Gwendylyn?" That you?"

Jack, one of my favorite people from high school. I hadn't seen him in years.

"Hey! How've you been? Can I join you?"

We spent the day together. By that evening, my horoscope had come true. My prized possession--my heart--was in his hands.

Now see how everyone else did it!

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Alison Woods (Peering Into. . .): http://alisonmillerwoods.wordpress.com/

Jessica Winn, the distracted writer: http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton's Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/
Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/
Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://www.krwilburn.com/my-blog.html

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Kat!e Larson http://katesnovelidea.blogspot.com

Miranda Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Work in Progresses Update

It's been a while since I've updated what I'm working on and what's coming up. SO. Here we go.

WRITING:

I just finished The Soul's Agent. It's now in editing stages and then will go to beta readers. Since I haven't yet decided what to do with this one, I have no estimated release date. Sorry!

Next on my plate is Beautifully Haunted, a Feudlings/Warrior Beautiful Halloween novella. It will be released around Halloween :) 

After that is Warrior Innocent, the last installment in the Riders of Paradesos series. I'm hoping to have that out around Christmas time, but we'll see, since I haven't even started it yet.

RELEASING:

My next release is Warrior Everlasting, book 2 in the Riders of Paradesos series. It comes out May 6th.

After that is Banshee at the Gate, book 3 of the Gates of Atlantis series. There are six authors on this project and we're releasing the whole series at once. It should be super fun.

In August I'm releasing Shattered Assassin, a medieval fantasy.

Meet The Character Monday--Neveah

Neveah is the very first friend Ari makes when she gets to her new school in Park City in Feudlings. I adore her. People ask all the time who inspired my characters, and most of them have a little of someone I know in them. But not Nev. She's all her own, and she and Livi nearly took over the story AND they've found their way into my Riders of Paradesos series, too. She's spunky, fiery, a flirt, and yet she has no desire at all to be tied down to some boy. She's got goals in life and despite a pretty hard childhood, she's upbeat and doesn't judge.

Meet Nev:

Name: Neveah

Age: 17

Book/Series: Feudlings/Fate on Fire with cameos in Warrior Innocent

Job: Student, friend maker, fiercely loyal sidekick. Driver of getaway cars

Hometown: Saint George, Utah

Family: Nev's dad died when she was young. She has one older brother and her mom. They live with Livi and Livi's mom to help make ends meet, so Nev and Livi are more like sisters than best friends.

Appearance: 5'5", African-American. Big brown eyes, long black hair in hundreds of braids. Slender but is definitely not the athletic type.

Best Friend: Nev is insanely popular. She makes friends with everyone, and she's not afraid to keep people in line. She's very close with Ari and Charity and Hunter and Shane, but Livi holds this girl's best friend spot. They were raised together and they held tight to each other when life got hard.

WonHundred Word Wednesday

This is what happens when you follow your heart.

It breaks everything in its path.

“Patience? What are you doing here?” I froze as my tattooed, rocker boyfriend walked through the door. His show must have ended early.

And I was here, with my best friend, Colin. And we were not doing friend things.

“Adam. I—“ But I could not explain. How do you explain that you’re dating the hottest guy in the music scene, and you’re in love with someone else, too? How do you explain that you’re in love with two boys at once?

You can’t.

Now see how everyone else did it!

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Alison Woods (Peering Into. . .): http://alisonmillerwoods.wordpress.com/

Jessica Winn, the distracted writer: http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton's Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/
Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/
Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://www.krwilburn.com/my-blog.html

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Kat!e Larson http://katesnovelidea.blogspot.com

Miranda Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Meet the Character Monday--Kylin!

Okay it's time we do someone I don't absolutely adore, yes? So here's Kylin. Unlike Brittany from the Feudlings series, Kylin is not based on anyone I know. Maybe she's just the culmination of every mean girl I ever came across in high school. I don't know. What I do know is that Kylin isn't as evil as I make her out to be. She wasn't so...angry before. But it's gotta suck being with a guy you've been in love with since 7th grade, and knowing he's still in love with his ex, right?

Even still. Girl's got fangs and claws (metaphorically speaking, of course), and she's not afraid to use them!

How she appears in my head

Name: Kylin

Age: 17

Book/Series: Warrior Beautiful/Riders of Paradesos

Job: High school student, future fashion designer, Trey's girlfriend, calorie-counter, angry human in Paradesos

Hometown: Columbia Falls, MT

Family: Kylin is an only child. Her parents split up when she was a baby. Daddy pretty much pays her off but never has a thing to do with her. Her mom is a model who travels the world. Her grandmother is an icon in the fashion industry and as soon as Kylin graduates high school, she's going to work for her.

Appearance: 5'4", very thin, blond hair, blue eyes. Always dressed like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

Best Friend: She has a whole clique of girls she hangs out with. Before her obsession with Trey, Kylin didn't need a best friend or a boyfriend to make her complete--she had her girls and that was good enough.

Boyfriend: Trey, although she has a thing for his best friend Kason, too.

WonHundred Word Wednesday!

 “Now,” the little red-horned guy standing in front of me said, “Rumplestilskin is based on legend. My legend. I get to take you with me down there,” he motioned toward the really hot, uncomfortable pit below us, “unless you guess my name in three tries.”

“Sparky?” I asked, because, ya know, fire starts with a spark, right?

He scoffed.

I knew it couldn’t be any of the usual ones, or everyone would go free. I needed something common. “Roger?”

He grinned as the flames around us rose higher. “Jake?” I screeched desperately.

But I was wrong. The devil's name was Fred.

Now go see how everyone else did it!

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Alison Woods (Peering Into. . .): http://alisonmillerwoods.wordpress.com/

Jessica Winn, the distracted writer: http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton's Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://www.krwilburn.com/my-blog.html

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Kat!e Larson http://katesnovelidea.blogspot.com

Miranda Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/