Following the Heart and Bravery

There's been something on my mind for a long time. Well, you know that there's always something constantly running through the neurons up in my noggin, haunting, but this one thing has been persistent and comes back frequently no matter how many times I try to clamp it shut. I feel you should know. In fact, I stopped this morning's run short to come home and write to you.

Back in 2008, I was inspired to start and finish my first full-length novel. My main inspiration? To write a book I thought would sell based on what was selling in the market then. One I thought you'd be interested in, instead of a story I could put my soul into. Okay, okay, you can stop laughing now. My point in telling you that dark secret is so you can understand why I'm pulling the Lords of Shifters series.

That first book I wrote is titled Loramendi's Story, A Lords of Shifters Novel--it had several titles as it was morphed into what it is now. It's actually my best selling novel, though not in any way a best seller as far as best sellers lists are concerned. After I wrote it and moved on toward the next books in the series, I wrote them to shift into what I felt were more important themes that also entertain. Originally though, my intention was to mimic what readers were buying at the time. Loramendi's Story wasn't about anything I'd ever be interested in reading then until I was able to shift the series a bit like I did.

The second and third books (Spider Wars and Dark Horse) head more toward what I would enjoy writing and, in fact, the rest of the books will end up exactly where I would want them to be, with a message and a story I'd be interested in sharing. I'm not sure if I intentionally knew they were going that way or if it was my conscious making its way out through my fingertips subconsciously.

Since 2008, I published three other stories outside of the Lords of Shifters series. I feel good about sharing these three, Dream Smashers, Jenny's Blue Velvet, and Still Nights, with you. They may not be about subjects I'm heading toward in my writing at present, but they have important messages and/or observations that will make some think and wonder and, perhaps, inspire.

The Lords of Shifters series will be unavailable after September 7th until further notice. While I contemplate on how I can turn the series into stories I believe contribute to the world instead of taking, I'm moving forward on some other projects that have that potential.

Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your support. I will do my best to get back to the Lords of Shifters as soon as it is right, and I hope the stories will then have the ability to move you and be worthy of your time as I put more of my heart into them.

 Music:

Spider Wars is Free!

Just in time for the release of Dark Horse next week, Spider Wars went free on Amazon today. Of course it's also free on iBooks, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. Go get your copy today!

 Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, sometimes boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachneshifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk to get him back?

Amazon Kindle

Barnes and Noble Nook

iTunes Bookstore

Smashwords

Spider Wars Now Available

Finally! The second Lords of Shifters novel--Spider Wars--is now on Amazon and Smashwords. Eventually, peeps can get it wherever ebooks are sold.

What happens when a species is tired of being stomped on?


Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, sometimes boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachneshifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk to get him back?

This novel is meant for mature readers.

Here's the link to Amazon <------
And Smashwords <------

Haven't read the first book yet? No problem. 1. Spider Wars can stand alone. 2. Loramendi's Story is now FREE on Amazon, so you might as well go pick it up now, right? -------> Free Loramendi's Story

Enjoy!

Sneak Peek - Spider Wars by Angela Carlie

My laptop has died. I hope Fred can bring it back to life again. Until that time comes, I'm using my tiny netbook to work--which is super frustrating because it is so small and slow.

I had planned on participating in #SampleSunday two days ago, but got sidetracked with other things. I'd like to give you a sample now, on Tuesday, instead. If you feel this is totally unacceptable, please come back on Sunday. I'll leave the post up. ;)

The way things are looking, Spider Wars will be out in a few weeks. I'm so excited! I hope you are, too.

When he woke that evening, he didn’t expect to look his fear in the eyes. All four or six of them, depending on which one stood before him at the time. Eight gangly long legs, shifting left and right, protruded from two fuzzy globes connected in the center.

Spiders.

They covered the floor, a moving carpet of legs and eyes and dagger hairs.

A virus of terror rushed through his limbs, solidifying them in place. His body a potential carcass to be devoured by tiny fangs.

Every surface of the room, the walls, the ceiling, and the only exit, moved in waves of spider parts. Big and small, brown spiders, black spiders, green and yellow, traveled up his legs and over his muscular body.

In his century of life, he’d never known terror like this. If these creatures ate his body, he’d walk the earth as a soul forever. He wasn’t ready for that yet.

Hair-like legs scurried over his unshaven cheek. He gathered every ounce of strength he had and broke his limbs free of their paralyzed state. He jerked and gyrated to shake the creepers off, but they stuck to him like maggots to rotting meat. They burrowed under his skin, sucking his body dry of life fluids. Dehydrated and close to mummified, he dropped to all fours and crawled through the masses, crunching tiny lives into smashed bits under his hands and knees as he moved for the exit.

The door swung open. A young woman with fiery hair and a tattered black corset dress cast a shadow into the small room. The carpet of crawlers scurried away toward the back wall. Spiders shot out of his mouth and ears as if he was possessed—they backed out from under his skin, fleeing from the woman.

She drifted into the head of the room, a goddess, a monster.

Two others joined her, their faces unrecognizable in the dark, but their hair glowed from the moonlight behind them. A blond and a dark brunette.

The dark haired woman nudged her long limbs past the redhead. “Children,” she hissed. “The time is near to prove to the humans your place in this world is not under their feet, but to put them where they belong, wrapped in a web and on dinner plates.”

The surface of the walls and ceiling bubbled with movement, down to the floor where he lay helpless, void of hope. His internal tissues had already begun the regeneration process as he rested on the dirt floor, realizing the horror of the woman’s words. His heart burned from new tissue growth out of half eaten muscle, but he held onto the groans of pain. His breath rattled in his chest, his body’s attempt to clear the venom the spiders left behind.

“That’s right, my children. Feed on this wretched immortal. Gain your strength. You’ll need it for the battles to come.” 

The floor snapped alive. This time, he didn’t have time to scream. Even if he wanted to.

A Shiny New

I'm pounding away on Spider Wars and it's turning out to be quite different than Loramendi's Story. It's dark and creepy, just what you'd expect a story with spider shifters to be, but not in a heebie jeebie sort of way. In a totally stellar, rock your socks off way.

For now, I'll tease you with a blurb and a fantastic cover--you're going to love this cover. I do. ♥ Robin Ludwig has wooed me again with her cover art skills.

Jess' life has never been ordinary. After all, life on the road with an immortal family of gypsies is hardly predictable. Living in the small town of White Salmon, Washington has brought some normality to her life. But when her cheating, unofficial boyfriend, Nicu, gets involved with a group of arachno-shifters, life gets a little sticky. Will she be able to save him from the web he's spun? More importantly, how much is she willing to risk at a chance at love?

Spider Wars 

A Lords of Shifters Novel

by Angela Carlie

Coming 2012

Writing Update

I've been reading a lot lately. Not a lot according to some of my friends who read eight books a week, but a lot for me. Normally I read two to three books a month. This past month I've read seven books. And yes, my writing has paid for it. I was hoping that this second Lords of Shifters book would become more fluid if I spent a little time away from writing, but it's still stubborn and thick to think through.

I'm struggling most with the point of view. I really want to tell Jess' story, but to do that, I have to leave Lora where she ended up in Loramendi's Story. I'm not really sure that's what fans will like. Fans fell in love with Lora, and most series continue on with the same hero/heroine, but Lords of Shifters isn't like most series. Of course I'd get back to Lora eventually, probably in book three.

To motivate me to get through this madness and to keep my readers up to date on my progress, I posted this cool new Word Meter on the side bar thanks to Sarra Cannon's Free Word Meter. Come back often and see how slow I write! haha ;)

Now Available and Heebie-Jeebies

To be extra sure that Loramendi's Story shows up on August 7th, I decided to hit the publish button today. Sometimes it can take a couple days and sometimes, like today, a few hours to become available. Barnes and Noble is still thinking about it while Amazon is already complete. Here's the link!

If you have a Kindle, you can now purchase Loramendi's Story for only .99 cents! Since this is the first book in the series (Lords of Shifters), I'm keeping the price low. It hurts, but I'm hoping it will help gain new readers.

I've been doing a lot of research into spiders lately for my next novel. They totally creep me out, but the research must be done. So, after spending a few hours reading and looking at pictures of the eight legged creatures, I crashed in the recliner for some much needed time with my Kindle.

My big pooch, Cookie, fell asleep at my feet.

Out of nowhere, a ginormous hairy spider scurried across the floor, straight toward Cookie. I pushed her head so she would stand, but she was out and didn't budge. The spider bolted straight for her cute pooch nose. I pulled her heavy face up to save her from the spider attack. She finally woke and helped me out by standing.

The spider stopped.

I maneuvered my Kindle toward the spider to capture it and then I brushed it off into the front yard.

Afterward, I danced around to make sure it wasn't crawling on me even though I clearly saw it scurry off in the other direction.

Whew.

I pretty much saved my dog's life. I'm a hero.

Have a great night. I hope you enjoy Loramendi's Story!