Character Journal Entry: Jason- 2 (After Tracker, before Kindred)

    They're still pushing. Okay, maybe not all of them, but Hannah is. She keeps telling me "You need to talk about your experiences, so you can start to get over them." Still not exactly sure how that's supposed to work. What? I start talking and magically all the problems just go away? Not likely. All sharing my thoughts would do is darken the mood of anyone who hears them.
    Normally, that's how I feel. But...well...there is the fact that Sam seems to be better after talking it out. Dustin, a friend of Hannah's, seems pretty good at helping. Maybe...no. Not yet. The wounds are still too fresh. Literally. I still can't put pressure on my back--or my stomach, for that matter--without wanting to cry out from the pain. Having my physical pain so plain for all to see is enough for now. They do NOT need to see what I'm feeling on a daily basis...
    Sam's arm is still in its cast. Paul, Jeffrey, and Ginny are still struggling to figure out their new lot in life. And we're all still, at least partially, in shock over what happened to Erin. Just thinking about her is enough to make me lose my temper. Even now, as I write this, the ground under my room is beginning to vibrate. It's affected by my anger, and, if I had a proper target, I would love to throw my aggression at it. I took down a house, what would stop me from taking down a man too? Nothing. That's what.
    The anger doesn't usually last long. It flairs from time to time, but my default setting lately is depression. By exposing my abilities to Mason, I put everyone I know in danger. Sam was kidnapped and injured. Erin...poor Erin. Her life was never a happy one, but we all tried to give her a real family. I hope she felt at least some happiness while with us. Alice and Hannah's home was invaded...the list could go on. There are often times when I wonder...
    Would they all be better off without me?

    This is the third of my Character Journal Entries, and the second featuring Jason- post Tracker. If you enjoyed this snippet of Jason's mindset, please feel free to examine the other writings included on this site--or click on the link and check out Tracker (Earthshaker 1), Kindred (Earthshaker 2), and Hunter (Earthshaker 3) All available on Amazon--  viewAuthor.at/AdrianneLemke  Happy Reading!  Adri

Authors vs Negative Reviews

Hi everyone!

    I have been seeing a lot of articles lately about authors responding negatively to bad reviews. First of all- as an author- I would never respond to any review except to maybe thank the reviewer for taking the time to read the book. Second- authors shouldn't respond. As stated in many of the responses to those articles, reviews are meant for readers, not for the author.
    If you're going to be an author, you need to come to terms with this absolute FACT- Not everyone will absolutely love and adore your work! You WILL be rejected, and you WILL be criticized- get over it! If you can't handle a bad review gracefully, maybe you should reconsider your idea to publish.
    On the flip side of this- yes, there are some people out there who simply like to post negativity. Should authors respond to these so-called Trolls? Lets answer together everybody! ABSOLUTELY NOT! All responding does is goad others into continuing the argument. And that is bad publicity for the author, and can lead to other people being dragged into a fight that shouldn't have happened in the first place. Why? Because everybody is allowed their own opinion!
    Am I saying that getting a bad review won't hurt? No. What I'm saying is: if your first instinct after reading a bad review is to attack the reviewer, take a breath and BACK OFF. Never post something in anger, because it cannot be taken back. If you step away from the review and think about it logically, you will realize that it is one person's opinion. Always realize that you can't please everybody. Just let others have their opinions and share them where they want. Then authors can get back to what they should be doing- Writing!
    Just my personal opinion on a growing problem. :) Happy Writing everybody!

Thunderclap problems

Hi everyone!

For some unknown reason, the Thunderclap page for Hunter has not been listing/accepting everyone who has tried to join. As of right now there are nine people. If you have tried joining, please double check to make sure you're listed, and, if you aren't, please try again! It has happened already to a couple people that I am aware of, and I don't know if it has happened to some that I am not.
Anyway, for those who have joined so far: Thank you so much! I appreciate your support! For those who haven't: I would love if you would be willing to help spread the word about my third book's release! Thank you!
https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/17175-the-hunter-is-coming

Join the Thunder!

Hi everyone!
     There is a Thunderclap campaign for Hunter, and I would love it if you would join! No cost to you, just click on the link! All you have to do is choose the Facebook, Twitter, and/or Tumblr button and on the chosen day (For Hunter it is Oct 25) the Thunderclap site will post the link sharing the release of Hunter with all of your followers! Easy right? So click on the link and join now!  Thanks!

https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/17175-the-hunter-is-coming

Don't forget, Tracker and Kindred are still only $0.99 each on Kindle! Only until after the Hunter release. Just follow the links!

Hunter Cover Reveal!

   
      Hi everyone!
    After many delays (admittedly, most of them self-inflicted) I am finally getting close to feeling like Hunter is ready for human consumption. (aka- ready to publish!) I already posted the first chapter earlier on this blog, and now I am ready to share the new cover- Designed by the very talented David McGlumphy (BTW, authors, if you need covers designed look him up on Facebook, he is a great person to work with!) Watch over the next couple weeks for Hunter's release!

Jason has wondered for years whether he was the only Tracker around. He's about to get his answer, and he may not like the results. Now working as a Private Investigator, Jason gets involved in a missing person's case that hits a little too close to home.

Sam has always worried about his brother. He has also always known more than Jason tells him. The two years since he and Jason left Alice and Hannah have been peaceful. Sam knows it's only a matter of time before that changes. He can tell Jason has been fighting his demons. When the man Jason is after comes for Sam, Jason learns the man responsible for the missing teen has a few things in common with him.

Jason and Sam have always been close, but both have secrets. And Sam's secret may be the key to bringing down the Hunter.

First Five Star Review on Tracker!

Hi everyone!
I am simply writing this to share my first five star review on Tracker!

5.0 out of 5 stars REFRESHING & WONDERFUL READ! September 8, 2014

By ZmomPA

Format:Kindle Edition

Not my normal genre but soooo glad I read this book! Getting ready to dive into book 2 immediately! The main character is well developed and a great guy. The action is non stop, there are no stale areas in this read. I am surprised that such a young and somewhat new writer came out so strong...I cannot imagine the amazing work she will be putting out in the future!! Congrats on an amazing book Adrianne Lemke! Keep writing..and fast I LOVE YOUR WORK!

I came across it the other day as I was surfing online (while I couldn't sleep) and was happy this reader went out of her normal genre to give Tracker a chance. If you're interested in trying it, you can getbook.at/earthshakerbookone and grab a copy for only $0.99! If you find that you really enjoy it, you can also get Kindred (book two) for only $0.99! These low prices will only last until a couple weeks after Hunter (book 3) is released, so take advantage!
Happy Reading!

Adri

What's Happening- Sneak Peak!

     Hi everyone! So, Hunter is taking a little longer than anticipated, and I am still working through some editing. I am hoping to have it finished near the end of September. If, for some reason, it takes longer to finish than that, I will let you know.
     In the meanwhile, both Tracker and Kindred are only $0.99! So now you can read the first two books of the series for $2. The low price is for a limited time, and will go up again after Hunter is released, so take advantage while you can!
     And now, for the sneak peak I promised: here is the first Chapter of Hunter! (Not fully edited. Feel free to point out any mistakes you see, and I will cheerfully fix them! Thanks!)
   
One: Jason-

     It's strange how sometimes life seems to go in circles. Seven years ago--almost to the day--I ran away from my drunk and abusive father, and today I discovered my new boss is also a drunk. One who didn't mind showing up at the office, whose staff consisted of him and me, raging drunk because his wife threatened to leave him again.
     Luckily, we currently had no cases on the docket. Nobody would want to hire a private investigator who couldn't even figure out his wife had cheated on him with everyone from the mailman to the dog walker, until she told him today. Which led up to a rather large, angry man storming into the grungy little office I was in the process of organizing for him.
     Most of his yelling was impossible to understand as he stomped around the little room, destroying most of what I already organized. I remained seated at the chair by his desk until he suddenly turned on me. "You knew! You were one of them!" he screamed at me, his bulk looming over me. Intimidating only because he was about five inches taller, and weighed about sixty pounds more than I. Much of his weight was muscle, although it was covered by a layer of fat, not helped by his steady diet of take out.
     "I-I didn't..." I wanted to tell him I had no idea what he was talking about, but my mind was spinning. What had I done to deserve another abusive figure in my life? Would I ever find a place I wouldn't have to be afraid?
     "Spit it out, boy!" He yelled. "What have you got to say for yourself?"
     I pushed the chair back against the wall, trying to put as much space as possible between us. It was also an attempt to blend into the background, while silently waiting out his rage. If he was anything like my father, he would run out of steam soon. But, if he was anything like my father, I wouldn't be in very good shape when he did.
     My fear turned to anger when I realized something: I was an adult. I survived the worst that Trevor Mason, a sadistic criminal, could throw at me. He kidnapped and tortured me, but I got through it. I beat Kindred, the assassin created by Mason, who killed an unknown number of people two years ago, in a misguided attempt to thank me for freeing him from Mason.
     With my anger came a stirring of the power I tried to ignore since leaving Crandal County nearly two years ago. The ground under the office growled lightly, like a pet left alone too long. "Back off," I said, my voice firm but quiet, and my eyes downcast to avoid looking at the cause of my anger.
     When he instead took another step closer, and grabbed my arm, I rose, stepping into his space. "Back off!" I said again, louder this time, and emphasized by the building shaking slightly.
     He took a step back, his angry grumbling stopped for the first time since entering the office. I took a deep breath, and the building stopped shaking. "I'm going to say this once, Joe. I did not know anything about your wife cheating on you, nor did I ever have any kind of relationship with her. I think I've met her once in the time I've known you. Now, go into the back room, and sleep it off."
     I don't know who was more surprised by my outburst, him or me, but the result was Joe finally stepping back. He went into the little room off the main office, where he kept a cot for when he worked late. I lowered myself into the chair with a deep sigh of relief. Angry or not, it was never a good idea to antagonize a drunk. Something I learned quickly as a child.
     Thankfully, this confrontation ended with no one getting hurt, and Joe was so drunk he'd probably forget it ever happened. Or, if he didn't, with any luck he would only remember bits and pieces. Hopefully excluding the office shaking, which had been unintentional on my part, and I hoped he would completely black it out.
     Either way, for now it was done, and I couldn't see trying to do any more work today. Not with my quick breathing, and shaking hands. I needed a break.
     Sam was still in school, so I could go back to our small house and study, or just relax for a little while. Our house was secluded, out on a few acres of open land, hidden within a wooded area. It was what I was looking for when we left Alice and Hannah. I never specifically told them where we now lived, but, as detectives, Dan and Alice would have no trouble figuring it out.
     I also suspected Sam was talking to them when I wasn't around, and he probably told them our exact location. If so, I thought while I walked out of my workplace, then I was glad they never tried to come and get me. Or tried to convince me it was time to come home. Home. A concept as foreign to me as a feeling of security or lack of fear. I hadn't had a true home, well...ever, I guess. Not the way my family was.
     Although, if I had to be honest, the closest I ever felt to having a home where I was cared for and wanted, was with Alice and Hannah. Unfortunately, I lost the sense of security initially offered by staying with them, when my father found me. And later, when Kindred and the rest of Mason's crew knew my exact location. Not exactly a comforting thought.
     "Excuse me?" A voice sounded behind me, while I locked the door. I didn't jump, having felt the footsteps approaching cautiously, and determining little to no threat. The heartbeat was quick, but the steps were hesitant, indicating nervousness, but not necessarily meaning me harm.
     I turned, the woman standing there as I pictured her, hands clasped in front of her to stop the shaking, her breathing shallow, and face pale. "How can I help you?"
     "You're a private detective, right?" she asked softly.
     Of course I couldn't tell her I was just learning the ropes from the man who was passed out drunk in our back room, so I simply nodded. I fully intended to share any information she gave me with Joe, once he was sober again.
     Shining hazel eyes darted up to meet my own dark brown gaze for a moment before flicking downward again. "You find people?" Her voice was barely audible, and she struggled with the tears that were trying to fall.
     "We certainly try," I said gently, "but the police may be better..."
     "NO! They haven't found anything, and it's been a week. My boy," she sobbed. She was probably in her late thirties or early forties, so her child could be young, or into the late teens. "He disappeared on his way to school last Friday. No one saw or heard anything. He's just gone! I need help. The police think he ran away, but he didn't!"
     She was getting agitated, and I held up my hand. "Do you have a picture?"
     With a nod, she reached into her black leather purse, and pulled out several pictures of a young man, probably about seventeen, blond, hazel eyes, and a broad smile. Professionally taken photos. "He's a senior this year, top of his class. Likely to be valedictorian." Pride shone through her sorrow. "Smart as a whip," she said. "He had a date for prom next week. Does that sound like someone who would run away? He's too smart for that. If, for some reason, he did want to leave, wouldn't he just wait until graduation?"
     She seemed genuine enough, but so had my father any time someone questioned him about injuries I had as a child. If this boy, this very smart boy, had run away, was it for reasons similar to my own? Or had he cracked under the pressure of being top of his class and popular? "Will you help me?"
     I unlocked the door, and stepped back into the office. "I need to leave a note for my boss. Then I need you to take me on his route to school, so I can see the area where he disappeared."
     Her teary eyes showed gratitude, and I warned, "I may not be able to find anything more than the police, but I will try."

                                                                 End Chapter
Please let me know what you think! And again, if you noticed any glaring errors, feel free to point them out! This book is still in the editing stage, and every little bit helps! Thanks! Happy reading!

Character Journal Entry: Alice (#1) between Tracker and Kindred

     Some days I hate myself. There are things I have done, and things I have made others do, that I am not proud of. Most recently getting Jason involved in our Trevor Mason case. Possibly the worst mistake of my life. I know my sister was furious with me for what happened, and so were the kids. Especially Paul. He refused to speak to me for quite a while after everything Jason went through. Honestly? I can't blame him. I knew exactly how dangerous Mason was, and still asked a street kid to get information on him.
     Our house has been shaken, figuratively as well as literally, since this whole thing started. It was bad enough when Jason disappeared, and everyone was mad at me. Now he's back, and every time he loses control or comes upstairs with dark circles under his eyes, and a pained wince, everyone glares at me. The only one who doesn't seem to be upset at me, is Jason. No, he hasn't been open about what he's been through--I still don't know everything Mason did to him, and probably never will,--and he has been pulling away from everyone, but he specifically told the others not to blame me. He told them he made his own choices, and doesn't blame anyone but Trevor Mason. Jason flinches a little every time the name is mentioned, and stuttered a bit when he said he only blamed Mason. Part of me believes he blames himself, more than he blames me.
     After losing my parents I was able to get custody of Hannah, and took the responsibility to keep her safe and protected. When I met Jason, it was soon after our parent's death. So I was still new on the job, had recently taken in my sister to raise, and met a thirteen-year-old Jason. My protective instincts screamed at me to take him in, and get him somewhere safe. But he would not come. His trust in authority was thoroughly wrecked, and I didn't know for sure what happened until recently. Of course I had my suspicions, but Jason never confirmed anything until after we wrapped up the case.
     Quite honestly, I believe Jason may be the strongest man I have ever met. He had the strength to not only escape a bad situation, but also to gather other street kids and protect them from the worst parts of living on the streets. Thanks to Jason, none of the kids fell into drugs or stealing. They also avoided other dangerous activities, like joining gangs or getting forced into prostitution, made more likely for kids by living on the street.
     Jason's protection was invaluable, so it was not surprising that the kids were angry about what their protector went through. Trevor Mason had almost stolen their protector.
     And I practically gift-wrapped Jason for him. I might never forgive myself for that.

                                                                End

     The second of my 'character journals'- featuring the characters from the Earthshaker Series, and their thoughts after Tracker. If you like this sample, check out other examples of my writing on the blog, or follow the links on the page to get the books! Any comments? Feel free to share! Happy reading!
Adri

Character Journal Entry: Jason -1 (After Tracker, before Kindred)

     Life has been a roller-coaster so far. Some days I can't believe I ever managed to escape. Others I don't believe I did. The days spent just hanging out with the kids are the best. There have been times I can imagine we're a normal group of friends, spending time together for fun, rather than necessity. But there's always the feeling of trepidation, like the good times can't possibly last. I don't know what to do to change. I can't forget what I've been through, but I can pretend some days that it was only a nightmare. Real fathers wouldn't treat their sons the way my father treated me. So I used to pretend he wasn't my father. He was a man who took me, and abused me, while my real father was still searching for me. My real father, who would someday swoop in and rescue me from the abusive drunk who raised me. But the delusion couldn't last. The monster was my father, and the woman who'd abandoned me was my mother.
     On a more positive note, Sam is my brother. He has been surprisingly understanding after everything, and I'm glad he's been able to talk out his issues with Dustin and Hannah. I know part of my problem is being unwilling, or unable, to discuss what has happened, and that is why I'm writing this now. Talking about it with anyone else is not going to happen. And to be honest, I'm having a hard time writing about it, even if I'm the only one who will ever see this.
     Well, here goes: Trevor Mason pushed me almost to my breaking point. I say 'almost' because, while I do have days that I wish he'd simply killed me, I also have days that get a little brighter when Sam tells a silly joke, or Hannah smiles...Hannah. She's another reason I'm not broken. When I feel like I'm falling apart, she hugs me, and pulls me back together. At least a little. But it's unfamiliar. Tense and awkward. At least on my part. Hugs, or any other gentle physical contact, are not something I've had much of, except if you count the kids.
     The kids. Another reason to feel guilty. After...after everything I can't bring myself together enough to be there for them. I feel as though I've abandoned them. They seem to understand, but I've been their protector...their friend. How could I just let them go and move on?
     Everyone keeps telling me to stop blaming myself. That Mason is the one who is at fault for everything that happened to me, and the consequences after. But my reactions are my own. I can't handle it. I can't process it. I almost knocked over Alice and Hannah's house because I can't control myself. Hannah keeps telling me to talk about it. What good can that do? What good can knowing how broken I really am do for anyone?
     I don't know. But I guess I should at least consider trying, right? But not now. It's too raw. Physically and emotionally. So far, I can't even process everything that happened. What Mason did...what I did...my body is shaking just thinking about it, and I can't...
     Later. Maybe some other time I can write about it, but not now. Now I need to take my meds and forget. Try to forget. It's for the best, anyway...Right?

                                                    end

I decided to try something new. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think! This post sets the stage for Jason's mindset after the events of Tracker, and before Kindred. Happy reading!
Adri

New Price for Tracker on Kindle

     Hi everyone! I have decided to lower the price on the Kindle version of Tracker to just $0.99! To get this awesome book at a great low price just click on the link at the side of the page!

Jason is unlike any other eighteen year old. Even barring that he lives on the streets to keep away from his possessive and abusive father, he is also able to detect slight vibrations in the earth allowing him to follow or avoid people with ease. In addition, he can manipulate the ground, calling it up to help protect against anyone who wishes to harm him or those he cares about, such as the group of other runaway children he protects. Over the years since the discovery of his power he has fine-tuned the ability to be able to recognize specific people based on the way they move.
His only contact with authority is Detective Alice Farrow, whom he helps with cases as a Confidential Informant. She is also one of the few people Jason has trusted with his hidden powers. While utilizing his abilities to pursue dangerous criminals, she does her best to keep him out of the line of fire.
Their latest case pits Jason against Trevor Mason, one of the city's most notorious criminals who is suspected of every crime from theft to violent torture and murder. Mason has discovered Jason's power and desires to use it for his own means. Jason must work with Alice and her partner to stop Mason before Jason becomes something he shouldn't: a tool of destruction for an evil man.

Habits/Streaks

     I have always been the type to go in streaks with, well, pretty much everything I do. For example: If I like a specific actor, I watch a bunch of the movies/tv shows that actor has been in until I'm ready to move on to another actor I like. Or I like a specific kind of book or movie, so I hunt down any books or movies that fit the genre I am currently obsessed with.
     The main activity that I have stuck with (now since about 5th or 6th grade) is horseback riding. It is one thing I believe I will always love, but even with riding I have streaks where I just don't feel like doing the work to get ready to ride.
     My writing is no different. When I'm working on my books, I quite often write pretty regularly for several months, and then quit for a few weeks at a time. It's part of my 'take a break' philosophy for writing. (See article 'Writer's Block' on migzing.com) During that time I read like crazy, but can't force myself to do any writing. Every time I've tried to write while in this stage it has come out forced and stilted. Not flowing the way I like.
     That I am currently working on a book with a co-author does not change my habits. The last few weeks I have done little to no work on any of the many writing projects I currently have in the works. Does that mean I've lost interest? Not at all. The only thing it means is that I am getting through the 'break time' and wanting to make sure the writing, when I do it, comes out naturally and allows my stories to flow naturally.
     In the last week or so I have done a little bit of writing, and it is starting to flow a little more again. So my guess is that within the next couple days I will be in the streak of wanting to write like crazy, and will do little to no reading.
     Do any of you have similar habits in your writing? I know the conventional way of thinking is that you should do a little bit of writing each day, but how realistic is that? Let me know what you think! I would love to know the habits of other authors. Happy writing everyone!

Kindred- New Cover! :)

Now both my books have wonderful new cover designs- Both by the amazingly talented David McGlumphy! This cover is currently under review and is not available for sale yet. Hopefully should be ready to go in about 1-2 weeks after the review/proof stages are complete. Looking forward to any responses to the cover changes done to both books, and looking forward to working with David again for Book 3: Hunter- Coming soon!

New Cover!

Hi everyone! Here is the new cover for Tracker. The proof copy is on the way, but until I receive and approve it, Tracker will be only available as a Kindle e-book. It will be back in paperback soon!

Busy! (aka- Major Update :)

Hi everyone!

    Wow, I have been busy lately. Between working full time, spending time with family, taking some time for my pets, and writing, I have not had much spare time for blogging. :) But here is another update for anyone interested:
    I have been working on a co-authored book in the Dreampunk genre. This has so far been an interesting experience since my co-author and I have different approaches to writing and totally different styles. We have done a couple short stories now (one for an anthology with other authors and one to be submitted to a magazine or e-zine at some point) and are getting used to working together a little bit. So far it has definitely been a learning experience. I have been enjoying writing in a different genre, and writing in the third person again has been a trick (I often find myself switching between third person and first person, sometimes within the same paragraph! :) but I am enjoying it so far.
    Earthshaker Series Book 3: Hunter is still in the editing phase. I have gone through for my own personal editing (first round, anyway) and will be giving copies to a couple of my readers this weekend to get their insight into the story line, and to fix grammatical and punctuation errors. I am still hoping to have this book ready for publication sometime either late summer or early fall of this year.
    Tracker (Earthshaker Series Book 1) is in the process of getting a new cover! I have been working with a couple people on Facebook (Catt Dahman and David McGlumphy) on getting a cover that fits the story. Really looking forward to seeing the finished product and being able to get it switched out! Will post a picture when I have it available.
    Earthshaker Series Book 4 is in the writing/planning stage. I have some of it written, and have been taking some time to figure out where I want the story to go, so once I have a little more time to write, the story will already be mostly in my head.
    The fantasy novel I am planning to publish may end up being pushed back a little, until I get a bit further on the other projects, but Secret Power will be coming at some point! (And then I need to finish writing the sequel so I can get that out shortly after Secret Power) I'm not completely sure yet, but it may end up only being a two book series. Depends on how The Betrayal ends. :)
    These are the main projects I am working on right now. Any comments/questions are welcome! And don't forget to check out Earthshaker Book 1: Tracker and Book 2: Kindred available on Amazon on Kindle or in Paperback!
    Happy Reading! (or Writing, if you are an author!)

Project Update!

   Hi everyone!

   For those of you following the progress of the Earthshaker Series, I am getting pretty close to finishing my first round of edits on Hunter: Earthshaker Series Book Three! The next step will be to print it out and have a few people read it, and have my normal readers go through and edit as well. I have also started writing book four, but I have a long way to go on that one. I am hoping to update the covers on books one and two at some point, but need to learn a few things before I can do so.
   There are a few other projects I am working on now as well; one is a short story compilation book with a few other authors (more details on that later, but I am currently working on two short stories for this project), another is a co-authored book in the dream-punk genre (which is taking a bit to get going, but I'm sure things will flow better once we really get started with it) and the last (for now anyway) is formatting and editing Secret Power, a fantasy novel I am planning to publish either late summer or fall of this year. The fantasy novel I have worked with off and on for the last several years (somewhere around twelve years, actually) and is for a younger audience. Will tell you more about each project as the time for them gets closer!
   Also, a reminder: There are only TWO more days to get Tracker for only $0.99 on Kindle, and on Monday (4/28/14) Kindred will be FREE to download on Kindle! Take advantage of this very limited time offer! Follow the link at the side of the page!
   That's all for now! Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

SALE!

   Hi everyone! There are only FOUR more days to get Tracker: Earthshaker Series Book One for only $0.99! The sale is good on Kindle sales only, and it going on both at amazon.com and amazon.co.uk! Limited time offer that ends with the ability to get Kindred: Earthshaker Book Two FREE! For ONE day only on Monday April 18th you can get the second book of the series on Kindle at no cost! No risk only the ability to give a new author a chance! Get Tracker in the next four days and Kindred on the 28th and pay only $0.99 for both books! Check it out!

getBook.at/earthshakerbookone
getBook.at/earthshakerbooktwo

Great Deal!

   Hi everyone!

   Tracker: Earthshaker Series Book One, Kindle version, is on sale for only $0.99 on amazon.com, and on amazon.co.uk only £0.99! From 12am 4/22-11pm 4/28 (already started in the UK!) This sale gets even better! On 4/28 for One day only get Kindred: Earthshaker Series Book Two for FREE! 

  To get Tracker at it's great low price go to: getBook.at/earthshakerbookone

and on 4/28 to get Kindred absolutely FREE go to: getBook.at/earthshakerbooktwo

   Happy Reading Everyone!

  

Perception/Attitude (aka, Randomness from the Mind of Adri :)

   Quite often it is hard to keep a positive attitude about things. Especially when so often the negatives seem to outweigh the positives. Of course not everything can go well all the time. Moods are the same. There are a lot of times when the way you perceive something can change just with a shift in attitude. Look at things in a negative light, and everything will seem horrible and bleak. But shift your perception just a little, force yourself to look at the bright side, and sometimes things will start to look up.
   It isn't necessarily going to be an easy shift. Sometimes it will take a while to adjust your thinking to the situation, but it is something that is possible. The last few months for me and my family have been pretty stressful and it seems like the negatives just keep stacking up. But last weekend we were able to get the whole family (minus dad for part of it, being a trucker doesn't always allow him to make it home on a regular schedule) together and it was a fun, relaxing weekend to take some of the edge off. It is always nice to be able to blow off some steam with my siblings and the kids (I have 5 siblings, 4 married w/kids, 10 nieces and nephews total) It's a big group, and rarely quiet, but I love them for being willing to make the trip (in some cases from a pretty long way) for just a couple days of family time.
   There are times when stressed and worried about things that I have a very hard time writing or editing the books that I have in progress, but stressing and worrying doesn't accomplish anything. The opposite, in fact. I stress and I worry, and nothing gets done. I don't know if it's the same for any of you, but that's often how it works for me.
   Of course writing can be a good stress reliever, and if I put myself in front of the computer to write, sometimes it helps me to relax. Other times I stare blankly at the computer screen for hours at a time, getting nothing done. Depends on the day, I guess. Of course my main choice of stress relief is horseback riding, something I will get back to as soon as our mud pit (aka the yard) becomes dry enough to safely ride on.
   Anyway, there is always going to be some back and forth in attitude. But if you try to focus on positive things, rather than choosing to always stress over the negatives, you may find your attitude slowly turning a little more positive. :)

Not really sure where this came from. Just what happens when I start thinking about stuff at 12:30 am, I guess. Probably not my best writing, but what can you expect at this time of day? ;P Any questions or comments are welcome! (Just keep it clean:) Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Changes: A Fantasy Short Story

   "This is amazing!" The exclamation came out quietly, as the young woman didn't want to startle the potentially dangerous creature. Her only goal that day had been to take a stroll in the woods near the castle, but she had never anticipated coming across a young green dragon curled in a tree. The young creature raised it's head and looked her in the eyes. Strangely, she found herself drawn to the beautiful dragon and approached. "You are beautiful," she said, her hand raised as if to touch it.
   The dragon cocked it's head to the side and hissed, a sound she had heard often from the palace cats when they were agitated. "I won't hurt you," she assured it gently. "I'm not sure I could." The last was said in a low tone. Despite her strange comfort with the young beast, she was well aware of the danger she was in if it took exception to her presence.
   The young dragon raised it's head, looking past the woman and suddenly leaping to a higher point in the tree as a palace guard pushed approached. "Milady, you should not have wandered off. These woods can be dangerous."
    She sighed. Her alone time had come to a sudden end. "Very well, Captain. Lead the way." The guard turned back where he had come from, and the young woman glanced up in the tree, feeling sad that her encounter with the dragon had been so short.
   "Princess Ava, you should know better than to leave your guard behind." Her father scolded once she reached the camp. "They are there for your protection. Bandits and thieves roam these woods."
   "Forgive me, Father," she bowed her head in apology. "These woods are just so...magical. Apparently my feet ran away with me." She resented the limits placed on her, but understood her father simply wanted to keep her safe.
   The small group of ten guards, Ava's personal maid, the king, and two of his advisers, had left their kingdom one day earlier to meet with the royal family of their main trading partners. Ava was the youngest of her family, with two brothers and a sister already married and starting families. This trip was to introduce her to the Prince, who was only a few years older than her, and to possibly create a union between the two.
   Her sister's had seemed fine with their arrangements, but Ava was always a little more wild, and yearned for freedom from the strict society. The dragon in the woods, to her, had meant freedom. The sight of it had stirred something in her that yearned for adventure, which was improper for a lady of her status.
   "Keep to the middle of the group, princess," one of the guards urged as I drifted to the edge, halfway hoping to catch another glimpse of the woodland's most mysterious occupants. Most believed dragons were merely a myth, or at best were nearly extinct. My family were among the few who knew the truth: Dragons are very real, and they are still numerous. They remained hidden, able to blend with the surroundings where they were born. The little green dragon a good example. There were other kinds of dragons in different areas of the world, but only a few were lucky enough to even see them.
   We had visited a kingdom near a volcanic region a couple years earlier, and there had been a black and orange fiery dragon almost completely camouflaged where some of the lava had trickled over the edge. It seemed unaffected by the heat of the lava, and was also not worried about our group wandering through it's territory. They may be dangerous creatures, but from my observations, they would likely only attack if threatened.
   That was more than could be said for humans, I mused as a group of masked men emerged from the woods in a circle around us. "Stay behind me, Ava," Gerald, one of the guards, and a good friend, said quietly. "They haven't seen you yet."
   I pulled out my weapon, a silver short sword with a thin, but sharp, blade, and did as he asked. Sure, I could protect myself, but the guards were stronger, and it looked as if the bandits were also stronger. My heart pounded in my chest as we stood at an impasse, the guards in a circle around the servants, and the servants in a circle around me. My father was currently out of my view, but he was a fine warrior, and would likely be in the outer circle.
   Sending a quick prayer for his safety, my eyes darted around the circle, trying to see what was happening. "Let us pass!" my father's voice was strong and showed all the authority he carried.
   "Sorry, your highness," the bandit's voice carried, and to my surprise, didn't sound much different than my father's. In terms of authority, that is. This voice was younger, and also seemed to carry a hint of true remorse. "We are more numerous than you, and will take what we need, or you all will die. I have no desire to spill your blood today, and what we take will be returned to you. So I ask you to send out the Princess Ava, and no harm will come to her or any of you. If you try to stop us, we will take her by force, and I can't promise her safety.
   My heart beat ever faster, and I stood straighter. As princess, it was my duty to protect those under me. I may not be the warrior my father is, but I am no cowering woman. If this person wanted me, and truly would not hurt anyone else, was it not my duty to go?
   "The princess is not here," my father attempted. "I left her back at the castle for her protection." An outright lie. My father had brought me here, knowing there was a threat within our ranks. Someone who knew our family held the secret of the dragons. And knew that I specifically had been chosen as the bearer of those secrets.
   A laugh followed my father's statement, and the masked man spoke again. "My spies have told me otherwise, your Majesty. Send her to me now, and you may go on your way. She will join you on your return trip, once you have conducted your business with Reginald."
   My eyes narrowed. He was well-informed. "She's here, sir!" A voice I hadn't expected.
   "Gerald?" I looked at him in surprise as he gripped my upper arm, not even fighting as he took my sword. "What are you doing?" He had signed his own death warrant. Maybe not with the bandits, but my father would have him killed for treason to the crown.
   "Sorry, Ava. But we truly need you. My life is unimportant. Yours is not." He ignored the shouts and jeers of the other guards as he pulled me forward, holding a dagger at my throat. What was happening? Yes, I carried secrets, but only to protect the dragons, not as a threat to anyone.
   "Gerald, you will be killed for this, you know that. Why are you doing this?"
   "Because I know you. You would have given yourself up. An act of bravery, but your father wouldn't have forgiven you for bypassing his protection."
   "He would have. But he won't forgive you for betraying me," I argued softly. "Please, my friend. If you stop this now, I can help to preserve your life."
   Shaking his head sadly, my personal guard...and friend pushed me to the leader of the bandits, who took my arm firmly. "Thank you, friend. If you would like to live, please, join us."
   Gerald hesitated for a moment, glancing at the hostile faces of the other guards and my father, before nodding and joining the ranks of the bandits. "Our business is concluded. Carry on your highness. Your daughter will be returned to you shortly, and unharmed. You have my word."
   "Comforting," I bit out sarcastically. "The word of a kidnapper. What can that be worth," I continued as he pulled me away, the entire group of bandits melting back into the woods. Disappearing with the same speed they had appeared.
   We approached a clearing, and the man holding me shouted out his orders. "Spread out! Post guards! Make sure we weren't followed!"
   Scoffing I wrenched my arm from his grip. "You must be joking. You kidnap a princess and expect them to simply leave? Of course they will look for me."
   He looked at me, his blue eyes showing sympathy as he pulled the mask down from his face. "Princess, I apologize. But once I take what I need from you, your normal guards will probably turn on you. For that I am truly sorry."
   My eyes widened and I glanced down at the ring I wore which was the key to the greatest secret of our kingdom. "You can't! Everything would be ruined if you show it. My father..."
   "Isn't your father. He is your protector, and your jailer. The ring not only keeps you caged, but it prevents you from even realizing just how trapped you are. And we need that ring to help prevent a true threat. Something you have never been."
   As I tried to back away, another of the men stopped me, allowing my captor to grab my wrist. "May I at least know the name of the man who will ruin me?" I asked regally.
   "I am Desmond," he said.
   "Reginald's son?" That was a surprise. None in Reginald's kingdom, including Reginald himself, were meant to know anything about our secrets. "What is a nobleman's son doing with a rabble of thieves and kidnappers?"
   He sighed. "Trying to protect my kingdom. You are a beautiful woman, Ava. But don't you want your true beauty to show?"
   Narrowing my eyes at him in confusion, I questioned. "What exactly do you expect to happen? The ring holds a secret, but it will change nothing about me."
   "Oh, Princess," he breathed sadly. "Do you truly not know? If that is the case, then I must beg your forgiveness for the shock that will come to you." Without another word he gently pulled the ring from my finger, something I couldn't do alone due to a spell we'd had placed on it to protect the secret.
   Staring at him I sniffed haughtily. "You see? Nothing..." I paused, bending and gasping in sudden pain. "What? What's happening?" my voice came out through clenched teeth. Teeth that felt like they were expanding and sharpening. Screaming in pain, my whole body shook as the bones realigned and something grew out of my back. The sound of ripping fabric and gasping breaths tore through the clearing and my eyes teared.
   I dropped to my hands and stared in shock as the delicate fingers I was used to seeing began to grow scales and the nails elongated into dangerous claws, sharper and more deadly than the swords I had grown up using. The shock was too much, and I curled on myself, wrapping my tail over my face as I shook and howled painfully.
   The pain ended as suddenly as it began, but I stayed curled up, exhausted from the change. "Are you okay, Ava?" Desmond's voice came through, somehow sounding different. A little wary. For good reason, I thought as I growled low in my throat. The sound was primal, and all the men backed away.
   Freedom. For the first time in years I was truly free! I tentatively stretched, twitching my tail and flexing my wings. My dragon form was huge, and took up about half the clearing. I was mostly green with some gold highlights, and my wings were edged in black and gold. Talking would be nearly impossible, so I went with the dragons alternate method of communication: Telepathy. "Why have you freed me, human?"
   "We need your help, and we needed this device," he answered, gesturing at the ring that had been used to imprison me. "There is a shape changer ravaging our kingdom. She is similar to you, but holds much anger toward humans. But no one can get close enough to her to stop her. You might be able to."
   "Why should I help? The humans imprisoned me. Made me one of them with no memory of what I truly am."
   He sighed. "You were seen as a threat, but the king wanted to protect you. Others would have killed you. Now I am asking...no, I'm begging you, please help us. This shape changer has killed many innocents, including children. You are our only hope."
   Tilting my head and flexing my wings, I considered my options. I could leave. Fly away and not return. But the man who had considered me a daughter, who had taken care of me would likely be wandering into a very dangerous situation knowing nothing of the danger. Despite my anger at being kept in the human cage, there was still love for my human father. "Very well. I will help you. What do you require?"
   A smile formed on Desmond's face. "Thank you, Ava. We need you to draw her in. She sees dragons on her turf as possible usurpers. She'll attack you."
   Great. The human wanted to use me as bait. "Don't worry," he said, possibly noticing my doubtful look. "You are bigger than she is, and more powerful. You just need to somehow get her down so we can get the ring on her and lock her into her human form.
   Spreading my wings I locked my gaze on the human who had freed me. "Where is she? Point me in her direction and I will stop her."
   "Stay near us. We will lead you to her."
   I shook my head and roared. "How far? Walking is much slower than flying, and I need to fly!" I exclaimed rearing up on my hind legs and flapping my wings.
   Looking at me warily, Desmond waved off his men. "Very well. If you must fly, then I need to go with you. Would you permit me to ride you?" he asked.
   Had he asked with a little less hesitation, I may have blown him off, but he seemed frightened by the prospect more than excited. Obviously it wasn't his intention to turn me into a slave to be ridden into battle at his will. "Very well. But you will want some kind of padding between yourself and my scales."
    "Men, find me some thick leather, a cushion, and some rope," he ordered. To make it easier for him, I leaned forward, resting my head on the ground as they tossed some blankets onto my back and tied them on with rope, leaving enough loose rope for Desmond to hang on to. "Hurry up. She's the impatient type," he said as I snorted in annoyance. He put the ring on a leather strip around his neck and climbed on. "Ready?" he asked.
   Shaking my head and standing I once again spread my wings. It would be my first flight in so many years, and I my first ever with a human rider. Although the weight didn't bother me, it did feel a little odd. "Hold on," I warned him as I launched myself into the air.
   Flying was magnificent! How could I have forgotten this? It was a freedom I could never find as a human princess, and would never allow to be taken from me again! I felt a tug on one side of the rope. "What is it?" I snapped.
   "You need to go to the right," the bandit-prince said in a subdued voice. Flight didn't come so naturally to him. "For the shape changer. She's in that direction."
    Turning in the indicated direction, I noticed the mountainside where some of the trees were burning. My keen hearing picked up the sound of people screaming. "Apparently she's a little busy," I told Desmond. As we drew closer we could see what I'd heard. Burning wagons and the dead bodies of hired guards surrounding the injured merchants.
   "Where did she go?" Desmond yelled to the shocked victims. "Where is the red dragon?"
   "That way, sir," one of the men pointed up the mountain. "I think it nests in the caves."
    A little green dragon suddenly appeared, and I realized it was the same as the one I'd seen in the woods earlier. "What is it?" I asked the little creature, this time speaking in the language of dragons, with a series of growls and undulating sounds.
    "Help is coming," he answered in the same way. "I knew when I saw you in the woods that you would be facing the demon."
   Desmond cleared his throat. "Uh...what is it saying?" he asked. "What's going on?"
   "We'll have help." I told him. "Let's go."
   As we flew up the mountain, several other dragons joined us. Apparently all were tired of the antics of this shape changer, and from that I realized Desmond would be right to trap her. Dragons and humans alike feared the witch, and it was time to put an end to her reign of terror. Roaring a challenge I saw a red-headed woman step confidently from the mouth of one of the caves. She wore a red robe that had spikes sticking out of it, and as we drew nearer I could see the spikes were dragon teeth. There was a circlet on her head, indicating either that she was royalty or nobility. "Brother," she hissed as we landed at the entrance. "I'd wondered how long it would take you to come for me."
   Snorting in surprise I questioned Desmond, "Brother? Why wouldn't you tell me this?"
   "Larissa, you can stop this! Just turn away from the dark magic!" She wouldn't, I realized as her eyes began to glow red and she shed the robe revealing an outfit fully made out of dragon scales. Her own, from the looks of it. Her change was smoother than mine had been, but Desmond was correct. She was smaller. Smaller, but more fierce, and infinitely more angry.
   Larissa, as a dragon, was fiery red with more spikes around her head than me. She would have fit well with the fire dragon I'd seen once with my father. Rearing up with a roar I charged her, knocking her against the wall of the cave, "Get off!" I ordered Desmond. "Once I get her still, get the ring on her!" He hurled himself out of the makeshift saddle and rushed her as I pushed the smaller dragon against the wall.
   Cornered and angry, the red dragon breathed out a blast of fire, making me blink to protect my eyes, but causing no damage. Swiping my dagger-like claws at her, I managed to rip off several scales, and draw blood, which made her scream in anger.
   Another fire blast caught me by surprise, blinding me and I allowed my instincts to take over, biting and scratching and blowing out my own fire blast, I finally knocked the smaller dragon down.
   The green dragon and some of the others came then, and helped to keep her that way. Desmond maneuvered around the dragon's spikes and between the little fires burning around the cave, and managed to slip the ring over one of the dragon's claws. Screeching in anger and pain, the red dragon shrunk, showing the red-headed witch once again. Desmond spoke a few words to lock the spell of the ring, making it so Larissa couldn't remove it.
  An ancient knowledge allowed me to speak some words in a lost language, and lock it on completely. "No one can remove this ring. You will be forever locked in your human form, unable to perform any act of sorcery. Change your ways, human girl, or I will come back for you!" The other dragons bowed as they left the cave. "Remove the...saddle, Desmond. I will not be a horse again. For anyone."
   He did as I asked, but before I could fly away he removed my own symbol of royalty from his bag. "This crown is yours, Ava. It was yours even before you were locked into human form. You are royalty, even in the dragon kingdom. You should visit your father," he added hesitantly. "Tell him what has happened. He will still care for you as his own, and you can still be a part of his life. If that's what you want."
   And he wanted the king to see that the supposed bandit had kept his word. "Very well, Desmond. I will let my father know you have only set me free, and not harmed me. You are safe to return our prisoner to your own family for safe-keeping, although I believe she poses no threat now," I spared a glance at the woman who was desperately trying to change. Her eyes glowed, but that was as far as the ring would allow her to go.
   "You are royalty, Larissa," I told her. "Take the change with grace, and move on. You could still be an asset to your kingdom. Until then, you will always feel trapped."
   With no further need of conversation, I leaped off the mountainside and took to the air. My first confrontation had gone well, only minor injuries had been accrued. But after everything that had happened today I felt exhausted. The only thing left to do was show myself to my father. And then I could rest.
                                                                         END

I hope you enjoyed this story! It was based off a couple of pictures on Pinterest, and came out of my desire to write something a little different than what I have been working on. Let me know what you think! I would love to hear from you! :)

Still Here! :)

   Hi everyone! I know it has been a while since I've posted anything. I've been pretty busy, and a little bit stressed out about work and family stuff, but I have been steadily getting back on a routine for my writing projects. I have started a new short story, this time a fantasy not related to the Earthshaker Series (or any of my other books, for that matter.) It is a story I started based on some pictures I saw on Pinterest. They made me want to write a fantasy story, so that is what I'm doing.
   I am also still working on editing Hunter: Earthshaker Series Book Three (only about 120 pages to go in the first round of edits!) And I have a pretty decent start on writing Book Four. In addition to those projects, I will be attempting to write a book with a couple of other authors in a completely different kind of genre than I am used to writing, which should be an interesting experiment. I have never coauthored a book, so I am looking forward to the challenge.
   Don't forget: While you are waiting for the release of Hunter, the first two books of the Earthshaker Series are available on both Kindle and Paperback! Just follow the links on the side of the page, and you can read Tracker (Book One) and Kindred (Book Two) before book three is published. Also, Like my Facebook Page (link also on the side of the page) for more frequent updates about what I am working on.
   The free promotion for Kindred did pretty well, there are now more copies of my work in the hands of readers, which is what I was going for! Anyone who downloaded Kindred: I welcome any kind of feedback, whether it is a comment here on the blog, or on my Facebook page or as a review on Amazon. Let me know how I'm doing! Thanks!
   Until next time! Keep on reading! :)

FREE this Weekend only!

For those of you who haven't seen, Kindred: Earthshaker Series Book 2 is FREE on Kindle until Monday! Simply follow the link on the side of the page and download! Easy as 1, 2, 3! No risk, just a great book at no cost to you!

What Do You Want in a Short Story?

Hi everyone!

   I am hoping to do another short story, Earthshaker Series connected or not, and I'm giving you the chance to share what you would like to see. Do you have a favorite character in the Earthshaker Series you want a better back story on? An idea for a new ability? Something you think would make an interesting story? I'm not big on writing romance, but pretty much anything else is open for you to choose from! Just let me know what you want to see, and I will try to make a story about it! No time limit on this one, and I can't guarantee the story will be written quickly, but I will get it done! (Example- Guardian: fourth Earthshake short was chosen in October and I posted it in February)

Earthshaker Book 3- Extended Teaser!

Hi everyone!

   I have been hard at work editing Earthshaker Book 3: Hunter, and I am about halfway through the book. The release I have tentatively planned for mid-late Summer 2014. I am also hoping to have the first draft of book 4 written by then. I have already posted a short teaser on my Facebook page (see link on the side of my blog) But I would like to post a slightly longer teaser here.

   In book one: Tracker, Jason introduces himself as the only Tracker he is aware of, but acknowledges that there may be more. In book three he discovers that he is not alone. Jason is living in a different town after the events of Kindred (Book 2) and there gets involved in a kidnapping/murder case. The case becomes personal when the killer begins to set his sights on Jason and Sam, and eventually they discover that the Hunter may be Jason's most dangerous adversary yet! Can he figure out how to defeat a man who holds the same powers, or will this be Jason's last case?

   To get caught up on the series before book 3 is released follow the links on the side of the page!

Marketing vs. Writing

   Hi everyone! I have been spending a lot of time lately working on how to market my book, and not much doing editing or writing on my current projects. But there have been a lot of times where I've seen advice to just keep writing, and not spend so much time on marketing. So what is necessary? Of course, being as new to the market as I am, I don't claim to have answers. Although I am trying to learn a happy medium between writing and marketing. One answer: both are important. In order to have a product to sell, you have to keep writing and working. But in order to sell it, you need to market.
   I am not very good at marketing. This I will admit to anyone who asks. What I am is determined. I am determined to keep working on my writing, to write stories people will enjoy. And then I am determined to spend time promoting myself and my books. Of course I make mistakes along the way (some of which are listed in a previous post about self-publishing) but I am spreading out across the internet in ways I never thought I would. I joined Twitter, something I never thought I would do, about two weeks ago and have over two hundred followers. Of course I made the mistake of following a bunch of authors who are also trying to sell their works, but that is a way to start. Any readers who follow them could potentially see my name, and my books info, and choose to follow me. Is that the right way to go about it? I have no idea, but it is how I am doing it for now. I am also part of several Facebook groups, where I post links to my books, my blog, and my page every couple days to keep my name out there.
   Google+ is another forum I have joined in the last couple months, and I am still working on learning how to use it properly for marketing and helping others to market. Once I start getting some sort of feedback for my books, or comments about anything I am doing, I may adjust how I do things, but for now I simply do what I can.
   Currently I am working on editing the third book of my series: Hunter, tentatively scheduled for a Summer '14 release, and have started writing the fourth book. So yes, I am still working on writing along with marketing. But marketing does have a way of keeping me busy as well. Posting things about myself and my likes outside of writing so I can show people who I am along with what my books are about is not an easy thing to do, because I have always been a quiet person, who keeps quiet about things that are going on in my life. But I am striving to get better. Any comments or questions you have that you think could help in that venture would be appreciated! As always I love hearing from people and would enjoy a chance to communicate with anyone who is interested! Thanks for your time!

Contest Connected to Sale!

   Hi everyone! I just decided that everyone who buys a Kindle copy of Tracker during the sale this week, and leaves their name either on my Facebook Page or my blog, will be entered to win a Paperback copy of Kindred! So, for by purchasing Tracker for the low price of $0.99, you could get both books currently available in the Earthshaker Series! You have until Feb. 22nd to get your name entered! Winner will be determined either late on the 22nd or sometime in the afternoon on the 23rd. Good luck!
Sorry, US only.

TRACKER SALE! UK and Amazon.com!

   Hi everyone! I have a sale on Tracker running this week for both amazon.com and amazon.co.uk! I set it up so the sale would run until my birthday (Feb 22) as a way to celebrate my 30th. I set the price on amazon.com as $0.99 and in the UK as £0.99. These prices will remain the same until the end of the day on the 22nd! The link embedded on the post will lead you to your country's amazon, where ever you happen to live :-)

   I have also recently joined twitter, so if you are interested, follow the link to follow me! I also began writing on Migzing.com recently, and have gotten 5 followers there in the few days I've been on it. My post about my self-publishing journey so far has been pretty popular over there, which I was pretty excited about :-) 

   In regard to what I've been working on recently, a lot of it has been online presence in order to spread the word about my book, but I have also been editing Hunter: Earthshaker Book 3, and starting to organize some of the ideas I've had for Earthshaker Book 4 (so far untitled, though I have a couple possible one's in the works :) I have also been trying to figure out other thoughts and topics I can use both for posts here, and on Migzing, so if any of you have something you would like me to write about, or share my opinion on, let me know!

   And wish me luck on the sale! Please +1 or share this post to spread the word! Thank you!

Musings on Self-Publishing

   There are a lot of times when I've questioned whether I made the right decision in self-publishing my novel. Mostly on days where I just feel low in general, and see that there aren't very many sales, and marketing doesn't seem to be working, no one seems to be looking at my postings etc. Then I look and find a few more 'like's' on my Facebook page, and a few more views of something I posted on my blog, or a person mentioned that the premise of my book seems really interesting, and they'll have to check it out. Then I realize, if I hadn't self-published, most likely my book would remain unseen and unread. Sure I may not be making a lot of sales, but it hasn't been published for very long, and the amount of sales per month have been increasing. I have gotten more people reading my blog and short stories, and I have my third book in the editing phase. A lot of things are looking up, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!
   That's not to say the road will be easy, because obviously it isn't, but the richest things in life are the things you have to work for. I may not be the best at marketing (or even any good at it at all) but I am learning, and trying to avoid making too many mistakes. I already know that I have posted links to my books too often, both here and on Facebook. Then I figured out how to post permanent links to the top of my blog page, and started sharing links to my author pages and blog posts in addition to book links on Facebook groups. I've also tried to use different summaries at the tops of the links, to avoid having exactly the same thing posted all over the place.
   Also, I quite often have trouble figuring out things to post on my blog, so I end up having update after update that have little to no importance in the grand scheme of things. So now I am trying to post more about my own thoughts, a little more on characterization of the people in my books, and the short stories (which will be few and far between at this point, although I do enjoy writing them :-)
   The moral of the story is, while I have made mistakes, I try to correct them and do better. (And in case anyone is wondering, this isn't a response to any criticism or comment by someone else, all of this is simply my own views on what I have learned in the few months since I started self-publishing.) I hope I have been succeeding! Anyway, I'm sure other self-published authors have been through similar problems, and if any of you have further improvements you think I can make, please feel free to let me know! I'm always looking for ways to get better at marketing! Thanks for reading!

Guardian- Earthshaker Short #4

Hi everyone! At long last, here is the short story I have been promising you. This takes place directly after my story Stray, and shows how Jason became the unrivaled protector of his group of children.

GUARDIAN
By Adrianne Lemke

   Paul, Buster, and I had remained together so far, but I could tell the other boy was becoming irritated by something. We remained at the abandoned house where I'd found Buster, the dog, abandoned in a shed. We were, unfortunately, going to have to say goodbye to our canine friend before much longer, as we were running out of the food I had found in the shed with him. Paul sat on an old mattress, absently stroking the dog's silky head as he stared aimlessly at the house in front of him. "What's on your mind, Paul?" I was hesitant to ask, worried I would be told that he planned to leave. What he told me next was a shock.

   "I think there's someone in the house," he said quietly, still staring. "The curtain on the upstairs window moves, but we've been here for almost a week and haven't seen anyone come in or go out." He glanced almost shyly at me, "Have you...felt any motion? Is there anything there to tell you if someone is in the house?"

   After our encounter with the bullies just short of a week ago, I had told Paul about my abilities. Well, more accurately about my tracking abilities. The scarier power I kept to myself for now. He had met my explanation of my skill with doubt at first, but then had wondered at how it could be used. "I have someone I would like to avoid, if possible," he had spoken softly, sounding ashamed, and a little scared. "Would your...ability, be able to help?" Of course I had told him I would do whatever I could, but he had yet to trust me enough to show me the person he feared.

   I knelt at the base of the house, "I can't always feel through a foundation," I warned. "Especially if the only motion is on a second floor." Setting my hand lightly on the base of the house I closed my eyes and focused on any vibrations or echoes coming from inside the supposedly abandoned home. Expecting nothing, my eyes opened in surprise, "There has been motion in the basement recently. I can feel echoes of someone moving in there. But,"

   "Why would they stay hidden when we've been living here for so long already? Why haven't they reported us to the police?" Paul interrupted, backing away fearfully.

   Shaking my head at the interruption I pushed more energy through to try to get more information, but I jerked back slightly when the ground under the house began to rumble. "What was that?" Paul's eyes widened.

   "It was nothing," I answered quickly, withdrawing some of the power before I lost control over it. Apparently I had answered too quickly, because now my companion was eyeing me warily. 

   "Jason," his voice was serious and I kept my gaze on the house, still trying to figure out who was inside. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

   Choosing to ignore the question, I instead focused on the more immediate problem. Buster was scratching at the door and whining, and I knew someone was inside. "There is someone in there, but I don't think they are a threat to us. I think whoever's in there is too scared to come out."

   He eyed me warily, but said, "Maybe we should go in, you know, see if they need help or something. You know, after the little earthquake they just had," he said the last as he stood, still keeping his eyes on me.

   "You may be right. We should make sure they're okay." And not only because of the almost earthquake I had inadvertently caused, but also because there could be something wrong that had caused the person to be locked in their house. 

   Breaking into the house became unnecessary when we discovered the door was unlocked. Pushing the door open we entered slowly, Paul behind me. Despite wanting to run away from a potential threat, something I fully appreciated, he wanted to first make sure there was nothing wrong. He put up a hard front, but Paul was a good kid, and I hoped he wouldn't decide to leave. I had meant what I'd said when we met, we needed to stick together to last on the streets.

   The floor above us creaked, and instinctively I froze. "Jason," Paul whispered. "Why are you stopping?"

   "The same reason you're whispering, we don't belong here. This person has every right to call the police on us. We're in their house without permission."

   Buster had no such reservations. The dog, who had stuck close by my side for the last week whined a bit and dashed forward, racing up the steps to find whoever was hidden there. "Buster!" a young voice exclaimed happily. Sharing a glance with Paul, we rushed upstairs to find a child. One that was at least three years younger than me, and had been apparently living in this house by himself for at least a week. 

   The boy hid behind Buster as we entered, and I crouched, Paul standing behind me making no move to enter the room as I calmed the obviously frightened child. "Hi there, I'm Jason and this is Paul. We've been staying in your back yard. I think you've probably noticed us. Is Buster your dog?" I figured an obvious question might be the easiest way to get the boy to talk, and I was right.

   "Y-yes," he stuttered a little, glancing up past the dog's neck to look at me. I was struck by how scared and innocent this boy was, and wondered how he had come to be in this house alone. 

   "What's your name?" 

   "J-Jeffrey," The stutter remained, and I wondered if it was just a reaction to being scared, or if he always had trouble speaking. "Wh-where are m-my parents?" he asked suddenly, his question coming out slowly and a bit nervously. 

   Shaking my head I wasn't sure how to tell him, "I'm not sure, kiddo," I answered sadly. "Let's check the rest of the house for anything that might tell us. Do you want to come with us?"

   He nodded slowly, standing and holding Buster as he came to stand next to me. "J-Jason, did they le-leave?" 

   "They may have, kiddo," now it was my turn to hesitate. "If they did...do you have other family?" he shook his head and my heart sank. This innocent little boy had been abandoned, whether on purpose or by some accident taking the parents away. What was I supposed to do with this?

   "Jason," Paul tapped me on the shoulder and I motioned for Jeffrey to wait for a moment while I went into the hall. "You could call that police officer you told me about. There has to be something she can do to find this kid's parents."

  "Probably, but then what? He has no one else, Paul. Are we just supposed to let him be on his own?"

  "As opposed to what? Coming with us?" he scoffed. "What good would that do? We can hardly do anything for ourselves let alone for someone else."

   I looked at the floor and back up at the boy I'd already decided to help. "I have to offer. He obviously has some problems, but he was abandoned. He needs people who understand that, and I think you do."

   He glanced away from me toward the younger boy and nodded. "Yeah, I guess in a way. My parents were there, but never in a positive way. Always fighting and either ignoring me or blaming me for everything that went wrong in their lives. But the question remains, what can we do to help?"

   "We can be his family. We can keep him safe, but we can't stay here anymore. Once I tell Officer Alice about this...well, I'm not sure if we'll be able to do much, but I don't want him in the foster care system. I have heard some pretty bad stories from other runaways, and I wouldn't be able to stand it if I played a part in putting him there."

   Jeffrey came into the hallway and handed me a slip of paper. "I c-can't read this," he said, his innocent gaze tearing through me and making me hurt for him as he obviously wanted me to read the note his mother had written, explaining how she and her husband couldn't be seen with a 'mentally-challenged' child. In the note they claimed they loved him, but couldn't stand the shame they would feel if any of the neighbors found out about him.

   Paul was reading over my shoulder and shook his head slightly. We couldn't tell Jeffrey his parents had left, never intending to return. They couldn't even be bothered to realize that their son wouldn't be able to read their final goodbye and would wait in the house for them to return. "No one knows about him," I whispered to Paul. They never let him out of this house. Buster was his only companion."

   "Jeffrey, do you want to go outside?"

   He looked confused. "M-mama said n-not to go outside."

   "But do you want to? You can play with Buster and get some fresh air."

   Jeffrey still looked a little confused and frightened, but he nodded following Paul past me in the narrow hallway. He surprised me by grabbing my hand and pulling me along, and I knew I couldn't let anything else hurt this child. 

   "Wait," I said, halting in the doorway. "We should look around, see if there's anything here we could use. And he'll need clothes. Jeffrey, do you have a bag somewhere?"

   As we packed the bag with anything we could use, including clothes and food, Paul kept glancing over his shoulder at me, like he wanted to ask something. “Do you have a question, Paul?”

   “Are you serious about us sticking together?” his voice was soft and hesitant, like he couldn’t believe anyone would want to keep him around, and, despite my own painful past, I felt my heart twist in sympathy.

   “As long as you want to stay with me, yes. We will do better together, and we can keep each other out of trouble.”

   “I have a friend who is in trouble. She still lives with her family, but they treat her horribly. She’s too afraid to leave, but if she knows someone is out here ready and willing to take care of her, she might be able to get the courage to do so.”

   Cringing, I hesitated to agree. Even in an abusive home, a kid usually went to school and had the chance to better themselves. “Life on the streets isn’t for everyone, Paul. And it really should be for no one. Are you sure you want to convince her to leave a home, even if she is abused? We could just try to get her to ask someone for help in removing her from her home and get her somewhere safer.”

   “Like you’re doing for Jeffrey? What’s the difference? His parents left him, they should be arrested and other family members found, but you’re taking him.”

   Wincing, I realized he was right. If I took Jeffrey, I almost had to give this girl the option of coming with us. “Fine. I’ll meet her and if she wants to come with us, she can. But I will not force the issue. If she feels better staying with her family, I won’t push her to come with us.”

   “Thanks Jason.” We finished gathering the supplies we were able to carry, and Paul led us toward his friend’s house. He was getting more nervous as we got close, and I wondered why, until he stopped near the house and asked, “Is there a big man near this house right now? I know you don’t know the guy, but he is large and should leave some sort of imprint if he was nearby recently, right?”

   For someone who didn’t believe me completely when I told him about my ability, he actually had a pretty decent grasp of how it worked. “Yeah, I might be able to tell. I knelt in the side yard of the house and put my hand on the ground. “The most recent prints by this house are a heavy tread and a slightly lighter one leaving. Not sure when, exactly, but I don’t think any large people are in the house currently.”

   “Good,” Paul relaxed, and Jeffrey stood behind him quietly. 

   “Are you going to knock?” I asked after standing for a few moments. The other boy nodded and made his way to the front door. He rang the doorbell, then knocked three times. 

   Noticing my questioning glance he said, “It’s a way for her to know it’s me. I met her a while ago, and sometimes she doesn’t answer the door. We worked this out when she realized I would never do anything to hurt her.”

   Proving his point, the door cracked open, and a young girl poked her head out. “Paul, what are you doing here? My daddy will be back any time now, it’s not safe.” She noticed me and cringed back. “Why did you bring someone else?”

   “It’s okay, Ginny. Jason is like us. He’s been hurt, and wouldn’t hurt anyone. He has a way to protect us, and I want you to come with us. Get away from the bas…man who hurts you. You deserve to feel safe, and we can be the people who keep you from getting hurt.”

   Her eyes flashed for a moment with something that looked like hope, but she shook her head. “I can’t leave. They’re my family.”

   “We could be your family, Ginny. A better family. One who will never mistreat you.”

   “Paul,” I had a warning tone, he was pushing too hard. “We can’t make her come. Ginny,” I spoke to the girl for the first time. “Paul is right. If you want to get away from the people who hurt you, you are more than welcome to join us. But we won’t force you to come with us. We’ll be here any time, if you feel ready to leave. If you don’t want to come now, that’s fine. We will check on you, if you would like, and see if you change your mind.” Some strong vibrations were heading our way. “Paul, I think her dad is coming back. It’s time to go. Ginny, we’ll talk to you another time, okay?”

   She nodded, the flash of hope returning, and I knew. Even if she wasn’t ready now, when times got too hard, she might be willing to become a member of our little group. Paul hesitated. “Paul,” I grabbed Jeffrey gently, leading him away. “Time to go!”

   “Word of warning, Ginny,” I called softly over my shoulder. “He’s drunk, so you might want to do whatever you can to stay out of his way today.”

   “Thanks,” she said, closing the door. I heard the lock click into place and we disappeared around the corner just as her father reached the front door. Looking around the corner, I saw a large man, about 6’ 1” and very drunk. He looked like he was ready to pick a fight with anyone, and right now the only one in his path was a helpless little girl.

   Frustration gnawed at me, and I knew I wouldn’t leave her forever, but the ground beneath me rumbled, echoing my anger at the situation. “Stop it,” I muttered to myself.

   “What?” Paul asked, looking up at me. He had been glancing at the ground in concern as it shook slightly. 

   “Sorry. Just trying to keep my temper.”

   He looked at me in shock. “The ground rumbling, here and at Jeff’s house, that was you, wasn’t it. You can do more than feel footsteps. You do have the power to protect us, don’t you?”

   “Sometimes. Other times I have very little control,” I cautioned. “I don’t know how it works, or how to use it to my advantage.”

   He shrugged matter-of-factly. “You’ll just have to practice. If you’re going to be our guardian, then you have the motivation you need to use whatever means possible to keep all of us safe.”

   Jeffrey took my hand, looking at me with trust already. How could an abandoned boy learn to trust so quickly? “You already know I won’t leave you behind, don’t you?” I asked him softly. The little boy nodded, and I knew Paul was right. I would do whatever was necessary to keep these kids safe. Including Ginny, if she chose to join us. “Alright, Paul. We’ll do it your way. I’ll practice, and you need to know that if I say to move, I mean right away. My range isn’t great, so if I feel a threat, I need to know you’ll listen.”

    There was a tone of authority in my voice the other boy seemed to respect, and he nodded without hesitation. “I’m sorry I didn’t, before. I was really hoping…”

   “She may still come with us, Paul. She’s just not ready yet. We won’t abandon her either, okay?” I interrupted. “I’ll keep us all as safe as possible. I will be your protector.”

End

If you enjoyed this story, please let me know! You can also check out the earlier Earthshaker Short Stories: Trust, Stray, and Rescue, and the first two novels of the Earthshaker Series: Tracker and Kindred, available on Amazon (Kindle and Paperback). Thanks for reading!

   

   

Kindred Chapter Five

Kindred








Chapter Five: Kindred-

   Warm liquid splattered my face and the last struggles of another violent man ended in futility. His wife would be pleased. Not that I did it for her pleasure, but if she was pleased, I would get paid. If she wasn't, well...let's just say I always get paid. One way or another. Blood payment may not spend well, but it was an acceptable option.
   The camera snapped a picture of the man's face, wide-open eyes seemingly staring into me accusingly. I shrugged away any thought of guilt, surprised at the unfamiliar emotion. He'd been abusive. Plus he worked for Mason. Those were two strikes against him, the third being that he'd been part of Mason's inner circle, who'd kidnapped and tortured the Tracker. He had eluded the police, but I was much harder to avoid. The tiny flutter of guilt flitted away and I allowed myself to forget it as I washed the man's blood off my face. The rest I wouldn't worry about until I reached my apartment.
   Anyone who saw me wouldn't see the blood soaked into my clothes. The illusion I'd broadcast would make sure of that. I walked back into the living room and thought for a moment. He had helped hurt the Tracker. The kid would want to know that another of his tormentor's was off the streets. Besides, it had been a couple days since I'd checked on him. I took an envelope and note card from the shelf near my victim's phone and snapped a second picture with my Polaroid camera. I watched it develop, unconcerned when a neighbor knocked on the door and peered through the window. The woman was looking right at me, but would see nothing amiss in the house until after I left. Before I'd entered I'd set up a field of my energy that held the illusion of a quiet, empty house. Anyone who came near it would have that image in their head.
   It had been a trick Mason had made use of on several occasions. It still surprised me that he hadn't made sure I'd set it up at the Farm after he caught the Tracker. Even then there had been something about the kid that told me to help him. So, I had. When the undercover cop had requested a visit, I had allowed it, knowing full well that he'd be bringing a couple dozen of his closest friends.
   I wrote a note on the card and slipped it into the envelope and in block letters wrote: TRACKER on the envelope. After receiving a couple notes from me already, he would know who it was from. Perhaps at some point, he would begin responding to my notes. I hoped he'd get the note after I returned to my apartment, so I could see his reaction. If not, I'd just have to watch the recording.
   Without another look, I walked out of my prey's house and got into my car. I felt my illusion dissipate as I drove away, and took a deep breath through the slight discomfort. I'd always preferred my illusions to be one on one. It took less of my concentration and energy, but the mass illusion was definitely useful.
   As I pulled closer to the Lady Cop's house, I could feel something was off with the Tracker. He seemed agitated and scared, but I sensed no direct threat. He was in the house, and the only other people there were his brother and his friends...I felt my lips turn down as I thought. Whatever they were doing, his friends were causing him pain. I couldn't allow that to continue. I would deliver my note, and then go back to my apartment. I had some planning to do.

End Chapter

Please let me know what you think! Keep watching for Guardian: the fourth Earthshaker short story, coming soon!