Congratulations to Melissa Suitt,
winner of the Ariella Moon August Giveaway! Melissa won a Second Chances book bag!
September's prize will be a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card.
To enter, visit the Giveaways page at AriellaMoon.com.
Showing posts with label second chance at love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label second chance at love. Show all posts
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Writing Young Adult Fiction: A Chance to Do-Over High School
“You can tell what age
an author got stuck in by what genre he or she writes.”
I think it was Lin Oliver who, years ago, said the above quote, right
after she had introduced an author who had skateboarded up to the podium at a
Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators conference. I remember
thinking at the time, Uh oh. Then I’m
still reliving high school!
The Do-Over Aspect
Although my teen years are but tiny specs in the rearview
mirror, I love reading and writing Young Adult fiction. Maybe it is the Do-Over
fantasy aspect. YA stories allow readers to recapture the deep emotions they
felt in high school. Friendships, betrayals, first love, peer pressure — the
highs and lows play out on the page. Adding paranormal elements — dragons,
demons, witches, vampires, werewolves, gods and goddesses, amps up the stakes. Those
who thought high school was tough, can read a paranormal YA and think, at least the Mean Girls at my school weren’t
vampires.
Paranormal YA stories intoxicate with What if? I was well into adulthood before I became a shaman. But
what if I could have commanded shamanic skills in high school? Would I have
misused my magic? It would have been tempting to use spirit flight to spy on my
secret crush. My high moral code might have justified my placing a binding
spell on a bully, instead of placing a protection spell on myself. Then who
would have had the karmic lesson to work on?
Maybe I am stuck in my teen years. Maybe the Teen Wytche
Saga is my Do Over. Luckily, the company is interesting and there is always
hope that Love and Good will triumph. How about you? Why do you love reading
YA?
Copyright 2018 Ariella Moon
Adapted from"My Fascination With YA Fiction" by Ariella Moon, published on 12/9/13 as a guest post on Fly High Blog.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Rising Romance Star: Brandi Willis Schreiber
Today's spotlight shines on Brandi Willis Schreiber!
Welcome, Brandi!
It is so awesome to be in SECOND CHANCES: A ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA COLLECTION with you. Congratulations! Your story, "The Family Tree," has received great reviews. Please tell us about your story.
Brandi: “The Family Tree” is my FIRST PUBLISHED ROMANCE STORY! Writing it was very emotional! Bea, my heroine, experiences terrible tragedy and travels to Scotland to find a relative who might give her the sense of family she’s lost. While there, she meets Cairn, a handsome solicitor. Cairn agrees to help Bea and ends up reviving something in Bea. But it’s not until Bea learns that she can give Cairn’s family the ultimate gift that everything changes in her quest for a second chance.
Ariella: I heard we were both in Scotland this past summer. I was doing some research for my Young Adult fantasy series, The Two Realms Trilogy. It was my second trip to the isle, but your first.
Brandi: It’s hard to write about a place you’ve never been! I wrote “The Family Tree” almost 3 years ago, but I’d never been to Scotland (thank you, Google images). But this summer I finally got to see the real setting for my story!
Ariella: I can't believe we were both in Edinburgh! Let's share an excerpt from "The Family Tree."
* * *
A family tree is a glorious set of blueprints. Like a plan for a home, it illustrates every detail and turn through the doorways that make up life until the present moment: Who was born. Who fell in love and had children. Who lived long, and who died young. The branches stretch out like rooms, each one housing a life and its story. When you flip through the pages, you should feel a sense of completeness, of place. This is the house of my life, a good family tree says. This is where I belong.
Only I didn’t belong anywhere anymore. Instead of a well-organized tree with branches telling every story, I had a diagram full of starts and stops, jagged and incomplete lines, some branches stretching into nothing at all. But when I walked through Eleanor Brightwell’s door that frigid February evening, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a very long time: home. Her walls were painted lemony yellow, and gilt-framed photos hung in a cluster near the entryway: a sepia wedding couple, a dark-haired family poised at the base of an ancient castle, a handsome young man in graduation regalia smiling with the sun behind him. In the corner of the room, a log popped in a fireplace next to overstuffed floral chairs and couches, a spot where people obviously gathered. Indistinct jazz played from an unknown location and mixed with the sounds of clinking dishes and two teenagers – a boy and a girl – who shouted and chased each other around the room. Despite the cold outside, this sight warmed me, and I stood transfixed at the threshold, absorbing all the color, life, and energy of this Scottish family home. “Children!” I jumped at the firm voice next to me. So mesmerized by the scene, I hadn’t noticed the figure to my right. “Brian! Ansley! Please don’t try to kill each other just yet. We have company.” He turned to me, and I felt the open space of the room narrow. The man was tall with a powerful build. He either worked labor or worked out, as evidenced by firm biceps under his navy tee shirt. Thick black hair fell without direction across his forehead into his eyes, which were a hard-to-miss sapphire, as blue as the Texas sky before sunrise. Those eyes immediately reminded me of the past, and I felt a pain blossom in my chest. “You came at a fine time. My wee brother and sister have decided to kill each other right before dinner, a usual occurrence in this zoo.” The tenor of his voice and roll of R’s sent a current down my spine. He must have been a few years older than me, maybe thirty-seven or thirty-eight, because then he chuckled, and little furrows of laugh lines appeared around those penetrating eyes. Oh my.
* * *
© Brandi Willis Schreiber 
“The Family Tree” in SECOND CHANCES Buy Links
SECOND CHANCES: A ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA COLLECTION is available at these major retailers!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xOWluc Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2uSI3en iBooks: http://apple.co/2xOI0xN KOBO: http://bit.ly/2es4jW6 |
More About Brandi
Brandi Willis Schreiber has imagined romance stories her entire life in her head but only recently started writing them down. A graduate of Texas Tech University, she has an M.A. in English, and uses her love for nature, travel, poetry, and everything beautiful to fuel her fiction, which will always have a happy ending. Her work has appeared in All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson’s World, The Texas Review, Red River Review, and elsewhere. Now she writes sensual, southern romance that reflects the endless landscape in which she lives. Most recently, her contemporary romance short story, “The Family Tree,” was published by Romance Writers of America in the anthology, SECOND CHANCES: A ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA COLLECTION. Brandi lives with her husband, rescue dog, rabbits, and countless other wild creatures in her beloved West Texas. She loves to connect with readers and writers, and you can find her at:
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2wkBOjo
|
|
Thursday, July 20, 2017
"Covert Hearts" by Ariella Moon
Cover Reveal: Second Chances
No, this isn't a typical Ariella Moon book cover! But "Covert Hearts," my featured second-chance-at- love story, has the unmistakeable elements you've come to expect from Ariella Moon: a mystical, sweet, Young Adult romance.
Release date: September 12, 2017
Available now for pre-order: Amazon
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
USA Today's Exclusive Cover Reveal: Second Chances
Second Chances Cover Reveal!
I am super excited to be included with several USA Today and New York Times best selling authors in the upcoming anthology Second Chances! For a sneak peak at USA Today's exclusive cover reveal, click here.
Second Chances
J. Kenner, Christina Lauren, Alyssa Day, Rachel Hauck, Liliana Hart, Marilyn Brant,
Kerri Carpenter, CiCi Coughlin, Cassandra Dean, Tina Ferraro, Renee Luke, Ariella Moon, Brandi Willis Schreiber, Lizzie Shane, Sharon Sobel, Damon Suede, and Tara Wyatt |
| "Covert Hearts" by Ariella Moon Second Chances |
Do you believe in second chances?
Romance Writers of America® brings together seventeen of today's hottest authors in an anthology of never-before-published tales that reveal true love always deserves a happy ending. With characters who find love through tough situations, in elegant 1800s ballrooms, with an old friend who shows up when least expected, at a tender age when cliques and homework get in the way of relationships, or after a random encounter in an unlikely setting, Second Chances delivers romance to strike every reader’s fancy.
Romance Writers of America® brings together seventeen of today's hottest authors in an anthology of never-before-published tales that reveal true love always deserves a happy ending. With characters who find love through tough situations, in elegant 1800s ballrooms, with an old friend who shows up when least expected, at a tender age when cliques and homework get in the way of relationships, or after a random encounter in an unlikely setting, Second Chances delivers romance to strike every reader’s fancy.
Release Date: September 12, 2017
Available for preorder on Amazon Second Chances ebook.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Rachel Jones: Taking A Chance On Love
A new Contemporary Romance from Rachel Jones.
TAKING
A CHANCE ON LOVE
It’s a touchdown for the coach when the music teacher takes a chance on love
BLURB:
From childhood, Virginia Manning has
planned for a career as a concert clarinetist. Blindsided by family
circumstances, her plans are interrupted, taking her down a path she would
never have chosen. As a music teacher, Virginia’s relationship with the
football coach goes from problematic to romantic. After Blake’s brush with
death, a scared Virginia runs away looking for the contentment music has always
brought to her life.
Because Blake Oliver has experienced
disappointment and pain, he opts for a fresh start in a small New England town.
Accepting the position of football coach, he isn’t looking for love when it
finds him. When Virginia leaves to pursue a performance career, Blake realizes
it’s not where you live but having someone to love that matters. His only
problem is making her understand that as well.
EXCERPT:
Blake
was awake when Virginia entered the ICU cubicle. She pushed a chair against the
hospital bed so she could hold his hand.
“I’m
so glad you’re here,” he said.
Virginia
looked at the tiny lines etched on his face. She wished she had magical powers
and could erase them and all the pain he had endured the last few days since
the accident. “The nurse said I could sit with you. Where’s your father?”
“Stephen
took him home to sleep for a while. He’ll be back later.”
Blake
shifted toward her and released a groan.
“I hate to see you hurting,” she
said.
“My nurse was just here asking if I wanted pain medicine
and
he’s coming back. I would have waited to take the pain killer if I had known a
beautiful woman would be stopping by to visit.”
“Good,”
she said. “I’m glad you’re not one of those macho men who think it’s not
masculine to take pain medicine when you need it.”
“Normally
I wouldn’t. But since I’ve had surgery on my leg and I’m dealing with cracked
ribs, a punctured lung, and a ruptured diaphragm, I’m willing to compromise my
macho image and take the pain killers.”
Virginia
frowned at the reminder of what he had been through. The nurse returned with a
syringe in his hand. He scanned Blake’s armband and the barcode on the syringe
then made a few clicks at the bedside computer.
As
he pushed the medication into Blake’s IV line, he said, “Mr. Oliver, this will
help with the pain, but it will make you drowsy. Sleep’s not a bad thing since
your body needs rest to heal.”
Virginia
smiled, knowing he would be escaping from his pain if only for a while. “I’m
going to sit here and hold your hand until they throw me out.”
Blake’s
eyes flickered open and shut a few times then remained closed. She whispered a
prayer for strength, to help her be strong for him. The beeps of the heart
monitor became rapid and other alarms sounded. Blake’s nurse rushed into the
cubicle. He hit the
red button on the wall and shouted, “I need help in here. He’s in V-fib.”
Virginia
jumped up from her chair as the space filled with hospital personnel. She was
pushed back and then outside. Leaning against the full-length window to support
her trembling legs, she was aware of the dampness of her skin. Terror gripped
her heart as she watched the surreal scene through the glass partition. The
nurse performed chest compressions and in the dream state dominating her
consciousness, she wondered if Blake’s chest would hurt later from the contact.
Unable to move, her mind became mesmerized by the organized events unfolding in
front of her.
A
man with neatly combed hair in a white coat said, “Give Amiodarone, three
hundred milligrams.”
Someone
echoed, “Pushing Amiodarone, three hundred milligrams.”
Another
set of hands gave the man paddles attached to the defibrillator on the crash
cart. “Set to two hundred joules. Clear,” he said as placed the paddles on
Blake’s chest and discharged the shock, causing his body to jump. Virginia
watched as everyone paused and then someone uttered the words, ‘sinus rhythm,’
which brought a collective sigh of relief. Most everyone dispersed leaving only
a few people at the bedside.
Blake’s
nurse came to her and said, “He’s stable, but he’ll be sleeping for awhile.
We’ll be watching him closely.”
Virginia
brushed at the tears on her cheek. The nurse took a box of tissue from the
counter and pushed it toward her. “I know this was a harsh thing to witness.
You should go, try to rest and you can come back later.”
“Will
he be all right? Could this happen again?”
“Mr.
Oliver’s body has been through a lot. But he’s young and healthy. I’m sorry,
but I need to get back inside.”
“Please,
take care of him.” These were the same words she uttered as she passed the
nurses’ station after each visit. But this time, the words were a special plea
after witnessing how precarious his medical situation was. If she stayed, her
heart would once again be vulnerable as in the past.
Virginia
turned and walked away, trying to process what had happened as she moved toward
the waiting room to call Blake’s father. The pain in her heart was genuine. An
intense pain that went beyond her heart and stirred her soul. Was this what it
felt like to lose someone who had become so entwined in your life? She wasn’t
sure she would want to go on living if Blake didn’t survive his injuries.
BUY LINKS:
Meet Rachel Jones
While she
continued to work her full- time hospital job, it was thoughts of what she
would do after retirement from her career in healthcare that spurred Rachel to
begin writing her first manuscript in March of 2012. Needing guidance and
support with her new endeavor, she joined local and national writing groups.
Release day for
Rachel’s debut novel, To Dance One More Day, occurred in June 2014. Her second
book, Taking A Chance On Love, released in October 2015. She is working on her
third manuscript and is planning her first series. Rachel’s books reflect her
love of the performing arts. Working as a registered nurse for twenty-five years
has influenced the threads of medical drama woven into her storylines.
A music
enthusiast for decades, Rachel resides in Kennesaw, Georgia with her husband of
thirty-eight years and their spoiled Labrador retriever. She is a member of
Georgia Writers Association, Georgia Romance Writers and is a PRO member of
Romance Writers of America.
Connect with Rachel
Monday, February 29, 2016
Cover Reveal: Two New Contemporary Romance Novels Covers
Meddlesome Matchmaker. Isn't that a great name for a romance series?
Here's a first look at Joselyn Vaughn's beautiful new covers.
Hauntings of the Heart
A Meddlesome Matchmaker Novel
When lost love shows up on your doorstep, what do you
do? Minnie Schultz slams the door in his face. She and Gordon
Anderson have a history—close to ancient history, given the fifty years since
their last encounter. After all that time, it might seem like water under the
bridge. But the water pours from the plumbing in Minnie’s bed and breakfast,
the Lilac Bower, uncovering all the secrets and heartache between them. With
the help of some paranormal investigators, an Elvis impersonator and a couple
of nosey friends, can Minnie and Gordon find the future they were meant to
have?
Other books in the Meddlesome Matchmakers series: Climbing Heartbreak Hill and Sucker for a Hot Rod
Climbing Heartbreak
Hill
A Meddlesome Matchmaker Novel
Professional runner, Ryan Grant, blows out his
knee training for another attempt at the Boston marathon and the dreaded
Heartbreak Hill. Ryan retreats home, not looking for anything more than a fast
recovery, but he finds solace in the arms of his tax preparer, Tara Mansfield.
Tara’s cheerleading career ended abruptly and she faces an
upward climb beating the stereotype as dumb blonde in her new calling as an
accountant. Framed with defrauding the IRS during the last weeks of the tax
season, Tara’s tentative confidence is shaken, but Ryan coaches her in
ensnaring the true perpetrator. She cheers him on in discovering his identity
as a coach rather than an athlete.
With the help of the junkyard king and a mechanical bull,
can Tara and Ryan find the courage to climb Heartbreak Hill together?
Buy Link:
Other books in the Meddlesome Matchmakers series:
Hauntings of the Heart and Sucker for a Hot Rod
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)