Summer #shortstory - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 4

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 3: 

A message flashed on the screen:

Still not sure? Try a free preview of a few members who match your questionnaire results.

Well, what a great idea. "Don't mind if I do." Dave clicked OK. 

4

There was Rhonda, Pamela, Dayja, Christine, Kaela, Babs, Erika, and on and on. Some were pretty, some were okay, and some were not his type. Many had college or technical degrees--one was a cosmetologist. Pictures and words weren't enough. The daunting part was the getting to know them with dating, which was more like going on a job interview. Even then, one didn't really know a person until it was too late to just ignore their texts. Maybe he would go out the next day and get a dog.

He looked at the time and rubbed his eyes. It was eleven o'clock. With a yawn he decided to get ready for bed.

After just one more. It was free after all. He clicked Next and got a chill.

Her name was Sharon Baker.

She was perfect. He felt an instant attraction just looking into her dark brown, playful eyes. She had medium-length brown hair that flipped up at the bottom and wore a smirk that made him want to ask her what was so funny. He didn't want to spoil his first impression by reading her info, but that's what it was there for. No one was perfect.

As he read about her background, he found it similar to his—Midwest girl, good school, good job. His hopes started to rise. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips.

Then another message flashed.

Your preview is about to expire. Publish your profile and find the girl of your dreams.

Dave stared at Sharon's face until the screen returned to the dating site's home page. Maybe he would do it.

He needed to think it over. He got up and stretched.

His friends were all for it. His mother would be ecstatic. Maybe if he found the right girl, losing some freedom might not be so bad.

Dave thought about it while he went through his bedtime routine. Each time he walked past his tablet, he glanced over at it. It seemed to call to him, Just do it, Dave.

Sitting down, he woke up his computer. There was the dating site, patiently waiting for him. He opened his profile with his goofy face grinning back at him and did a last check of his info. Would Sharon like him? Would anyone? He shrugged. In the words of Nathan, What's the worst that could happen?

From the corner of his eye, Dave noticed something out his window whiz across the sky. A shooting star? Was it the universe giving him a sign? Dave paused and made a wish. Couldn't hurt.

He pushed Activate.

His tablet fuzzed. All the lights went out. In his apartment, across the street, and as far away as he could see from his window. Everything was dark.

"What the...?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Look for Episode 5 NEXT WED 7/29!

Sailing...takes me away!

How's your SUMMER READING going? Love having a little extra reading time! And today, I'm excited to share another review with you...

I give you the first novel in a fun cozy mystery series...

MURDER AT THE MARINA

by Ellen Jacobson

Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her clueless hubby presents her with a rundown boat. She's not impressed.

When she discovers someone murdered on board, things get even worse. Mollie hopes it will convince her husband to rethink his hare-brained scheme of sailing off into the sunset. Instead, he's more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set off to sea.

Poking her nose in where it doesn't belong, Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring dealing in stolen marine equipment, eats way too many chocolate bars, adopts a cat, and learns far more about sailing than she ever wanted to.

Will Mollie be able to discover who the murderer is before her nosiness gets her killed?

Amazon ~~~ Goodreads

My Review...

Sailing, Murder, and Chocolate!

Murder at the Marina was a fun, quirky mystery set in a cozy sailing community where Mollie never expected to find herself. With a pocketbook full of sweets and an intuitive feline helper, Mollie leads us on a hilarious hunt for a killer with a motive and more chocolate. I was left guessing who the murderer could be right up to the end. Looking forward to Mollie's next mysterious misadventure!

Summer #shortstory - The Day Dave Broke the Internet - 3

Dave didn't know he was lonely until his friends pointed it out. But when he gives in and tries an online dating site, something catastrophic happens - talk about a bad omen.

(Previous episodes)

The Day Dave Broke the Internet

by Tara Tyler

RECAP 2: Were they trying to teach him a lesson? Dave tilted his head as he watched them walk away. They acted like he'd betrayed them. What was wrong with being single?

3

Once he got home, he was ready to relax with some Call of Duty or maybe a movie. He changed into sweat pants, made a hero sandwich worthy of its name, and settled in for a marathon night of killing the enemy. The perfect Friday night.

But when he turned on his Xbox, it started to smoke. What the...?

Well, it was too late to bother going out to buy a new one so Dave flipped on the TV and searched for a new movie. Nothing drew his attention. He'd seen all the good ones. Only the sappy sad ones or rom-coms were left. Chick flicks. No thank you.

That left him two options. Go out with his friends—the thought made him chuckle—or surf the internet. He didn't enjoy surfing the net as much as he used to. It felt more like he was at work staring at his screen. But it had been a while since he checked his social media, maybe he'd find something interesting or a few funny Youtube videos.

Unfortunately, Youtube was fruitless, so he switched to Instagram, then Twitter, then Tik-Tok. Dave scrolled and scrolled. Nothing but happy couples and families. They were on vacation, telling goofy stories, singing, dancing, cooking. Ugh. What was up with the world today? Were there no single people left?

He came across yet another video of Sunni and Kyle announcing their engagement. He clicked like for his friends. It was the least he could do.

Two seconds later, Sunni sent him a pouty-faced snap. "Dave, come hang out with us."

Unfortunately, Sunni knew he was online and bored if he was liking pictures of couples on social media. Though she was right, he wasn't going out.

He sent back a forehead shot. "Sorry. Busy. Try to have fun without me."

":(  At least activate your account."

He was just bored enough to check it out. And maybe a little curious. He opened the dating site and read over his profile. They'd done a pretty decent job. He wasn't a bad guy. But was he ready for a woman to take over his life?

Dave was a man of numbers, formulas, and programs. As a creature of habit, he did things his own way and liked his freedom to go anywhere, any time. Not that he went anywhere, but he could. And a woman would screw all that up. He'd be forced to consider her when making decisions and deal with whatever faults or bad habits she had. He'd lose the majority of his free time. And there was always the possibility that after all that work, she'd leave him. Logically it just didn't make sense.

On the other side of the coin, there was the possibility of a lasting connection. With many of his friends leaving single-hood, it intrigued him. Maybe he was ready. Or maybe he needed to find some new friends--which would be just as difficult.

A message flashed on the screen.

Still not sure? Try a free preview of a few members who match your questionnaire results.

Well, what a great idea.

"Don't mind if I do." Dave clicked OK. 

Things NOT to do at an interview

Sometimes I don't know when to shut up - just ask my hub (ba dump bump)

Lately, I've been trying to find ways to make a better living (sons approaching college age = need more $$$!) And we writers know the best kept secret about writing is there's not much money in it. For some strange reason, the general public thinks if you're published, you must be rich AND famous! It really cracks me up when someone introduces me as a "famous author" - ha ha ha!

Anyway, as I said, I'm trying to earn more money. I've been on a few job interviews, sent countless query letters, submitted a few pieces, and begged for book gigs. So far it's all gotten me bupkis! And upon further examination, I seem to be sabotaging myself. I'll tell you what I mean...

Here are Things NOT to do when looking for work:
DON'T tell them you'll understand if they don't want to hire you.
DON'T act like you could care less.
DON'T tell them their workplace is cute.
DON'T bring up sore spots about their financial situation.
DON'T compare them to a better workplace.
DON'T assume you aren't right for the job.
DON'T force a smile.
DON'T oversell yourself.
DON'T show them you're smarter than they are, know-it-all.

I was in an anti-full-time teacher funk when I went on that interview. Yes, I actually did a few of those things. How could I be so dumb? People know when you aren't genuinely interested. They also know when you're trying too hard out of desperation. We must be confident but not cocky. Self-assured but not assuming. And humble not humiliating.

I was disappointed I didn't get a job offer, but not surprised. Then a long-term job was handed to me - things worked out. Not getting the book events was actually better for me. And more changes are on the horizon that would make getting a permanent job not the best situation right now. I believe God has a plan for me. After having things work out so many times, and mostly not how I plan, it's easier to accept and leave things to Him.

Prayer brings results, worry brings wrinkles.

AND IN THE NEWS:
Don't forget to stop by and vote at the WRiTE CLUB!

Many folks are Revealing their A to Z Challenge THEMES today - including the Really Real Housewives where we'll be joining in the challenge. You'll never guess our theme!

And if anyone would like to volunteer to read JOLISSA for an honest review, let me know. Thanks!

Anyone else notice how things work out for the best in ways least expected?

Hope things are working out for you!

Happy Spring!

Cramming a Ton of Awesome into Today!

Another exciting Monday...

But seriously, it IS!
The super splendicular Christine Rains is hosting me at her place today AND she's also the specialissimo guest over at the Really Real Housewives this week!

AND I'm super excited to announce the winners of our MEME BLOG HOP!

First, a HUGE SPECIAL THANKS to my co-hostesses, C. Lee McKenzie and Christine Rains. We had a very hard time picking our faves, so there are lots of winners:

2 Grand Prize Winners of $20 Gift Cards

M Pepper Langlinais

and

Yvonne Ventresca

J. Lenni's

We also chose J Lenni Dorner (Broken Branch Falls by Tara Tyler & Double Negative by C. Lee McKenzie) and Juneta Key (Sudden Secrets by C. Lee McKenzie & Of Blood and Sorrow by Christine Rains) as 2nd runners up, winning two ebooks each!

Juneta's

And here's the rest of our winners, each receiving an ebook:
Michelle Wallace - Jolissa by Tara Tyler
Tamara Narayan - Pop Travel by Tara Tyler
Jess Haight/Fairday Morrow - (still deciding)


Thanks to all who played with us! I wish we could give stuff to everyone. But the fun continues all month, maybe longer, as I will be tweeting ALL the entrants' fun and encouraging meme's for everyone to see and enjoy.


And LBNL...

Today is also the first day of WRiTE CLUB 2016!

It's an awesome contest helping writers refine their craft in a blind competition. 

Stop by and VOTE for your favorites!

Have a wonderful week!

How to reach your #resolution #goals - all year!

Time to get lean in 2016...
Good one, right? That's part of my goals every year, yet it never seems to happen. Especially as I get older, I usually pack on more pounds.

SO! Here are some suggestions for sticking to those lofty resolution goals we set in January that usually fizzle out by February or March. And these are recommendations as part of the first Insecure Writers Support Group as well - writers make and break resolutions too (Guilty!)

• Reminders - You have a smart phone, or at least a computer, so set a reminder alarm. Once a month or once a week, or whenever - check in with yourself and remind yourself of your goals. And update or change your goals as necessary.
• Goal Buddy - Have someone to check in with. I started a writing goals page on Facebook - it should be an open group - join us! Or talk to a friend once in a while, encourage each other. We all have things come up that interfere with our goals, the point is not to give up!
• Be Reasonable - I've said this before, make goals you can reach and consider your time and life constraints. Be realistic.
• Be Forgiving - It's okay if you don't reach those lofty goals. The Really Real Housewife philosophy is WICWIC - What I Can, When I Can. Just keep striving!
• Rewards - When you do reach a goal, treat yourself. Have a special treat in mind for when you do, then you have something to look forward to in addition to reaching the goal.

Many thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for establishing the completely awesome Insecure Writers Support Group - meeting each first Wed of the month with special guest hosts to help him wade through the fears and cheers of the many participants. Always room for more!

And this month I'm also very excited to see who is going to be in the IWSG anthology!

In other news...
I got a new computer. My last one sludged slower and slower with all the upgrades and updates it automatically downloaded. I can't stand how quickly technology speeds away and changes, out-dating my stuff before I even get a chance to get used to it as another newer, faster, supposedly better version comes out. It makes me wonder if the younger generation does it on purpose to confuddle us. And sometimes I think it's job security for them.

I was so frustrated, I drew a cartoon about it!

Here's my quarterly newsletter for my writerly updates...

And this week at the Really Real Housewives we have a special guest - a fun-loving HouseHUSBAND!

Also, if anyone has a release or cover reveal they'd like help with, I'm happy to give you a shout =) Just ask!

What are your goals this year? Any news or frustrations to share?

Here's to a Sweet 2016!

A PuZZle Wrapped in an Enigma

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Zany!

A to Z Writing advice:
Zounds! – use ze senses! ze sights, ze sounds, ze smells, ze taste, and ze feel. When describing a scene, I try to imagine myself in it and try to describe it with as many senses as possible. Sight is obvious, but sounds and smells give that much more depth to a scene, as well as touch. And not only that, but what are the characters' reactions to these sensations? Put your reader into the scene!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Zolaf - since I needed a Z, I thought this name would do well in Book Three for the bad guy. He's the son of a werewolf and an ogre...

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

Z is for Zee-man
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch,
they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.

If Mike, Dave and John go out,
they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Dawg, and Long-John
(my son is J-Rob, dubbed by his baseball team)

Zero, zilch, zen - this is the end!

Din, dan, done - hope you all had fun!

A to Z 2014 was a blast! I will share my numbers on wrap up day, as usual. Had so much fun meeting a ton of new folks again this year! Thanks for all the wonderful comments and thanks again to our wonderful hosts:

Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out 

Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh 

Author Stephen Tremp 

Tina @ Life is Good 

Damyanti@Amlokiblogs 

Jeremy @ Being Retro 

Nicole Ayers - The Madlab Post  

M. J. Joachim's Writing Tips 

Heather M. Gardner 

AJ @ Naturally Sweet 

Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian

I will be taking a break for most of May as I prepare for my June 24th release of BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, with cover reveal on May 5th. Plus, I have a book festival on the 10th. I also still have a couple of releases to help announce - and IWSG is on the 7th - don't forget!

And to all a good night! zzzzzzzzzzz

Can You Handle the Truth?

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Yowza! Don't leave without seeing the sweet cover reveal below!

A to Z Writing advice:
YES! – The always elusive positive response. Writing is like baseball, it's a game of overcoming failure. Batting averages are hardly even close to .500 (50%) Strikeouts, outs, and walks are common expectations. And that's just like writing. We work our butts off, and receive so much rejection! But when we do get a hit, we knock it out of the park! A "yes" is affirmation and it feels so good. Don't give up or let those strike outs get you down. The YES is coming soon!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Yellow teeth and eyes - unfortunately, ogres and trolls share the yellow teeth trait due to lack of hygene... the eyes are just what they were dealt.

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

Y is for Yes, Dear
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

YET! (that means wait please!)
YAAAAAY for Elizabeth Seckman! A Cover Reveal that will yank at your heartstrings and make you yearn for more of this yarn by golly!

Did you know? After the American Civil War, food was scarce. A common staple was hard tack.  A mix of flour, salt, and water spread thin, cut into squares and baked. 

Isabella Troy Stanley is a divorced, slave freeing pariah surviving in the shattered post Civil War south the only way a fallen debutante knows how... She heads to a Yankee prison and buys herself a husband. 

Jack Byron is the former Troy plantation stable boy and object of young Bella's affection. He rejected her then, and he's still not sold on the idea of marrying her now.  

It’s complicated.

Though to Bella, it’s simple: make Jack love her, marry her, and live happily ever after. The plan seems to work...at least until her secret is revealed.

Gorgeous, isn't it! And what a juicy historical romance!

Elizabeth Seckman is a wife, a mom, and a writer. She has four wonderful boys, one dusty house, and three published books to her credit. Feel free to check them out and buy them HERE! Erm, the books, not the kids or the house...though all things in life are negotiable ;)

You can find her here - Blog // Facebook // Twitter

Cover art by Sprinkles on Top Studios.

A Werewolf's Tale

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Wondertastic!

A to Z Writing advice:
Who are you? – I have posted on this before as I try to get my own name out there. We may not be spotlight stealers or attention seekers, but to get our books sold, we must be noticed. Tara Tyler is an adventure writer in many genres. I like to keep it light and entertaining, with a moral to the story as a hidden surprise. I'm happy to say that I feel I'm accomplishing that goal. But, coming out of my shell isn't easy. Online we are more apt to meet others, it's in person we need to find a way to shine. So discover yourself and advertise your product, which is you and your writing!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Rove in cartoon

Werewolves - part wolf part humanoid, hairy with super sensitive smelling and hearing, also don't want to go wandering into their forest at night as that's when they hunt for their dinner
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS - Book 3 in the Beast World Series. Evil is brewing in sector 9!

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

W is for Wrinkles
Wrinkles add character on men's faces.

Men are unable to see wrinkles in clothes.

Vampire Currency

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Verifiable!

Almost done! But, I wanted to mention, I hope you are getting lots of visitors! I know I am! Thanks so much! But the way to get comments is to go visit!

A to Z Writing advice:
Venting – We all get down. Life, bills, trials, pitfalls. Sometimes we just don't feel like writing. Or we get down about our writing. A few rejections, a bad review, a scene we can't figure out, or a blurb that just doesn't sound good - sometimes we wonder why we write at all. I say we, because we've all had these feelings. It's okay. They pass and we're back in the chair writing with gusto. So, if you ever need to vent, call on your fellow writers who understand. Tell someone who gets it! You will feel better after a good vent! (And if you haven't joined the Insecure Writer's Support Group, take a peek on Wednesday, May 7th and you'll see just what I mean!)

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Vampires - part bat part humanoid, and blood is gold to them. Tho they don't seek out sentient beings to feed on, don't go wandering into their village at night

Vincent - a handsome, suave vampire and Gabe's rival for Ona, plus he's tall

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

V is for Vacations
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase for a man

Up Down Hills

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Undeniable!

A to Z Writing advice:
Unique – No two snowflakes are the same and no people have the same DNA (except identical twins, but even they have differences) It is also said that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) - everything has been done before, even in bible times. It's amazing how the same basic stories can be told over and over again with new twists to keep us reading! It's because we put our own unique spin of experiences into them, our unique imaginations, and our unique talents. The stories may be old, but the perspective of writers and readers keeps them fresh and flowing! So don't be discouraged - I urge you to write on!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS:

Ugly Mountains - where the dumb, selfish trolls live

Up Down Hills - the section of hilly land north of Black Dog Forest that grows into the Iridescent Mountains

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

U is for Underwear
Men's underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.

Men don't have strap problems in public,
or don't hesitate to fix them if they do.

Troll Trap

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Totally Terrific!

First, I have to mention this coincidence - my oldest son shaved for the first time this morning. Wiping away a tear...

A to Z Writing advice:
Trailer – I'm not sure how much a book trailer will help with promotion. There are so many funny and entertaining videos, it will be hard to grab attention on its own. I have a couple, but I didn't spend money on them and I wouldn't recommend spending too much, because unless you have some footage of actors or something spectacular that goes viral, I don't think it's worth it. If you have a flair for making videos or experimenting, by all means, do some research, view some book trailers on youtube and get a feel for what would work for your book. My only advice, make it short and exciting, not too many words. (I need to work on my BBF trailer. I like dabbling, but it's more for me to show my friends than promote it...)

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Gabe tutoring an ogre

Trolls - short, stocky, cave-dwelling, gem harvesters and dumb as the rocks they live in
Trickle Stream - a peaceful stream flowing from Blood Lake to the Steddy Rolling River
Tutoring - the goblins have been "tutoring" the ogres for years, which means doing their homework for them - but that's about to change.

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

T is for Toys
Men play with toys all their lives.


TUT TUT! Take a look at this!
I'm over the TOP, TICKLED TURQUOISE!!
Look what just arrived! My giveaways for Broken Branch Falls!

A Steamy Situation

Welcome to the A to Z challenge!
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Yeah. I said it.

A to Z Writing advice:
Salt – Take every piece of advice with a grain of salt. No one knows all. We base our advice on our particular experiences. Everyone is different. What works for some, may not for others. Listen, be gracious, but use what feels right for you. There's no one recipe for how to write a perfect MS. And you can't please everyone. Do what you think is best, then, keep polishing until you get your offer, and you will!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Sea of Notion - Where the mermaids live

Steddy Rolling River - the river that runs from the Sea of Notion through Broken Branch Falls and lets out at Make a Wish Falls. So-named in honor of legendary fantasy writers.

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

S is for Shaving
Men only have to shave their face and neck.

They have freedom of choice when it comes to growing a mustache.

They can wear shorts no matter how their legs look.

Through the River and Under the Bridge

Welcome to the A to Z challenge -Ridonkulous!

A to Z Writing advice:
READ! – You must find time to read! It's the best thing to do when you need:

• a break from writing
• research
• knowledge
• a good or bad example
• hope
• inspiration
• an escape from reality
• a reminder of why you write - to make great stories for others to read and be inspired!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Rove - probably my favorite character, he's the calm, cool, collective werewolf, smart and subtle, reminds me of Steve McQueen.

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

R is for Reason
Of course men are happier -
What do you expect from such simple creatures?

(Ignorance is bliss, right?)

Werewolves? There Wolves (Question)

Quick - name that movie!
Welcome to the A to Z challenge!

A to Z Writing advice:
Querying – Similar to blurbs, query letters need to be quick, concise, to the point. Get in and get out and leave em hanging. Wham, bam, I want some more, ma'am! Here's my thoughts on writing queries:

• try to use only two, or at most three, character names - not too much detail, it's confusing
• introduce the MC, tell what goes wrong (the twist) why does he absolutely need to fix it? (motivation) and who or what is in his way?
• and don't forget voice! give a taste with some spice to it!
• the meat of a query shouldn't be more than two paragraphs, but you could add a hook sentence or two at the beginning - just don't make it too gimmicky or cheesy, and PLEASE do not start with, Mary had the perfect life... until... I have read that at the beginning of so many blurbs and queries... and agents have heard it umpteen times more!
• which brings me to my last bit of advice - make sure you show them what's original about your story. make it stand out! what's so special about it?!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

sQuirrel- what the characters call someone who's afraid, instead of chicken (and instead of saying bawk, bawk, they make paws with their hands and mock buck teeth, like a squirrel!)

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

Q is for Quick
Phone conversations with men are over in 30 seconds flat.

Men can be showered and ready to go in ten minutes or less.

Plan Hatched or Powder Keg Ignited

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Perfect!

A to Z Writing advice:
Perseverance – The key to accomplishing anything is perseverance. If you don't try you won't fail but you won't succeed either. We must try! And keep on trying! If you give up, you'll never know the sweet reward of reaching the goal. You can get down, just get back up - and we are all here to help each other. Don't quit!

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

sketch by Laura Kramer

Piper - a special, sweet harpy with pheromones so strong, anyone close to her feels what she feels, not just other harpies.
Pixies - the same size as goblins, but more colorful in gem-toned skin and in their personalities - feisty troublemakers, using their wits for hijinks and mischief
Professor Hardaway - Gabe's respectable nemesis, a leader and teacher with good intentions, but Gabe completely disagrees with him

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

P is for Politics
Men can be President. (soon to change!)

PAUSE! This is a great word to get kids to stop what they're doing so they can listen to you for a minute. Pause, you guys!
I have a super cool cover reveal from Nicole Zoltack!

WHITE HELLABORE

by Nicole Zoltack

Release date: April 21

After destroying Skull Krusher, Nicholas Adams thinks Falledge is safe and becomes a security guard at the museum, watching a valuable statue. Unfortunately, the Egyptian statue houses the soul of a scorned witch, biding her time to have her revenge on the descendants of her cheating lover.

Kiya the witch isn't the only new foe in town as the drug that created Skull Krusher has now transformed a scientist into yet another monster, forcing Nicholas to don his Black Hellebore mask again and save Falledge.

Nicholas has no help this time as Kiya gains possession of his love Julianna's body and brings the soul of Justina, Nicholas's high school sweetheart and Julianna's twin, with her. Despite himself, Nicholas is torn between the sisters. If he can't stop the fiends from taking over the world and destroying humankind, he'd never be able to find lasting, true love.

Add it on Goodreads!

Nicole Zoltack loves to write in many genres, especially romance, whether fantasy, paranormal, or regency. When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her loving husband and three energetic young boys. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV show is The Walking Dead. To learn more about Nicole and her writing, visit her blog.

Congrats, Nicole! And haPPy Friday, you guys!

My HerO

Welcome to the A to Z challenge - Outstanding!

A to Z Writing advice:
Outlining – Are you a pantster or a plotter? I need organization. I must outline! Nothing fancy, just a sentence or two for scenes or events. Then I rough draft in a notebook, and, finally I sit at the computer and type it up - adding more with each phase and each round of edits. But I have to start with that initial outline. I must be able to see the connections and then I can go back and add twists, tempting hints, foreshadowing, or red herrings, right?! What's your process?

Visiting BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG Fantasy):

Ogres - big, not-too-bright, proud of their ugliness humanoids with gray skin and yellowy eyes - the jocks at school.
Ona - Gabe's love interest, an uncommonly bright, unogre-like ogress

And for laughs:
Reasons Men are Happier People... 

O is for Optional
Men can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
Men can wear NO shirt to a water park.