New Covers

If you haven't noticed, take a look to your left. I've posted the new covers for Guardian of Atlantis and Wrath of Hades.

I decided the series needed a more uniform look. In a few days the new covers will be up on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. I've also re-edited both books.

In a few days, I will do a cover reveal for Ethan's Trials.

Let me know what you think.

What's Next?

I've had several emails and students from the school where I teach asking if there is another book and if so when is it coming out.

The answer is yes, there is another book in the Children of Atlantis series.

I'm working on the outline for the third book and it will be out in the early 2014. The working title right now is Warrior of Atlantis. The book will pick up immediately where Wrath of Hades ended.

I'm also working on a novella that will come out toward the summer. It's working title is Ethan's Trials. This story will focus on Ethan and consequences of his actions in Wrath of Hades.

I've created a lot of background information and stories for various characters so that I would have an idea of what's making them act the way they are now. I plan to rework some of the stories and release them as novellas. Right now, I don't have any release dates for them, but as I do, I will post them in the Works in Progress section.

I've also have ideas for a couple of new series. I'm working on the outlines for one and refining the idea for the other, but it will be a little longer before these are anywhere near the stage for me to begin writing.

Too bad I can't spend the summer by the gulf writing all day long.

Looking Back Blurb from Wrath of Hades

From Wrath of Hades

She stepped out of the darkness and straight into the middle of the Hellhound meeting, and Raven suddenly found herself surrounded by hundreds of Hellhounds.

The room fell silent. All eyes were on her.

“Wow! I didn’t realize there were so many of you,” she said as she looked around the room. Ethan and the others were standing on the far side of the room. Several huge men with wickedly lethal looking swords stood around them. Guards, obviously guarding the prisoners.

“I knew it! I just knew it! Every bad B movie has really big guys with wicked looking swords,” said Raven. “Now, I just need the evil wizard, and we’ll be all set.”

More men and women stood in small groups throughout the room. Some glanced at the prisoners while others stood with their backs to them. In the front of the room was a very huge man, who Raven figured was Cerberus. Power rolled off of him in waves. Definitely the alpha, thought Raven. The man towered over the others, and Hellhounds were on the tall side anyway.

Everyone was staring at her. Slowly, Raven scanned the room, looking for anything she could use to her advantage. She let her eyes linger a few seconds longer on Ethan than she did anything or anyone else.

He shook his head at her. A really displeased look covered his face.

She shrugged her shoulders and winked.

“How dare you enter this place!” Huge waves of power rolled off of Cerberus, causing all the Hellhounds to cringe. Some even let out painful whimpers.

“Okay, there’s my bad wizard.” Raven felt the power, but it didn’t bother her. It was more like having a pest buzzing around her ear. “Is that all you got? Cause it felt like an annoying mosquito. And you know, you just have to swat them.” Raven smiled at him. She slapped her hands together and twisted them like she was squishing something between them.

Guardian of Atlantis Today ONLY!!!

Guess WHAT!!!
The ebook version of Guardian of Atlantis, book 1 in The Children of Atlantis series, is free today and today only at Amazon. Hurry to get your copy! 
And don't forget to get book 2, Wrath of Hades. 

And tomorrow's Christmas Eve

In a lot of ways, it's hard to believe but tomorrow's Christmas Eve. A lot of people I know are either traveling today or they're going to be traveling tomorrow. If you're in the group that's traveling this year for the holidays, I hope you and your friends and family have a very safe trip. And if your traveling only involves a run to the store for last minute items you need for Christmas--be safe. The roads are filled with traffic and the stores are crowded with lots of holiday shoppers. I had to go to the grocery store earlier this morning and it was already crowded with early morning shoppers. I went early because I was hoping to avoid as much of the crowds as possible, but wasn't quite so lucky.  But at least I was able to get in and get out fairly quickly.

So, no I don't have a Sunday Work In Progress teaser. Wrath of Hades is out in both ebook and paperback. And I've already started working on outlines for several ideas.

Over the next couple of weeks, keep watch on the blog. I plan on adding a page or two that may be of interest. I've also have got to get my website updated. I may take it down temporarily until I get it changed. It's not exactly the way I want it. I'm also thinking about everything that's happened this year and what I want out of the new year.

So for the next few days, have fun, enjoy your friends and family, eat some good food and cool treats, rest, relax, watch some Christmas movies, and listen to some Christmas music. But most of all have a very Merry Christmas!

Wrath of Hades ebook at Amazon

Wrath of Hades, Book 2 in the Children of Atlantis is now on sale for only $2.99 at Amazon for the Kindle.

Wrath of Hades starting to go live

Wrath of Hades is starting to go live.

In a day or so it will be available at

• Amazon in both ebook and paperback
• Barnes and Noble in ebook (paperback will take a little longer)
• Kobo in ebook

Currently you can get it at Smashwords.


I'm excited!!!

Sunday W(ork) I(n) P(rogress) #7

Okay guys, this is the last Work In Progress that's going to happen this year, because the wip I'm working on will be published this week. That's write Wrath of Hades will come out this week. I'm reading through the proof right now trying to catch any last minute errors before I give the final approval and send it to publication.

After Wrath of Hades is out, I'm going to take the rest of December and January to outline several ideas, including book 3 in the Children of Atlantis series.

Here's an excerpt from one of Raven's journals.

I’ve never thought of myself as pretty.

For one, my skin is too pale. I can’t tan, but I burn really well even with sunscreen, and believe me I use a lot of the stuff. My skin is not a good combination in the Texas sun.

And then there’s my black-blue hair. It’s too—too different. I can’t color it. I’ve tried a lot over the years. It just refuses to take the color. I can’t even cut it short either, because I end up looking like a poodle that stuck its paw in an electrical outlet. And I’m so sick of people, teachers especially, accusing me of purposely putting blue dye in my hair just to cause problems.

The only thing I actually like about my features is my eyes. Well, actually the color of my eyes. The blue is so unusual. I’ve never seen anyone with eyes just like mine. Most people think I’m wearing special contacts and I just let them think that. It’s just easier than trying to explain. It’s funny how teachers have no problem with colored contacts, but go nuts over hair color. Like I said, I don’t dye my hair, but what’s wrong with having pink, green, or purple hair? I just don’t understand.

Tuesday Thoughts

You've probably noticed I haven't written many blogs in the past couple of weeks. Definitely not my normal self.

Sorry.

I've been working on Wrath of Hades (Book 2 in the Children of Atlantis series). I finished the revisions and now I'm working on line edits with a new edit partner, and we're on a deadline. The book will be out before Christmas.

I don't know about you, but i can't believe it, but Christmas is almost here. Where has this year gone? The past six months have flown by for me. Publishing two books, promoting them, teaching full-time, writing another book, and all the other daily stuff I do has filled most of my hours. Many nights I've only averaged 4-5 hours of sleep. I know...not good.

Yesterday morning I didn't want to get up. I could hear the wind blowing and there was a chill in the house. I wanted to stay in bed, warm under the covers, but I couldn't. There's two weeks of school still to go before we're out for Christmas break. But a front blew in last night and the temperatures dropped into the 40s(Fahrenheit) / 10s (Celsius). This morning it was just below freezing. I like cold weather, but where I live in Texas, cold weather doesn't stay for very long. By Friday it will feel like spring again. Snow is not a normal winter occurrence for me either. I get envious of people who get snow where they live, but I probably would change my mind if I actually had to deal with it on a daily basis.

I started looking at computers over the weekend. As much as I'm dreading it, I'm going to have to replace my laptop. I've had it for about ten years,and for the most part, it's been a really good one. About a year ago, I almost lost it, but I managed to fix the problem and kept it going . But now it's having problems again. Yelp, I think my Toshiba Satellite is slowly trying to die of old age on me. So what do I want? A laptop? An ultrabook? I'm not sure.
When it comes to features, I want:

• a back lit keyboard,
• a good battery life,
• ability to run the programs like Word and Photoshop,
• around 14 inches in size, and
• at least 3 USB ports.

I'm thinking about staying with a Toshiba. And I have to keep the price in mind and on the low side. Any suggestions?

Sunday W(ork) I(n) P(rogress) Teaser #6

 From Chapter 6 of Wrath of Hades

Raven folded her arms over her chest. “What gives with the Zeus look-a-like?”

Lee shook his head. “Is she always like this?”

“She is in the room. And she wants some answers.” It really irritated Raven when people talked about her like she wasn’t even there.

Professor Snyder sighed. “You two are definitely related. I really should have gotten a cup of coffee before we started this.”

“He and I aren’t family.” Raven raised an eyebrow.

“Afraid so,” said Lee. He leaned against the door. “Your Uncle Zeus is my father.”

“Great! Absolutely! Flipping! Great!” Raven rolled her eyes. “It’s bad enough I’ve had Meritus trying to kill me, but now I’ve got you?” She looked over at the professor. “And you knew about this? I thought you were on my side.”

“I am on your side. That’s why I had Lee come here so that he could teach you self-defense. Who better to teach you than Hercules himself,” said Professor Snyder.

Raven stared at Lee for a few seconds. “You’re Hercules?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Is this some sort of game, where you win our trust and then try to kill me to get Atlantis so that you become daddy’s favorite child?”

Gift Ideas: Some things I like that are $10 or less

We're all looking for good ideas to give our friends whether they are writers or not. So here are ten things that I like.

1. Starbucks gift card ($10) -- You can't go wrong with this. Depending on the drink and the size, the receiver of this gift can get 3 to 4 drinks.
2. Bookstore gift card or a book off the person's Wish List -- I buy a lot of ebooks now, especially from indie authors. I've discovered some really good writers. Ten dollars can get you several ebooks, and you might just discover a new author you like. (Hint! Hint!)
3. Pens -- There are all kinds and colors of pens to choose from. I know, I'm definitely a pen person. I love the different colors and styles, though light blue/turquoise is my favorite.
4. Notebooks/Journals -- Notebooks and journals have come a long way from the Big Chief Tablets. Their bright and colorful and absolutely fun to use. Some writers use them for jotting down thoughts and ideas, while others write their first drafts in them.
5. Variety packs of tea and/or coffee -- You can find a lot of good variety packs of teas and coffees in the grocery stores. Twinings is my favorite brand of teas.
6. Coffee mug -- Ceramic mugs are the best. My favorite mug that I've been using for years is my HP and The Sorcerer's Stone mug. I'm so picky about it, when guests come over, I move it so no one will use it. If it gets broken, I want it to be my fault.
7. Puzzles -- When I need a break to clear my head, I like to put together puzzles, 1000 count or better. If I really like the picture, I glue it together and frame it. I've got several winter scenes waiting for me.
8. Movie theater gift certificates -- This is neat and gives the receiver a chance to get away for a couple of hours.
9. Subway or Schlotzsky's gift card -- I'm very much a sandwich person and this makes a good quick meal (and leftover for lunch the next day) when you're busy or on deadline.
10. Chocolates -- Okay, who doesn't like chocolates? You absolutely can't go wrong with this gift. My favorite is Ferrero Rocher Fine Hazelnut Chocolates and you can get an 18 count box under $10.

Some of My Favorite Christmas movies

We all have favorite movies we like to watch over and over because we enjoy them or because the movies bring back happy memories.

Here are some of my favorite:

• A Christmas Carol ( I like several versions but the one with Patrick Stewart is my favorite.)
• A Christmas Story
• The Santa Clause
• A Miracle on 34th Street
• The Polar Express
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• A Nightmare Before Christmas
• While You Were Sleeping
• You've Got Mail (I know it's not technically a Christmas movie, but it has that huge Christmas scene.)

I know the following aren't movies, but I like them anyway:

• Santa Claus is Coming to Town
• Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Frosty the Snowman

What are some of your favorite Christmas movies?

Cover Alert: Wrath of Hades

Okay, (takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly)...here it is...

Being the Guardian of Atlantis doesn't make life any easier for Raven Weir.

The consequences of her actions haunt her, her unreliable powers put her and everyone around her in danger, and Hades is doing everything he can to destroy Raven's life so he can take back her soul and gain control of Atlantis.


Wrath of Hades will be available around Christmas.

Sunday W(ork) I(n) P(rogress) Teaser #5

 Excerpt from Chapter 6 of Wrath of Hades

“She’s not here.”

“Who?” Raven asked as she turned to look at the person speaking to her. The man was tall, but broad shouldered. His long dark hair was pulled back and tied with a leather cord at the nape of his neck. Raven frowned. He looked familiar.

“Meritus Myers. She’s not here. I’ve checked the building and so have several others.” He flashed a smile at her.

Raven paled. She took a couple of steps away from the man.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

He sounded genuinely concerned but Raven knew better. She knew it was his way of luring people into his trap. She wouldn’t fall for it, not like she almost did last time. “I’m onto your tricks. You may have the rest of them fooled, but not me. I know better. I know exactly who you are.”

The man frowned slightly. “I think you have me mixed up with someone else.”

Raven shook her head. “You’re not fooling me, Zeus. Or should I saw Uncle Zeus.” Raven tried to put some distance between them, but he matched every step she took.

“I’m not Zeus.”

“Right. What game are you trying to pull now?”

And November Ends

It seems like this month just got started, but here we are. It's the last day of November and December is just hours away.

It's been a busy month. A whole lot of people participated in Nanowrimo, and made their goals of 50k words in a month. Congratulations to everyone who participated. I didn't participate because I was in the middle of Wrath of Hades and I didn't want to start anything new. But I did finish the draft and am currently in the middle of rewrites/edits.

I had two really AWESOME book reviews this month! First was Caitlin's review at her blog, The YA Bookworm and then Samantha's review at her blog, The Secret Life of a Bookworm. If you have checked out the reviews or the blogs of these young ladies, you need to do so. Thank you Caitlin and Samantha!!! I know how much time it takes to stop what your doing and read a book.

I was also a guest blogger over at Beckie's blog, Bittersweet Enchantment. I talked about mythology and how I got the idea for Guardian of Atlantis. There is also a book giveaway going on at Beckie's blog. So if you want to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Guardian of Atlantis, you need to hurry over there and enter. The giveaway is only open until December 5.

Guardian of Atlantis is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble in both ebook and paperback. Today, I ventured into Kobo land. The ebook should be live in a day or two. So for those of you who don't have Kindles or Nooks, there is now an epub format you'll be able to buy. So watch the Kobo store.

This month I started the the Sunday W(ork) I(n) P(rogress) feature. And I think it's going really well. No one's told me otherwise. LOL!

Thanksgiving holidays went really smooth. They were just too short, like most holidays are. Now everyone's thinking about Christmas. I'm a little sad this year. It may be my son's last Christmas at home. I'll know more in a couple of weeks.

Onward to December!!!

Sunday W(ork) I(n) P(rogress) Teaser #4

From chapter 2 of Wrath of Hades:

“Now, we’re back to the insignificant human taunt. Personally, it’s not much of an insult. But does your mate know that you think humans are insignificant? And what about all the other humans who are mated to Hellhounds? Aren’t most of the Hellhound kids half human? So what is your issue with humans? Besides I thought you said I wasn’t human.”

Murmurs rose from the gather Hellhounds.

“Make up your mind. It’s one or the other, not both.”

“Enough of your insolence!” roared Cerberus. “How dare you!”

Raven shrugged her shoulders. “Do you think I’m going to treat you any different than I do anyone else? The big mighty Cerberus. Sorry. If Zeus didn’t scare me, you’re not going to scare me either.”