Charlotte's Battle Rages On in Wind Reapers + Giveaway!

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It has been so exciting sharing the world of the Blackburn Chronicles with you! I've had such a great time hearing what all of you think about Charlotte and her spy, Ashton, and their dangerous destiny with the Order of the Sword and Scroll.  And Charlotte is just getting started! 

I'm giving away a copy of the first book in the series...the one that set the calamity in motion,  The Tremblers. Enter via the rafflecopter below.

Continue her fight with the Wind Reapers...

Charlotte Blackburn—Hero, hunted, the unwitting symbol of a dark rebellion—she thwarted the deadly intent of the treacherous Order of the Sword and Scroll, but at a shattering cost. Now, she fights to survive among a tribe of fierce Wind Reapers who troll the wasteland aboard massive metal walkers. But a new storm is brewing and Charlotte is once again the linchpin in a deadly plan.

Sebastian Riley has one goal: Help the citizens of his floating Outer City to survive the Ashen Croup, a terrible affliction that drowns victims in their own lungs. But help comes in the form of the infamous Lady Blackburn, a woman wanted for treason who is determined to run headlong into destruction to prevent a coming war—even if it means reaching out to those who want her dead.

Pursued by the shadowy Order and hunted by the furious Reaper clan, Riley and Charlotte brave the monstrous hordes of decaying Tremblers and the terrors of the Wasteland to stop the bloodshed and secure a mysterious calculating engine—a device that can bring about the destruction of an entire nation.

With brutal forces gathering against the unsuspecting citizens inside the Tesla domes, a vicious scientist intent on capturing Charlotte for his experiments, and the whole of the country in deadly peril, one of them must make a sacrifice too terrible to comprehend.

What people are saying about Wind Reapers:

"This book is a non-stop adventure led by Charlotte, Tesla, and Riley. Technology can only do so much in the face of "blood storms" and a desert veined with fissures releasing searing gas and lava. Outside the dome there are a new set of obstacles and Charlotte doesn't know who she can trust. Having followed Charlotte's journey from naive girl to the point she is at at the start of this book, a competent and somewhat Machiavellian champion for what she perceives as right, this story follows her continued evolution. What struck me the most about this was that the author made the bad guys very real, not archetypal villains. I understood and sympathized with their motivation as well as I understood Charlotte's. This made the right and wrong of the matter very much a gray area. It was thoughtful and threatening, ruthless and emotional. I cried (when a book makes me cry, it has won me over) and cheered and gasped... I couldn't put it down. Wind Reapers is a heartrending adventure that full of hope and fear, a story that challenged me and made me question my own values."


~ Spocktastic Reviews

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Feelings and Frappuccinos

Here's the truth of it. I am happy alone in the dark with my keyboard and some coffee. That is my comfort zone. I live mostly in my head with my characters and that's alright. My hubby gets it. He entices me with Frappuccinos and we work it out.

However, as an author, I paradoxically long to connect with others through what I'm reading or writing or watching. Talking about books or movies...that is so energizing for me!  I wish I could just have a monthly coffee house meeting with all of you! 

Alas, you are all spread throughout our little blue marble. So its a struggle to really reach out and connect with other lovers of books, avid wordsmiths, book dragons...if you will.                                                                           

Recently, I finished a steampunk, zombie, romance trilogy. Yes...I said that right. It seemed like such a natural transition after writing my Gothic romance books.  There is a lot of crossover between the two genres on an emotional level.

It occurred to me that some of you might have experienced an unexpected crossover into a genre you might not normally read.  Did a friend get so jazzed about a book you just had to read it?  What led to your little reading digression...and did it stick?

I used to be just romantic suspense and then I saw The Woman In Black, a movie of the Gothic mystery persuasion.  I loved it so much that I sought out similar movies and books...totally addicted now. Sound familiar or are you a die hard fan of your chosen flavor of storytelling?  

Writing steampunk this time around was so exciting for me!  The alternative history crowd is such a great community of artists, inventors, seamstresses, and of course, authors.  The TeslaCon and other conferences are definitely a draw. Who doesn't love cool weapons and luxurious materials? 

The journey from concept to completion for these novels continues to be a wild ride!

Click to learn more...

I'd love to share with you the raucous ride our heroine, Charlotte Blackburn takes in the series. From debutante to dissenter, some heroes are born ladies.  I will be hosting some launch parties and what not when the first book releases in January BUT...

I will have some free goodies for all of you in a few weeks!  I've written three novellas to introduce book one of The Blackburn Chronicles, The Tremblers! They will be available for download soon. Ill keep you posted!

+RaquelByrnes

With Every Beat

You are supposed to start your story when everything goes awry. Writers call it media res and it means that you begin a narrative "in the middle of things" rather than at the beginning of the event. 

You dump the reader right into the juicy bits of the events...right when things are taking a turn. Preferably for the worse.

The main character in my current project, The Dreadful Dark, lives each moment as if things are going to go awry in a bad way. That is because she can literally drop dead at any moment.  She has a heart condition, something called Long QT Syndrome that sends her heart racing with chaotic beats...and it does it randomly.

When she is sent to the desert to recuperate after an operation, strange happenings and the dangerous secrets of a mysterious family known as The Dreadful Darlings, draw her into a world of longing and fear and suspense.

Where a typical person might fear for their life, cringe at the sight of death, run from the unexplained...well, Venus is not typical.

"When death is your constant companion, it is familiar, and nothing is frightening about the familiar."  ~Venus Bell

So my story begins...not at the hospital or as she makes her way to her eccentric uncles Earthship home in the barren landscape...

No, our story begins in the chill of the desert at night. Underneath a riot of stars against the velvet black sky. In the shadows of an abandoned sanitarium nearly reclaimed by the sand, she meets a boy both dark and strange. 

Is he all that his name implies? Or is there something about Rowan Darling worth saving?

In the midst of malevolent forces gathering against them, Venus finds that her heart is far stronger than she had ever imagined.

+Raquel Byrnes

The Tremblers Playlist

Music that inspired the YA Steampunk Thriller, TheTremblers

From what I listened to while writing the aero ship battles to songs that capture the desperate romance in a crumbling world...I hope you enjoy the songs and lyrics that moved me to create this world.

  

+Raquel Byrnes 

#NaNo Blah Blah Blah

NaNoWriMo or bust!  That was my mantra all of October. I plotted...I outlined...I scribbled on my little note cards like a pro.

It started off so well. I was on fire. I was going to crush it. What really happened was I realized I was not as prepared as I thought. Actually, I was completely prepared to write a book that no longer went in the direction of what I was writing. Gaaah!

Though my story was going at good clip and #NaNoWriMo had totally jump started me out of my slump, I was quickly going off of my carefully constructed rails. Normally this is not a big deal. I can totally be a Pantser like the best of them.

The problem was that this was book three in a series...and it really needed not to suck. Like, seriously. Which led to an epiphany of sorts. I devised a solid plan for dealing with the situation...

I had to decided if I should soldier on and take the advice of my friends to keep writing and 'see what happens' or give in to my inner control freak and stop. I decided to stop. I know...I KNOW...that is totally against the spirit of #NaNoWriMo. You shelf your inner editor and just go with the flow, right?

Well I am a rebel, I guess. I didn't write for a few days and worked on my synopsis. I wrote a fourth...yes a 4th draft of the synopsis for book three. And you know what? I am so happy that I did. I may not win my t-shirt, which thank goodness I procrastinated on ordering, but I will 'win' this book challenge. 

Now I am back at a steady pace. I am no longer having nightmares about reams of paper that need to be pared back and edited. My Type A twitches have ceased.  Hallelujah! 

Anyway, that is an update on me.  Hope you all found your way, whatever that is, during this crazy adventure called, National Novel Writing Month.

Blessings and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
+Raquel Byrnes 

Aurelious Forty, Book Blitz and Giveaway!

So excited to introduce this cool book from author, Dianna Beirne that I'm taking part in her book blitz and GIVEAWAY!

Don't forget to sign up on the RAFFLECOPTER link BELOW ---->

Summary from Goodreads:

Aurelious Forty has led a lonely, troubled life. He stays disconnected from the world around him with no family and no friends. He lives merely to exist…to survive.

Aurelious’ life changes in an instant when an impulsive decision forces him to abandon everything he has ever known. Choosing to follow strangers into a new world, he discovers he was born with a gift so strong, so unique; it could give him the power to change humanity.

But the shadows of his childhood are long and dark and run through every fiber of his soul. Can Aurelious break the chains of his past and use his gift for good? Or will the nightmare of his tormentors set him on a path of revenge so fierce it could destroy us all?

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links:
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A Deeper Look at a Main Character: Aurelious Forty

Aurelious is, at times, a bit of an enigma. He is a very emotional character and while he shares his emotional experiences with the reader, he tries desperately to hide them from the characters that he interacts with on the page. He is typically unsuccessful in masking his own emotions from those around him though he’s generally unaware of how unsuccessful he is because he’s fairly self-absorbed, at least in the beginning of the book. Enigma.

There is a lot to love in Aurelious but he makes you work at loving him, he doesn’t give it right away. There are times when you might think it’s easier to dislike him but then he draws you in and you’re reminded of what he endured as a child and you’re proud of how far he’s come.

Although he is the main character and the one telling us his story, he isn’t the hero. He is really more of a sidekick who has to learn from the hero and finds himself fumbling along the way, a lot. He fumbles so much that he makes the hero a little less heroic for a minute. But, when he starts to look outside of himself, when he starts to connect with and care for the people around him, when he shows us how much he changes and overcomes, then he does become a little bit more of a hero himself. Or at least makes us question how a hero could be defined. 

Aurelious Forty struggles. He learns. He grows. He changes. He is an imperfect character, just like the rest of us. And, in his imperfection, he is worthy of being loved, just like the rest of us. As the person who created him, I must confess, I hope people will embrace his flaws and love him.

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About the Author

Dianna Beirne lives in a fantasy world. Okay not really, but part of her wishes she did and, since that’s technically impossible, she writes about fantasy worlds instead. Her first Young Adult novel entitled Aurelious Forty; Volume One quickly turned into her first Young Adult series with the addition of Aurelious Forty; Volume Two and, Aurelious Forty; Volume Three.

When not writing, she’s generally daydreaming which morphs into wondering if that last daydream could turn into a book. She has also recently discovered podcasts but doesn’t exactly understand what they are or why they’re different from regular radio shows. So it’s safe to assume that her next book won’t be about a podcast. Instead she’ll just keep listening to the ones that she finds that hilarious because laughing is one of her favorite pastimes and she finds way too many things funny!

Prior to dedicating her time to writing, Dianna taught undergraduate and graduate courses about using literacy in the elementary, middle, and high school classroom. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, a Master’s degree in Literacy and a Doctorate in Education specializing in Curriculum and Teaching.

Dianna lives in New York and is the grateful mother of a son whom she misses terribly when he is away at college.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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IWSG, Must I Corset?

Welcome to another installment of the Insecure Writer's Support Group conceived by illustrious Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG

I'm not sure I can do this cosplay thing...

As you all may know, I am currently two books deep into a Steampunk trilogy. I LOVED H.G. Wells and Jules Verne as a kid and have always lost myself in this type of story. The what if and elegant inventions. Writing in a genre I have always admired is a DREAM!!

But the other day I was talking with a friend of mine about going to a conference as a vendor to offer my book and maybe connect with other lovers of the genre and she asked me if I was going to dress up.

I was confused... "Like, wear a suit?" I asked her.

No, it turns out that she thought I might go all steampunk'd out to the conference since the GearCon's and Gaslight Gatherings celebrate dressing up and cosplay. I knew that attendants did this, but vendors?

In fact she showed me some blogs of other steampunk authors and they are all dressed in period/world attire.

Panic Cat demonstrating my expression.

Panic set in. I'm not sure I can do a corset and not manage to fall all over myself. 

I want to look professional...like an author...not like one of my characters. I mean, I have never seen Stephen King dressed up as Pennywise or Cassandra Clare dressed as a Shadow Hunter.

I write Gothic Mystery also and have never had cause to be all 'ghosty' or whatever.

Not sure what to do. Is this something I should be worried about? Is there a compromise...perhaps some sort of 'nod' to the devices in my book that I can have displayed instead?

Help!!

Grim and the Girl

So I'm rereading James Scott Bell's Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of Story because I read that and Writing the Breakout Novel by Maass EVERY TIME I begin a new project. I even have a Maass List where I check off elements of my story and the 14 Sign Posts list to make sure I'm hitting every beat of my novel.

I know...I'm a total Planner. My slightly OCD tendencies have been well noted and commented on by my crit partner, the illustrious Erin Kane Spock over at Spock Writes Romance. She is a Pantser through-and-through so you can imagine our conversations.

Something that really hit me this time though, while going over my notes, is the whole FACING DEATH thing that each character has to endure.  Whether it is actual physical death, career death, or even psychological death...the lead in your book faces some permutation of it.

I mean, my main character stares down actual, grueling, torturous death in my series, but the death of her dream...her hope...that hits me harder. It changes her more than toughening to survive does. It steers her choices in a far greater way than just trying to stay alive.

Her character arc just got a new dimension and I hope to really explore that. This got me thinking about an idea for book journaling that I came across a while ago. I think its from Bell, but I can't be sure. Its a way to keep your character from sounding like a mini-you -- you write in their voice, the reasons why they do not want to take part in your story.

I was using it as an exercise to isolate the "argument against transformation" without knowing I'd have an epiphany about my main character.  I had no idea that Charlotte was so broken over what she gives up that it was far worse for her than the prospect of death itself.

I encourage all of you authors out there to try a Character Journal and see what insights, if any, come out of it. I'd love to hear.

Until next time...Go Write!

+Raquel Byrnes 

4 Inspirational Sites for Writers

I thought as all of you either head into NaNo or work on your current projects that you could use some helpful sites that I've come across. 

Here are 4 of my favorite sites for writing inspiration...

Writing Questions Answered is a site for new authors but I find it very helpful and uplifting. Here's a taste of the great motivation you encounter there...

Write About Dragons is a website dedicated to the craft and arcanum of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing. If you've always dreamed of being able to create fantastic worlds and write compelling stories about such things as magical cats and extraordinarily masculine genies then this is your place.

          

You can watch the lectures of Brandon Sanderson, fantasy author extraordinaire of works like Mistborn and The Way of Kings, filmed during his 2012-2013 creative writing class.

Justin McLachlan's Blog is one of the best tools out there for writers at any level. His articles and clear, concise, and amazingly helpful.  I was lucky enough to stumble across this science fiction author and journalist on Pinterest of all Places. When I clicked on his post about Creating Characters...

+Writers Write is actually a school located in South Africa, but their daily feed is absolutely awesome.  They not only have interesting articles and the funniest writer memes, they also feature blogs and websites from authors around the globe. 

I hope as you venture out into the digita aether and find those places that speak to you as an author, that you come back and share some of them with me.

Happy Writing!  +Raquel Byrnes 

Its a Steampunk Western Bank Robbery Violin Showdown!

Wait...What?  This week Violinist Lindsey Stirling went viral with a video for her newest violin performance. For those of you that know her name, she did that amazingly cool video for her Violin Dubstep Song, Crystallize a while back in some really creepy ice caves.  So beautiful and haunting. Love it!

She was original and stayed true to her own vision of what violin meant to her. Flash forward to a new recording contract and a tour. Way to go Lindsey!

Well recently she put her own spin on Steampunk this time with a vignette where she fights off bank robbers in a steampunk-western town, with her bodacious bowing. Her song, Roundtable Rival has dancers, horses, weird sound wave ammo, and of course...a great song...

 

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I got me thinking that sometimes breaking out of tropes or putting a personal spin on one, particularly in writing, can be both scary and tons of fun.  There's something freeing about deciding to dance to your own tune.

As we head into NaNoWriMo next month, I challenge you to let your inner dreamer out and really take a chance on a story you've been too afraid to try.

So what if there doesn't seem to be a place on the shelf for it yet.  Spread your wings and make your own room!

What are you going to tackle in November? I'd love to hear about it!

By +Raquel Byrnes 

NaNo Prep - How Do You Organize?

Its not a sprint. Its a month-long marathon of pushing for the coveted 50, 000 words. I know there are a lot of  opinions as to whether it is 'pure' or not to organize your thoughts or even outline a story before the bell, but I'm all for it. Why? Because I think it will help you reach your goal. 

There are a few ways to go.  I'm a huge fan of Randy Ingermanson's Snow Flake Method.  Its very step-by-step and you end up with not only plot blocks, an outline, and a rough draft of your synopsis, but you can work your steps into a very nice proposal.

Another program I've tried with great results is Scrivener. You can get in on a BETA version that is free and lasts for 30 days which is all you need for Nano anyway. 

Something I use now and have found works wonderful for visual people is the iPad Index Card ap.  You can move scenes around and even import the outline to your computer which is very helpful.

My panster friend makes outlines a la high school. And she weaves incredibly detailed and intricate plots. She's more of a free spirit and loves to just let go and let her characters 'be' but she does do some preparation.

NaNoWriMo may be a great opportunity to get that story that's been scratching in your skull out and on to paper. But as I said before, writing at that pace, without a plan, may result in a meandering mess.

If you have some great organizational ideas, I'd love to hear them. As I get ready for the month of November, I could use all the help I can get.

Until next time...Go Write!

Voice from the Rubble - Lifeline Echoes Giveaway!

Today I am featuring romantic suspense author, Kay Springsteen. 


Raquel - Your new novel, Lifeline Echoes is a romance that features an intriguing way your hero and heroine meet and fall in love. Tell us about it.


Kay - Voices form a powerful connection. The day the earth rocked LA, Sandy Wheaton became a voice lifeline over the radio for trapped firefighter, "Mick." Less than twenty four hours later, she had fallen in love with him. Shattered when she learned that rescue came too late, she sought solace Wyoming, the home state he had loved.


Now, seven years later, she's made a life there as the owner of a popular local bar. But her wounds are still fresh, and she longs to let go of the past and her lost love so she can begin living again. That opportunity presents itself when the local prodigal son returns home. The attraction between them is instant. It feels like she's known him far longer than just a few days.




Raquel - As a Californian, this story hit home. The struggle the characters went through during that devastating situation made me wonder what kind of message you want your readers to take away from the book.


Kay - Perseverance. Never give up!


Raquel - Speaking of not giving up. Writing takes a lot of perseverance. How long have you been at it?


Kay - I've been writing since I was in elementary school (and now I have grown kids). But I only made the decision to get serious about my work in the past year and a half or so. Everything influences what I write. I can be inspired by a song just as easily as by seeing an incident on the nightly news.


Raquel - You have an interesting bit of news concerning the recent tragedy in Japan. Can you tell us about it?


Kay - I'm participating with several other Astraea Press authors to write a wedding anthology, with 100% of the profits for the first six months of sales benefiting the relief effort in Japan.

Raquel - That is amazing news. I wish you the best of luck. I hear you have a copy of Lifeline Echoes to give away to a lucky commenter!

Kay - Yes! IF a reader would like to be entered into a drawing for a eBook copy of Lifeline Echoes, they should leave a comment with one trait they like to see in the hero and one in the heroine in the stories they read.

Raquel - This novel had me crying and cheering. It was a great ride. Thank you so much for joining us, Kay. I look forward to hearing what the readers have to say.

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A Michigan native, who settled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western Virginia, Kay enjoys photography, hiking in the mountains, and gardening. You can visit her at her blog or on her Facebook page.

"U" - Unexpected Surprise

Today I have the privilege of featuring a book by a White Rose author! What an Unexpected surprise!


Marianne Evans is a lifelong resident of Michigan and an active member of Romance Writers of America. 


Welcome, Marianne, can you tell us a little about A Face in the Clouds?

Marianne - Reporter Paul Hutchins is all about finding facts and uncovering the truth. Verification, authenticity and quantification are the fuel of his spirit…Until he falls in love with producer Sandy Pierson.

Sandy sees Christ alive in every aspect of her life. No need for quantified facts. Faith is the fuel of her spirit . But her love for Paul puts her at odds with God's call toward faith and all of its mysteries.

Paul considers Christianity to be well-meaning myth—hyperbole. To Sandy, it’s everything—and she can accept nothing less from the man she loves.

Can a miracle happen? Can the touch of God Himself keep their relationship from shattering?

Raquel - Sounds like a dilemma rife with twists and turns. Let's take a sneak peek at this intriguing story...

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A Face In The Clouds

“I know how deeply you feel things, Paul. You have a wonderful heart. That’s part of why I love you so much. I’m torn in two about my feelings for you.” Sandy’s declaration would have filled him were it not chipped and cracked by the impact of her doubts.

“Your reporter’s instinct toward authenticity and revealing the truth is a big part of what I admire about you. There’s nothing wrong with facing the world honestly, but you need to make room for a few other truths.”

“Like God.”

“Yes, and the fact that life holds as much mystery, and as many intangibles, as it does realistic things you can hold tight with both hands.”

She wanted him to change. Right down to the soul. Paul continued to study her. She was hurt enough that she had almost stepped away from attending tonight’s event—out of a frustrated sense of love.  Yet here they were—together—out of a frustrated sense of love.

And if he wasn’t mindful of her beliefs, she’d step away from him.

Paul navigated the rapidly-filling parking lot of Woodland Church. Once they stopped, he killed the car engine and used a restraining hand to keep Sandy in place. He closed the space between them and gave her a kiss that lingered and thoroughly tasted. He felt the gesture ease a bit of the tightness in her shoulders and back. “I’ll keep an open mind, OK?”

She touched his face, and there was yearning in her eyes. “Keep an open heart. That’s much more important.”

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Woodland Series

Raquel - What moving and heartwarming story with a hopeful message. Thank you so much for stopping by to share it with us. 


A Face In The Clouds is a bonus Easter-themed short story to accompany the award winning Woodland Series.






Marianne loves to connect with readers. You can find her at: www.marianneevans.com 

www.marianneevans.blogspot.com.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marianne-Evans/308711716744

Crimson Fish and Other Mystery Musts

A red herring is a device used in mystery writing to throw the MC and ultimately the reader off the trail of the killer for a time. 


Now, you can't have too many of them because eventually your reader will stop trusting you, but   a good mystery does have some wrong turns along the way. 


It makes the maze of clues more interesting to navigate.


A piece of evidence that turns out to be unrelated, some tid bit information that proves irrelevant, a seemingly 'off' character that is actually just strange and not necessarily the killer. 


These are all red herrings that move the story along, create a diversion, but don't completely derail your reader.


The trick is to be subtle. Emphasis can be put on the "red herring cast member" by emphasis on their unusual traits, sketchy behavior, or just by creative description. Not everyone reacts to tragedy in the same way and sometimes lack of behavior can be shown as suspicious.


Whatever you choose to distract the reader, it needs to be adequately explained later in the book. For instance, at the time of a murder a mysterious car slowing and then accelerating past the victim's house may seem like a valid clue...until you learn that the neighbor's son is learning to drive a stick shift and the bizarre behavior has a plausible explanation.


Remember that a good mystery novel has at between 4 and 6 clues dispersed throughout with at least two very strong clues toward the middle and climax of the story. You want to lead your reader inexorably toward the culprit, but not too obviously -- hence a few strategically placed red-herrings.


Since mystery novels are usually highly structured and require a lot of planning, these clues and herrings are normally done in pre-write during the planning and blocking stage of writing. I have heard, however, of writers that actually write the story without knowing themselves who the killer will be...then, when they finally evolve the story to its conclusion, they go back and write in all the clues and red herrings.


However you choose to do it, writing a mystery novel can be an exhilarating ride. No one loves a chase more than I do...so I better get back to my WIP.


Until next time...Go Write!

Photograph by Laurel L. Russwurm