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"I felt faintly aware of what was about to happen. Another person I knew was going to be informed of our supernatural lives. Why didn’t we just rent a banner plane? Seriously."

 

~One of my favorite quotes from Cycle Thirteen.   

For the majority of her life, Skye Kelley's parents have told her to keep her secret hidden.  Even in their own home, her dad whispered when it came to things involving their clandestine lives.  She wanted desperately to be able to confide in someone, to have someone other than Jenny, her diary, to talk to when it came to her life as a uni.  However, when the curtains came down on her play, her world, began spinning in the opposite direction.

Skye's witty sarcasm can be found throughout the book.  She sees the world differently from the rest of us because of who she is.  I can't wait for you to read it and come to love my characters as I do. 

I was at a funeral today.  A very close friend of mine lost her father this past week.  The church swelled with love from friends and family members who were there to remember a remarkable man, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.  It is times like this that remind us how precious life is. 

I thought about how my life has been up to this moment.  Honestly, no complaints came to mind.  I don't own a house, my bills pile up...like every one else lately, and my car doesn't always work like I would like it to.  But my daughter and I are happy and great things are happening in both of our lives.  Isn't that what matters most? 

So, I arrive home from this sad occasion to find a blog entry on Inkspell Publishing's website welcoming me as a new author.  Yep.  Life is good.  No complaints here. 

My book is being published.  I think I mentioned that before. It still surprises me every time I say it out loud. 

Check it out:  http://www.inkspellpublishing.com/blog.html

Thanks

They say behind every good man is a good woman, but I believe behind every good author is a great cheerleader.  I was fortunate enough to have two.  The first one is obvious...my beautiful daughter.  She wasn't just an encouraging word or two when I needed it, she taught me about perseverance.  You see, she has been through extraordinary events in her life and has always been a beam of positive shining light in every life she touches.  She lives by the mantra of never giving up.  When I began writing and the self doubt crept in, she took the first few chapters to her middle school and let her friends read them.  It wasn't long before her friends were begging for more to read.  That jolt of confidence encouraged me to continue, so I did.

But the rah-rah's didn't stop with her.  My sister-in-law was a huge contributor to my success and I must publicly thank her for her support.  (No, she didn't put me up to this.)  Sharing her ideas, spending her time reading, weekends spent editing, and countless texts and e-mails...she has done it all.  She is the only person who has read every word of my book and she's done that more than once.  I owe her...bigtime. 

Without these two very special people in my life I'm not sure if I would be where I am today.  So here is a very public THANK YOU to the both of them and to all who have believed in me. 

Inspirations

Writing is like having a relationship with words.  Sometimes you're in and sometimes you wish you could run away for a while.  The heart does grow fonder, right?  I'll admit that throughout the course of writing Cycle Thirteen, I took a few breaks.  Some longer than others.  The longest pause between pages was six months.  I was about halfway through my story when I thought I was kidding myself about being a writer, so I gave up.  Feeling as if my story was garbage, I did what a lot of writers do...quit.  It was a flyer that changed my life.  An author nearby was offering classes on how to be a children's author.  I was so there.

I spent the weekend in this author's home learning about writing and publishing and it changed my life.  Overwhelmed with excitement about writing, I made a decision.  Knowing how full my plate already was, I scheduled my "butt in chair" time for 4:30 every morning. I figured the lack in sleep would be worth it one day. 

Now, more than two years later, I can say it was.  All sorts of cliches come to mind about hard work, but nothing compares to the feeling of accomplishment when that work is complete.  Find your inspiration and make it work for you.  You'll never be disappointed in yourself when you know you've aimed for the stars and a little dust has fallen on you. 

The Idea

Staring at a blank page on a computer screen is torture for a writer.  The moment I decided that I wanted to write a teen paranormal romance, I knew only one thing for sure...it couldn't be about vampires and werewolves.  So off to the Internet I went. 

I began researching all sorts of mythical creatures.  I visited our local library and researched there as well.  When all the dust settled, I was left with unicorns.  The dilemma was that I didn't want my book to sound ridiculous and unimaginable.  I had to create a story that people could believe in, but I still wanted that different world feel to it.  After several weeks of research and creativity, my characters began to come to life. 

Meet Skye Kelley.  Skye is a sixteen year old student at Spruce Creek High School.  She enjoys acting and loves her best friend Jules.  Working at Hot Topic in the mall, Skye likes to dress borderline gothic.  It's all part of her guise though because Skye carries a secret that no one outside of her family knows.  Yet a constant reminder is worn around her neck.  Her rose quartz gem holds her hostage to a secret that has tormented her since her eighth birthday.

Meet Mike Evans.  Mike is what most teens would refer to as a prep.  He dresses in Abercrombie and has copper colored coins in his shoes.  On a whim, he and his friends enter Hot Topic one day and Mike finds himself enamored with Skye.  Naturally, Skye blows him off, as she does with all the boys who fall for her.  But Mike doesn't give up easily. 

Follow these two characters in my book, Cycle Thirteen.  Available soon! 

The Birth of Cycle Thirteen

Cycle Thirteen--My Journey Begins

9/9/2012
It has been nearly five years since I began to write my first novel. I guess since I was a little girl I have always loved writing, but never really thought about it as a career option for myself. Knowing that most writers starve, I opted to become a highly paid teacher instead. Insert sarcasm.

Don't misunderstand...I love my life. Working with kids is my calling, or at least that's what I believe. I enjoy it without question. But at the back of my mind I always knew there was something else I wanted to do...needed to do with my life. And that answer came to me in the form of Cycle Thirteen.

I will never forget how it all came about. Technically, one could say I owe Stephenie Meyer for her inspiration. I had finished reading her Twilight series and like so many others, I was in love. But it wasn't just Edward Cullen that piqued my interests, it was reading. You see, before Twilight, I can't remember the last time I picked up a book that wasn't a textbook. After reading about her love for the Austen books and Bronte's Wuthering Heights, I was consumed with a love for reading. So read I did. All of the classics, Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, just to name a few. Then I moved on to other young adult series. Some of my favorites were Vampire Diaries, Vampire Academy, and the True Blood series.

Now I know what you're thinking...she's just another Twilight-Vampire-Loving-Old-Mom. Well, admittedly, at first I could have been classified as such. But luckily I digressed and moved on to other genres. Before I left the young adult section of the bookstore though, I realized that this was the genre I was meant to write. All I needed was a great idea...