More Gift Ideas – YA/NA/Fantasy Authors E.J. Wesley, Tricia Drammeh, DM Yates

With only 9 more days before Christmas, this is when we realize gifts we forgot to purchase. It’s the perfect time to order e-books. Delivery is a no hassle, assured thing.

Today, I showcase 3 more authors, all favorites of mine. The next blog post I’ll introduce you to romance novelists.

E.J. Wesley

E.J. writes in fantasy, young adult, and new adult genres. I’ve read two of his works and they were imaginative and an excellent read, and right now ‘Blood Fugue’ is only 99cents on Amazon amazon blood fugue.

He has a passion for developing the new adult genre – between young adult and adult literature. There’s a weekly #NALitChat on google + and although I’m far, far behind on so many things, when I can I do catch up on these. There’s so much great info for any author so I’d advise you to take a chance and drop by.

E.J. has written several books and his works can be found on his blog: The Open Vein

This is his amazon author page: amazon e.j. wesley page

twitter: @EJWesley

facebook: E.J. Wesley on Facebook

G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+EJWesley/posts

So, if you have to buy gifts for young adults and/or new adults who like fantasy, E.J.’s books would make the perfect gifts.

Tricia Drammeh

Tricia Drammeh has been a friend of mine for a long time. She’s well-known for reviewing books and has reviewed my poetry book and my childrens book ‘Gingerbread Castle’ but she’s also an author of YA and chicklit.

Now, I’m not a fan of chicklit, but I took a chance and read Tricia’s ‘Better Than Perfect.’ What did I think? Well, here’s my Amazon review (right now the book is free!) amazon Better Than Perfect

Twenty-three-year-old Karlie is in the type of rut some people never escape from. With few friends, no boyfriend, and no plans to graduate from college any time in the immediate future, Karlie is as stuck in her ways as the elderly neighbor she spends all her time with.

When her world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them.

(of course I gave her 5 stars)

I totally enjoyed reading Tricia Drammeh’s ‘Better than Perfect.’ I loved the emotional connections among all the characters. Ms. Drammeh slowly built the story and all the emotional ups and downs, giving the reader plenty of time to understand and feel what the main character, Karlie was experiencing.
This is a story of neighbors who are family to each other; doing the right thing taking care of an ailing woman and being willing to be responsible for teenagers.
The book starts off where Karlie doesn’t want to move from the past, where she doesn’t want to change anything, but change happens anyway.
Karlie struggled with many emotional traumas and I found myself rooting for what I thought was the best answer for her. As love plays into the picture, Karlie is ready to move on and accept the present but she has to make a choice, and that choice just piles on top of all of her other struggles.
I’m so glad I decided to read this book. It’s well-written and the storyline moves along at a good pace. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this kind of read. I know I’ll be reading it more than once.

Tricia’s amazon page: amazon tricia drammeh

Tricia’s blog: http://blog.triciadrammeh.com/

twitter: @TriciaDrammeh

facebook: facebook tricia

G+: tricia

Smashwords: smashwords tricia

Tricia also contributed to our ‘Strange Portals’ anthology which is still FREE at Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/499789

Give one of her works a try. You will love them.

DM Yates ‘The Lone Hero’ Fantasy, Dragons, War, Elves

(right now, all my ebooks are only 99 cents)

Aberforth, home world to dragons and people is at war. Dragons are fighting each other and the human race is in danger of extinction. Einarr is born in a dragon’s companion line. Due to an ancient magical ritual performed by Zavat, a powerful dragon, Einarr is chosen to help bring about the end of the war and issue peace back to Aberforth. This will be no easy task for Einarr since the war will last throughout his lifetime.
As a child, Einarr develops a hatred for all dragons after witnessing their cruelty in battle, yet he accepts Zavat’s request to help find a solution to the dragons’ disagreements. Together, Einarr and Zavat make a formidable team who learn to work together and along the way Einarr realizes that there are good and evil dragons, just like there are good and evil people.

 When it comes to fantasy, how could I not include my own book ‘The Lone Hero’?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/yateslonehero
paperback: http://tinyurl.com/paperbacklonehero
smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/387491
apple:https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-lone-hero/id781887531?mt=11
kobo: http://tinyurl.com/kobolonehero
selz.com: https://dmyates.selz.com/ or The Weaver’s Store
google play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/DM_Yates_The_Lone_Hero?id=ygtWAgAAQBAJ

Follow and/or like me at these sites:

http://dmyates.weebly.com
twitter: @merridm
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMYatesAuthor

amazon: amazon dm yates

smashwords: smashwords dmy

IMPORTANT! PLEASE HELP.

I’m trying to get my G+ business page as my main page but of course I’m having problems with google (not surprise there) so please follow me at this g+ site:

DM Yates G+

Please make sure you follow and/or like  the authors’ sites. It’s the best Christmas gift you can give to any of us. If you’ve missed past authors, please just check past posts.

LHR my friends.

All You Need is Love

It’s true, isn’t it? All we all need is love. To be loved, to feel loved, to have love.

Love starts when you can open your heart to love yourself without judgement, with patinence, when you can accept you as being perfect just the way you are. When you can do that, an amzaing thing happens.

Your heart, your soul, and your mind opens to the gifts from the great Universe and you learn to love others equally. That’s a tough thing to do in our world with all its horrors and negativity, but you can be a shining beacon of love in this world. It all starts with you.

One of my favorite stories is about Julia Ward Howe, author of ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic.’

It is said that she expressed concern to a senator about someone who needed help. The senator said, “Julia, I’ve become so busy that I can no longer concern myself with individuals.” Julia responded, “That’s remarkable. Even God hasn’t reached that stage yet.”

Many of us feel there’s something missing in our lives. Yes, we love our spouses, our partners, our families, our friends, and our pets; yet something is missing.

I believe in eternal love. I believe that the Other Side is run totally on a love so deep, so binding that we can’t fathom it here on Earth. Within this love is no judgement, no negativity, and that’s where, I believe, our eternal partners are. For some of us on our journey at this time we’re together again, for others the partner, the twin waits for our return and loves us yet and always will.

That’s why in my novels I show the Other Side with eternal friends and partners. Our journeys here are for lessons to learn, to gain strengths, and the time here is really short compared to an eternity, but we must learn to love those we’re with, to love all species, all living things, and that starts by loving ourselves.

Those of you who’ve read ‘Always’ have seen the love between Einarr and Katura, but what of their friends? Does Paulos who is called Dixon in ‘Always’ have an eternal love? Is it Jesse, whose eternal name is Mina? What about Dixie who choose poorly in her mate in ‘Always’?

If you read ‘The Lone Hero’, you met some new characters in Einarr’s life. One of those is Atomo, a young man who believes in succeeding, who is a gifted warrior like Einarr but is forever trying to be better than Einarr. Once they return from Aberforth back to the Other Side, Atomo develops eternal love but his love isn’t so quickly realized. Here’s part of a scene from my soon-to-be-published 3rd book in the series, ‘Laurence of Dragon Fame.’ This scene takes place on the Other Side:

 

Finally, the three men sat on the ground in the Jasmine Gardens where Katura combed her fingers through Jenniere’s wavy red hair.

“I feel like I still have those obnoxious Tsii-fyres in my hair,” explained Jenniere.

Paulos plopped next to her, running his hands through her hair and teased, “Here’s one. Here’s another. Here’s a cluster of them.” They both laughed as she smacked him.

Atomo smiled briefly before he walked away, but Einarr caught up with him.

“It is as I expected. You care for Jenniere.”

Atomo said nothing.

“They’re twins, there’s nothing between them in a romantic way. They plan on being twins on Earth someday too. They’re inseparable, however, she still hasn’t met her eternal mate.” explained Einarr.

“They’re not lovers?”

“No. Approach her.”

“I’m not you, Einarr.”

“Will you not tell her how you feel?”

“Her personality is strong. I’ve tried, but she rejects such feelings. I have a plan though.” Atomo explained to Einarr what he was thinking for the future.

Einarr grinned. “It will work.” He called for Jenniere. When she arrived he explained, “Atomo needs a mate with strength of character for a future Earth life.”

Jenniere studied Atomo. Einarr continued. “I think you would be perfect, if you’re up to the challenge. Will you contract with him for that mission?”

“Yes.” With that, Jenniere walked away.

Atomo nodded to Einarr and shining lustrously, left for his home group.

In a future novel, set in the 1940’s, Atomo and Jenniere will have their chance to accept love.

I think that as Atomo watches Jenniere and thinks that she belongs to Paulos, his emotions are much like ‘You Don’t Know Me,’ song by Elvis Presley:

As for Paulos and Mina, well, you’ll just have to wait and see if they’ll end up eternal lovers.

Don’t be afraid to love those who surround you now. Say those magic words to them. Forgive and forget.

If you haven’t read my latest novel ‘The Lone Hero’ give it a try. In it, Einarr learns love, love of a man for a woman, love for his wife and children, and a binding love to dragons. Unusual story, again emphasizing that what we love here, we’ll bind with us to the Other Side. By the way, in ‘The Lone Hero’ I show how Einarr and Katura become eternal lovers.

Can you love a dragon? Well, if they were real in our world, why not? We do love our pets. I can’t help but show you this cute, cute video about the man who trained Chopper, the dog in Pirates of the Caribbean. Sadly, it doesn’t allow sharing so just follow the link. The video is only 1min long and you’ll love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr33_34hQIk&list=LLe58wHpTE1b2P0xwhq4hGGw

Remember the great words from Alfred Lord Tennyson: It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before.

Love, Honor, and Respect.

 

 

 

The Lone Hero Revealed and Chance to Win

Hello everyone. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve been steeped in editing and revisions on two books. Today I reveal my latest novel, The Lone Hero.

I must deeply thank Roger Lawrence  Three Hoodiesfor the design of the cover and both Roger and Joleene Naylor  Amaranthine Nightfor the final cover look. They did a great job, didn’t they?

 

If you’ve read my novel, Always, then you’ll understand as I tell you about this latest story. If you haven’t read Always, you’ll have a chance to win a digital version of it or The Lone Hero. More about that later.

 

The Lone Hero is the second story of Einarr. In this book, he accepts his first mission to travel to the planet Aberforth and aid in solving the dragons’ war.

 

In Always, we met Einarr and his eternal partner Katura and their close circle of friends. We get to know them as Simon and April in our timeframe.

 

My novels are written around the theory that on the Other Side we have eternal names that differ from any of our mortal names. So in Always Einarr’s mortal name is Simon and Katura’s mortal name is April. Always is a tender love story between Simon and April filled with a roller-coaster of emotions.

 

In The Lone Hero, we learn how we choose our eternal names and how Einarr meets Katura and their decision to be eternal partners. In Aberforth, Einarr will come to be known as the Lone Hero.

 

Aberforth is the dragons’ planet where the Great Ones (the oldest and bravest of dragons) have chosen to live. Once inhabitated by giants, the dragons quickly tire of them and send them to other worlds.

 

Aberforth has a Grandus Laedaere named Zavat. It is Zavat who performs an ancient difficult ritual to bind Einarr to him to ensure there will be an end to the war. Einarr develops strength and agility beyond any other mortal.

 

Of course, I don’t want to give the story away so I’ll stop here, but give you some excerpts from the book.

 

 

“There’s a weird clump in this ground,” said Mehu. “We found a dragon’s egg! Notice the light brown color with spots all over it?”

“Maybe that’s how you get one.”

“What luck. We’ll raise it then we’ll teach it to take us everywhere.”

The boys struggled to push it up onto the sand.

“It’s huge and heavy,” said Akimo. “How will we get it down?”

“Don’t be dumb. We’ll just slide it.”

They scooped out a pathway to the edge. With their combined strengths, they maneuvered the heavy egg into position and gave it a shove. It rolled and although the boys pursued it, it propelled rapidly and when it hit the bottom it cracked open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Let him be,” spoke Turutay. “I delivered that one. He’s stubborn and forceful. He’ll outlast us all since he insists on things his way. His poor mother. I never witnessed such a strenuous delivery. His eyes aren’t right and were encrusted with a strange substance, yet I anticipate impressive courage from him. If any of our youth can survive, surely he will.”

“I wonder. Perhaps he is more than he should be. What about the black fuzz on his head? And the name is strange.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harulis swung around and raised a finger. “This is a favorite of mine. Legends bear truth, mind you. Ages ago giants owned these lands. They were nomads and rarely bothered with each other except to practice cuddling and brawl, although occasionally they built elaborate fortresses high in the mountains with intricate rooms. No one knows why they did. Even after their intimate time, the couple would split up. She watched over the child until she tired of it. The males would attack it otherwise. They seemed incapable of love. Once freed of her duties she went where-ever she wanted.

“Them that fly found an opening to this world. They’re talented at finding doors into diverse lands. It is said that they’ve visited many places. They tried to advise the giants how to live and how to use a language, but the giants didn’t care about such things. They thought it fun to club them that taught.”

“Smart. I’d like to club them too. What’s a giant?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I’ll refer to you however I wish. ‘Its’, fiends, and dolts fit, but never will I call you a lord.”

Zavat’s eyes burst open, rich black in color. In a heartbeat, he seized Einarr’s arm with a massive claw and, dragging Einarr, clomped to the back and suspended him over the ledge.

“We don’t abide disrespect. I’ve allowed you say certain things, but no more. It’s time you act nicely with us. What’s my type of ‘fiend’ called?”

“Pull me up, you idiot! You might drop me.”

Zavat’s eyes turned to citrine and he smiled menacingly while he lowered Einarr farther. “Idiot isn’t correct.”

Einarr tried to climb up Zavat’s arm but Zavat poked him with his other forepaw.

“Sure. Be a bully and tease me. You think you’re brilliant.”

“Bully isn’t correct either.” Zavat leaned out so that Einarr dangled perilously in open space with no chance of grabbing on to anything should Zavat let go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No, Lord Zavat,” said Szpha’ha. “He was too quick for them and murdered them to save us. I was terrified and couldn’t think, but he wasn’t anxious at all. He balanced on my back and stabbed a Feohtere in the heart. He…he…thought up this…this scheme. I reminded him not to grab my spike, but…he said he needed to hold on. Even infected, he said he…he wouldn’t let them hurt me. He was sure of his abilities. He sliced the Feohtere’s head without wavering and saved us both. I never witnessed such courage and swift reactions. I didn’t think we’d survive. I didn’t know what to do; only what he instructed. I flew in a nightmare with Feohtere youngling falling around me.” Szpha’ha slipped the glove on Einarr’s hand. Einarr sighed and breathed easier.

“He…he almost didn’t make it. He leaned off me unconscious but somehow stayed on, mumbling “mi patér, mi patér,” gibbering about all sorts of things—his eyes and your frontal spikes, Lord Zavat, dangling, calling out for something called a kat—odd things.”

 

Einarr has the same personality in this book as he did as Simon in Always. As a matter of fact, much of his personality was developed on the planet Aberforth. His humor and good nature is a big part of his stubbornness and his will to survive:

 

 

 

“There’s he to whom they refer as Lone,” thought out Paulos. “They should call him Solemn.” Paulos slid his hand down the front of his face and his expression changed to a Greek sad mask.

The women giggled.

“Perhaps you should be called Jester,” mused Einarr. He slid his hand over his face, which assumed a jester’s countenance.

 

 

“Enough! Must I watch you constantly? Yesterday you both threw Sze-anz in the spring making him the fourth trainee this week.”

“He tripped,” said Szpha’ha.

“I agree. He did. He’s a bit clumsy,” said Einarr as Sze-anz glared at them.

“Tonight, you both will accompany me to a meeting. I guarantee it will be more boring than when the seers got together. We’ll discuss proper protocol for the treatment of prisoners. Einarr, eat now. We leave immediately. Don’t worry. We’ll return in time for spitting practice.”

“I choose Einarr since he can’t spit beyond his nose,” said Szpha’ha.

“Maybe I should use the both of you as targets for the class,” yelled Szah.

“Thank you, Lord Szah,” they both called out cheerily.

“Moving targets, brilliant,” said Szpha’ha loudly as they joined everyone else.

“No wonder he’s the instructor,” agreed Einarr equally as loud.

Szah paused, grumbled about instigators and tossing them off the cliff as he stomped away.

 

The Lone Hero is available for only $1.99 at amazon.com smashwords.com (smashwords gives you the opportunity to download a book in many formats) google play/books 

 

Want to review my book? Let me know and I’ll get you a copy.

 

You have a chance to win either Always or The Lone Hero in digital format. Three winners will be chosen at random. Follow this link for the Rafflecopter Form:  http://dmyatesbelieveinyourself.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-lone-hero-revealed-and-chance-to-win.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway Thank you for dropping by. LHR, my dear friends.