What Happened to the Little Girl in the Woods? An Excerpt from Deck of Cards

****Caution**** This post contains spoilers!

In the first chapter of Deck of Cards, we find out that Princess Katherine (a.k.a. "Katey") has not spoken a single, solitary word since she was four years old.  The reason for her silence is an integral part of the story, as are the ramifications of her refusal to do so.  In fact, if Katey was willing or able to speak, many aspects of the story would turn out quiet differently.
The following is an excerpt from Chapter Eight, which reveals how the princess lost her voice.

What happened in the woods that night would change Princess Katherine forever.

The carriage jostled about violently, more so than any time Katey could remember.  She was huddled on the floorboards, wrapped in her brother’s arms. Nichole and her mother were hunched down in the seats, attempting to brace themselves against the jarring motion of the quickly moving coach but it was most difficult and they might have felt the pain from various bumps and bruises if they hadn’t been so completely terrified.

The alarm had come in the middle of the night. Katey, the baby of the family, had been fast asleep, completely unaware of the impending doom surrounding the castle, her home.  Her mother, Queen Deloris, had scooped her sleeping angel up in he arms, wrapped her in a blanket and rushed her off to the waiting carriage. Nichole and James had followed closely behind.  Even as they entered the escape vehicle, they could see the first wave of soldiers from the Great Heathen Army swooping down upon the town’s people.  It wasn’t until the carriage began to move that Katey awoke from her pleasant slumber.  She was confused at first unsure where they were or what was happening. As the horses took off, she began to see flashes of lights around her.  She pointed them out to her big brother, smiling an enchanted smile as the sparks lit up the sky in hues of yellow, blue and red.

James had held her tightly and it wasn’t until she began to hear strange noises outside of the carriage that she began to grow afraid.  A group of guards rode along each side of the coach and Katey could hear the snarls and snorts of the horses as they ran, blazing away from the castle in a furry.

Katey glanced up at her mother’s face.  She was crying, clutching a handkerchief. Nichole was also sobbing, clearly terrified of what might happen.  James was doing his best to be strong. He continuously whispered in his baby sister’s ear, “It’s okay, Baby Katey. We will be okay.”

But they were not okay. 

The royal family was being moved to what should have been a safer location, a palace cut into the side of a mountain in the northern territory, known as Palace Olympia.  To get there, the carriage had to travel through a thick forest. The road was narrow and bumpy, not meant to be traversed so quickly.  They should have been relocated days ago, in the sunlight, before the invaders broke through the barricade at Waynes but Deloris had insisted on waiting for her husband, King Jordan to return. He had not made it in time and his whereabouts was unknown.  Her attendants had pleaded with her, begging her to take the children and go. Finally, she could wait no longer and they made their hurried exit. 

By the time they reached the edge of the forest, arrows were flying by the carriage. They knew a legion of the Royal Army was stationed within the woods.  If only they could reach them in time, perhaps they could provide enough protection to Deloris and her family so that they could make it to the safety of Olympia.

            But the Heathen’s were gaining on them and there were not enough guards to fight back. One by one, the riders began to fall, Katey seeing them topple off of their horses all around her.  She hid her tiny face in James’s neck, praying that this was all just a horrible nightmare.

Suddenly, the carriage hit a rut, shuddering violently and then tumbling over onto its side. The horses were dragged down with it, the drivers thrown into the trees. Deloris knew she was on her own.  Gathering up her children, she pushed her way out of the door, now facing upwards, into the night.  The Heathens were just behind them, slowed only by the carnage of her fallen guards.  “Quickly,” she whispered. “We haven’t much time.”

Katey could feel a trickle of blood running down her face as James handed her out of the carriage into her mother’s protective arms.  Nichole was out next and then James behind her.  Deloris jumped to the ground grabbing her tiny daughter off of the carriage, and reaching for Nichole’s hand.  The four of them took off into the woods on foot. 

Deloris knew that her husband’s army must be nearby.  She hoped that she would be able to hide her children in the trees and then attempt to locate help. However, the Heathens must have seen which way the queen went upon entering the forest.  She could feel them close behind her.

The foliage was thick and full of brambles, which caught the children’s skin and clothing. It was a small advantage, however, because it prevented the Heathens from pursuing the royal family on horseback.  Deloris could hear footsteps approaching.  She quickly looked for a thicket to hide her children. 

The barbarians were growing ever closer.  She could hear their grunts and groans, practically feeling their stale breath on the back of her neck. Just then, she saw an undergrowth that just might lend itself to her purposes. She directed her children beneath the branches, and they hurriedly did as instructed, despite the sharp thorns that poked their tender skin.

Katey had never imagined anything so terrifying. Even in her worse nightmares, she had never felt like this.  Her mother had her arms around all three of them, attempting to shelter them from the unimaginable evil that lay just on the other side of those thin branches. They collectively held their breaths, waiting, praying for the Heathens to pass them by.  They heard heavy footsteps draw closer, then fade, repeating as more and more of the enemy approached their location and then disappeared into the night.

A cloud passed over the crescent moon, leaving them in pitch black.  Katey began to shake. She could barely see the face of her brother just an inch from her own.  She watched as he silently brought a finger to his mouth, indicating that she must be quiet.  She nodded her head, fully intending not to make a sound. As her eyes shifted back to the blackness before her, she suddenly saw one bone-white hand pull back the thin veil of brambles before her.  Her hands flew to her mouth, attempting to hold back the scream that was forming in her throat but just then, she glimpsed the most hideous face imaginable, pure evil in human form. 

And she screamed.

The noise caused the Heathen to turn his head instantly in their direction. He had his crossbow ready and he instantaneously fired at the source of the noise.  Despite the darkness Katey saw the arrow flying at her face, causing her to scream even louder. He had missed however, or so she thought.  She turned to hide her face in her mother’s gown only to realize the soft satin white fabric was now soaked in warm, sticky blood. She looked up to see that the arrow had landed squarely in her mother’s chest.  As Deloris fell forward, gasping for breath and gargling blood, Katey’s screaming stopped.

Queen Deloris loved her children and her husband more than anything. 

Read more of Princess Katey's story and discover if she ever finds her voice. You can purchase Deck of Cards here for only $2.99. It is free for KDP Select/Unlimited members.

A very small girl with a very large burden to bear.

All pictures courtesy of Getty Images

I Need A Hero: Meet Aaron, the Guardian Leader

This is the second installment in a series where I will introduce the characters in the upcoming vampire hunter novel, The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation.
What paranormal romance/fantasy novel would be complete without the dashing hero?  When it comes to a sexy, yet complicated leading man, Clandestine doesn't disappoint. And don't worry, ladies, he's not dead--or undead.
When Cadence Findley, Vampire Hunter, discovers her true identity at an Eidolon Festival while trying to rescue a friend from a bloodsucking Vampire, she is assisted by a handsome, mysterious stranger.  She soon finds out that the fellow who seems to be following her most of the night (and shows up just when she needs him as she faces a swarm of outraged Vampires) is none other than the Guardian Leader, Aaron, who is responsible for coordinating all of the Hunters and the other Guardians who help protect them from the vicious Vampires.

Aaron, the Guardian Leader, and Cadence's love interest in The Clandestine Saga

Cadence is intrigued by Aaron almost from the very beginning. He is clearly attracted to her as well, though he vows to stay away so as not to let her beauty distract him from his oh-so important job of protecting the world from the fiendish Vampires. And though he may be tantalizing to look at, he is far from perfect. Constantly fighting the urge to give in to his emotions and express his feelings to Cadence results in an ebb and flow, leaving her confused and often heartbroken. We find out quickly that a recent break-up with another member of the LIGHTS team may be partially to blame for his refusal to commit, but later we discover that the baggage is much heavier than we first anticipated, and his history reveals heartache dating back across the last two centuries.
When Cadence disobeys his orders during a hunt, Aaron shows that his general calm demeanor can be broken as he chastises her for her impulsivity.  Though he would like his team to think he always has everything completely under control, we get a glimpse behind the facade and can see that the interior is starting to form some cracks; perhaps the pressure is greater than it would seem.
In the end, when Cadence faces the Vampire, Holland, in a battle that only one woman can walk away from, Aaron will be forced to protect the brand-new Vampire Hunter or lose her to the ancient evil one.  And, ultimately, his decision could cost him everything.
Watch for The Clandestine Sage Book 1: Transformation coming Feb. 28th. Pre-order here and check back for the third installment when we meet Drew, the little girl who set everything in motion.
Picture courtesy of Getty Images via the Getty Images App

Oh the Places We Will Go (In Deck of Cards)

Occasionally, a reader will ask what the significance is of the place names in Deck of Cards.  If you've even read the book blurb, you know that the novel is loosely based on an actual deck of cards.  So, what do the place names have to do with that? If you're in to symbolism, then this is the post for you!

Princess Katherine. Will she be forced to marry King Philip?

The story starts within the walls of Castle Blackthorn, in the Kingdom of Clovington. Blackthorn is actually a type of tree or shrub known for having very dark bark and a plethora of thorns growing around it.  The castle is also known for being quite dark and difficult to penetrate.  Clovington comes from the clover--or club. King Philip is the first "black" king, the King of Clubs.

Castle Blackthorn, where Matthew is held captive and Princess Katherine is to wed King Philip.

Next, we find out that Princess Katherine is from the Kingdom of Placidia. While Placidia does not represent any of the suits, the Queen of Placidia, Nichole, is actually one of the four Queens discussed in the book (there are five if you  count the Queen who abdicated from Zurconia--we won't count her). In the game of cards unfolding in the book, Placidia is sort of like the Joker. It could go either way, play with any suit.  Of course, we know what side is eventually taken, but for the most part, Placidia is placid and uninvolved.

The castle in Placidia is high in the mountains with gorgeous views.

We know that King Matthew, the captive king whom Philip is holding hostage somewhere within the castle, comes from the Kingdom of Zurconia.  It is clear from the beginning that Zurconia represents the suit of Diamonds and that Matthew is a "red" king--one of the "good guys."

The castle in Zurconia where Philip's men relied on espionage and sabotage to take Matthew captive.

We are given hope that Matthew will survive his ordeal when we find that his brother, King Caleb, is on his way to Castle Blackthorn in an attempt to rescue Matthew. Caleb hales from the Kingdom of Arteria, the suit of hearts, our other "red" king. Though at first it may not be quite clear why King Caleb is, in fact, the King of Hearts, as the story unfolds, it becomes more evident.

Castle Caine in Arteria is highly fortified and would be nearly impossible to penetrate.

The final kingdom that we are introduced to is Gradenia, which represents spades, a tool one uses in the garden.  Why is it not Gardenia? Just to keep you on your toes.... Gradenia is ruled by the sinister King Leopold, our final "black" king.

King Leopold, The King of Spades, rules Gradenia.

One may ask, why are the kings delineated and the queens are not? In a way they are.  We have two queens whose kingdoms are invaded and their families torn apart (Doloris and Margaret) and two queens who over-come great obstacles and fight for what they believe in (Nichole and Katherine) so, in this sense of the word, we could possibly assign suits but that takes the symbolism a bit too far for me. I'm content with leaving our four queens be and focusing on the kings and kingdoms.

Did you find the suits obvious or were they a bit tricky to unravel? What other aspects of the novel are you wondering about?

Purchase Deck of Cards here and read on any device on the Kindle Cloudreader. Only $2.99

Pictures courtesy of Getty Images

So You Want to Be a Vampire Hunter? Meet Cadence

Update:  Order The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation now! Click here to order.

This is the first installment in a series which will introduce you to the characters in the upcoming Clandestine Saga, coming soon!
Cadence Findley is a typical 19 year old college student. Over Thanksgiving break, she catches up with her friends from high school, hangs out with her family--all of the typical things one might do with a week off from school.

Cadence Findley--not your typical Vampire Hunter

When Cadence's friend suggest they check out an Eidolon Festival, she instinctively knows it is a bad idea; yet, she goes along, hoping to be the voice of reason and keep everyone safe.

When one of her friends is swept in the crowd and disappears with a mysterious man, Cadence chases them down, only to discover that the man isn't quite what he seems.... he's a Vampire.

In an attempt to save her friend, Cadence sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to her transforming into a Vampire Hunter.

The LIGHTS team prefers to use silver bullets to get straight to the heart of the matter.

Luckily, Cadence is not on her own when it comes to tracking down bloodsuckers.  There's also a team of Guardians from LIGHTS (Lincoln International Guardian and Hunters Training Station) there to protect her, including the Guardian Leader, Aaron, whom Cadence instantly finds intriguing.

In The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation, we see Cadence join this elite force, becoming a Vampire Hunter and tracking down the powerful and elusive Vampire, Holland, whom Cadence holds responsible for the tragic events at the Eidolon Festival.

Is being the best really enough?

Cadence is a complicated character. While she is instantly the heroine, it is also quite evident she is a bit reluctant and has some flaws as well.  She is distracted by her attraction to Aaron, as well as constant self-doubt.  She feels responsible for what happened to her friend at the festival, guilty that she has walked away from her loved ones when they need her, and unsure that she is as talented as everyone at LIGHTS seems to think she is. All of this comes to a head during Cadence's first team hunt when she disobeys orders and almost gets herself kicked off of the team. It also seems she may lose her chances of ever being with Aaron.

When she receives an urgent phone call from home, she has to choose between her old friends and her new calling. Is it possible to balance the two?

In the end, when Cadence finally comes face to face with Holland, it is up to her to defeat the evil, ancient villain and set things right.  

Cadence vows to defeat the evil Holland and avenge her friend.

Read The Clandestine Saga Book 1: Transformation  Order here and read the next installment of this series where we will meet the Guardian Leader, Aaron.

Pictures courtesy of Getty Images via Getty Images App

Why Reviews Are Stupid (Sometimes)

Recently, I received two 3-star reviews on my book Cordia's Will: A Civil War Story of Love and Loss. Don't worry--this blog isn't a rant about how everyone is being mean to me and judging my writing too harshly. In fact, the second review was actually quite helpful.  I appreciated the writer's candor and his insight. You see, it is possible to write a review and do it in such a way that you are not only helping readers decide whether or not they want to read the book, you are also being helpful to the writer.  The other review, however, retold the entire book, including plot twists, and included comments that were supposed to be derogatory that were actually compliments, such as this gem:
"[The scenes that depict war] read like they were copied from the history pages..."
Uhm, thank you? It is historical fiction after all....

How many stars must a book get for you to choose to read it?

This got me thinking. What have readers had to say about other books--best sellers and the like--that, if the authors read them, would make then laugh or cringe?  After all, one little 3-star review on Stephanie Meyer's page is not that big a deal. Put it on my page amongst my other three or four reviews, well, it tends to stick out.  So, I did some research and I found some examples of ridiculous reviews for literatures heavy hitters.  See if you can identify what book each reviewer** was talking about and check your answers at the bottom.

1) "I have to give it a one star because the book in its narrative is lacking so much in basic reality that it is flat-out sloppy.  The 'unreliable narrator' style, typical in books written from the perspective of children, mentally challenged individuals, substance abusers and others of this sort is what I'm referring to."

2)"This book is quite possibly the most insipid novel I have ever read in my life. Why this book is so highly treasured by society is beyond me. It is 345 pages of nothing.  The characters are like wispy shadows of something that could have been interesting, the language that could be beautiful ends up becoming difficult to decipher and led me more than once to skip over entire paragraphs because I am tired of having to stumble through them only to emerge unsatisfied and the plot is non-existent..."

3)"If I'd enjoyed the book more, I would have found it easier to suspend my disbelief, but as it was, I was constantly irked by questions and inconsistencies."

4)"[The author] is not a bad writer. She has the ability to string words together. Unfortunately, she lacks any kind of flair. There was no original description; no truly evocative language.

5)"[The book] aimlessly stumbled about, tripped over its own feet, and then proceeded to face plant into the ground like a drunken frat boy at a keg party. I was not amused."

6) "... as the book wore on...I began to realise that I was growing more and more bored and found myself struggling to read on. "

7)" ... it's just so f--ing dumb....If you happen to be a 40-50 year old (white) man, and like reading about '6 figures,' then I'll understand you liking this book."

8)" I don't care if it is some great story about surviving in a war zone or some [bs] like that. None of these characters really expressed the complexities or debated the moral dilemmas involved in surviving the Civil War."

9) "As always, I like the author's narrative voice, but as a character sketch of a marriage, this wasn't quite sharp enough or funny enough or emotional enough for my taste."

10)"There were too many characters to keep track of. And for each character, I only knew them through their work.  There was no emotional development of characters, no seeing their feelings."

11)"This book was utter failure to me in respect of a horror novel.  Didn't scare me, nah, not at all, didn't even make me wince."

12)"I'm not going to comment on the literary shortcomings of this book, the cliches, the painfully long narrative, the fact that the characters will not think about an issue for months, but then suddenly it becomes important again. Smarter people than me have already said all this."

Okay--how many of them did you figure out? Some had some pretty obvious clues, others not.  Here are the answers: 1) Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain 2)Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 3) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 4) Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 5) Divergent by Veronica Roth 6) The Fault In Our Stars by John Green 7) The Firm by John Grisham 8) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 9)Landline by Rainbow Rowell (Goodreads fiction book of the year) 10) The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy 11) The Shining by Stephen King 12) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

So, what's my point?  Well, for writers it's this: Don't let one annoying review get you down. If you getting the same sort of comments over and over again, then it's probably something to pay attention to. If it's just one person's opinion, as another brilliant writer, Taylor Swift once said, "Shake it off, shake it off!" For readers, let me just say this, the person who wrote that book is probably going to read your review. Would you say it their face?  Would you say it in those words?  With that tone? If you are reading a book by a little known author, chance are writing is not their full time gig. They might be a firefighter or police officer, or pastor by day--or a teacher, like me--just trying to get their heart and soul out there for the world to see.  So, while I would never ask anyone to alter their opinion, if you feel it is necessary to be negative, do so in a classy way.  You'll get your opinion across in a way that both the writer and other potential readers will appreciate.  And there's nothing stupid about that!

**All of these reviews are from Goodreads.com and the opinion that they are stupid is solely my own, though you may agree. I left the names of to protect the anonymity of the poster, even though they are posted in a public domain.**

Why I Hired Someone to Handle Social Media

I am a social media junky. I spend way too much time Facebooking, Tweeting, Pinning, and Instagramming (and yes, I know not all of those are words!)  I manage several Facebook pages and have three twitter accounts.  Why in the world would I ask someone else to handle social media for me?

Because, when it comes to selling books, it's hard.  And parts of it are depressing.
It's hard because, as indie authors, we feel the pressure to be "out there," to let the world know that we have wonderful books that they should purchase, read, and leave stellar reviews for.  There's pressure to constantly be online posting things, trying to trump up sales, or say something profound.
There's also the constant comparison of my sales with others, reading reviews that are not always (in my opinion) fair, and checking Amazon reports to see if any new dots show up.  Frankly, I don't want to look at that stuff anymore--I just want to write.
So, about a week ago I started looking for some help. I went to Fiverr because I happen to sell editing services on Fiverr myself and have used services on there before for book promotions, etc. I came across a start-up looking for people like me--people trying to get the word out about a product--and started a conversation with them. I have been so very impressed with the amazing work this little company has done. They started off by working on my Facebook page, making some changes and trumping up "likes."  So far that is working very well.  They are working on something other things also, trying to convert "likes" to sales. They have taken on this project as if it where their own books they were trying to sell, which I love.
If you are in the market for a social media manager, I highly recommend you check out Smart Koronos.  They are college students right now, but someday they will be leading the market when it comes to advertising.  You can find their gig here.  Tell them ID Johnson sent you. If they deliver for you the way that they have for me, you will not regret the low cost it takes to get started.  I will be recommending them to all of my author friends and everyone I edit for.  They promote other items as well, so if you are selling anything online, check it out.