The Adventure of How My WIP Series Developed

For those that don't know, I'm in the process of creating a planned 5-Book series. There may be some side novels released at some point within the same world. This series will cover two generations.

I'm querying the first book, KONADAI, now. Book 2 is in the drafting phase.

Book 3, IMMUNITY HUNTER, was completed last year. The plan then was to publish it in a trilogy. But as writers, we know plans sometimes fail. After 130+ rejections, failed mentorship contest entries, and editors telling me the plot will never work without a full rewrite, I decided to put it aside. This blog post is about how IMMUNITY HUNTER came to be.

Back in 2007, I became obsessed with Naruto and other anime such as Inuyasha and Bleach. Before then I was watching DBZ, Gundam, and others. I was also playing Final Fantasy. Around 2008 I lost my soul to Naruto and all things anime, zombies, amateur filmmaking, and teen slasher films. It was then that my brother and I decided to write a Naruto fanfic.

There was no plot! Like most fanfic (sorry, not sorry). At some point, we changed the names and I created a magic system based on the skills each original character had. But still, there was no plot. Just teens being teens. We came up with the title BREAK. Why? Because a lot of things break in the story. Broken hearts, broken trust, broken bones. Seemed fitting.

My brother got bored and moved on to other things like skateboarding and rock bands. But I didn't. I came up with an actual plot...or idea. Around this time, Left 4 Dead was released and again, I lost my soul to this game. Now I knew what I wanted to write: Teens fighting zombies with magic!

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Whoever heard of mixing zombies with magic! Well, I didn't. So yeah. Good plan. I called them Konadai. I have no idea why. I think I was trying to come up with something that sounded Japanese? Who knows.

I discovered Daz3D and rendered the characters and some scenes. Again, these were based on Naruto characters so I improvised a bit. Some people caught on but didn't care. It's not like I was stealing the characters, right? Right. Of course not. It was MY creation. Heh... I even included a subtitle, BREAK: WELCOME TO CAARA ISLAND. Talk about cool! By the way, Caara came from Gaara...don't ask.

As I created the characters in their 3D world, I posted each chapter on fictionpress.com and gained a nice following. People actually liked what I was writing. But I wasn't satisfied. My real goal was to turn my novel into a manga. I honestly thought I could create an American manga. Silly me. I had no idea how to write a comic script so I set out to find an artist who would actually read my prose and create panels from it. Didn't work for obvious reasons. But that didn't stop my dream of publishing my very own manga! I mean how hard could it be? Hire an artist, send it to Dark Horse, see my new manga in Barnes & Noble. Hahahaha I was so stupid!

I wrote 29 chapters (no structure or ending in sight) before my hard drive crashed. EVERYTHING I EVER CREATED WAS GONE!!!! Well, all except the 29 chapters I posted online. I downloaded what was left but my motivation disappeared with the hard drive.

A few years later, I tried again. I figured maybe I could give each main character their own section in my manga (still holding on to that dream). But I was broke and couldn't find anything to team up with for free. But I still have the novel so not all was lost...expect my motivation again. It took me 9 years to finally decide to finish the damn thing.

In 2017, it took me 3 months to change everything from 3rd person to 1st person. I ended up with SIX POVs by the time I was done. I figured I needed to end it on a cliffhanger if I was going to publish the thing. I was already over 90,000 words and I still had a lot of story to tell plus a lot more characters to introduce.

I was excited. I was going to publish my first book. HAHAHA NO! Publishing sucks and I was slapped in the face with reality! I can't publish a 6-pov novel with no plot (but but but it had a plot!) I tried everything to get this thing into the hands of an agent but each one tore me down further.

After my defeat in Pitchwars which left me on the edge of suicide, I decided it was time to give up But my writing friends wouldn't let me. They suggested I write a prequel. After bouncing some ideas around I came up with the plot and found my excitement again.

IMMUNITY HUNTER will always be my first love, but as a writer there comes a time when you have to let go. I was told by everyone to "write something else." Well, I had nothing else to write. But thanks to my writing friends, they showed me that I didn't need to abandon Caara Island, I just needed to focus on another set of characters and the story they needed to tell.

Hopefully, I'll get to share this world I created with everyone else. Maybe you'll love it as much as I do.

Angelica Of Death

He wanted to taste me.

The words flashed in my mind as I walked through the deserted parking garage. My footsteps echoed on the concrete. My new date asked me to wear a very specific outfit: red high heels, a knee-length black dress, and black pantyhose. It was clear this guy was a fetish freak. A chill ran down my spine at the thought of what he was planning to do to me.

I met him on a dating application I frequent called "Hotness". It was created as a teen meet and greet site, but a bunch of weird old guys joined to hook up with teenagers.

Then a bunch of young girls went missing. The most recent victim was Jamie Anderson, my best friend. The police didn't find any clues to her disappearance. When her naked body showed up in a dumpster, I knew it was time someone did something.

My date tonight calls himself "guy4u83". Assuming "83" is his birth year, he might be the guy I'm looking for. Jamie mentioned an older guy in his thirties. So far I've come across three and none of them seemed like her killer.

I walked to the metal door with "P2" painted in red letters. That was the spot he said to meet. Mister "guy4u83" had creepy murderer written all over him. No sane person would seek out a seventeen-year-old, tell her to dress in red heels, and meet in a parking garage after dark. If he was planning to do something to me, I was ready. I had a stun gun hidden under my dress attached to my thigh with a garter belt.

Minutes passed before footsteps approached. I turned around to spot my date. He was tall with short dark hair. A smile stretched across his handsome face. I stood up with my head held high clutching my purse to my side. No sign of fear showed.

"Hey, are you Angel?"

I managed to crack a smile even though disgust took over. "Yes, I am. You must be--"

"Call me Craig." He extended his hand.

I grabbed it and he pulled me in close. Craig ran his hand through my hair with one arm wrapped around my waist.

"You smell nice," he said with his nose buried in my locks. "I love your strawberry red hair."

I tried to pull away but his tightened his grip.

"I want to taste you," he whispered. His hot breath sent shivers down my spine. His hand crept up my leg.

I pushed it away. "Not here," I said in as sweet of voice as I could muster.

Craig grabbed my wrist and pushed me against the wall. "Why not? No one will find us here."

He pressed against me burying his face in my neck. The stench of his cheap cologne burned my nose.

"Let's play, Angel," he said.

I reached under my skirt and removed the stun gun. "Okay, we can play."

The bastard didn't know what hit him. He dropped to his knees crying in agony. Once I removed the stun gun from his side, he fell back. I kicked him in the side on the head to knock him unconscious.

He was too heavy for me to drag to my car, so I had to do the interrogation in a dark corner. Using his belt and shoelaces, I tied Craig's hands to a rusted pipe. As soon as I was confident in my knot tying skills, I slapped his face a few times to wake him up.

"Hey, Craig, wake up."

His eyes opened a bit then closed again. He let out a deep groan.

"Do you know Jamie Anderson?" I asked in a calm voice.

He opened his eyes once more and pulled at his restraints. I double checked my knots to make sure he wouldn't get loose.

"Focus. Did you meet Jamie? Dark hair, green eyes..."

Craig focused his attention on me. To my surprise, he smiled. "So you like a little bondage don't ya?"

The words sent a chill down my spine. It took every ounce of me not to slice his throat after that remark. But I needed information so the pervert got to live a little bit longer.

"Answer the question. Do you know--"

"Jamie?" He asked with his head cocked to the side. Then he smiled again. "Oh, the sweet little thing that was found in an alley? She sure looked nice in her profile. That long dark hair and adorable smile. I wanted to make her mine. So young and tender."

I backhanded him fighting back tears. He laughed.

"Did I say something wrong, sweetheart?"

I didn't give him the pleasure of answering. He was a creep but he didn't kill Jamie. Still, Mr. "guy4u83" couldn't live to torment another girl. I pulled out a small knife from my purse. Kneeling in front of Craig, I held the knife in front of his face.

"I wanna play with you," I said with a grin.

His eyes widened as the short blade entered his neck. Gargling noises bubbled up out of his mouth with each shallow breath. The cut was small but deep. It was a slow, painful death. One a predator like him deserved.

"Goodbye, Craig. It was a pleasure meeting you." The words flowed out of me although I was freaking out inside.

He was my fourth kill since I went searching for Jamie's killer. The serial killer documentaries always said each kill got easier. When was the easy part supposed to kick in? I couldn't stop with the cheap cologne guy, though. I promised myself I would find the man that took my friend from me.

I stood up, slid the knife and stun gun into my purse, and headed for my car. A lump grew in my throat. I killed a man. No. He deserved it. They all deserved it. I had to clear my head. A deep breath in washed away the sight of his blood. A deep breath out cleared the smell of his cologne.

Determination drove me toward my goal. Besides, I was saving other girls my age better than the cops. I was basically Bat Woman. Or the Angel of death. That sounded better. Angelica Knowles, Angel of Death. I smiled to myself as I walked out of the moldy parking garage onto the dark, lonely streets of downtown.

Jeiku Okamimuto - Sinister Squad

“They’re more showing up. There’s no way we’re going out this door.” Nevin braces himself against the door. He waves for me to come over to help him hold it closed.

“Whose idea was it to go inside this damn hospital anyway?” I ask, knowing it was either this hospital or risk getting killed. I pick up a large board and slide it in between to handles of the doors.

Nevin slides two thick metal bars through the handles of the door before he steps away. “Did we have a choice?” He points to the girl that called out to us moments ago. “Besides, she didn’t have to help us.”

The girl walks over to us. “You’re right. I didn’t have to help you. I could’ve just watched you idiots get eaten alive but instead, I became the idiot and helped you.”

Nevin smiles nervously and scratches the back of his head. “Sorry, we didn’t mean to cause any harm…right, Jeiku?” He looks over at me as if he’s asking for me to help. I’m too busy staring at the vending machine in the corner. I look up and give a quick smile before running over to the busted machine. I wonder if it still works. I give it a few hard kicks then shove it a bit. Two canned drinks roll out of the opening. I pick them up and rush over the Nevin with a huge grin on my face.

“Check it out, free drinks,” I say throwing one to Nevin.

Nevin looks at the can and frowns. Sure, these things may be seventy-five years old, but soda doesn’t really spoil—at least that’s what I’ve been told. The label is rubbed off and rusted from sitting in a busted machine for years. Nevin frowns again as he struggles to open the rusted top.

He looks over at me discouraged. “I can’t even open this thing.”

“Ha, it would be easy if you had nails like mine.” I raise my hand up dig my long nails into the side of the can. Green liquid pours out and spills to the floor.

I can see Nevin watching in horror out the corner of my eye as I hold the can above my head allowing the remaining soda to flow into my mouth.

“Umm is it supposed to look like that?”

I wipe my mouth and smile. “I don’t know but it sure did hit the spot. I was nearly dying of thirst after all that running.”

The pink haired girl clears her throat. Nevin and I turn to see her standing in front of us with her arms crossed. “If you guys are done fooling around, we need to find another way out of this hospital.”

I stare at her outfit. Her gray tank top clings tight to her small frame. She wears her black tactical jacket around her waist, her matching pants hugging her body all the way to her dark gray combat boots. She has fire in her eyes, actual fire. She’s a Pyro Dancer, like Dante. They practice mahou embracing the fire element. The flame reflection in her eyes must be a family trait.

I can’t seem to take my eyes away from her. “Umm, wha-what’s your name?”

I sound like a dumbass. Two of the three guys sitting across the waiting room burst out in laughter. Nevin joins in as well but quickly shuts up after I glare at him. The girl looks at me as if I’m a foreign object. “My name is Hikari. I am a member of Squad 23.” Her words flow out of her mouth as if she’s addressing an officer.

“Well Hikari, I’m Jeiku.” I extend my hand, but she ignores it.

“Okay, Jeiku, it seems you’ve overcome your stuttering. Now can we get moving? I really think we should clear this place so we can get out of here,” she says turning away from me.

“I agree with Hikari,” one of the guys says. “By the way, I’m Zach. But don’t get too comfortable, you’re only here because Hikari got soft. David wanted to leave you fools outside.”

Nevin and I look at one another. These guys don’t seem to be the friendliest or helpful like other squads.

“Okay, let’s split up,” Hikari says. “I’ll take David and the wolf boy; the blonde kid can go with Zach and Akairo.”

Split up? That’s a stupid idea, but the faster we get through this hospital, the faster we can get out of here.

“Whatever, Hikari. Make sure you get your pretty ass to our regrouping spot in three hours,” Zach says. “We aren’t allowed to leave without you.” He winks at Hikari. She responds by throwing up her middle finger.

This should be interesting.

Nevin Rockiest - Personal Training

I drive her to my house, my yard is huge and surrounded by a privacy fence. No one should bother us. I scan the backyard mapping the layout in my mind. My house sits behind me and two large oak trees stand in either corner of the lot close to the fence behind Ashley. There’s nothing in between us that will get in the way in case I have to run from her—I don’t plan on running from her but that crazed look she’s giving me is freaking me out.

We don’t worry about changing out of our academy uniforms. This will be a quick sparring round.

“Are you ready?” Ashley asks with a sinister grin on her face like she’s going to enjoy attacking me. She stands with her hand held out like she’s about to blast me.

“Of course I’m ready. It’s not like you can actually hit—”

A wave of energy hits me right in the chest. The momentum sends me flying back a few feet landing on my back. My vision blurs and all I see is the cloudy sky.

“Nevin, are you okay?”

“I wasn’t ready!” I call out trying to figure out how to stand.

“Stop kidding around,” she snaps. Her royal blue eyebrows squint together. “If you’re going to prove that you belong on the sweep team, then you need to be serious.”

She’s right, as always. Still, why did she hit me? I didn’t know we’re supposed to actually hit each other. I stand up and conjure my lightning sword. The light-blue electricity crackles and swirls around my hand forming a blade. I move my left foot behind me, ready for another attack.

“Now I’m ready.”

Ashley grins. She holds out her hand and shoots a wave of energy. I watch the dust trail toward me. It’s an easy dodge. I rush her. She shoots another blast at me, this time higher from the ground, followed by a second shot. I fall forward allowing both waves to fly over me and then I roll over onto my back jumping to my feet.

“Not bad,” she says clapping her hands in approval. “Now try to attack me.”

I relax, letting down my guard. “You can’t handle my lightning.”

“Ha! Just try me.” She smirks.

I rush toward her with my glowing sword to my side. She doesn’t flinch. I swing at her, not planning to hit her or anything, but she side-steps and punches me in the ribs full force. The blow knocks the wind out of me, sending me to one knee.

“W-What was that for?” I moan rubbing my bruised ribs.

Ashley let’s out a loud sigh rolling her eyes. “Nevin, I told you to take this seriously. Now attack me!”

Fine, if she wants to do this for real then we can. I shake off the raging pain in my side and stand up. I swing at her and she dodges again. My left elbow connects with her nose. As she stumbles back, I kneel and sweep my leg into hers knocking her to the ground.

“Not bad, right?” I say standing over my adorable girlfriend. I dismiss my sword, silencing the buzzing sound while extending my other hand to help her up.

She smiles as she grabs my hand, but then she yanks me down and rolls on top of me.

“Not bad at all, but you’re holding back. You’re going to get yourself killed.” She wipes a drop of blood from her nose using my shirt. My white shirt!

What is she talking about? Of course I’m holding back, I don’t want to hurt her. Does she want me to hurt her? I push her off my chest and scramble to my feet conjuring my sword once again. Before she can stand, I swing at her but she rolls away. Blue electricity explodes as my sword hits the ground.

I chase her and attack again. She blocks my hit with her metal wristband. The electricity buzzes as it crawls up her arm. Her pain-filled cries pierce my ears. I pull away and push her to the soft grass with my foot. Standing over her, I aim my sword at her face daring her to try to get up.

“So how was that?” I ask, dismissing my sword. A large smile comes across my face. “Wanna go again?”

“That was better,” she says, lying as flat as possible in the grass. “I think I had enough for one day.”

She stands up and brushes the dirt from her uniform skirt.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, trust me. You did great, sweetie.” She kisses me on the cheek.

“Are you sure? I can go get some ice or something.”

I really didn’t mean to hurt her, but she wanted me to, I think. Ashley rubs her arm where I shocked her. Tiny hairs stand up from the base of her skin. She then looks over toward my house.

“No, I’m fine, but I should get cleaned up before I head home. I don’t want to be questioned why I’m covered in blood and grass stains.”

I lead her inside the sliding door into the kitchen. She grabs a rag from the sink and dusts off her uniform as much as possible. In hindsight, sparring in our white uniforms probably wasn’t the best idea.

I head to the downstairs bathroom and grab some gauze for her nose along with Lightning Rob ointment. The box says it’s supposed to take away minor effects of getting shocked by someone like me. Good thing I held back, the electricity could’ve burned her.

“Thanks,” she says as she grabs from gauze and ointment. She kisses me on the cheek again as a reward.

“Do you think I have a chance with the sweep squad?” I ask.

She looks at me with her adorable blue eyes. Then her smile fades.

“Nevin, why do you want to risk your life so much?”

I scratch my head. The thought hasn’t crossed my mind. “This isn’t about risking my life. It’s about being someone and proving I’m not a loser.”

“Oh babe, you’re not a loser. I…I just don’t want to lose you. This is big for both of us.”

I wrap my arms around her and hold her to my chest. Her heart beats against mine. She looks up at me and kisses me on the lips. The warmth of her body melts my soul. At this moment, I actually believe I’m not such much of a loser. Then she pulls away and walks toward the sliding door.

“I should go. I’m sure my father is wondering where I am.”

Before I can say a word, Ashley blows a kiss my way and exits the door. This is why I love her, she’s one of the only people that care if I live or die. Well, I’m sure my friends care but I’m not feeling their warmth, no way!

All there’s left to do now is wait to hear back from Dante, or I could contact him myself. Forget it. I’ll go put some ice on my ribs.

Review: Thump: The First Bundred Days

Thump: The First Bundred Days by Timothy Lim
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Say what you will, but this book is cute. I even got the lady at Barnes & Noble to look at a few pages while she checked me out. The art is adorable and it made me fall in love with rabbits all over again. I plan to get the plushy soon too! 5 stars for cuteness!

View all my reviews

We Thought We Were Safe

To keep us safe from the virus, my dad moved us to the farmlands of the eastern shore, away from the crowds of the city.

The researchers called it Konadai, a disease that turned people into mutated monsters. The virus killed thousands. It was said that those infected would come back hungry. I didn’t believe people actually reanimated from the dead and mutated into beasts. It’s not like I ever saw one.

After a year, I got used to our country home and dirt roads. Dad worked on the large sheep farm down the road while mom focused on giving my kid sister and I a proper education. She sucked as a teacher, but at least she tried to make it fun. My little sister, who was only ten years old at the time, loved having mom at the house all the time.

We were Pyro Dancers, people that could use fire magic. The powers were passed through my father’s bloodline so mom didn’t have a clue how to teach us about it. Dad was too busy to offer any advice. Mom didn’t want us using it anyway, saying we’d burn the house down. Since I couldn’t learn how to use my magic, I turned my attention to shooting. Dad kept a few guns in the back shed, claiming they were for hunting. He kept his favorite shotgun behind his bedroom door. I made him promise to take me out into the woods and teach me how to shoot, but he never did. My sister wanted to go too, but mom said guns were for us boys only.

Guns always interested me ever since I saw a group of soldiers in the back of a truck. I wanted to be like them, a hero to the people, protecting civilians from who knows what. If dad ever taught me to shoot or even how to use my fire powers, I could grow up and join the city’s guard.

When mom wasn’t paying much attention, my sister and I would pretend we were soldiers, using sticks as weapons. Somehow, she ended up being in charge. Whatever kept her from crying and tattling was fine with me.

My parents’ possessive fear of us getting sick left them paranoid. My sister and I never had any friends. We would speak to some of the other farm kids but that’s as far as it went. Some of the other boys my age would invite me to hang out, but I usually turned them down. Mom didn’t like me being away from home for too long.

One night, my mother got sick. No one knew where she caught the virus. It's still a mystery. Next thing I knew, I woke up to the sound of my sister screaming. I remember falling asleep while listening to dad in the other room reading her a story for the fourth time.

I threw back the covers with sweat building on my forehead. It could’ve been a bad dream. She had plenty of those since moving from the city. I’ve never heard her scream like that, though.

I crept out of my bedroom. The light in my parents’ room lit up their end of the hallway. They never slept with the lights on. Are they awake? I’m sure they heard the scream, yet neither of them appeared in the doorway. My stomach churned, twisting into knots. A strange feeling nudged at the back of my head telling me not to go into their room, but my feet kept dragging me forward.

After swallowing the lump in my throat, I tiptoed to their bedroom. The stench of blood slapped me in the face. Lying on the floor was my father, drenched in his own blood holding his hand to his mangled neck. He reached out to me with wide eyes, begging for help. I stumbled back, slamming into the doorframe. My heart pounded against my ribs. Each breath cut against my throat like knives. When I tried to hold it, the pain intensified. Helpless, I sat holding my chest, watching him choke on his blood.

Some weird growling sounds grasped my attention. I scrambled to my feet grabbing dad’s shotgun from behind the door. As I ran to my sister’s room, the growling turned to gargling. I stopped outside the door. In the darkness, an odd figure stood lumped over my sister’s bed. Her foot dangled off the side. Every ounce of me told me to run or cry or do something other than stand there shaking. Without thinking, I aimed the shotgun at the dark figure and squeezed the trigger. The kickback knocked me to the floor.

The humanoid thing cried out. Loud speeches echoed through the hall. It spun around flashing its sharp, pointed teeth. A long, thick tongue dripping with drool hangs from its mouth. I spin my head around, trying to find the shotgun. My hand lands on it just as the thing lunged forward, slashing at me. I shot it again before its long claws made contact with my face. I stood up and kicked the beast to make sure it was dead. Black blood oozed onto the hardwood floor. Its dark skin looked almost like rawhide.

The damn thing smelled of rotting flesh. I wondered how it even got in the house, but it didn’t matter. I rushed into my sister’s room hoping she was still alive. Part of me wished she had died before the beast started eating her.

I flipped on the light and almost puked at the scene. Blood soaked her bed. The monster tore off one of her arms while the other arm had chunks chewed out. Her tears mixed with the fresh blood on her face and I wanted to cry with her.

“I don’t know what to do,” I said taking a few steps toward her.

She turned her head toward me revealing a large gash in her neck.

“It hurts…so bad,” she cried.

There wasn’t anything I could do for her. The monster tore her up so bad she may as well had been a pile of ground meat. I brushed blood-stained hair out of her forehead and stepped back toward the door. “I’m sorry, Beth.”

Holding up the gun, I shot out two rounds. This time I was ready for the kick. One hits her in the head, the other dug into the wall.

I rushed back to my parents’ room wondering where mom could be. Did that thing eat her? Was she downstairs bleeding to death? Dad lay on the floor, his dead eyes staring at the ceiling. I remembered the stories about the Konadai virus. If the monsters bit you, you didn’t have long before you turned into one. Held up the shotgun and aimed at my father’s head. With my eyes shut I squeezed the trigger. The gun blast rung in my ears, but it suddenly felt natural. The recoil no longer bothered me.

I slouched against the doorframe with my arms wrapped around the gun. The farmlands were supposed to be safe. That thing took my family. How did that thing get inside?

For the rest of the night, I searched for my mom, not wanting to admit that she was the monster I killed. After searching through the house and around the one-acre property, I couldn’t find any sign of her. I slumped down onto the porch swing with the shotgun at my side. I became numb to it all, but there was no way I could sleep in that house. Not with the smell of my family’s blood ruining the air. Clutching the gun, I started walking. It didn’t matter where. The house, the blood, my dead family, it was all left behind. I had thought to torch the place and watch all my pain go up in flames, but then no one would believe what happened. I’d be an angry kid who murdered his family.

That night should’ve destroyed me, but instead, it gave me power. I vowed to destroy every last one of those things. One lesson was learned, the monsters do exist.

Review: Ready Player One

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, it's an interesting read. I understood some of the 80s references, but a lot went over my head, sending me on a Google search spree. Personally, I would've been okay without all the 80s nostalgia. The writing wasn't award-worthy itself, but the plot made up for that. I'd say it was a FUN read. I'm giving it 3 stars. My personal opinion as I know a lot of others will and have rated it higher.

View all my reviews

NaNoWriMo - Chapter 5

Hiromi Kato

I dig my nails into my palms as a panicked voice calls over the intercom system.

“All personnel are to remain inside the building until further notice. This is not a drill. Please remain indoors.”

Two nurses—a male and female dressed in light blue scrubs—whisper to one another on the elevator as we descend to the lower levels of the hospital. Most of what they’re saying to one another is blocked out by the loud beeping at every floor, but from what I gather, they’re talking about the protest in the front parking lot.

“They’re throwing rocks now,” says the male. He cups his hand around his mouth as if that’ll keep me from hearing him in this small box.

“Don’t worry, the Eradication Squad will handle them,” the woman responds.

At least they decided to throw rocks instead of using their mahou. An angry group of Pyro Dancers could burn this place down in minutes. Rocks and furious chants won’t harm us. Luckily, Anette’s office is on the sixth floor and doesn’t have a window.

The elevator doors pull open and I step out into a bright corridor lit up by the sun shining through skylights. At least the cafeteria is business as usual. The soup lady smiles as I walk through her line. She’s wearing way too much red lipstick, as usual, but her spirit brightens my day.

NaNoWriMo - Chapter 4

Kenji Higa

Good morning, Caara Island. Who am I kidding? It’s hardly ever a good morning here. Another day, another list of reported infections.

Sergeant Emika has us meet at the Eradication Squad base before heading out to our post. Check-in time was supposed to be at 7:00 AM, but she let us wait three hours. Good. I never pass up on extra hours of sleep.

My squad and I sit in a small classroom with two other small squads. We’re all dressed in the standard squad uniform: black combat pants and boots with a dark gray or black shirt under a black combat jacket. Most of the other squad members are women. One male soldier sticks out. He’s an Okamikiin, a wolf hybrid with pointed ears, fangs, and vertical pupils. I’m surprised they let him enlist—with their overactive temper—then again since we’re low on numbers the general probably wants all the able-bodied people that are willing to sign up. The metal suppression collar around his neck will keep his powers in check.

Tidus sits in the chair next to me. His gray eyes are focused on the blackboard in the front of the room, but he nudges my arm every few seconds as if he’s trying to get my attention.

“Any idea why we’re here?” he whispers.

I shrug. “Nope, but it’s better than being in the heat.”

NaNoWriMo - Chapter 3

Hiromi Kato

My hands shake. Kenji should be here by now. I sit down on top of a concrete picnic table next to the playground and then scan the empty park for any sign of Kenji. The swing sets sit empty, slowly swaying in the breeze. No one’s outside laughing or chasing each other around the jungle gym. After the attack at the hospital, I’m sure most people would want to stay inside. As if concrete walls kept anyone safe from the virus. A few cars drive past on the main road outside of the park followed by a produce delivery truck. Despite the outbreak scare, we still need to eat.

I scan the deserted park once more. If it wasn’t for the bright green trees and pale pink sakura petals, this would make a perfect nightmare.

I shove my hands under my arms to keep them from shaking. If anyone were to see me, they’d probably think I was freezing by the way I’m sitting. It’s funny because I’m wearing a short sleeve tee shirt. Where is he? I wonder. The wind rustles the trees and for a short moment, I swear I smell death. Rotting flesh from over the large wall most likely.

Footsteps crunch on the gravel walkway. I spin around.

NaNoWriMo - Chapter 2

Kenji Higa

Caara Island, one of the only inhabitable places remaining on this ruined planet. To think politicians were so stupid centuries ago, using nuclear warfare to solve their problems. Then again, are we any different?

The day I joined the Eradication Squad, I was promised a role in protecting the city. If I had known that included staring at a fifty-foot high brick wall all day, I would’ve become a researcher instead. Okay, maybe not a researcher—I don’t have the patience to stare at test tubes or listen to the scientific lingo. Waste management is probably more suitable for me. Being on the squad isn’t all bad, though. Most days we have to save the city from a rogue squirrel. Today, however, our main mission is to stand here, at the wall, all day. With half the city in a panic over the virus and the other half fleeing to the outskirts of the island, there’s not much happening.

The lonely streets are peaceful in a way. It gives me time to daydream about being a waste management supervisor and saving the city one trashcan at a time. It’s nearly silent, other than the occasional sound of a truck driving past or the construction workers drilling steel beams in the tall unfinished buildings. It’s as if the city officials held a meeting and said, People are dying from the incurable virus, so let’s build yet another useless building to block out the sun. I cringe thinking about it.

NaNoWriMo - Chapter 1

Hiromi Kato

“If it can be created, it can be destroyed,” I mutter, staring at the data filling the holographic panel above my crowded desk. I’m sure the gods said the same thing about us.

The loud beep from the intercom snaps me out of my thoughts. The voice is calm, almost uninterested, as it pages one of the many doctors in the hospital. The small lab I work in sits on the sixth floor, away from the sick patients and buzzing medical staff. I prefer it this way. Cultivating a cure for the virus ravaging our island city is far less heartbreaking than watching people die from it. Especially people that I know.

As I settle back into studying the data on the panel, another sudden noise draws me back to reality. This time it’s from the door swinging open. Anette walks into the lab with a manila folder tucked under her arm. Her lab coat is unbuttoned revealing a red, button-down shirt underneath. The bright cloth clashes with her dark skin. As I straighten myself in my chair, she drops the folder on my desk. It’s another unwelcomed addition to the ever-growing mountain of assigned labor. My chest tightens as I glance down at the stack of papers. The work around here never ends. Blowing my bangs out of my face, I move the papers aside and grab my notebook from the drawer.

I tap a pen against my lips as I let out a long breath. It’s not until Annette reaches her desk that she speaks.

Dear Suicide, It's Me Again

Dear Suicide,

I thought of you again today. You were so close that I could feel your embrace. I wanted to forget about you, push you out of my mind, yet here you are. Why can’t I let go of you? I always think of you when I make a mistake that makes people hate me. I hear your voice saying that I’m better off with you. Maybe you’re right. We’ll meet one day, Suicide. You’ll win in the end.

Signed,
Your old friend

October Indulgence Release Day Blast!

We are thrilled to be celebrating the release of four brand-new, seductive Entangled Publishing Indulgence titles today! We cannot wait for you to meet these sexy billionaire heroes, and to get you excited we've got sneak peek teasers, and all of the details! PLUS- an exciting giveaway for a gorgeous Kate Spade purse! Be sure to enter!

***

GIVEAWAY:

Enter to win a Kate Spade Purse!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

***

About 69 MILLION THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU:

Driven into exile years earlier, due to family scandal, Declan Sinclair is called home, devastated to discover his brother has been murdered and he’s the new Duke of Darington. When clues point to the man he blames for both his exile and his brother’s death, Declan resolves to ruin the culprit. If only the daughter of the man’s business partner, lovely Lady Alethea Swinton, didn’t tempt his resolve.

Lady Alethea Swinton has cultivated her pristine reputation in the hopes of winning her father’s praise. When her childhood friend returns, Alethea finds she’s willing to court scandal and defy her father to help the handsome Declan uncover the truth behind his brother’s death. Until she realizes Declan’s redemption will mean her family’s ruin.

Purchase

***

About THE BILLIONAIRE'S HOLIDAY ENGAGEMENT:

Venture capitalist Cameron Price is a workaholic and great at his job, but his boss is convinced Cam needs a more balanced life. A wife on his arm would prove Cam’s the right man to take over the company. When a gorgeous caterer cooks up the perfect event and catches Cam’s eye, he proposes an innovative arrangement they’ll both benefit from.

Lauren Brody knows Cam’s plan is crazy, but pretending to be his fiancée will allow her access to networking at events she’d never get into otherwise. It could be just the break she needs to get her catering business on the map and book the kind of clients she’s always dreamed of cooking for.

If she can convince Mr. Buttoned Up Tight to have some unscheduled fun along the way, theirs could be a perfect arrangement.

Purchase

***

About HIS CONVENIENT HUSBAND:

NFL football player Isaiah Blackwell lost his husband three years ago and is raising their teen son alone. He lives his life as quietly as his job allows, playing ball to support his family but trying not to draw unwanted attention. His quiet life is shaken up when a mutual friend introduces him to Victor, a visiting principal ballet dancer who is everything Isaiah is not.

Brash, loud, and gender fluid Victor Aleksandrov has applied for political asylum to avoid returning to Russia, where gay men are targeted and persecuted. He’s been outspoken about gay rights in his home country, and if he doesn’t get asylum, going back to Russia is a death sentence.

Their one-night stand turns into a tentative friendship, a relationship they both agree is temporary…until Victor’s denied asylum. Isaiah can’t offer Victor a happily ever after, but he can propose something that’ll keep Victor in the US and safe...marriage He just doesn’t expect his new husband to dance away with his heart.

Purchase

***

About CATCHING THE PLAYER:

Kassidy Thomas decided to stop hiding behind her past and start living, but she didn’t quite bet on that start including her singing a horrible song in front of the handsomest bachelor in the NFL, Wyatt Hamilton. She also doesn’t think he’d then consequently ask her out on a date, but turns out when you’re actually living life…crazy things happen.

He needs to win…

Wyatt Hamilton is a player in every sense of the word. Married to the game, he has no interest in relationships, love, or even second nights with the same woman. But from the second the girl-next-door beauty Kassidy knocks on his door to deliver a singing telegram, nothing goes as planned. He can’t stop thinking about her and keeps showing up on her doorstep for more. That is, until the unthinkable happens…

And all bets are off.

Purchase

Author Mentor Match Bio #AMM

It's that time again!

Hello, fellow mentees and future mentor of my dreams! My name is Elisa and you can find me on Twitter @elisa_stryker

This will be my second time trying to earn a mentor with Author Mentor Match. I tried Pitch Wars as well...but it's obvious how that turned out. Third (fourth, fifth, hundredth...) times the charm, right? RIGHT?!

Let's start with the book. So it's called IMMUNITY HUNTER. It is YA Fantasy. If you like zombies, magic, werewolves, evil organizations, and secrets, then you'll love my book. Let me stress: This is very anime-ish. So if you do not like anime or do not understand anime then it's probably not the book for you.

A few things you may not know about my manuscript:

• It's written like an anime including cheesy poses and over exaggerated expressions (no nose bleeds, though)
• The zombies have tentacle tongues, long claws extending about five inches, and sharp teeth that extend out like a shark
• It's set in the distant future after a nuclear war and massive earthquake tore Japan into multiple islands. 
• Magic exists
• My fiance helped with most of the "blow em up" scenes

Query

Two years after disgusting undead mutants known as Konadai killed Sasame’s parents, she joined an agency that turned her grief into revenge. Now an Immunity Hunter, seventeen-year-old Sasame kidnaps those who are immune to the Konadai virus. The downside: her victims are harvested for their blood and bones by the agency in order to create a stronger antidote.

Although the work causes gut-churning nightmares, Sasame trusts her boss, Omi, and his belief that this is the only way to save her island city.

Then she meets Konan, a persistent teen working with a group fighting to figure out why people are vanishing. His passion and dedication to the city reel her in, but she refuses to fall for him. Connections lead to distractions and heartache. Eventually, Konan’s constant interference with her missions breaks her guard and Sasame uses his attention to distract from the madness.

Immunity Hunters are well-oiled machines, and Omi won’t tolerate a petty romance distracting his agents. After forcing her to watch the murder of another agent's girlfriend, Omi presents Sasame with a choice: kill Konan to prove her loyalty to the cause, or be killed herself.

Say hello to Konan Henslee, Sasame Kai, Jeiku Okamimuto, Nevin Rockiest, and Ashley Sonnie.
The Investigator, The Hunter, The Protector, The Hero, and The Princess

Pitch

In a city protected by a large wall, five teens hone their magic and fighting skills to take on their worst enemy. Little do they know the undead, flesh-hungry mutants aren't the only things threatening their lives. When deadly betrayal shatters their friendship, each teen is forced to decide who to trust and who to leave behind.

Yes, this is a multi-POV novel. If the plot doesn't hook you, the characters will.

Now About me...

• I work all the time but I work for myself so it's not bad
• I'm always around my laptop and/or smartphone
• I prefer electronics over paper and pen
• I do not like cats at all...not even a little bit. They are the spawn of the devil sent to destroy my home
• Social media has ruined my life

Favorite Video Games

• Skyrim
• Left 4 Dead (1 & 2 and all the DLCs)
• Dragon Age
• Kingdom Hearts
• FFX & FFX-2 (you may recognize one of the character names in my manuscript)
• The Last of Us

Favorite Movies

• Saw (all of them)
• Paranormal Activity (all of them)
• The Conjuring (both of them)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (the 1st one)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (most of them)

If anyone wants more information, go to Author Mentor Match.

#SonOfAPitch Query & 1st Page | Immunity Hunter

Hey, peeps! Below you'll find my query and the first page of IMMUNITY HUNTER. Thank you all for the helpful advice.

Title: Immunity Hunter
Genre: YA Fantasy
Word Count: 98,000

Query:

Two years after Sasame’s parents were devoured alive by undead mutants known as Konadai, she joined an agency that helped turn her grief into revenge. Now an Immunity Hunter, seventeen-year-old Sasame kidnaps those who are immune to the Konadai virus. Her victims are harvested for their blood and bones by the agency so they can create a stronger antidote.

Although the work tears at her conscience, Sasame trusts her boss, Omi, and his belief that this is the only way to save her island city.

Then she meets Konan, a persistent teen working with a group fighting to figure out why people are vanishing. His passion and dedication to the city reel her in, but she fights her attraction to him—connections lead to distractions and heartache. Eventually, Konan’s constant interference breaks down her guard and Sasame uses his attention to distract from the madness.

Her weakness angers Omi. His Immunity Hunters are well-oiled machines, and a petty romance is a distraction he won’t tolerate. After forcing her to watch the murder of another agent's girlfriend, Omi presents Sasame with a choice: kill Konan to prove her loyalty to the cause, or be killed herself.

Two years after Sasame’s parents were devoured alive by Konadai—undead mutants, she joined an agency that let her turn her grief into revenge. Now an Immunity Hunter, seventeen-year-old Sasame kidnaps those who are immune to the Konadai virus. Her victims are harvested for their blood and bones by the agency so they can create a stronger vaccine.

Although the work tears at her conscience, Sasame trusts her boss and his belief that this is the only way to save her island city.

Then she meets Konan, a persistent teen working with a group that’s desperately trying to figure out why people are vanishing. His passion and dedication to the city reel her in, but she fights her attraction to him. Eventually, Konan’s persistence works and Sasame uses his attention to distract from the madness.

Her weakness angers Omi. His Immunity Hunters are well-oiled machines, and a petty romance is a distraction he won’t tolerate. After forcing her to watch the murder of another agent's girlfriend, Omi presents Sasame with a choice: kill Konan to prove her loyalty to the cause, or be killed herself.

IMMUNITY HUNTER, a YA Fantasy novel of 98,000 words, follows six teens’ points of view as they fight to protect their city. With an ensemble cast like SIX OF CROWS and the action and teamwork of ATTACK ON TITAN created by Hajime Isayama, this anime-themed, character-driven novel is the first in a planned series. It will appeal to fans of THE ENEMY series.

First 250 Words:

Prey comes in different forms. Luckily for me, my target is an idiot.

With his face glued to that small, bright screen, this will be an easy hunt. Forget sneaking—short of yelling his name, he won’t notice me.

I follow him past decorated storefronts and dull office buildings. The faint scent of pastries and coffee still lingers in the midnight air. Sakura trees line the sidewalks a few feet apart. Pink and white petals give pleasant color to the concrete surroundings.

Downtown is deserted this late at night. Few people live close to the oversized buildings towering just high enough to see the top of the concrete wall surrounding our city. And around this time, most people are locked safely away in their cozy beds. They prefer living in the smaller homes in quiet neighborhoods and farmland.

Anything to avoid reminding themselves of the outside world.

Usually, my prey takes the time to enjoy the lasting smell of baked goods and the blossomed sakura, or at the very least, care. But this guy refuses to turn around or take his eyes off the screen. I could’ve taken him down at any point during this seemingly endless trek through the empty downtown streets, but his attentiveness to the phone intrigues me. How can someone get attached to something so trivial?


Irritation rushes over me—both from the fool I was sent to capture and the too-tight bra strap cutting into my shoulder. Then it hits me.

Prey comes in different forms. Luckily for me, my target is an idiot. 

With his face glued to that small, bright screen, this is an easy hunt. Forget sneaking—short of yelling his name, he won’t notice me. 

I follow him past decorated storefronts and dull office buildings. The faint scent of pastries and coffee still lingers in the midnight air. Sakura trees line the sidewalks a few feet apart. Pink and white petals give pleasant color to the concrete surroundings.

Downtown turns silent this late at night. Few people live close to the oversized buildings towering just high enough to see the top of the wall surrounding our city. And at this time of night, most people are locked safely away in their cozy beds. They prefer living in the smaller homes in quiet neighborhoods and farmland.

Anything to avoid reminding themselves of the outside world.

Usually, my prey takes the time to enjoy the lasting scent of baked goods and the blossomed sakura, or at the very least, care. But this guy refuses to turn around or take his eyes off the screen. I could’ve taken him down at any point during this seemingly endless trek through the empty downtown streets, but his attentiveness to the phone intrigues me. How can someone get attached to something so trivial?

I pull at my bra strap—this thing is digging a hole into my skin. Maybe he knows I’m here and is leading me into a trap?

How To Waste An Agent's Time

This post was inspired by a guy in a Facebook writing group who asked:

"I don't want to traditionally publish my first series, but would it be alright to query agents to see if there's interest then turn them down?"

I'm paraphrasing since the post was removed due to backlash (for good reason).

DISCLAIMER: I'm no expert. I'm just a writer trying to make the best of this crazy publishing world.

Short Answer: DO NOT WASTE AN AGENT'S TIME by querying them with zero intentions of signing with them. STOP IT. Agents have enough going on and do NOT need arrogant writers wasting their time. Not only that, but you're taking away time from potential and current clients.

If you receive an offer from an agent (or multiple offers as some of you fabulous writers may get), but turn around and deny them because you only wanted to see if there was interest, you're only setting yourself up to be put on the blacklist.

No one wants to work with an arrogant time waster.

If you want to self-publish then go right ahead and do so. If you want to go through an agent, then query your heart out. But please, for the sake of all of us, DO NOT QUERY AGENTS UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE SIGNED BY AN AGENT.

Alexa's Tears

Alexa dug her nails into the dirt as she crawled away from the screams of her people dying around her. With one leg bloodied and broken, running wasn't an option. Twigs and small rocks ripped her thin nightgown leaving shallow cuts across her stomach. She ignored the pain. Her mind was focused on escaping—surviving.

The sun had set hours ago leaving the village Haringard hidden in the valley. But when the Black Ravens, an army controlled by Queen Evelyn of the Hightower Commonwealth, came for them, being hidden wasn't enough.

Using her good leg and every ounce of her strength, Alexa pulled herself into the surrounding woods. Shadows danced on the trees from the flames that devoured the small cottages. Her dark hair stuck to her face wet with blood and sweat. Most of it wasn't her blood. She was forced to watch her sister get slaughtered like an animal. Part of her was glad the dark army chose murder over enslavement. The women would be used for breeding while the men would be used as food.

Alexa made it to a clearing before stopped to catch her breath. She choked back a scream. Sounds of death and battle echoed through the trees. Alexa cried silently, staring up towards the heavens. Bright stars shined down on her. She cursed them for not protecting her family the rest of Haringard. Her leg ached. Blood seeped into the dirt beneath her.

The sound of footsteps on snapping twigs approached. Alexa's heart went rapid. She couldn't move. Her body froze. A whispered prayer escaped her scarlet lips as she shut her eyes tight awaiting her death.

Rejections, Rejections, Rejections

Isn't it funny how all your hopes and dreams can scatter before you can say, "Wait!"?

There's nothing worse for a writer to see a "Thanks, but no thanks" letter in their email. People say it's the way things are. Rejection is part of life.

You can throw a rock at a writer's conference and hit any bright-eyed hopeful that has been rejected. You might get lucky and hit a published author who earned their fair share of rejections. They'll turn to you and try to throw in some logic, "I got [insert random number] rejections before I published my first book. Just keep pushing."

Keep pushing. Keep going. Everyone says "don't give up." Then you have those that say, "Write something else." That's probably the worse advice of all. Sure I'll just plop down in my handy dandy writing chair and spend the next 9 years writing a brand new story filled with brand new characters, a brand new voice, and a brand new plot. How hard could it be?

I have seven ideas sitting in my documents folder. Seven ideas I started writing because I was told to "write something else." All seven put together never made it passed a grand total of 10,000 words. Why? Because my heart isn't there. The go-to advice of "write something else" seems to work for some people, but it's not one-size-fits-all advice. More people should learn that before throwing it out there.

There probably won't be anything else for me to write, at least not in this lifetime. The story I have to tell is the one I want to be told. Not something that will please others.

So I have two choices:

1. I can continue to mentally torture myself with querying agents, small pubs, and maybe even self-publish, editing my MS until it's no longer recognizable, and hope and pray someone gives me the slightest bit of chance.
2. I can give my sanity a break and quit.

My Twitter account is gone and this blog may soon follow. I guess we'll find out in the next week.

Good luck to the rest of you out there. You all are a lot stronger than I am.

Ashley Sonnie | Immunity Hunter

Name: Ashley Sonnie
Age: 16
Occupation: Student/Eradication Squad Leader
Weapon: N/A
Magic: Energizer

They call me "The Squad Princess". I wear it as a badge of honor. My father is the General and head coordinator of the Eradication Squad. Being his daughter means I have to prove myself daily. I got that chance when he gave me permission to lead my own squad.

Don't get me wrong, I love my father, but I also want to be my own person. His guards suffocate me with attention. Sometimes I just want to break out and run around the city without constantly being watched.

Being a "princess" isn't all that bad, people respect me. I have my friends and my adorably goofy boyfriend, Nevin, to back me up. I want to see him reach his goal, but he'll have to train to reach it. He expects me to use my status to get him into the squad, but he's wrong. I love him, but I won't beg my father to throw him into battle. Nevin will have to prove himself the way I did. There are no shortcuts in this world. Especially not on Caara Island.

Illustration by: Autumn-Sacura on DeviantArt