Deadly Prophecy Release and Giveaway

Psychic Declan Brayden is through chasing women who have given their hearts to others. He had thought Kate Edwards would be his partner in work and life, but while she remains a steadfast friend and psychic business partner, her heart will never be his.

News of Kate’s engagement shakes Declan up much more than he’d ever admit. He tries to distract himself with a string of one-night stands, but nothing seems to help him get his head on straight. Finally, a new case seems to be just the thing he needs to forget all about his convoluted relationship with Kate.

Jenna Carnavale has come to Declan with a rare request: instead of hiring him for a missing persons case, Jenna asks him to solve the murder of her brother. With very few clues to go on, Jenna is convinced Declan’s psychic abilities are her only hope of getting justice for her brother’s brutal slaying.

Declan believes finding the murderer will help jumpstart his newly founded psychic investigation firm. The only problem he has is not violating Kate’s one rule for their business: hands off the clients. Declan has to find a way not only to reveal the killer, but also to stop himself from falling for the beautiful college student.

***Standalone Novel***

Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Prophecy-Second-Sight-Spin-Off-ebook/dp/B01MU72VD3

AmazonUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Deadly-Prophecy-Second-Sight-Spin-Off-ebook/dp/B01MU72VD3

Excerpt:

“Dec, do you ever wish away our abilities?”

Declan and Kate were sitting together at her mom’s kitchen table with a pizza between them. Declan had already devoured half the pie while Kate was taking nibbles off of the crust. They’d been working around the clock together lately to find out who had been stalking Kate. He didn’t want to believe Kate’s premonitions would come true and she’d be killed, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

“Not really. What else would I be doing now? My grades sucked and I wasn’t into sports. Besides amateur porn, I didn’t really have too many job opportunities.” His joke fell flat. He frowned at her expression. Ever since she’d broken things off with Jared, she would get a faraway look—made her look like the loneliest person in the whole damn world. “Why? Would you give it all up? Say to hell with being psychic?”

“I would,” she admitted quietly.

“Why? Do you know how many people would kill to trade places with you?” Declan demanded, incredulous over her confession. “We may not have complete control over our powers, but we still get to see so much more than anyone else. Kate, without our abilities, we’d have no idea that someone is planning to kill you.” He stood up then. “I don’t get you sometimes. You know how much good we’re doing; how the hell could you wish it all away?”

“Are we doing so much good? What about Melanie—”

He didn’t dare let her finish. “We’re not talking about Melanie again.” His voice left no room for argument. She looked defeated, but he kept his face emotionless. Let her think he didn’t care about what happened to Melanie. The truth didn’t matter. Kate had gotten too attached as it was. If she understood how many nights Melanie’s face had haunted him, she would never move on. Erasing Melanie from both of their memory banks was a necessary evil.

“I feel all of their pain.” Tears filled Kate’s eyes. “All of these cases we work on… there aren’t enough happy endings. Day after day, I have to relive all of the hell they’ve all been through.” A sob shook her shoulders. “And I have my own pain now. I have this horrible ache in my chest that won’t let up. And I can’t escape Jared. When most couples break up, they can avoid each other indefinitely. But not for a psychic. Every night, he haunts my dreams. And this will go on and on. I’ll be forced to see things I’ll never unsee. Every time he kisses another woman, professes his love, I’ll be a silent spectator. Forced to watch him build a life with someone who isn’t me.” Her self-control dissolved as she cried openly into the palms of her hands. Her cries were heart-wrenching because they weren’t fresh. Her anguish wasn’t fading, although she had shed enough tears for a dozen breakups. 

“The visions of Jared will go away, I promise you.” He sat back down, avoiding her eyes.

Wiping at her cheeks, she took a long, steady breath, attempting to regain her composure. “How do you know?” Her hazel eyes were full of genuine curiosity as she asked him.

“Because I used to have visions of my family all the time.” He changed his somber tone to sound glib. “You would think disowning your family would get you out of stupid holiday gatherings.”

“And what? You don’t have them anymore?”

He could tell by her tone that she didn’t believe him. “Not at all.” The admission was a half-truth. He still had visions of his past with the Brayden clan, but not as frequently. At eighteen, after his ski accident, he’d had little control over his psychic gift. Avoiding his family’s thoughts became easier after years of practice. “You will get over Jared one day. I should warn you, though. He’ll probably spend the rest of his life wanting to punch himself in the face for letting you go. Especially when the day comes that you have moved on.”

She managed a smile. “Really?”

Declan sure as hell hoped so. Because once Kate was over Jared, maybe he’d have his shot. He had tasted her already, felt her pressed against him—and once wasn’t enough. His premonition before they had met suddenly replayed his head: the one of the two of them together in his house—and happy. He had barely recognized himself in the vision. Making dinner together in his kitchen, laughing at her jokes, kissing her until his mouth ached. Declan couldn’t remember the last time he’d been truly happy. Hunger overruled happiness. When you didn’t have money, your sole purpose in life was to get paid.

“Yes,” he said with certainty.

The look she gave him at the moment would come to haunt him indefinitely. Her customary annoyed expression she usually gave him softened. Kate looked at him as if he represented possibility. Like her future wasn’t laid to waste because Jared decided to break things off with her. Declan hadn’t seen any signs of Kate’s interest pointed in his direction since the night they kissed.

“Okay then,” she said, swallowing hard.

He smiled. “Okay then what?”

“I won’t wish away my gift ever again because what we’re doing is too important to stop. I’m going to believe things will get better. There is more than one fate written in the stars for me.”
       He could hear the resolution in her voice, although Kate had no idea what she was doing to him. She was clueless how he would later take the conversation as proof that they would be together one day. Her words and the way she stared at him—it could be the beginning of the end. Because, at the moment, he realized he just might be falling in love with her.

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Second Sight Collection Event and Giveaway

Huge Sale! Buy all four books in the Second Sight Series for just $0.99 (normally $6.99) through January 14th! Also pre-order Declan's spin-off book below!

https://www.amazon.com/Second-Sight-Complete-Collection-Bundle-ebook/dp/B00GRX8S44/

Psychic Declan Brayden is through chasing women who have given their hearts to others. He had thought Kate Edwards would be his partner in work and life, but while she remains a steadfast friend and psychic business partner, her heart will never be his.

News of Kate’s engagement shakes Declan up much more than he’d ever admit. He tries to distract himself with a string of one-night stands, but nothing seems to help him get his head on straight. Finally, a new case seems to be just the thing he needs to forget all about his convoluted relationship with Kate.

Jenna Carnavale has come to Declan with a rare request: instead of hiring him for a missing persons case, Jenna asks him to solve the murder of her brother. With very few clues to go on, Jenna is convinced Declan’s psychic abilities are her only hope of getting justice for her brother’s brutal slaying.

Declan believes finding the murderer will help jumpstart his newly founded psychic investigation firm. The only problem he has is not violating Kate’s one rule for their business: hands off the clients. Declan has to find a way not only to reveal the killer, but also to stop himself from falling for the beautiful nursing student.

Pre-Order Link:
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Book Freebie: The Dark Dreamer and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

The Dark Dreamer is free this week! Pick up your copy from Amazon and then enter the giveaway I posted below. Winners will receive a $50 Amazon gift card and signed copies of all my Second Sight series of books. The Dark Dreamer is the first in a two-part series with the conclusion coming as soon as humanly possible.

Summary:

For as long as she can remember, Rebekah Clayton’s life has been dictated by her dreams. As a dream interpreter, she has become privy to her clients’ deepest and darkest secrets. Affairs, financial ruin, even murder—nothing shocks her anymore. But Grant Raskin’s dreams are unlike any she has heard before.

If Rebekah’s interpretation is right, Grant has foreseen the end of the world. A plague is coming and everyone Rebekah cares about will succumb to the illness. And Grant can trace the origin of the disease back to two men: Dr. Mark Holman and his son Drew.

Grant enlists Rebekah to track down the Holmans and determine their connection to the viral outbreak. But uncovering Drew Holman’s secrets will lead her down a dangerous path—unearthing a deadly conspiracy she never could have predicted.

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Dreamer-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00W1R6GYO

Excerpt:

I was in the middle of a cyclone, in the dead center of the eye of the deadliest storm I'd ever witnessed. The world was a blur as the wind picked up pieces of the earth and flung them in the air around me.

I felt claustrophobic as the tunnel of wind closed in around me, tightening the eye and whipping chunks of earth ever-closer to my face. I couldn’t see out and I imagined no one could see in. The storm trapped me and I doubted it would ever let me go.

“Ezekiel.” The name was a whisper—a soft breath into my ear, but loud enough to make out clearly despite the raging storm.

My body swung to the sound and I stood before a powerfully built man. I took him in in one full look—dark eyes, dark hair and dark stubble surrounding his full lips. He towered over me, hunching down to reach my ears and whisper his secrets. He was the younger man from Grant’s illustration brought to life.

“Is that your name?” The storm faded in importance. The earth trembled below our feet, but my full focus stayed on the man next to me.

He laughed. “No, but Ezekiel has my secrets.”

“The prophet from the Bible? The one who had to teach the world a lesson because of false shepherds?”

He didn’t answer, but instead took a step closer to me. I stared farther up at him and found myself caught in his intense gaze. His eyes were full of too many emotions I recognized from my own life: drowning pain coupled with a desperation to be understood.

Would the root of his evil be borne from his need for understanding? Did I empathize with a man who possibly viewed annihilation as a freedom from unbearable pain?

His fingertips grazed over my lips in a leisurely way. Exploring the dip, circling over the creases. He leaned down and I found myself trapped in place. I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t move. I only could wait for him to kiss me.

Instead, he pressed his forehead against mine and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. I let go of the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding in. He inhaled shakily, taking in the breath I released.

The familiar way he held me wasn’t alarming. I felt like I belonged there, as if he and I was one and the same. I didn’t feel fear or revulsion, only the strangest sensation of two magnets being pulled together by forces unseen.

I’d been so enthralled in the moment, captivated by his nearness, I didn’t notice the way his shirt had begun to change color. The burgundy color deepened and the fabric clung to his chest. My hands reached out and touched the spot over his heart. Pulling back, my fingers were dripping with fresh blood.

He looked down at his chest and frowned as if the stream of blood were merely an inconvenience. “It’s happening,” he murmured. Without warning, he began to claw at his chest. Ripping through the blood-drenched cotton, digging his nails into the flesh.

I scrambled away from him—screaming in horror as he ripped himself open. He didn’t flinch as his flesh fell in clumps to the dirt floor in front of him. He just kept at the self-mutilation—tossing aside muscle and tendons as if he were a corpse who felt nothing.

His hand disappeared inside his chest cavity and I wrenched my head away. I dry-heaved and fell onto my hands and knees. The storm intensified once again as if its destruction were somehow equal to the obliteration I just witnessed. I wished for the moment to end, for the storm to finally come and tear me to pieces so I no longer had to stay trapped with the nameless man.

A thud in front of me forced my head up again. A silent gasp escaped my lips as I gaped at the bloody object the man had thrown before me. I tried to process what I was seeing, but my brain couldn’t seem to keep up with what was happening around me. After my shock wore off, I realized beneath the blood and gore wasn’t a heart constructed from human flesh. Beneath the surface stained with crimson slashes was a heart made out of stone.

“You can have this now.” His voice, deep and rich, drew my sight away from the horror and back to his beautiful, unblemished face. Despite his chest being dissected by his own hand, he still was standing and seemingly unaffected. “I won’t be needing it anymore.”

“Who are you?” I asked again, but this time with more urgency. He shook his head in reply and I pounded the ground in frustration. I had to know him. I had to find a man who could display so much raw emotion, but hid a heart of stone. Although the vision receded and I could feel him slipping away, I still refused to accept he would be a mystery I’d never solve.

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Deadly Prophecy (Second Sight Spinoff) on Wattpad

I'm taking my first foray onto Wattpad, people! Check out a sneak peek of Declan's upcoming book! I'll post at least a chapter a week (slightly unedited) up until the release. Here's the link: https://www.wattpad.com/story/81008423

Summary:
Psychic Declan Brayden is through chasing women who have given their hearts to others. He had thought Kate Edwards would be his partner in work and life, but while she remains a steadfast friend and psychic business partner, her heart will never be his. 

News of Kate's engagement shakes Declan up much more than he'd ever admit. He tries to distract himself with a string of one-night stands, but nothing seems to help him get his head on straight. Finally, a new case seems to be just the thing he needs to forget all about his convoluted relationship with Kate. 

Jenna Carnavale has come to Declan with a rare request: instead of hiring him for a missing persons case, Jenna asks him to solve the murder of her brother. With very few clues to go on, Jenna is convinced Declan's psychic abilities are her only hope of getting justice for her brother's brutal slaying. 

Declan believes finding the murderer will help jumpstart his newly founded psychic investigation firm. The only problem he has is not violating Kate's one rule for their business: hands off the clients. Declan has to find a way not only to reveal the killer, but also to stop himself from falling for the beautiful nursing student.

Today Only! $0.99 Sale on Second Sight: The Complete Collection

Pick up your copy of my four full-length novels in Second Sight: The Complete Collection for just $0.99 today on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble! Regularly priced at $6.99. Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway to celebrate the cover reveal of my upcoming novel The Ex Trials!

http://www.amazon.com/Second-Sight-Complete-Collection-Bundle-ebook/dp/B00GRX8S44

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/reviews/second-sight-heather-topham-wood/1117453084

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Book Relaunch: Second Sight: The Complete Collection by Heather Topham Wood

Check out the new cover and newly revised edition of Second Sight: The Complete Collection! All four books in the series can be purchased for just $6.99!

Thanks to Caitlin from Studio 22 Cover Designs for her awesome work!

The Second Sight series is now available as a boxed set! Read the entire collection featuring quirky psychic Kate Edwards and the devastatingly handsome Detective Jared Corbett.

Second Sight: The Complete Collection includes the four books in the Amazon bestselling series:
First Visions
New Revelations
Dark Premonitions
The Final Omen 

Praise for the Second Sight series:

"The pacing of this book was phenomenal. This is just a fantastic read. I can't wait for more. I honestly can't praise this enough." -Read Between the Lines

"I really loved this story! I've been waiting for a book like this to read, and this was just wonderful." -For the Love of Film and Novels

"A total must read for all suspense and supernatural romance fans." -My Cozie Corner

"This is a great choice if you are looking for a quick fun read that can and will also get your heart pounding with suspense. Wood did another amazing job at writing a novel with the perfect amount of a little bit of everything, including romance, suspense, psychic powers, and great characters." -It's a Book's Life

First Visions:

Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location.

Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. With visions she can't control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world.

New Revelations:

Life should’ve been perfect. Kate Edwards had won the heart of police detective Jared Corbett and was coming to terms with her psychic ability. Things were blissful—until the day she met bad boy psychic extraordinaire Declan Brayden.

Dark Premonitions:

Psychic Kate Edwards had her first premonition—a vision of her own murder by a faceless attacker. With very few clues to go on, she has to use her psychic gifts to uncover who wants her dead. Paranoia sets in and Kate wonders if there’s anybody she can trust.

The Final Omen:

Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

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Book Release Updates and Finding Autumn Teaser

Hope everyone is having a fantastic summer so far! I've been crazy busy with my boys being off from school and trying to fit in editing for Finding Autumn (Falling for Autumn 1.5). The good news is the release is still on track and the book will be available as an ebook and paperback on July 15!

My next projects will be the standalone Pretending Hearts (Falling for Autumn #2/Delia's novel) and the Second Sight spinoff Deadly Prophecy (Declan's point of view). I've written a portion of each and I hope to have the first draft of Pretending Hearts completed by the end of summer and Declan's book finished soon after. Once there both completed, I'm going to write the two Memory Witch sequels back to back. Wow, I'm feeling exhausted just talking about my plan.

Hope you all enjoy Blake's book! It was really fun to write Falling for Autumn from his point of view and share what happens to him and Autumn following the end of the book. Enjoy the teaser :)

  

Teaser Tuesday and Updates on Works in Progress

Happy Tuesday All! I wanted to give an update on my latest writing projects. Here’s my progress and plans for the following works in progress:

The Memory Witch Sequel: I’ve written the first three chapters and I plan to resume work on it early spring. I was trying to write it at the same time as my current work in progress and I’ve decided the process wasn’t working for me. I need to write one book at a time to stay in the mindset of the characters. I have scheduled a blog tour for early March for The Memory Witch and will be posting updates on the stops. There will be reviews, interviews and a gift card giveaway.

Declan’s Untitled Spinoff (Second Sight): SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FINAL OMEN. I can’t leave Declan hanging and it was one of the reasons I decided to do a spinoff book with him as the main character. Kate is going to be a big part of his book as well since one of the plot points is the launching of their psychic investigation firm. Declan will get another chance at romance when they take on a new client searching for her brother. I also wrote a couple of chapters but will get back to the story hopefully early summer.

Falling for Autumn: This is my current work in progress and I’m really enjoying writing a standalone that falls within the New Adult genre. There’s definitely more angst in this one than my Second Sight series, but the characters have really come to life in my head. Autumn and Blake have their share of secrets and despite the strong feelings developing between them, a romantic relationship seems impossible. I included an unedited excerpt below =)

Falling for Autumn Excerpt:

The backyard of the football house was relatively quiet. Only people like me, those desperate for isolation, would venture out in the chilly weather. There were a half dozen students towards the back of the yard, gathered in a semi-circle, most likely sharing a joint while my presence remained unnoticed. I blew out my breath in front of me, mesmerized by the crystallization in the air.

The backdoor opened and slammed shut loudly behind me. Startled, I spun around. My beer sloshed over the side of my cup and wet the shoes of the guy standing before me. The motion lights had come on and I was faced with a now familiar pair of green eyes.

I shrank back and clutched my chest. “Damn! You scared me!” Actually, I’d been primed to kick him in the nuts. I didn’t take well to being startled, especially by hulking men.

“I could see that. I have a pair of drenched feet to prove your point,” he quipped. I almost rolled my eyes when I heard him speak. Of course, his voice would be as sexy as the rest of him. His tone was husky and there was an underlying sensuality in the way his mouth moved as he talked. He pronounced each syllable slowly, giving me plenty of time to watch his full lips move seductively.

I pushed down any lusty stirrings I felt and allowed my annoyance to take its place. “Maybe that will serve as a reminder to not creep up on someone.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said softly.

I expected him to leave, but he stood in place next to me. I cast him a sidelong glance and attempted to check him out further undetected. He was much taller than my five foot six inches and probably weighed twice as me. He wasn’t husky; instead he was broad and muscular. He wore a black t-shirt and his tan biceps were hard to not drool over. The t-shirt was fitted and I could make out the rigid planes of his chest and abs. It was the off-season and I couldn’t imagine how he could get any more cut during the regular football season.

Something about Blake was making me anxious and I gave in to my urge to flee. Without another word, I turned to go. His voice stopped me. “Why are you here?”

It was such an odd question. I laughed nervously. “What do you mean? In the physical or metaphysical sense? Like why am I at this party or why was I ever born?”

He chuckled, but when I caught his eye, I didn’t see humor there. “Why are you at this party? I’ve never seen you at the house before.” He spoke like it was an accusation.

 What was he the party police? His questions were rankling me. It was borderline offensive and I couldn’t get a read on his motives. It didn’t feel like he was hitting on me. Instead, he genuinely wanted me to justify what brought me to this party and into his presence.

“I’m going. Nice meeting you, I guess,” I said sarcastically and took another step toward the door. “I know you didn’t bother asking me my name, but it’s Autumn by the way.”

His fingers slipped around my wrist to stop me from going. I expected to hate the sensation, to despise the feel of a man’s hand on my skin. I inwardly cringed because I enjoyed it. His palm was soft and warm and he didn’t try to roughly hold me. Instead, it was a gentle caress that I missed once his hand pulled away. “Sorry…I’m being an ass. I’m Blake.”

How to Avoid Epic Book Fails and Another The Final Omen Gift Card Giveaway

This week is my book blitz through Xpresso Book Tours. As part of the event, I'm giving away a $40 Amazon Gift Card. Check out the post I shared about avoiding book fails and enter the Rafflecoper below.

The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four was the one for me—the book that would have me banging my head against the walls and questioning why I ever decided to print my stories for the world to see. Every possible book related catastrophe has plagued me since I began writing the novel and I hope to share some of my insight to prevent the same fate from befalling other writers.

I’ve got a MacBook now, it’s all good…

After my Windows computer went wonky on me and contracted some sort of zombie virus, I decided to save up my pennies and upgrade to a MacBook. The Apple brand gave me a fall sense of security, as if nothing ever bad could happen to my livelihood if I used a MacBook. So very freaking wrong! One hard drive crash later, I was left scrambling to try and find a data recovery firm who could get my precious novel off of the MacBook. When it didn’t work, I was forced to work off of a partial copy I had emailed myself a month earlier. This disaster led me to discover the wonders of Dropbox: an online document storage system that every writer should have installed on their computer.

My editor is the shizzel, I can’t wait to hear her thoughts on my final book…

A month past my expected publication date, I had finally managed to recreate The Final Omen as best to my ability as I could. I was all set to send my manuscript to my editor when all of a sudden her email address isn’t working. I go to her Elance page and it’s gone. No!!!! Since we only communicated via email, I had no way to track her down. This meant I had to start over with a completely new editor who hadn’t read or worked on the three previous books in the series. My point is that don’t assume anything. In hindsight, I should’ve worked out the editing details way in advance.

I can do it all on my own! I don’t need any help!

I bit off way more than I could chew with The Final Omen. I lost a month’s worth of work and tried to cut corners to get the book out on time. It was a bad call on my part and I finally had to take a step back and ask for help. Since my original cover art was lost on my computer, I tried to redo the cover using a small file I saved online. It was frustrating and time-consuming and I finally scraped it altogether and hired a cover artist. The end result? A cover that I love! I’m not a graphic artist or a formatter and I learned that although doing these things myself could save a few bucks, it’s not worth the headache.

When you’re a writer, it’s a constant learning experience. As crazed as I may have been because of these issues, I’m sort of glad they happened. It’ll make the process of publishing my next novel much easier.

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Cover Re-Reveal: The Final Omen: Second Sight Book Four

With the Macbook's hard drive gone, I lost my cover files as well. Although I may have been able to do some tweeks with the online version of my cover, I decided to go in a completely different direction. I really feel the new cover better reflects the end of Kate's story:

Psychic Kate Edwards had seen her death in a premonition. She was given the opportunity to stop her murder from happening and finally reconnect with her love Detective Jared Corbett. However, fate had different ideas…

Kate finds herself trapped between life and death. Her only companion is Rose Corbett, Jared’s long dead mother. Rose offers answers to many of Kate’s long-awaited questions and alludes to what the future could hold. However, before Kate can finally be happy, she must complete a seemingly impossible task: save Jared from his own tragic fate.

The Final Omen concludes the thrilling Second Sight series.

Publication Date: November 9, 2013

First Visions AND New Revelations Are Free Today and Tomorrow

Happy holidays to all of my lovely readers! In celebration, I'm offering both books in my Second Sight series today and tomorrow (12/23 and 12/24) for free on Amazon. If you've already read the series, I'd appreciate if you spread the word =) After the promotion, the books will return to the normal $2.99 and $3.19 pricing.

First Visions Link: http://www.amazon.com/First-Visions-Second-Sight-ebook/dp/B007YUP4D2

New Revelations Link: http://www.amazon.com/New-Revelations-Second-Sight-ebook/dp/B009MO8CNW

First Visions: Second Sight Book One Free Today and Tomorrow

Anyone who has followed me or my blog knows what an incredible woman my grandmother was. She's the main reason I am writing novels and it saddens me that she never got to see my work published. It's been almost two years since she died and the ache of losing her hasn't seemed to dull.

In honor of her birthday today, I'm offering my final two free days for First Visions. Grab a copy over at Amazon.com and feel free to let me know what you think.

First Visions ebook on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/First-Visions-Second-Sight-
ebook/dp/B007YUP4D2/

First Visions Is Free Today and Other Notable Dates

First Visions: Second Sight Book One will be free today! Visit the novel's Amazon.com page to download the book to your Kindle.

The next free day will coincide with the release of New Revelations: Second Sight Book Two. I'll post a reminder on the release day.

I'm also hosting my first ever tour. On October 15, stop by for my review of Anderson O'Donnell's Kingdom. The blog tour is through First Rule Publicity.

Reader Appreciation and Inspiring Blog Awards

Layla from Be Not Afeard was awesome enough to nominate me for two awards: Inspiring Blog Award and Reader Appreciation Award. She's a phenomenally talented writer who provides outstanding writing advice.

I have to say I am so psyched for this. I started this blog in February to promote the release of my book and it has grown leaps and bounds from there. I’m now involved in several blog challenges, weekly memes and review circles. I’ve met the most amazing readers and writers since then and I can’t wait to meet many more!

To receive the first award, you have to tell seven facts about yourself and nominate seven other bloggers. Here it goes:

1. It took me as long as "Tommy Boy" to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree (Tommy: “You know a lot of people go to college for seven years.” Richard: “I know, they’re called doctors.”)

2. I’m an avid eBayer (My husband often calls out, “Honey, where’s my watch?” My response, “Oh babe, you never wore that thing, I sold it on eBay.”)

3. I haven’t eaten pork since I saw movie “Babe” in high school.

4. I played the trombone from elementary school through high school (nothing girly like the clarinet or flute for me!)

5. Although I can’t draw a lick, I love art and make annual visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

6. My sister and I have a movie night every time a new Leonardo DiCaprio movie comes out.

7. I have two boys (ages five and two) who are adorable hellraisers that get their inspiration for trouble from classic “Tom and Jerry” episodes.

Here are the seven bloggers I nominate for both awards:

Magic in the Backyard is a blog run by Kellie Elmore that just has the most captivating posts. Her words are lyrical and I love reading the entries submitted through her Free Write Friday posts.

The Broke and the Bookish hosts my favorite weekly meme: Top Ten Tuesday. I love the topics they come up with! They also review a ton of books I’m interested in and I respect their book recommendations.

The Librarian Who Doesn’t Say Shhh is another great review blog that I stumbled on by participating in the Top Ten Tuesday challenge.

The Bitchy Bride always has me cracking up and lifting my mood when I read her posts. She blogs about so many different things: writing, weddings, food and literature.

The Reading Date is another YA review site that I love. Lucy shares the same tastes as mine and she hosts some super cool giveaways.

No Wasted Ink provides helpful batches of links for writers. Wendy from the blog has led me to some of the most insightful articles on writing, publishing and marketing on the web.

Book Lovin’ Mamas was a blog that hosted me during the initial week of my book tour. Reviews, giveaways and plenty of eye candy makes this a very much appreciated blog.

To receive the Reader Appreciation award, you are asked to tell what you’ve been up to lately:

The 28-Day Blog Challenge for Authors has sorted of taking over my life. Between writing posts, retweeting posts and reading submissions from other authors, it has been fun, but definitely time consuming.

Book number two in the Second Sight series has been underway and it’s going really well. I’ve come up with some super funny scenes and I have a few chapters completed. I’m planning to devote all of July to getting my first draft done.

My first virtual blog tour is underway and it’s been a really positive experience. I’ve done interviews, guest posts and giveaways.

Excerpt From First Visions Featured on Beauty and Books

Hope everyone had a stupendous weekend and if you're one of the lucky ones you'll be off today (since I'm self-employed it seems as though I never have a day off). Today is the kickoff to my month long blog tour. On the Beauty and Books blog, an excerpt from First Visions has been highlighted. Check it out and leave a comment to enter for a chance to win a $30 Amazon gift card and an autographed copy of First Visions. For more details on the contest and a list of blog stops, read this post.

Jared picks up Kate when she becomes stranded after a disastrous date:

Kate shifted in her seat and wondered how much she should confess about her night with Sebastian. Her inebriated tongue may end up revealing too much to Jared and she could find herself admitting how she couldn’t stand to kiss Sebastian because she was falling for him.

Jared seemed to speculate her discomfort could be over some sort of impropriety on Sebastian’s part. She saw his muscles tense as he said, “Kate, please tell me I don’t have to turn this car around and murder this Sebastian kid.”

She shook her head. “No, it was fine. I guess we were kind of on a date. I just wasn’t comfortable with how much he had to drink and where he wanted to take things.” She gave him a dazzling smile before continuing with her explanation. “See, you saved me in more ways than one tonight. My mother is the queen of thank you notes. So, don’t be surprised to receive one from her that displays her appreciation for keeping her daughter’s body and chastity safeguarded.”

He gave her a long look and she began to guess at how terrible she appeared. She hadn’t checked out a mirror in a long time and Sebastian’s moves on her probably made her resemble someone who recently had a roll in the hay.

“I should get you home,” he said at last. He was pulled out of his reverie and began to drive out of the parking lot.

She sank back into the leather seat and relaxed into the moment. Riding in his personal car in the middle of the night seemed to heighten the intimacy she felt developing between them. She still felt a buzz from the alcohol and his closeness was doing strange things to her. Something was nagging at her and she questioned whether she should disclose anything to him. Her tongue felt loose and she allowed the words to spill out of her mouth. After letting out an exaggerated sigh, she whispered, “I had a vision about you.”

It was silent for a long moment. His voice didn’t reveal much as he inquired, “You did?”

To read more of this excerpt, visit the Beauty and Books blog: here.

Excerpt from First Visions: Second Sight Book One

So, I'm set up to do a blog tour towards the end of the month, but I thought I would share an excerpt from my novel now. I'll be making stops at a ton of fabulous blogs and participating in guest posts, giveaways, reviews and all sorts of other fun things. In the meantime, the following is the Prologue of  

First Visions: Second Sight Book One:

Kate Edwards Journal

May 8

I always prided myself growing up as being one of a kind. Being fearless and never giving a damn what anyone had to say about it. In high school, I was one of those girls who refused to fit into a mold. I wasn’t with the glue sniffers out back under the bleachers, but I wasn’t sitting with the head cheerleaders either. I felt in charge of my destiny and I was going to pursue my dream of being an artist despite the odds stacked against me. If anyone had told me otherwise, I had no problem telling that person where to shove it.


Little did I know, it sometimes really blows being one of a kind. For starters, I contracted bacterial meningitis in college. What are the chances? Only about 1,500 people in the entire country get it each year. I think there were more kids than that in my graduating class of high school. Once a person has meningitis, she has an eleven percent chance of dying and a twenty percent chance of losing a limb or suffering from brain damage. Nineteen years old and there was a good chance I was either going to be dead or armless.

Lucky for me, I woke up from the coma I fell into. No brain damage, both arms in tact and alive and kicking. Kate was back in business and ready to kick ass and take names. However, fate decided to kick my ass instead. I came back from the dead not the same old Kate. No, I was now Kate with a second sight.

Some people may not understand why I don’t simply bask in the glory of having psychic abilities. Set up a psychic hotline, write a book or maybe open a palm reading shop. My mother and I could move to a mansion and I could rename myself some cool mystical name like Clairvoyant Caterina.

Well, the first reason is— that idea isn’t possible. I have no control over what I see. I’ll go to sleep at night and dream myself unwilling into someone else’s head. It’s unimaginable how truly awful that could be. Do I really care about that special day my mailman spent with his first dog Skippy at the park during the summer he turned eleven? Or do I need to know about the yearlong affair my dentist has been having with his secretary? Worse yet, I haven’t been able to predict anything. I may be able to tell someone what he ate for dinner on a first date ten years ago, but not if he is going to die choking the next night.

Sometimes I think maybe there is some way to control what I see. Or maybe I should be doing something worthwhile instead of destining myself to a life as a shut-in. I just can’t understand why this happened to me. Whose brilliant idea was it to nominate Kate to see inside other people’s heads? And now that I’ve been given this gift, what the hell am I supposed to do with it?    

KDP Select: Will It Save or Ruin Indie Book Sales?

Besides having anxiety attacks from formatting my book and uploading it onto Amazon.com this weekend, I had to make the decision of whether or not to enroll First Visions: Second Sight Book One into the KDP Select program. The gist of the program for those unaware is for giving a 90 day exclusive to Amazon.com on your ebook, you get five promotional days where you can offer your book for free and your book is entered into the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If your ebook is sold on other sites or large excerpts are printed online, you must remove them to comply with the terms of the program.

When faced with the decision whether or not to opt into KDP Select program, I kept hearing this little voice in the back of my mind that kept telling me I shouldn’t limit the number of platforms my book is sold on. First Visions has only been on sale for a couple of days, but I’ve had a handful of sales through Smashwords. Although my sales have been higher on Amazon, how can I be sure entering KDP Select will be more advantageous than using other retailers?

RELEASE DAY!!! First Visions: Second Sight Book One Is Now Available!

After months and months of hard work, my novel is finally published! I really hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Kate Edwards is a character that is close to my heart and with any luck you’ll find her as funny, flawed and lovable as I do.

Check back for more news about First Visions including blog tour dates, giveaways and excerpts. Goodreads members can enter my current giveaway running through May 8 by clicking here.

Here’s the Links to Buy the Paperback and Ebook Versions:

Barnes and Noble Nook

Amazon Paperback

Amazon Kindle

Smashwords Edition

Fun With Ebook Formatting

I say “fun” with as much sarcasm as I can muster up. Yesterday, I spent the day converting First Visions to the various ebook formats available. Easy peasy I figured. However, what turned into what I thought would be an hour project became an all day thing. I think normally this process doesn’t take this long, but I believe my Kindle file for the book LOST ITS MIND. I believe inside the file was an evil little brain that decided to ruin my Sunday. Anyway, here are a few tips I figured I’d share with fellow newbies:

• Take some time to go over the guidelines. I suffer from a mixture of ADD and impatience which usually causes me to jump into a project and decide that I’ll learn the process as I go along. Both PubIt and Kindle Direct Publishing have simplified guidelines (Kindle also offers a free downloadable book for more detailed instructions). Smashwords has a great set of guidelines with illustrations and an active Table of Contents.

• Get rid of tab indents. This seems like pretty much standard across the board. If you’re using Word like I did, you instead assign a first line indent of approximately 0.3 to 0.5.

• Page breaks for most formats except Barnes and Noble’s PubIt. This was one of these annoying things I had to go back and change before converting the book for the Nook. The Nook doesn’t recognize Page Breaks in your document and instead you must remove all of them and use Section Breaks. Another difference with PubIt is the cover image guidelines. They’re a little more restricted and require the sides to be between 750 and 2000 pixels in length.

• Read over your book after the conversion. Some important things can be lost in translation. When I did the Kindle version, a lot of my bolding disappeared.


• No matter how much you follow the guidelines sometimes things will not work. This brings me to my Kindle nightmare. Cleared all formatting, but indents were completely wrong. In some spots the indents were fine while in others second and third lines were incorrectly indented. No tabs, no weird formatting in the spots and it was still buggy. FINALLY, I did a forum search (aren’t forums the greatest? I have no idea what we did before they existed) and found that the indenting problem could be solved by saving the Word file as a HTML document. Say what? I hadn’t come across this one yet. But sure enough it worked and the indenting issue was fixed.

Glad, this part of over (at least I hope so). BIG DAY TOMORROW! Release day for First Visions!

Book Release Date and Cover Reveal

I am so very excited to announce the release date of my book: May 1!!! In only four days, First Visions: Second Sight Book One will be available in paperback through Amazon.com and as an ebook through Amazon and Smashwords. Right now, I’m setting up my blog tour which seems like a pretty cool promotional tool. For anyone not aware of how this works, you basically go from blog to blog and you’re given a review, interview or guest post.

And for the cover reveal (drumroll please lol):

As per my previous post about DIY book covers, I had a few different versions until I finally decided I liked this one the best.

Now that my book is coming out, time to focus on marketing (and somehow find time to work on the sequel and do my freelance writing assignments, yikes!).