Another of my favorite quotes.



And it is one I find I need to remind myself of sometimes!

Change. Part two. Enjoy. There is a link to part one if you missed it.

Here is part one.

CHANGE

A Short Story

Part Two.

David didn’t resist Nancy pulling him through the forest but he was slow and stumbling. He had never been particularly energetic and the days spent in the forest without food had taken their toll. They followed Nukka and Amka at David’s shambling pace putting as much distance as possible between themselves and the creatures.

They remain in the valley, Nukka said.

What are they? What do they want? Can you tell yet? Nancy replied in mind-talk, not eager for David to hear what she asked. He would want to know the answer and perhaps it was not the time to tell him. Not yet.

They are sprits.

Sprits?

They seek the souls of unguided humans. David would feed them for many years.

Nancy’s horror formed a knot in her throat and she clung to a tree to steady herself. Okay, she thought, he’s a spoilt brat, but does that mean I can let a pack of animals feed off his soul? David threw himself to the ground his breath rasping in his throat. Amka circled above him.

But he’s safe now, right? I mean he has us, we’re guiding him.

If we can get him back to the passing-stones and into your world before they catch us then yes, he will be safe from them.

She dreaded the answer but had to ask, And if not?

Then only his own guide can protect him.

‘But he can’t even see her!’ she hissed out loud.

‘Can’t see who?’ who you talking to, sis?’ David gasped.

Nancy rounded on him. ‘I’ve told you not to call me that. I’m not your ‘sis’. And for your information was talking to Nukka about a pack of sprits, whose only goal in life it seems is to eat your soul, slowly.’

She took guilty pleasure in seeing his baby-blue eyes widen in horror.

‘You’re lying! Right?’

‘No. It seems if we can’t get you back to the passing-stone before they catch up, then your only hope is Amka, who, since you insulted and rejected her, you can no longer see.’

‘But…’

‘Get up and run.’

He did as he was told.

It seemed to Nancy to take forever for them to reach the edge of the forest. In all that time, there had been no sound of pursuit. She looked up to the place at the top of the hill where she had met Nukka that morning. It was close and hope swelled in her. They were going to make it. She grabbed David’s arm as he began to sink into the grass.

‘Oh, no you don’t. Come on run.’

David leaned over and retched. ‘I can’t,’ he gasped, ‘…need to breath, just for a minute.’

Nancy looked about her. The sun shone onto the open hillside. Amka circled in the warm still air above them. Nukka, a few paces ahead, looked back at them. Everything seemed peaceful.

‘Okay, you have ten seconds. Start breathing.’

Before David’s ten seconds were up, Nukka and Amka’s warning exploded in her head. She grabbed David’s arm and tried to yank him to his feet.

David’s breath rasped in his throat. ‘No Nancy, please, you said ten…’

A wild screeching echoed through the forest behind them.

She thumped him, hard. ‘David if you want to hang onto your miserable soul you had better run.’

He looked up at her, his stricken face was purple and slick with sweat. ‘Nancy, I can hear them. They’re coming; you’ve got to help me.’ His eyes were wide with terror.

‘Haven’t I told you? I can’t help you, Nukka can’t help you. Only Amka could have helped you. You have to get to the stone and get home, so run you lump of lard.’

Nancy tugged at his arm, David struggled to his feet but after a few stumbling steps he collapsed again, sobbing. ‘I can’t, Nancy, I can’t. I can’t run anymore.’

Nancy looked back at the forest. Countless small crouching figures crept from the shadow of the trees. Their shapeless bodies seemed to shift and change in the pall of dark smoke which hung about them. They were cautious now, looking up at the sun and back to the sobbing boy as if calculating their chances. Nukka and Amka put themselves between the creeping forms and David, but Nancy could see the sprits had no interest in the guides at all.

‘David if you don’t get up right this second then you are worse than dead. If you won’t do it for me then think of Posy. She’ll be upset, really, really upset, believe me I know.’

Sobbing, David crawled on his hands and knees toward the top of the hill. The sprits, however, saw where he was heading and spread out until they surrounded him; cutting him off from the crossing-stone. Cold swept through Nancy as the sprits closest to Nukka passed through his body as though he was no more solid that smoke.

‘Amka, you have to help.’ she yelled.

Amka landed close by and her voice dropped sharply into Nancy’s head.

I can’t help unless David accepts me; he has to embrace my guidance.

‘How can he? He can’t even see you, you damn stupid…’

‘Amka, Amka help me.’ David’s voice was shrill with fear.

‘Okay, that’s more like it,’ Nancy said. ‘She’s sat right here in front of me. Do you see her?’

The sprits were moving closer as if sensing their moment of victory might be slipping away.

‘David, I asked if you can see her.’

David reached toward the black and white bird. ‘Yes, yes, I see her.’

‘Then for heaven’s sake tell her you need her. If I can Change to go find you then you can admit you were wrong.’

Nancy was barely able to hear the whispered, ‘Amka, you were right and I need your guidance, help me, please.’

Shrieking, the sprits dived toward them, Nancy threw herself over David only to be tipped off him a second later when he swore and pushed her away. The sprits shrieks of triumph were turning into screams of rage as they dissolved in the warm air leaving trails of smoky vapour behind them. Nukka’s triumphant howl filled the hillside. Nancy dropped back onto the grass and flung her arms wide.

‘Damn, David, that was close.’ She sat up and glared at him. ‘Do you realize how close? Can you imagine what it would have been like if I had to go home without you? You have no idea how unbearable your mother has been these past few days. Can I just say, if you are going to be a member of this family you have got to promise you will never, ever disappear again. I don’t think I could stand…’

‘Nancy, get a grip.’ David was still engrossed in Amka, as if seeing her for the first time. Then not even sparing a glance in Nancy’s direction, he got shakily to his feet and tottered up the hill.’

‘Well, you ungrateful…’

‘And don’t ever try to hug me again.’

‘Hug you? Me?’

‘Are you coming or not, because you know, now I have Amka, you’re sort of redundant.’

Nancy gaped at him, ‘This isn’t over by a long chalk, David,’ she yelled after him, ‘you owe me. I saved your life.’

‘Amka saved me, not you.’

Nancy spluttered in disbelieve as she watched David’s retreating back. ‘Only so your mother can kill you when you get home,’ she shouted. Then getting to her feet she muttered, ‘With any luck.’

UNKNOWN. The first book in ‘The Elements Trilogy’ by Melissa Pearl is released today!

Unknown (The Elements Trilogy, #1)
by Melissa Pearl

Darkness is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people have stopped believing in.

Then a star begins to fall.

Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.

Then a star begins to fall.

Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from.

Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.

Available June 13, 2013

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.

"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."

http://www.melissapearlauthor.com

WHERE IS RORY?

It seems Rory has disappeared! At the end of ‘SEEN’ the first book in the Wanderer series, Rory jumped through a portal or some-such thing and now YA Author, Heather Sutherlin cannot find her.

A few author friends are helping in the search but I know Rory can’t possibly be in the city of Moilana in Dragon World. She would never make it through the crossing fires without a dragon to protect her. And as dragon and human are destined to be bonded from birth she would have absolutely no chance of finding one willing to protect her.

Where ever Rory is Heather needs to find her fast; the second book in the Wanderer series is due out on the 25th of June! Good luck, Heather.

Seen

Rory has no idea what’s going on in the woods behind her house, but it’s driving her crazy. On the last day of her senior year she finds herself caught up once again in the curious happenings of the forest and walks away without any of the answers she was hoping to find. To make matters worse, she is sent to visit a sick neighbor and instead finds the hottest guy she’s ever seen. When she discovers his brother’s incredible secret she falls further into her own chaos and into a fate she never could have imagined.

Jaron is just counting the days until the summer is over and he can get back to his real life. Stuck with his little brother on a tiny farm in rural Oklahoma is not exactly his idea of fun. But when Rory shows up on his doorstep with an armload of pie, he knows his summer has just taken a sharp turn into new territory. He never expected the adventure they would discover next or the quest that would change their lives forever.

Available on Amazon Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and iTunes.

The adventure continues this summer in

Wandering

Available June 25th



THE BONDING CRYSTAL part one of the Dragon World series

 THE BONDING CRYSTAL

Robby McRoss carries around a gaping hole. Not one that can be seen or touched, though sometimes he feels perhaps that type of hole would be better. This hole is inside him and is threatening to turn him into less than the wimp his classmates already take him for.

To add to his troubles he has an ugly birth mark that is the cause of many a fight. He uses the term ‘fight’ loosely he realises and is the first to admit he does little more than curl up and wait until the fighting bit is over. Trouble is, it is usually his best friend who sorts it out for him. Not so bad you may think but Abigail is 13, which is a year younger than Robby, she is tiny and looks as though a good puff of wind would blow her away. She is also bossy, self-opinionated and has appointed herself Robby’s guardian angel.

It is not until Robby meets, Frenzel, his dragon, that the empty place begins to heal. However to keep Frenzel he must prove himself worthy. Abigail has serious doubts about the whole thing and no intention of letting Robby go off alone. She insists on going with them when Frenzel takes Robby to Dragon World.

Things get worse when Robby discovers that someone is planning to destroy this new world and its inhabitants and everything he is learning to love. He and Frenzel have to stop them and while doing so Robby discovers the ‘Empty Place’ has finally healed. This leaves Abigail free to discover that life need not always mean managing someone else’s.

The BONDING CRYSTAL is the first in the Dragon World series and is available as an ebook at Amazon, iBook, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and most large book sellers.

CHANGE. This is the first part of a short story I wrote some time ago now. The second part will be published next Sunday - 16 June. I hope you enjoy.

CHANGE

A Short story

Part one

Her stepmother’s sobs drifted up the stairs and Nancy could hear her father’s soothing voice as he tried to comfort her. Nancy closed the bedroom door. It shut out the sounds of grief but not the feelings of guilt. Dropping onto the stool she stared in the dressing table mirror and began a one sided conversation with her reflection.

‘You warned him. You told him not to follow you. Told him he didn’t know what he was doing, but oh no, as usual, David knew best. It’s no one’s fault but his own that he’s stuck on Between-World.’

Picking up the hairbrush she swept it through her black hair, carefully avoiding looking into her dark eyes. They were too much like her father’s only his had become so sad these past few days. She slammed the brush down.

‘Damn David. Why can’t dad see we’d be better off without him? Perhaps now he’s gone she’ll go too and things will get back to normal. We don’t need her, she’s useless, even her name’s useless; Posy, what kind of a name’s that?’

She threw herself on to the bed. By the time her father came in her guilt was receding again. She sat up and switched on her beside lamp. The subdued light accentuated the shadows under his cheekbones and sunken eyes. He took hold of her hand. ‘Are you alright Nance?’

She shrugged.

He pulled her to him as he had when she was small, and she allowed him to cuddle her. ‘Thank God you’re safe. Poor, Posy. I feel so helpless. I would do anything to bring David home again. Anything at all.’

‘You want him back that much?’

The words slipped out before she could stop them. She bit her lip. Her father took hold of her arms easing her away from him to look into her face. ‘Nancy, how can you ask that? He’s your brother.’

Her anger, which was always close to the surface these days, boiled over. ‘I don’t have a brother.’

‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this. David is part of this family now and, yes, I want him home.’

She hung her head and fought to control the tears. Her father pulled her to him and stroked her hair. ‘It’s okay, sweetheart. Deep down I know you love him as much as Posy and I do.’

Nancy was torn between guilt and incredulity. Guilt won. ‘Dad, there’s something I…’

‘John, John, where are you?’

Her stepmother’s voice filled the house. Nancy gritted her teeth.

‘Get some sleep, honey. I’ll see you in the morning.’ The door closed behind him.

She pushed her fists into her temples then smacked them down onto the bed, ‘Damn it. I’m going to have to go bring him back.’

When Nancy was sure both her father and Posy were asleep she slid, fully clothed out of bed and sat cross-legged on the floor. Placing a small flat stone in front of her she rested her hand on it. Closing her eyes, she brought the image of her guide, Nukka, into her mind. A familiar ripple disturbed the air as a cool breeze swept over her cheek. She opened her eyes and looked straight into the blue-grey eyes of a wolf. Her heart gave a lurch of pleasure.

‘Nukka.’

She stood and stepped off the crossing stone then bowed formally to Nukka .She felt the warm musical notes of his voice in her head.

Greetings, Nancy. I have been expecting you.

She was surprised; in all the time she had been coming to Between-World, Nukka had never said he had been waiting for her.

‘You have? Why?’ though as always Nukka had spoken directly into her mind, Nancy used her voice whenever she could; it was less tiring.

Your littermate is lost, he needs you.

Was that a note of rebuke she felt? ‘He is not my… my brother. What’s more it’s his own fault he’s lost. He shouldn’t have followed me. Then, to cap it all, when he did get here he rejected his guide and went off on his own.’

He’s a member of your pack and he’s in need. You have to help him, isn’t that why you’re here?

Nancy pushed down her annoyance. No good being angry with Nukka, he’s bound to know my reasons for being here, he’s my guide. She sighed, ‘Yes, that’s why I’m here.’ She dusted off the seat of her jeans and looked around. As always when she arrived, it was early morning. They stood near the top of a hill. The forest spread below and around them as if they were on an island in a sea of green. ‘Where do we start, Nukka?’

He is in the forest to the north of here. Amka is watching him from a distance but as he has rejected her she cannot help him.

‘The stupid… Oh, okay, lead on, let’s get this over with.’

Nukka lead the way down the hill and into the forest. Progress was slow, the path was broken and dangerous but Nukka led her into places her human feet were able to tread safely. She knew he was concerned. Unwilling to speak out loud for fear of being overheard she mind-spoke, What’s worrying you?

Amka tells me there is something approaching them. Something that is stalking David. She is afraid for him

Nancy felt her heart lurch. Stalking him? What’s stalking him?

Her mind holds no clear picture of what it is. She is asking us to hurry.

Nancy swallowed. By hurry you mean…?

He looked back at her. It is the only safe way. You must Change.’

She swallowed again. Right.

Damn and double damn David. I swore I would never Change after that first time, and now because of him…

Nukka’s impatience interrupted her. Decide.

‘Okay, okay, let’s do it,’ she said aloud.

Nukka came to stand in front of her. Remember what I taught you. Reach out with your mind, touch my spirit, let it become one with your own, and don’t fight the Change.

Nancy clenched her fists and screwed up her face. She reached out as Nukka instructed her and the world about her changed. She felt her humanity slipping away. She forced herself to stay calm; to allow it to go. Just for a while, she told herself. Just until we find David. The sound of the wind carried voices. The breeze brought with it the scent of friend and foe. The feel of the earth under her four paws delivered to her the movement of the creatures of the forest. She opened her eyes and experimentally flexed muscles she had not had moments before.

Now, follow, she heard in her mind and Nukka streaked past her.

The ground blurred beneath her feet. Trees whipped past. She leapt fallen trunks and deep ravines following Nukka’s speeding form. The thrill of her speed and sure footedness coursed through her. The smell and sounds of the forest excited her and seemed to be begging her to investigate. Why have I denied myself the pleasure of this wolf form for so long, she wondered?

Fear. Nukka’s voice sprang into her mind, their link stronger now her nature was that of a wolf.

Yes, fear she agreed. Not wanting change. Not wanting to move from what was familiar and safe to what was different and unknown. Just like at home, she thought with a sudden pang.

All too soon Nukka slowed to a walk, then stopped and crouched to the forest floor.

We are here. Amka is waiting, he said.

Nancy focused her mind on her father and his love for her and hers for him. Again it seemed that the change taking place was of the world around her not of her. With a pang of loss she felt her connection to Nukka lessen as she returned to her human form.

When she opened her eyes Nukka said, Are you well?

‘Yes. I’m fine.’ She smiled then said, ‘Where’s Amka?’

Nukka looked up and a magpie flew down to join them. Her black and white plumage shone in startling contrast to the browns and greens of the forest. Nancy nodded her respect. The magpie’s light crisp voice cut into her thoughts and she winced at its strangeness.

David is in the valley just north of here. You must persuade him to come away now. He still refuses to see me, refuses to hear me.

She finished speaking and flew north. Nukka trotted after her. Nancy trudged along behind feeling clumsy now she was back on two legs. The valley was a hundred yards or so away and was no more than a deep, but gently sloping ravine. Brambles and small bushes grew on its sides and a thin trickle of water fought its way along the bottom. David sat on a boulder close to the water. He was picking something from the palm of his hand and pushing it into his mouth.

‘You had better stay here, Nancy whispered to Nukka. Amka too. It might be best if I go down alone.’

She was halfway down the slope before David spun around.

‘You! What do you want?’

At twelve, David was two years younger than Nancy yet he was both bigger and stronger. She had often consoled herself that at least no-one would mistake them for brother and sister. He was large, round and pink, she slight and dark. Blue eyes were glaring at her defiantly, but as she moved closer she could see tear stains on his cheeks.

‘I’m taking you home,’ she said.

David stood up and threw the remaining berries at her feet. ‘I don’t need you to take me home. I can look after myself. Besides you’ve made it obvious you don’t want me around so why pretend you do?’

Nancy felt the heat rise in her face. ‘Listen to me you little…’ She took a breath and tried again, ‘Amka says…’

‘Amka? You still going on about that stupid bird? I told you I don’t want no useless guide. I bet you’ve got Nukka up there watching out for you. Frightened you’ll get lost without him or something?’

‘Yes, as a matter of…’ with a sudden flash of insight Nancy realized what this was about. ‘This is because you don’t think she’s good enough for you isn’t it? Because Nukka is in the form of a wolf you think Amka is inferior in some way.’

‘Don’t be thick. I told you I don’t need no guide. I’m okay on my own.’

‘Oh yeah? Well how come you haven’t been home? How come Posy is crying her eyes out and dad is worried sick about you? You’re right, I don’t want you around, but for some reason they do and they are driving me mad.’

‘I’ll come back when I’m ready.’

Nancy held her arms out from her sides and spun around taking in their surroundings. ‘David, look about you, this isn’t Waverly Wood you know. It’s not just a case of wandering until you get to the edge then yelling for your mammy. There are all kinds of…’

Nancy heard Nukka's silent warning. She ducked and a rock sailed over her head.

‘Get lost. I’ve told you I don’t want no help.’

Nancy stood up and turned to face him barely resisting the urge to do exactly as he asked. ‘Amka says something is coming that is dangerous to you. She says you have to leave here. Now. Unless of course you’re expecting to drive them off by throwing stones.’

At last she saw a flicker of concern in his eyes. ‘What ‘something’ is coming?’

‘It’s too far away for Nukka to know what it is and Amka isn’t able to explain, but she’s in a terrible state.’

‘She’s here?’

‘She hasn’t ever left you. She’s with Nukka at the top of the bank. Will you at least go up to them?’

David’s eyes swept the ravine and he nodded.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Nancy led the way back up the slope. Nukka and Amka were waiting for them. Amka was flitting from branch to branch in her agitation.

‘Where is it?’ David asked.

‘Where’s what?’

‘The bird.’

‘She’s right there,’ said Nancy puzzled, pointing to Amka. David’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. ‘You’re lying, there is no bird.’

‘But…’

The magpie’s voice cut into her head again. He can’t see me he has rejected me. Lead him away from this place, quickly.

‘Amka says we have to go.’

‘There is no Amka, you’re lying. You’re trying to trick me.’

‘For heaven’s sake, David, why would I do that?’

Nukka crouched low to the ground, baring his teeth, blue-grey eyes were glaring at David and a growl rumbling in his throat. David backed away.

‘He’s telling you to run, David, now. Come on.’

From below them came wild screeches and the sound of twigs snapping and stones being overturned. David spun around. Nancy realized that whatever was after David was in the valley they had just left. She grabbed David’s arm and dragged him through the trees.

 

Meet Liz Long - YA Author

About the Author:

Liz Long is lucky enough to have a dream career in magazine publishing as an editor and writer, yet still have time to create adventures on the side. If you catch her staring off into space or talking to herself, don’t worry – it’s just her imagination at work.

Liz graduated from Longwood University with a BA in English, though her professors might be disappointed to hear she reads more fantasy fiction than literary novels. She also loves action and thriller genres. This book probably won’t change your life, but she hopes it steals you away from reality for a while. 

Her newest release, Witch Hearts, will be for sale on Amazon on April 30th. Her first book, Gifted, a Donovan Circus Novel, is also available for paperback and Kindle on Amazon.

To learn more about Liz, visit her website: http://lizclong.com

Author Links:

Website: http://lizclong.com

Twitter: (Handle: @LizCLong) https://twitter.com/#!/LizCLong

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lizclongauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LizLong

WITCH HEARTS Links:

Amazon (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CIKKEV0

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17616067-witch-hearts

GIFTED  Links:

Amazon (ebook): http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Donovan-Circus-Novel-ebook/dp/B007VT34J2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1336675611&sr=8-2

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13601567-gifted

GIFTED BACK COVER SYNOPSIS

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift.

Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself.

When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world.

WITCH HEARTS BACK COVER SYNOPSIS

How does a witch stay safe if a killer can get through her protection spells?

Witches like Ruby and Courtney can take care of themselves. So when Courtney is murdered, Ruby’s world crashes to a halt. The only thing keeping her grounded is the return of Courtney’s brother, Cooper. He seeks revenge, but Ruby wants to help other witches stay alive. To do that, she’ll have to reunite with her old coven’s High Priest, who also happens to be her cheating ex-boyfriend.

If that wasn’t awkward enough, when the killer gets too close, Cooper temporarily moves into Ruby’s place while a police officer tails her every move. Cooper’s presence distracts Ruby as they fight their desire against their need to stay safe. Then Courtney begins to haunt Ruby’s dreams and secrets are spilled, things from Cooper’s past that could get them both killed. The killer continues to stalk Ruby and the more she discovers, the more she fears she won’t be able to keep her heart in her chest.

WITCH HEARTS Special Excerpt

Cooper and Ruby hopped on his bike and drove back to her place. She even managed to peek out from beneath her helmet to see the city whip past her in a blur. When they finally came to a stop, she untangled herself from him – albeit a tad regretful about it – and handed him back the helmet.

“Thanks again for everything tonight. I know it wasn’t the most fun you could have, but I want everyone to be safe,” she said.

“I understand. I’m glad I went, too. I don’t want anyone else in danger. Plus, you’re good company.” He stood up as he said it, hooking the helmets on his bike.

“You don’t have walk me in or anything. I don’t want to keep you any longer than you need.”

He snorted. “You’re not keeping me from anything. I want to do it, but especially because I want to make sure you’re safe.”

Ruby bit her bottom lip. Her nerves fluttered a bit at the thought of a possible goodnight kiss. She could hardly believe how immature she sounded in her head.

It’s your best friend’s brother. This is Cooper we’re talking about, a voice in her head screamed at her.

Another voice spoke up. Yeah. It’s Cooper. And your thoughts about him have never been exactly brotherly.

Shaking both voices away, she swiped her key fob by the entrance door and Cooper held it open for her. They took the stairs up to the second floor and walked around the corner to her apartment. Ruby stopped as soon as she saw her door.

“Something’s wrong,” she said.

“What? How can you tell?” He looked up and down the hallway.

“There was a barrier when I left. Remember I checked, put my hand on the door when we left? My spell was in place.”

“There was a soft glow on the door,” he said absentmindedly, as though remembering. His eyes narrowed and Ruby could see his veins throb in his neck as his jaw tightened.

“Only witches would be able to see it, but it’s not there.” Ruby took a few steps forward, placing her hand on the door, which was now simply cool and wooden. She retrieved her key and turned the lock, but Cooper stopped her.

“I’ll go in first.”

He swung the door wide open; he held his hands up in case of a fight or a spell, but silence greeted them. Cooper did a quick sweep of the apartment while Ruby waited in the entryway. He returned with Aziza in one arm and a letter in his hand.

“This was on your coffee table,” he said grimly. “Aziza was hiding behind the couch. She hissed until she realized it was me.”

Ruby took the note from him. As she opened it, Cooper stood beside her to read over her shoulder.

“Not all witches are equal. Some are born with extraordinary gifts; anyone can practice, but few are truly powerful. You are one of the lucky ones, Ruby. I apologize about your friend Courtney. She was powerful, but nowhere near your capabilities. I’m afraid that in order for my powers to thrive, yours must come to an end. I’ll be seeing you very soon. –X”

Q&A:

1) What is your all-time favorite book and why?

I think that would have to be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. To me, it's the first book in that series that really shows emotional angst for Harry between being a teenager, dating your first crush, and of course, being hunted by Lord Voldemort. We get to see our characters developing into real wizards with the DA (like Neville growing into being a badass), plus the introduction of accepting those deemed a little strange, like Luna Lovegood. We feel our first real loss with a major character as well as the real danger now that dark wizards are out in the open by the end. It's a full scale of emotions and really sort of sets the rest of the stage for the series, IMO.

2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why?

Oh gosh, it's probably still a little early in the game for me to presume I can be compared to another author. BookBub compared my Donovan Circus book to the Hunger Games, with a female character destined to discover who she is and stand up for her world. I'm sure my circus folks could hang with any X-Men character, while my characters from WITCH HEARTS would get along well with the Halliwell sisters from Charmed or Sookie Stackhouse and her friends.

3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

One of my favorite lines is one Lucy says in the first chapter when explaining why she’s rejoining the Donovan Circus:

“I wanted to be normal amongst the freaks.”

Family and a sense of belonging are heavy themes in my first book and this line sums Lucy up perfectly. Lucy has never been “normal” anywhere in the human world. She thinks – hopes, really – that she can find her place in the gifted world in the circus she used to know. She’s been a loner her whole life because of her gift and now that there’s an opportunity to be a part of something, she’s happy to include herself in the strange gaggle that is the Donovan gang.

4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?

I listen to a lot of soundtracks, especially movie scores, like Avengers, Sherlock Holmes, and anything else that contains some action type of music. Honestly, nothing has been more motivating for me lately than to hear a reader I've never met before tell me how much they loved my work and can't wait for another book to read. It's such an amazing feeling to affect someone's book list and I'm honored to be a part of it. It's a total kick in the butt to know people are eagerly anticipating another title and makes me want to write that much faster.

5) Describe your typical writing day or week.

I work full time, so I write when I can in my spare time. Often my husband will go to the gym for a couple hours after work, so I take advantage and try to crank out a few hundred words. I also give him lots of time to play video games or watch NBA so I can sit on the couch with him and write. And of course, the weekends contain my biggest chunks of writing time, so there's nothing I like better than a rainy Sunday with coffee and my laptop.

6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you're writing?

I love Skittles to snack on during the process, though my teeth beg me to stop. I'm also never opposed to a fresh new 20 oz. Diet Coke within reach, but that's only once a week at most. The rest of the time it's H2O!

7) Can you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?

I am currently working on the second book in the Donovan Circus series. Next up is an NA fantasy novel with a unique twist on Reapers.