Thank You!!

First things first, I want to give a huge thank you to Lovely Whitmore for allowing us a peek inside her world and sharing with us her inspiration and writing styles. Indie authors are often the most underestimated writers, yet produce some of the most incredible stories ever told. Lovely, the Drunken Space Penguin wishes you nothing but success in your pursuit of of your dreams.

Second, today is the last day to get yourself entered for a free copy of Daughters of Night: Sanctuary, so comment on any post from this week and get entered. I promise not to make you jump through any hoops, just a comment and you're entered. :)

Last, but never least, tomorrow we get to meet another new indie author, Roberta Kagan, and she definitely has a story to tell. This is one author you won't want to miss, and her books are awesome. Don't forget to check back tomorrow to meet and welcome Roberta!!

Indie Authors Rock

In case you haven't noticed, this week we've been paying tribute to indie author Lovely Whitmore and her fantastic writing. I happened to stumble across another blog interview with Lovely and thought I'd share it, since there were some different questions asked. Follow the link for more info!

http://indiebookspot.com/2012/04/29/interview-with-journals-of-a-wannabe-basketball-player-author-lovely-whitmore/

In other news, there's still time to get entered in the giveaway for an eBook copy of Daughters of Night: Sanctuary, just comment on any post from this week (9/24-9/30) before 11:59pm tomorrow, and you're entered! You're going to kick yourself if you miss this opportunity!!

F*U*N Time Giveaway!!

Time for a freebie! 

This week we've been interviewing and talking about Lovely Whitmore, a remarkable author and a pretty special person. If you want a copy of her highly requested It's All Coming Back To Me Now series, you can join Amazon Prime, sign up free for a month (a whole month with lots of perks!) and get a copy of Lovely's series FREE. That's it, sign up for something awesome and get her books free. In fact, you can get many of her books for free, including 1378 Oak Street, and the Journals of a Wannabe Basketball Player series. All free. Pretty sweet deal, right?




Let's sweeten the pot a little bit.




Starting now, through 11:59pm on Sunday the 30th, comment on any post this week and get an eBook copy of my own book, Daughters of Night: Sanctuary, free. One winner will be chosen for this free eBook, so comment on any post from 9/24-9/30, and get entered in the drawing for a free book. 




With so much free stuff, why would you NOT jump on board? Start commenting now!

Spotlight on Lovely

If you haven't read it yet, I recommend you all check out the interview with Lovely Whitmore from Monday, I recommend everyone clicks on the post right away and read up on her very inspiring answers.

Actually, I simply have to post part of the interview here...it's too good not to read...



               __________________________________________________________

"DSP: Who is your favorite character in your book, and why? How about the character you had the most trouble with?

Lovely: My favorite character in the It's All Coming Back To Me Now Series would have to be Shanice, the main character's twin sister. She's this mysterious woman that's definitely up to no good. It was fun writing her into the story.

The character that I had the most trouble with - ehm, hmm - I don't think I really had any trouble with any of the  characters in this one."

                ____________________________________________________________

"DSP: Who is your greatest inspiration to write? What person makes you believe in yourself, and how?

Lovely: Now this is a tricky one, I would have to say one of my daughters, she is eleven years old and is very encouraging. "

               _____________________________________________________________

"DSP: Do you have any aspirations to be similar or comparable to another author? Why?

Lovely: No. My style is different in each book that I publish. I don't wanna be the next _______, I wanna be the first me. :) "

               _____________________________________________________________

This is just a sample of the interview, check out the rest posted under "Indie Author Interview" for the full interview with Lovely Whitmore author of the It's All Coming Back To Me Now series.

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read THIS!

Today, I'm taking on the world. 

And by that, I mean I woke up, dragged my ass out of bed, and curled up on the couch with my laptop. But hey, we all gotta start somewhere. Considering I didn't go to bed till 4 and woke up at 7, 9, and 10, I'd say I'm doing pretty darn good.

Today, I have a couple of things to say. One, buy my book. Daughters of Night: Sanctuary is available in all formats and platforms, and here's a link: www.amazon.com/author/ash.torbeck. Right now, as a special promotion, I lowered the price on Kindle to $2.99 and an ultra-low price on Nook of $0.99. Of course, paperback is always an option, and if you want it autographed, keep an eye out on the Drunken Space Penguin, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, because I'm planning on holding a signing soon! I just scored myself an awesome helper, Tyler Spencer, who is awesome at this creating web pages and getting me set up, plus he's got some ideas that should really take me places, so he's going to be kind of like an agent for me. I am damn lucky to have cool ass friends.

Okay, that being said, I can't push Lovely Whitmore in your faces enough. Have you checked out her sites? She's not only an amazing writer who is incredibly accomplished, but really read her answers. She's got it figured out. Seriously, this woman is someone who knows what she wants, grabbed her dream, and made it a reality by working hard and just going for it. We could all take a page or two from Lovely's book. As a matter of fact, we can buy the whole thing, check her books out on Amazon and you'll find yourself in for a real treat! 

Author Spotlight - Lovely Whitmore

I came across a link for another interview for indie author Lovely Whitmore, and wanted to share this link from May 2012. Ms Whitmore is really going places, and I'm honored to have had the opportunity to interview her as well. Make sure you check out both interviews, then stop by her page on Amazon.com to pick up a copy of any of her rockin' books!


Only True Magic: Author Interview - Lovely Whitmore: Today I'm interviewing Lovely Whitmore, author of Journals of a Wannabe Basketball Player. 9 year old Kayla loves the sport of basket...

Author Spotlight-Lovely Whitmore

Yesterday I posted a very cool interview with Lovely Whitmore, author of the It's All Coming Back To Me Now series, not to mention several other books. Her most recent book It's All Coming Back To Me Now: The Secret, now available from createspace.com and amazon.com, is the much anticipated second installment in the series. Here's the blurb from createspace.com:



"Some secrets are better left unrevealed...

THE SECRET, picks up right where volume one left off. Well not exactly, it's the six weeks between: "I never want to see you again, you liar," and, "I do". If you read, IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW, you are definitely going to enjoy the sequel.

Latrease and Randy's love is put to the test. It doesn't help that there's a third party in the mix deliberately trying to sabotage everything they have built up.

THE SECRET, is a twisted delight that delas with love, honesty, trust, and forgiveness. It will have you up all night, longing to see what happens next."




This is definitely a very exciting time in Lovely's life, and I'm willing to bet she's still on cloud nine! Congratulations to you, Lovely!

Don't forget to check out the full interview with Lovely Whitmore on the Drunken Space Penguin!


-Ash

Changes coming...

I'm really having fun with these author interviews! I can't lie, learning all about these different indie authors has been inspiring, influential, and humbling. It's awesome that indie authors support one another this way.

I'm going to be adding a few pages in the coming days, including a Reading List, which is a list of all the books by the authors featured in the spotlight. So stay tuned, there will be some exciting changes coming soon!

In the meantime, make sure you read up on the interview with Lovely Whitmore. Her philosophy to not aspire to be just like someone else, but to be the first one of her-the one that everyone else aspires to be-is inspiring. This is one interview you don't want to miss!!

Indie Author Interview!!

It's time to meet a fantastic indie author!! This week, I want to introduce everyone to Lovely Whitmore, a very accomplished author of several books, including the 1 Dollar Get Rich Quick or at Least Try Book, Journals of a Wannabe Basketball Player, and the It's All Coming Back to Me Now series. Lovely has a beautiful name and personality to match! She graciously gave us some insight into her world, so read on to find out more about an awesome writer!

DSP: For starters, tell us a bit about you, we like to get to know our authors as a person!

Lovely: Hi I'm Lovely Whitmore. I'm a Georgia native, born in Macon, Ga, raised in Atlanta, Ga, from age 4 to 17. I went to Booker T. Washington Magnet High School. I also went to Turner Job Corps, Central Texas College, and Western Governors University. I currently reside in Louisiana. I am a mother of three who loves sports, reading, chatting, and meeting new people. I am a radio show host, and I am also an actress. I love basketball! My favorite point guard is Rajon Rondo. I have his poster on my bedroom wall! I love singing, even though my singing ability lacks talent, LOL, but I love it nevertheless. My favorite song is "All I ask of You" by Rafael Sadiq. Favorite author is V.C. Andrews-I love those books! I love listening to music from the 80's and 90's.

DSP: Nice to meet you! So tell us, where did you find the inspiration for your most recent book?

Lovely: Aw, well when I wrote It's All Coming Back To Me Now, I never intended for it to be a series. I was approached by many of my readers who had fallen in love with the characters and wanted more. They encouraged me to write more on the couple, so I came up with the plot for sequel. After writing and publishing The Secret, I am now thinking of a plotline for the third book in the series. :) 

DSP: So, do you have any kind of ritual for writing? Such as, you have to write with music on, or you can only write when you’re completely alone, etc?

Lovely: No, I just write as it comes to me. It can be in the middle of the night, I get an idea, grab my laptop and start pecking away. 

DSP: Who is your favorite character in your book, and why? How about the character you had the most trouble with?

Lovely: My favorite character in the It's All Coming Back To Me Now Series would have to be Shanice, the main character's twin sister. She's this mysterious woman that's definitely up to no good. It was fun writing her into the story.

The character that I had the most trouble with - ehm, hmm - I don't think I really had any trouble with any of the  characters in this one. 

DSP: Now, when you sit down to write a book, a paragraph, or whatever you‘re working on at the moment, do you just sit down in front of the computer, or do you need an outline of some sort? Is there any other prep you need in order to organize your thoughts either before you write or in the process of writing?

Lovely: I usually do a character sketch for all of the characters, even the ones who may only appear a few times in the story. I outline a few things about them like their age, height, weight, hair color, length, where they are from, what they drive, things of that nature.

DSP: Do you foresee any more books to continue this story? If so, do you think we can get a taste of what’s to come?

Lovely: Yes , I haven't started brainstorming on it yet, but there is definitely going to be a next chapter. 

DSP: Other than this most recent story, do you have any ideas for different books that might be published in the future? Care to give us a teaser?

Lovely: Yes yes yes. The Journals of a Wannabe Basketball Player is a series, I will be working on book 2 really soon. Also 1378 Oak Street is a series as well so there are plenty more to come in those two. The Dear Dad short letter trilogy is not complete yet there's a third book that will be published soon as well. 

DSP: Who is your greatest inspiration to write? What person makes you believe in yourself, and how?

Lovely: Now this is a tricky one, I would have to say one of my daughters, she is eleven years old and is very encouraging. 

DSP: Do you have any aspirations to be similar or comparable to another author? Why?

Lovely: No. My style is different in each book that I publish. I don't wanna be the next _______, I wanna be the first me. :) 

DSP: Okay, one last question, and this one is different for every author, not to mention completely off the wall!  If you were stranded on a deserted island with only one other person and 5 items, who and what would you want to have with you?

Lovely: Hmm, I would have to say Fred Flintstone, he is like, my favorite character, and we can have any items because he knows how to live off the land. LOL!

This is one very motivated and successful author! Her theory of "I don't wanna be the next _____, I wanna be the first me" is an amazing goal, and something that as indie authors, we should all strive for! Thank you, Lovely, for your words of wisdom and inspiration, and for letting us have a peek inside your world! You can check out some of her accomplishments on Amazon.com. While you're there, why not pick up a copy of her book and support another indie author? 

Happy reading!!

-Ash

Thanks, Tony!!

I want to take a moment to thank indie author Tony Morris for giving us a peek inside his life and writing, and for offering up his book for free this weekend! It was an honor to have featured his work on the Drunken Space Penguin, and it's my not-so-professional-yet opinion that his talent will take him far. Please join me in thanking him for his time, hard work, and for agreeing to share his work with us! Thank you, Tony, and good luck in all your ventures!!

Last Chance Giveaway!

Today is your last chance to get in on the free book by author Tony Morris!! And since this is the last day, I'll go ahead and post the link for the free book so you don't even have to comment. It's totally free, just click the link and get your copy of Afghanistan Herrick Nine today while this limited time offer lasts!!

http://www.amazon.com/Afghanistan-Herrick-Nine-ebook/dp/B0077VK7Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348418859&sr=8-1&keywords=Afghanistan+Herrick+Nine



Starting tomorrow and all next week you'll get to meet and learn about Lovely Whitmore, another indie author, so stay tuned!




-Ash

F*U*N Time Freebies!!

Okay, so this weekend's giveaway is EASY. Comment on any post about author Tony Morris (including this one) with your email address and the words "I love indie authors!" and I'll email you the link for a free book by Mr. Morris! It's that simple, just comment and you get a free book. No weird mysteries of the universe to solve, no impossible tasks, nothing. Just a simple comment.

Also, starting next week, we'll be talking about and interviewing another indie author, Lovely Whitmore (don't  you just adore that name?!). We have a big week coming up next week, plus an amazing giveaway this week. Spread the word, there are a lot of big things happening, and you are NOT going to want to miss this!!

Author Interview and Free Book!!

I had the pleasure of chatting it up with Tony Morris, author of the book Prevention and most the most recent book Afghanistan. As a fellow indie author, I decided to find out a little bit more about him and his writing, so check out what he had to say!





For starters, tell us a bit about you, we like to get to know our authors as a person! 


Hello everyone, my name;s Tony Morris and I'm 21 years old. I live in Hackney, which is in East London. I'm also famous in the fishing world after I caught a snapping turtle which had been dumped in the Regent's Canal and I was in the local paper The Hackney Gazette. I first became a self published author at the age of 18, and I hope to one day be a bestselling author in the UK. My other ambition is to be a personal trainer and work in a gym.



Nice to meet you! So tell us, where did you find the inspiration for your most recent book?


The idea for Prevention came from a dream, and the morning after I wrote it down which took about four to six hours.



So, do you have any kind of ritual for writing? Such as, you have to write with music on, or you can only write when you’re completely alone, etc?


My ritual for writing is to sit at the dinner table with my laptop in the front room, making sure that I have my Oxford Thesaurus and Oxford Dictionary and write Monday to Friday for about six hours. I find it both easy to write on my own and with people around me. I tried once writing to music but found I ended listening more to the music than writing.



Who is your favorite character in your book, and why? How about the character you had the most trouble with?


My favorite character in the book is Matt Knight and the reason is he's tough, smart and he's the good guy. I also have to say that Matt Knight was the character that I had the most trouble with as when writing a main character. You have to make sure that they're different to the one before them and the one after them.



Now, when you sit down to write a book, a paragraph, or whatever you‘re working on at the moment, do you just sit down in front of the computer, or do you need an outline? Is there any other prep you need in order to organize your thoughts either before you write or in the process of writing?


Before I sit down to write I think of the plotline and make sure that it works. I also work out the beginning and the ending; while the rest just falls into place.



Do you foresee any more books to continue this story? If so, do you think we can get a taste of what’s to come?


I do see more books in this series but at the minute I have a few other projects in the pipeline.



Other than this most recent story, do you have any ideas for different books that might be published in the future? Care to give us a teaser?


At the minute I have two other books that will be published in the future. The first one is called The Ghost, which is a SAS thriller. It starts in March 2001 with an Al Qaeda terrorist killing doctors, nurses and patients at the Royal London Hospitial. It turns out to be in revenge for a Al Qaeda commander who's son was killed by the SAS in Afghanistan back in 1998. So Bob Hawke, who everybody calls the Ghost due to him getting around without being seen, is sent to Afghanistan along with his son Sean Hawke who is new to the SAS and they must kill the Al Qaeda commander.


The second book is a kids one called The Wrong Team in which a manager of a kids football team enter them into the youth FA cup but a mix up happens and the end up playing in the adult FA cup. In the first round they end up knocking Manchester United out of the FA cup and it then becomes a question of can they go all the way and win it. The book is aimed at seven to ten year olds.




Who is your greatest inspiration to write? What person makes you believe in yourself, and how?


I have to say my greatest inspiration to write is my dog Max, who I got as a puppy after my Nan and Grandad died, which was a low point in my life as they looked after me while my mum was working hard to put food on the table. And my Max turned my life round for me and made me happy, so one day if I make it as a bestselling author then I plan on buying a house with a big garden for him to run around in. And I have to say the people that make me believe in myself is my mum and dad who support me in what I'm doing.





Do you have any aspirations to be similar or comparable to another author? Why?


I would say the authors that I'm comparable to is Chris Ryan. as he writes about the SAS which I also do and his books are action packed like mine. The other author is Gerald Seymour who has a lot of stories about the UK being the main target for attack and I find my books are the same as too many British authors now have a character who goes around stopping a terrorist attack in America; while the Americans could just send someone from the SEALS or Delta to stop them.





Okay, one last question, and this one is different for every author, not to mention completely off the wall!   If Hollywood were to make a movie about your life, who would you expect to see playing the role of you, and who would play the supporting cast?

 I would say I would have the actor Eric Bana playing me as he's great and would be perfect at doing a London accent. I think for the actor to play my dad I would have Stephen Don, I think I would have my mum be herself in the film. And my dog Max I would have him in the movie as himself. Also my best friend Joe who I met in Haggerston park with his dog Forest. I would have the pair of them in the movie.

Well, I for one am definitely looking forward to reading Tony's books! If you want a chance to win a copy of  his book Afghanistan, comment below with the words "I love indie authors!" and your email address so I can send you the link for your free book. Every entry through Sunday at 11:59pm wins a free eBook, courtesy of author Tony Morris! Get your copy today and support indie authors everywhere!!

-Ash

New Addition to the Family!!

Today we welcome Karlee Elizabeth Shuler to the world!! My brother Derric Lee and his girlfriend Sarah had a beautiful little girl today, and I am one very proud aunt! Little Karlee came in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces, 19 inches long, and cute as a button. Join me in congratulating Derric and Sarah in their wonderful blessing, and welcoming the beautiful bundle of joy into their lives.

Author Interviews

I've got a few author interviews scheduled, and the first one will debut on 9/24/12! I'm looking forward to featuring some pretty awesome talent in the coming weeks, and we'll be giving away some goodies too! Make sure you're subscribed to the Drunken Space Penguin to get your updates on how to win some freebies. There are a lot of really awesome things happening in Penguinville, and I'll keep everyone updated on all the details! 

-Ash

**FREEBIE ALERT!!**

Awesome news, fellow indie author Tony Morris, author of the book "Prevention," has offered up his eBook on Amazon's Kindle free for the next 3 days!! I will be featuring an interview with Tony here on the Drunken Space Penguin soon, so hurry up and get your free copy of "Prevention," and keep your eyes peeled for the author interview with Tony!!

-Ash

Indie Authors Unite!

Being an indie author is tough. I would know! You are always looking for new marketing strategies, new areas to market, and ways to get your work into the hands of people who will talk about it.

What a coincidence, I was looking for something to talk about.

Each week, I will feature a new indie author with an author interview. Each weekend (if possible) I'll be holding a giveaway. It might be a book, an eBook, a bookmark, or something entirely different. You never know what's going to be offered up, but it will be announced on Fridays. Giveaway contests run from Friday afternoon (ish) until 11:59pm the following Sunday night. 3 days to get your entries in. I promise not to make it any more painful than it has to be!

If you are an indie author, and want to take advantage of this opportunity, comment below with your email address (so I can send the interview questions), the name of your book (or books), and if you'd be willing to offer a copy of your book(s) for a giveaway, along with what format(s).

**Note**

As an indie author myself, I'm still trying to market my own work, so I unfortunately don't have time for reviews right now, but once things calm down, I'd like to introduce that into my blog too, so don't count me out yet! I'll post any updates as they become available.

Thanks,

-Ash

Giveaway Winner!!

We have a winner for the autographed copy of Daughters of Night: Sanctuary! Megan Pelzel is our first winner. Stay tuned, as I'm going to try and do more weekend giveaways, and you never know what's gonna be up for grabs!

F*U*N Time

I figured now would be a good time to have some fun! I created a wordsearch based on Daughters of Night: Sanctuary. It's interactive, so click the link below and see if you can find all the words. Once you do, comment back on this post with the words "I found them all" and your email address for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book! It's a tough wordsearch, so be prepared! The winner will be announced on this blog, and I will email the winner, too. Make sure you include your email address, because I will need to contact you in order to send you the copy! Contest ends Sunday at 11:59p EST, winner will be announced Monday.

Happy hunting!!

http://www.teachers-direct.co.uk/resources/wordsearches/preview.aspx?puzzle-number=1092374


-Ash

Interviews and Sneak Peeks, Oh My!

Exciting news! I had the pleasure of a very awesome interview opportunity with Michala from BiteMyBook.blogspot.com last week, and it was posted today on her blog. Very exciting stuff! I really enjoyed meeting with her, and the interview turned out amazing. Funny, too, because not only was I jacked up on caffeine, but I didn't know what she was going to ask me, so everything was in-the-moment, and perhaps a bit off the wall. It was a blast, and I can't wait till my second book comes out so I get the opportunity again!

Speaking of the second book, how about another sneak peek taste of it? Read on for a gripping excerpt from Daughters of Night: Possession!


Chapter 1 - Abigail


“Abby, does this dress make my butt look enormous?”
As soon as she asked the question, every hormone-driven teenager in Addison County High School jerked their heads to gawk at my best friend’s rear, which, at the moment, was inches away from my face as I was kneeling down to tie my shoe, with a clingy black material stretched against it.
It was no secret Olivia’s butt was quite possibly the most sought-after in the whole school. She was gorgeous, golden hair, clear blue eyes, flawless skin tanned just right, with a perfect body, and she knew it. She also craved the attention.
I blushed, brushing a few wisps of auburn hair out of my eyes. Not that I was a total eyesore, but I was definitely no Olivia Parks. I had deep auburn hair set against fair skin a few shades away from being pale. My eyes were my favorite feature, a deep emerald green ringed by long lashes. I stood a little short at 5’3”, but even Olivia envied my shapely curves. No, I was definitely not ugly, but I was always in the shadow of Olivia.
Which was fine by me, I didn’t really care for the spotlight so much. I was actually glad Olivia took so much attention off of me, because I only had one guy in my radar.
Jackson Shears.
Just thinking his name caused a little smile to tug at my lips. Sure, technically I could have dated nearly anyone in my school, but Jackson was my best friend, and had been my best friend since we were 2, when our moms had arranged play dates for us. And even though I grew up to be on the dance team and run with the popular crowd, while Jackson was a science and math junkie, part of the yearbook team, and class treasurer, he still had the social status every student craved and only a few privileged were blessed with. Besides, I loved the way his gray eyes danced every time he looked at me. He made me feel like I was the only girl in the world. Despite the fact that we had been together practically our whole lives, my stomach still turned flips when I saw him. When he kissed me, my heart fluttered in my chest, hard enough that I felt sometimes like it would lift us both off and fly us far away. Everything was perfect.
“Um, he-llo, Earth to Abby?”
Olivia’s voice jerked me back to reality. Literally. I nearly fell I jumped so violently. I looked back up again at my best friend’s butt wagging at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Liv, your butt is huge, mammoth, and in fact-” I reached down and grabbed my history book from the stack I had set on the floor, then lifted it up in an attempt to balance it on her backside-”I think I can use it to help me carry my books, now!” I burst out laughing.
Olivia spun quickly as I grabbed my book back and stood.
“Abby!” Olivia glared at me.
“Relax, Liv,” I laughed. “If your butt gets any more perfect it’s going to take over the rest of you, and then all the rest of us won’t even be able to look at you without your perfectness blinding us.”
“You’re just jealous,” Olivia said, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
We walked down the hall toward our 3rd period class, Olivia shaking her perfect rear as we walked, me just trying to keep up, taking 2 steps to her one. Olivia was droning on and on about her wardrobe choice and how she was super concerned that it would make her look fat, but thank goodness she has such considerate friends (which she sneered and dripped sarcasm as she said it) to make her feel better. I pretended to listen, faking interest the whole way to class, stepping into the room right as the bell rang, making a beeline to my desk. Which happened to be right in the middle of my two favorite people-Olivia on my left and Jackson on my right? Life was good.




After school, I was being forced to participate in this family thing. Dinner with my mom, her boyfriend, my sister Lily, her new fiancé, and my cousin Jeff, fresh out of the closet. At least I won’t be the only one there without a date. I hope.
Dinner was set for 5:00pm at some new fancy restaurant downtown, and I would be meeting everyone else there. Which, by the time school let out and I got home to change, left me zero time to work with. I traded in my baggy blue sweater-dress and skinny jeans for a form fitting black dress that flared out at the hem just above my knees. I had gotten the dress just for the occasion. It came with a silver belt about three inches wide, covered in fake diamonds that shimmered in any light, which sat high on my waist. The halter strap was a string of the same jewels, and the hem was adorned with a scattering of the jewels.
It looked absolutely stunning on me, which was exactly what I needed. It was going to take all the confidence I could get just to make it through the night unscathed. I threw on my drop diamond earrings and a simple silver chain, pulled my hair back into a tight bun, and just before leaving I pulled on my strappy black stilettos. I was a knockout.
Of course, even though it only took about 10 minutes to throw myself together and touch up my makeup, I still managed to head out late, and was stuck in traffic when the clock hit 5:00pm. A few seconds later, a message came through on my cell.
“Where are you? Are you still coming?”
My mother. Of course. I started to text back when another message popped up on my screen.
“Abby, Mom is freaking out! And I need you to meet Edwin…he’s SOOO dreamy! :)”
I sighed in exasperation. Heaven forbid I be 5 minutes late. I texted both of them back, letting them know I was on my way, stuck in traffic, then turned the ringer off and tucked my phone away in my purse. I would get there when I got there. And if that wasn’t good enough, then I would bail, grab Olivia and a huge tub of ice cream, and we would spend the evening watching old movies.
I made it to the restaurant at 5:08, and the overly friendly hostess guided me to the table where my family had already ordered.
“Abigail!” My mother’s screeching voice was filled with excitement and impatience. “Oh, you FINALLY made it!”
Great. I haven’t even been offered a seat and already I’m feeling guilty. Awesome. I can’t wait to get through this dinner.
“Abby, I’m so glad you made it, we were getting worried!” Lily exclaimed.
“Sorry I’m late,” I replied, the irritation leaking through in my voice. “Actually, I’m not even 10 minutes late, which, I might add, is not too shabby on my part, considering the traffic out there.”
I took a sip of my water, clearing my head.
“That’s our Abby, always fashionably late,” came a high-pitched male voice from behind me.
I turned in my seat, my night already getting a little better.
“Jeff!” I exclaimed.
He beamed at me; the whitest and straightest smile on the planet aimed straight for me, as he reached out and pulled me back out of my seat. I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on my toes against his height, and he pulled me in a bear hug.
I adored my cousin. He was the only one in my family whom I felt totally comfortable around. We were practically raised together, until his aunt became a raging alcoholic and moved him out to California. I had missed him so much, and I buried my face into his shoulder. He smelled like peppermint and axe body spray. I pulled away and he held me at arms length, examining me.
“Looks like someone has been doing something right, gorgeous!”
“Oh, and look at you, handsome!” I looked him over. “You look amazing! How long has it been?”
“Too long. You’re still in high school, right?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” I cringed. “I swear, one more year, and I’m SO out of here.”
“Um, hate to break up the happy reunion, but the waiter wants to know what you’d like to order, Abby.”
I turned from Jeff to my sister, and the blood rushed to my cheeks. I glanced at Jeff, who just shrugged and helped me back into my chair.
I ordered the grilled mahi mahi, and as soon as the waiter left, my sister and mom started giggling. I noticed there were two empty chairs at the table.
Oh. Right. The new boyfriend and fiancé. Where were they?
As if on cue, two men approached the table. One was quite tall, well over 6 feet, dark hair cut military short except on top, where it was gelled into a spiky style. He had a well trimmed goatee, and looked very snazzy in a white button down shirt under an ivory blazer and slacks. He was rather attractive, probably not older than 25. The other man appeared older, probably in his mid 40’s. His receding hairline gave way to dark blonde hair, a little shaggy. He kind of gave me the impression of a mad scientist. Especially with those dark rimmed glasses perched on his beak-like nose, and his thin, lanky build. Which was the complete opposite of Mr. Goatee, who was well built, muscular, and lean, his face chiseled off in a square-like shape. Everything seemed so proportionate on him, he almost looked unreal.
Imagine my surprise when the older mad-scientist guy walked up and planted a kiss on Lily’s cheek, then Mr. Goatee plopped down next to my mom, draping an arm around her shoulders. I couldn’t stop my eyes from bulging out of my head or my jaw from clanking to the ground.
Lily took the mad scientist’s hand as he sat down, then looked between me and Jeff. Suddenly, the giddy school-girl-in-love look vanished from her face and she crunched her brow.
“So, Abby, Jeff, this is Edwin.”
My voice failed me. I could do nothing but gawk at the scene before me. What I wanted to do was ask Lily if she picked up a bum from the shelter as an act of charity. Then ask when her new fiancé would get there. I felt her glaring at me as I moved from staring at Mr. Goatee with my mom to Mr. Mad Scientist. I was just so incredibly confused I couldn’t force my mouth to speak. At least not until I felt a pointy elbow jab into my ribs. I jumped, tore my gaze from the train wreck in front of me and shot a glance at Jeff. Who just happened to be gawking as badly as I had been.
“I, er, pleased to meet you, Edwin,” I stumbled, looking back at Mr. Mad Scientist and my sister. Of course, if looks could kill, I’d have died 3 times from the look on Lily’s face.
Much to my surprise, Edwin laughed heartily.
“The pleasure is mine, I assure you, Abby. I know I’m not exactly what you were expecting, but I hope that I will be able to prove worthy of your amazing family.”
The surprises just kept coming. Not only was Edwin a perfect gentleman, but he spoke in a rich voice with a heavy English accent.
“I’m sure you’ll fit right in, Edwin,” Jeff spoke with an air of elegance, as if intimidated by this guy. “So tell me, how did the two of you meet?”
Lily answered quickly, “Oh, Edwin and I work together.”
She smiled at him, and I almost felt bad for all the gawking. She genuinely seemed attracted to him.
“Abby?”
I glanced toward my mother’s voice.
“Abby, I also wanted you to meet David. David is a writer and my company took an interest in his books. Then, well, we just seemed to hit it off!”
My mother was all smiles when she spoke, then giggled like a love struck schoolgirl. David looked at me and smiled lazily.
“Abby, Jeff, it’s good to meet you. And Abby, I know you what you’re thinking, I’m barely older than you are, but I hope that doesn’t stop us from becoming a family.” Then he smiled like a dirty used car salesman. “I sure do love Kathryn, and I think we’re going to get along just fine.” Yeah, I didn’t like him already.
The rest of the dinner went by as uncomfortable as the beginning. Fortunately, when Jeff and I excused ourselves everyone else seemed more than happy to let us leave.
I gave Jeff a ride back to his hotel room. Even though it was the opposite direction of my house, I didn’t mind spending some extra time with him. After all, he was my best friend growing up.
“Jeff,” I said when we were in the car driving, “I would really love for you to meet my best friend Olivia. You would love her, and her style.”
“Oh, really, so I’m not your best friend anymore?” Jeff joked. “I didn’t think I was going to be that easy to replace.”
Jeff puckered out his lower lip and gave me the puppy dog eyes.
“Whatever, Jeff, you’re more like the sister I wanted but never got.”
We laughed and played catch up for the rest of the drive to his hotel. It was kind of sad to leave, but I knew he had things to do and so did I.
I was rocking out to some awesome tunes on my long drive home, trying to push thoughts of my sister with Mad Scientist and my mom with Mr. Goatee. I had SO much to tell Olivia when I saw her again. I guess my head was distracted a bit too much, though, because when I finally turned the radio down, I realized I had missed my freeway exit by about 5 miles.
Damn. This is definitely not what I needed after tonight’s fiasco.
I took the next exit, which put me in a really bad part of town. It was already really dark out, and I didn’t know my way around that area, so of course I couldn’t find my way back to the freeway. I pulled over on a side road to plug my address into my GPS so I could get back before my mom got home. I had already heard enough criticizing for one evening between the main course and dessert; I didn’t need her harping on me for getting lost in a bad neighborhood, too.
I plugged the address into the gps and pulled away from the curb. As I followed the verbal commands telling me where to turn, I noticed a car following me with no headlights. I started to get nervous. I kept my eyes ahead, glancing in the rear view mirror only occasionally, each time finding the same car with no headlights on keeping pace with me. Even after I found my way back to the freeway and drove back to familiar territory. I turned onto my street and the car still followed. I pulled in the drive quickly and watched the car creep past my house.
Great, I thought. Now I’m going to have to tell my mother about this. She’s going to completely freak out on me.
I walked in quickly after locking up my car, made my way upstairs to my room, and flopped on the bed. I was not looking forward to the conversation with my mother about the evening’s events.
I fell asleep lying there on my bed, still in my party dress. If my mother checked on me, she left me alone to sleep. I didn’t wake up until 9am the next morning, which was thankfully Saturday, considering if it were a school day I’d have already been late.
I dragged my disheveled self out of bed and stumbled across the hall to the bathroom. I was still in my little black dress and my makeup had smeared all over my face while my hair was poking out all around my bun. I was a nightmare.
After a quick shower and a fresh change of clothes I felt a heck of a lot better. It’s amazing how a pair of yoga pants and a tank top can make a person feel completely at ease and renewed. I settled onto the couch with a bowl of cereal and some cartoons, completely forgetting about the previous evening and the creepy car that followed me home.
My cell rang at 10:30, and Olivia’s perky voice was on the other end.
“Ohmigosh Abby, you will never believe what happened to me this morning!”
Olivia proceeded to tell me how she got into a huge argument with her boyfriend over doughnuts at breakfast. Every last detail, down to how many had sprinkles, with much emphasis on the part where he actually had the audacity to pick up doughnuts when he KNEW she was on a very strict diet. I sat there patiently talking her though her latest crises with sympathy and support.
“Oh, Abbs, I almost forgot, you’re still coming over today, right?”
What?
“Oh, yeah,” I said, a little too slowly.
“Ohmigosh, Abby, I swear your brain is dead! Remember? My house at 1, going to look at prom dresses? Only 3 months till the big day?”
Crap. I forgot.
“Come on, Liv, you think I’d forget something that important?”
“Yeah, sure, whatever, just don’t be late. I am NOT getting my prom dress from Wal-Mart or worse, the consignment store.”
“Liv, I’ll be there.”
“Kay, loves ya, buh-bye!”
Olivia hung up before I even had a chance to respond. It was going to be a long weekend.




I met Liv at her house at 1:30. I’m always running late. When I pulled up, she was standing outside her house tapping her foot impatiently, while shooting me dirty looks.
“Really, Abby?” Liv said after sliding in my passenger seat, clearly irritated at my tardiness. “I swear you are going to be late to your own funeral.”
I sighed. Liv was my best friend in the whole world, but sometimes she was a handful.
“Liv, let’s just get this over with.”
We drove to the mall and spent the next 3 hours trying on dresses. Liv found a gorgeous orange dress that proudly displayed her generous cleavage. I had to admit it was awesome. It fell just below the knees and flared out in a wide swooping ring around her body, it was strapless, and had wide lacing across the back like a corset. It really flattered her body type and skin tone.
I picked out a beautiful floor length champagne gown trimmed in silver. It had spaghetti straps and was low cut, the whole back was cut out, and the close-fitting bodice was covered in sequins. The skirt had several layers that made it a little poofy but flowed with my body. I loved it, and couldn’t wait to show it off at prom.
After an early dinner, I dropped Liv off back at her house around 6pm, and started making my way back home. Halfway there, I got a call from Jackson. My heart fluttered when I answered.
“Hey, Jackson.”
“Hi, babe, what’s up?”
“Just dropped Liv off at her place, now I’m headed home. Why?”
“Abby,” he said, voice turning serious, “you know I hate it when you use your phone when you drive. It’s not safe, call me when you get home.”
“Jackson, I-”
And that was when it happened. After all that protesting over the last few years about how nothing was going to happen, the worst did. I didn’t see the truck speeding toward the intersection. I didn’t even think twice about it because there were hardly any cars on that particular street, and I had the green light going straight. So when the semi plowed into my driver’s side at a 90 degree angle, I didn’t even have time to tell him I loved him before I felt the searing hot pain engulf my entire body. The phone had been knocked from my hand, but I still heard Jackson screaming for me.
“Abby? Abby! What’s happening? Ohmigosh, Abby, please, answer me! Oh, God, baby, please…”
I wanted so badly to tell him I loved him. Tell him I was sorry for not listening, and to comfort him. But all I could do was scream in pain and terror. And as the flames consumed my body, darkness took me over and his voice faded into nothing.

Like it? Want more? Stay tuned, I plan to post snippets every so often, and believe me, you do NOT want to miss this! 

Thanks again, and happy reading!

-Ash

2am Rantings

It's 2am, do you know where your children are?

Goodness, I hope so, because if they're young enough for you to consider that question, their butts better be in bed!!

In other news, I had such a busy day today. Interview with Michala from www.bitemybook.blogspot.com for her blog (which will be posted Monday, so keep an eye out!), took the hubby to work, quit my day job that I hated more than words can express, got to hang out with a good friend and her absolutely adorable baby girl, went grocery shopping, put said groceries away, watched a little bit of the VMA's, screamed like a teenage girl when the MTV exclusive preview of Breaking Dawn Part 2 came on and jammed out with Green Day (still amazing and still kicking ass since 1994-ish), went back to pick hubby up from work, fixed dinner, and now spending a few minutes with my laptop before crashing for the night. So flippin exhausted. But it at least should explain why I haven't been online all day.

I had the realization today, while watching the awards show, that I am really old. Now, I posted on Facebook a couple of days ago that you know you're old when you watch a preview for the VMAs and don't recognize any of the performers. Well, that was more than true today, when I didn't know most of the performers except the ones returning for a comeback or continuing their careers, and again when I only recognized half of the presenters. I remember when I watched every damn awards show out there, and not only knew all the performers as well as all the presenters, but I also could sing all the words to all their songs. I was a music junkie. But then, that was back when music was good and required talent (Britney Spears excluded, she was popular because she dressed up like a schoolgirl and got a "rise" out of the pre-teen and teenage boys). I totally didn't realize that during the time I was growing up, music went straight to hell. They will give a contract to anyone who can say the word "Yeah!" over and over, talk dirty, say the same lyrics repeatedly, and dance half naked in their videos. And the public eats it up. Why? My theory is that the IQ of the general public dropped a few points. There is NO way that intelligent people would willingly listen to this pitiful excuse for music. "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe..." Um, no. Just no. This is talentless and irritating, and the only reason it's popular is because it's like the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friends...it gets stuck in your damn head and you can't help but sing it. I would rather be known for being a fat ass pie eating champion than to be known for the world's most annoying song. Carly Rae Jepsom, may you rot in hell.

That's all for tonight's rant. I may pull this post tomorrow when I am not exhausted and slap-happy, but if I don't then you'll know it's because even when fully conscious, I agree with my judgement.

Goodnight, folks, and sweet dreams!! <3

Today's Twitter Trends

I hate to admit it, but I've been watching Twitter for the trending topics, and normally rolling my eyes at the things folks talk about. Every now and again, though, something insightful accidentally happens to pop up on the site, and today I found a gem. Today's Twitter Trend: #MentionSomeoneBeautiful

So I thought to myself. Then, once the smoke cleared again, there was an idea, which must have been another accident, because I rarely get good ones. Today, I'm going to mention people I think are beautiful! (I know, very original.)

• My mother: Christie
• My sisters: Courtney, Elizabeth, Samantha, and Sierra
• My best friends (not necessarily in order of importance, so don't yell at me!): Aly, Katie, Debie, Danya, Crystal, Cindy, Janell, Milissa, Jennifer, and Jessica

And I'm gonna stop here, because the more I think about it, the greater the danger, and the more I realize I can go on and on forever. Everyone is beautiful, in their own way. So now it's your turn to #MentionSomeoneBeautiful in the comments below!

Happy Reading!

-Ash

A Little *Unedited* Sneak Peek

SHHHH!! Don't tell anyone, but I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Those who read my blog get a sneak peek into the world of Daughters of Night: Possession! See if you can find out what new breed or species that is being introduced into the story, and how it's going to come into play!

Excerpt from Daughters of Night: Possession



As soon as she said the word hungry, my mouth watered over, and there was a weird tickling sensation in my gums, followed immediately by two sharp points poking my lower lip. I reached up and touched them. Definitely real.
“Oh, god.”
“No, you mean Goddess.”
“Whatever. I’m really-I mean, this is all real? I’m a…a…”
“Yes. A vampire. But not just any vampire, Connor,” she said eagerly, her posture shifting to lean forward just a bit. “You and Seth are my special creations. Your blood was mixed with that of OUR Goddess. Not the one worshipped by the witches and vampires who have lost their way,” she said the last part with a snarl, voice dripping with loathing. “You have the pure blood of Lilith in your veins. She lends you her power, her strength. And all she asks of you, Connor, is your loyalty and your help in rebuilding her family.”
I stood there, paralyzed by the shock of what the pretty blonde had said. I said the only thing I could think of to say.
“Who’s Lilith?”
In one swift motion, Zariah flew at me, knocking me backward into Seth and Zachary, her fingers twisting around my throat as she brought her snarling face nose-to-nose with my own.
“You stupid boy, how can you not know Lilith?” she screamed. “She is our mother, our guardian, our protector! She gives you life and you know her not? You are not worthy!”
She threw me to the side. I struck the rocky floor of the cave hard, knocking the wind out of me. I laid there gasping for a minute while the three vampires circled around me, staring down with fury. As soon as I had the strength to push myself back up to a sitting position, I stared up at her, feeling blood trickling from a cut in my lip.
“I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of this,” I said, my voice steady and dangerous.
I’d had enough of their games. So I didn’t know who they worshipped. I wasn’t going to be part of their little cult.

Exciting, right?! If you want more, stay tuned. I plan to post tidbits every now and then until the book comes out later this year. Thanks for reading!

-Ashley

Welcome to My World

I felt the need to give everyone a peek inside my demented mind. This is a dream that I had one night that I felt compelled to write upon waking. It scared the bejeebers out of me, because I really truly hate clowns, so I was sleep-deprived and exhausted at the time, and bear in mind this is unedited, so please forgive the poor grammar and spelling errors. Happy reading!!




We weren’t supposed to be together. Hundreds of years had taught us that. We made the best team when it came to defending the humans, but when we let ourselves get emotionally involved with each other, we were a loaded cannon. So we decided to try and blend more with the humans. We decided to date other people in our new school.

He was the first one to hook up. And to my dismay, it was with a perky blonde cheerleader with a fake tan. How original. I made it through most days without even noticing, but sometimes it seemed he tried to flaunt her in front of me. I hated her. I hated her for having what was rightfully mine, and I hated her for not even realizing what precious gifts had been laid out before her. Not only did she have her life as a human, which, although short, is filled with experiences and feelings that make every second worth any hardship or pain. She also had the affection of the hottest guy in school, who just so happened to be the most intelligent and the most athletic guy in school. How badly I wanted to teach her a lesson.

Today was the day of the school fair. It was ridiculous, but you were shunned if you didn’t attend. I decided to show up stag. No need for me to waste anyone else’s time or toy with emotions, I knew I would never date a human again. The school had set up a huge twisting tube-like thing for slides, kind of like the ones found in cheesy commercial restaurants geared for children. The main difference here was the giant spinning mechanism at the top which was a ride designed to make people sick and dizzy. How the school was able to get all this set up inside the gymnasium I am not sure.  There was an indoor fogger, dozens of booths for food and games, and, to my utter horror, there would be a clown show later in the evening.

I hate clowns. No, scratch that, I despise clowns. Not many people, including him, know this.

I wander around in my floor length skirt and long-sleeved button up blouse, looking like an angel in white. I take in the smells, the sights, and keep an eye out for trouble. Normally, I have a very good sense for trouble, since I have amazingly clear and accurate visions. I hadn’t had one in a couple of days, which one would think is a good sign, but I always have visions and dreams of things to come. It’s almost constant, and there are always little things, like getting déjà vu. I haven’t told him yet that I haven’t been having visions, although he probably already knows. I hate telepaths sometimes. He tends to stay out of my head for the most part, but there are times when I just want a little privacy and he won’t give it to me. He drives me crazy, in more ways than one.

I make a loop and keep my senses alert for danger. Nothing. I stop and talk to a group of kids from the school, then make another loop. That’s when I saw him walk in with Goldilocks hanging on his arm like a puppy starving for attention. I make eye contact, and think the thoughts “all clear” to let him know nothing is out of place here. He gives a quick nod, barely noticeable to me so not at all to the humans, then allows Goldilocks to drag him out to the auditorium where more booths are set up. I wander back into the sanctioned off locker rooms for some peace and quiet.

It killed me to see him with her. She didn’t deserve him. He wasn’t a prize, and she would never have been able to win him anyway. I had seen his future break-up with her, and it would be comical, but not for a while now. So until then, I would have to just deal with the hurt and the constant reminders that I could never have the one true love of my life.

“That’s not true, you know.”
His voice from out of nowhere startled me. I hadn’t even heard him come in! How could I possibly have let myself get that absorbed in my own shallow thoughts that I let my guard down that much?
“Really? Because I thought we had already agreed not to be with each other,” I replied.
“I hate denying this. I hate denying us, and I need you as much as you need me.”
“I don’t need you.”
“Dhalia, I hear your thoughts, and I know what it’s doing to you to see me with Alisyn.”
I stood up and walked to him. I stopped only inches from his face.
“We can’t be together, Samuel. No matter how much we both want it, we have to fight it.”
“I can’t fight it anymore.”
And with that, Samuel grabbed my face with both hands and pulled me into his kiss. Oh, how I had missed his kiss! The feel of his strong, urging lips against my own, and the sweet, dizzying feeling I get whenever he touches me! How could I have resisted? I kissed him back with the same urgency and desire. But then I felt her coming our way. I could practically hear her giggling and bragging to her little friends about how happy she was. I opened my eyes very wide, and looked directly into Samuel’s own gaze. I darted my eyes to my right, toward the entrance to the locker room, and thought “she’s coming” to him. I pushed hard against him and broke the embrace. I stumbled and fell to the floor next to the bench, landing hard, just as the door opened and Goldilocks walked in surrounded by half a dozen other blonde girls. She stopped short in the door way, causing a bit of a traffic jam for those behind her. Samuel went up to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. I gathered myself together and headed out the side doors.

I managed to find my way back into the gym, but it seemed too quiet. The fog machine had really picked up and it covered the floor of the gym completely. I wandered over to the giant twisty-spinning mess, and that’s when I noticed it. The slides and tubes were moving, wiggling, and there was no one in the contraption. Suddenly, the fog picked up even more, and it was almost impossible to see anything. Then the slides, which had been wiggling a moment before, lashed out and started knocking people down and crushing them. I mentally called for Samuel, and rushed toward the tubes. I just couldn’t fight them all at once, no matter how fast I was able to move. Suddenly, behind me, I heard carnival music. I froze. A tube swung toward me and flung me across the room. I landed in a heap in the corner, skirt trapping my legs under me. I looked up toward where the music was coming from. And there, standing a good 8 feet tall and growing by the second, was the most hideous clown I had ever seen. I was frozen with fear. I sent out my senses, searching for Samuel.  I didn’t like what I found. Apparently, Goldilocks threw a fit and played the drama queen card, and Samuel tried to convince her nothing happened. He was so distracted by her screeching thoughts, he didn’t hear me call for him. Nor did he see the tube as it came at them. It threw him across the room and killed Goldilocks in an instant. Well, at least she wouldn’t be a problem anymore. He had gathered himself up and ran over to her. Before he made it to her, the tube had thrown a chair at him. A wooden chair. And the leg of it went straight through his chest. He was dying as she lay in a crumpled heap.

I made the decision. It may be dangerous for us to be together, but to live without him was a pain that was completely unbearable. I had known true love and happiness. To know that I would never have that again hurt so deeply that I could feel the wood in Samuel’s chest as if it were in my own. The hurt was so horrific. I knew what I had to do. I managed to get to my feet, and I walked over to the clown which had finally stopped growing just inches shy of the gym ceiling, and as wide as any hallway. It’s hideous grin displayed a row of uneven pointed teeth. I walked straight up to the clown. I felt my fangs grow in, though, I was sure I wouldn’t need them. I pounced on the clown and he grabbed me in one giant hand. I did use the fangs, I bit down hard on the hand that held me. I would never in all my hundreds of years have guessed what came rushing out of the puncture holes I left. It wasn’t blood. It was air. The clown was filled with air. His hand released me, but I held on. I made several additional punctures in its hand and arm before he brushed me off with the other hand. As luck would have it, I crash landed into a booth. The frame broke and a long piece of wood impaled me from behind. As I lay there dying, I watched the giant clown shrink down to a human size. He shed the excess clothes and crawled out. He was a midget. I, Camen, one of the last living vampires in existence, who had lived hundreds of years and protected the human race from some of the most evil, unnatural beings one could have ever dreamed, had just been killed by a midget clown on an ego trip.

He waddled toward me. I could still see the points on his teeth, so maybe there was something unnatural about him still. When he finally reached me, I was nearly gone. He spat in my face.
“You are worthless. Protecting these humans this way, like they would ever really accept you?” he said. “See how they fear me? See how they run and cower? This is true power. Now watch, as I finish off the rest of the scum here.”
“W-What will y-you do next?” I choked out in between breaths of gurgling blood in my throat.
“Why, then it’s off to the next town, then the next one, and eventually everyone will fear me and my people. Once we have shown the world our power, then the humans will be at our commanding. Believe me, princess, there will be a new world order in just a few short months!”
The last thing I heard before everything went black was the cackle of a madman who was going to wipe out everything Samuel and I had fought so hard to protect for the last couple hundred years.

“Dhalia? Dhalia!”
I blinked.
I was alive. I glanced around. I was in the locker room with Samuel again. It was him that was yelling my name. I looked back at him.
“Tell me what you saw Dhalia,” he said, still holding my shoulders.
“Death,” was all I said, half in a daze.
“Who’s death? When, where?”
“Here. Now. Everyone dies, even you and me.”
I look down at my brown boots.
“Ok, how do we stop it?”
So I explain in detail everything in my vision. I had never had one so powerful, so intimidating before. I told him everything, including how we both die. Then my eyes shot up to meet his once more.
“I will not lose you. Not again.”
And then Goldilocks walked in the room. Instead of running out and feeling ashamed, this time I simply walked toward her, Samuel in tow, and pushed through her little group of blondes. He didn’t say a word to her as we walked past. I knew he was mine again after all, and smiled inward.
I took him to the gym, where everything was about to happen. He pulled the fire alarm and the room cleared quickly. I told him what was going to happen. He killed the fog machine. The tubes never started wiggling. But I did hear the carnival music. I pointed, and the instant the clown started growing in size, Samuel attacked. He landed a solid kick to the clown’s chest, and knocked all the air out of it. The clown fell toward the ground, and in mid-fall, Samuel jumped up and grabbed him, throwing him into the far wall, nearest me. I jumped and landed with my boot square in his head. I felt his skull collapse and shatter inside his head. I stomped a few more times for good measure, until a pool of his blood surrounded us both. Samuel pulled me off of him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me. We were a sight, two powerful vampires, locked in embrace, covered in dirt and blood. To anyone else, it would have been a disturbing sight. I couldn’t have been happier, I had my lover back.