Win $50 Gift Card

Howdy folks, it's me, the random blogger.  I finally released Enlightened.  Oh, what a horrible writing experience that book was.  I dreaded saying anything while I was writing it, but I was suffering from a horrible case of writer's block.  I knew how I want the trilogy to end...and I even knew how I wanted Enlightened to end....it was all the stuff in the middle that left me crazy.

Shortly after I started writing the book, my dad died.  A  couple of weeks after my dad's death, my son graduated high school.  Within the same week, he announced his girlfriend is having a baby...his baby.  Talk about a summer of insanity.  I moved a pregnant teen into my house and crossed my fingers that God would show me what to do next.  He didn't show me to write a book...nope.  I wrote every single day... I deleted as much as I wrote.  I originally had a deadline of August 30, I'm still laughing over my first missed deadline.  One week before releasing the book, I deleted 14,000 words - the ending of the book.  Ouch.  I promised the fans it would be out on October 10, 2012...and I'd be damned if I didn't make it.  I swear I was up until 7 in the morning for a week, writing...deleting...writing....crying....cussing  Not always in that order.

It's been a week since the book was released, and I've been sitting here biting my nails waiting for reviews.  I knew the twist at the end would be unexpected.... I worked so hard to make sure it flowed with the right amount of mystery.  I think I made the right call, and gave Caleb and Jessie a tale like no other.

I hope you have a chance to read Enlightened.  The book is now available in print and e-book.  Don't forget to follow my Facebook page - I'm having some great giveaways through November.  Thank you to everyone that believed in me, and everyone that has fallen in love with Jessie & Caleb.

XOXO
Devyn

Enlightened....update from author

It's one in the afternoon on the day I was to release Enlightened.  It wasn't released, but it will be on 10/10/12.  I have a couple of reasons why.  I'd thought it would be nice to have something positive on a date that has otherwise been bad for me.  Today is the 10 year anniversary of my mother's death.  I decided that it was more important to remember her today, and not worry about book sales.  That is the first reason why I didn't release it.

The second reason I'm not ready to release it....I changed my mind about the ending of the book.  You see, I decided to reveal the biggest secret to Light Tamers.  I feel that you the reader will want to know....because...because....because - it will have you wanting more in the third book.  I've outlined the third book, and I know how the trilogy ends... What!  Yes...trilogy.  Wait, no whips...please...this isn't 50 Shades of anything.  I do plan on writing another book after the third ends....and that's all I'm saying.  Okay, so I deleted about 14,000 words which meant...I had to rewrite them into the ending I wanted for Enlightened.  I am tweaking the ending right now... and I was up until 3 in the morning writing...I've not left my house since Friday or was that Thursday...I don't know.   I think some will love it.....some will hate it.... and some will never see it coming.  I'm very, very, very excited to hear your reaction.  My betas haven't seen the ending and only two know what's about to happen.  They're sworn to secrecy....

Now you know why Enlightened isn't out.  I'm curious what people think is about to happen.  It will be ready and out on Oct 10.... cross my heart!

XOXO
Devyn

What to expect from me

Howdy my lovely lovies.  This is a post without a giveaway or promoting any books.  I want you to know what you can expect from me the writer.  My target audience for my Light Tamer series is 12 - 15.  As a mother, I would read my kids books first, before I allowed them to read it.  Moms are busy and don't always have the chance to monitor everything.  Now that we have a world of smart phones, e-readers and internet, it is hard for parents to make sure that things are as they appear.  I want to assure the moms and dads out there, I will always keep my content proper for that age group.

To the authors and bloggers that have adult content, I can't retweet your work or promote on my Facebook page.  It has nothing to do with you, because I respect your craft, it has to do with my fans and family.    I've turned away a couple of people recently because of the adult nature.  It's my responsibility to be responsible. Thank you for considering me though.

Thank you to everyone that has fallen in love with Caleb and Jessie!  I'm so glad so many people have become Team Caleb!

Don't you love it when....

These are real things that have happened to me - slightly embellished, but I am a writer and that's what I do.

Don't you love it when....

1.  You question your adult daughter if you're too old to wear something....and she says yes.  Ouch - bye bye Justin Bieber concert shirt.

2.  Someone asks you if you cut your hair (that was down your back and now above your ears) and then says.... you really should let it grow long again.

3.  Someone says, "Yeah, you write about them there vampires... not my cup of tea." (okay... thanks)

4.  When someone says... "Wow, you look tired."  I just woke up after a 12 hour nap, thanks.

5.  You email another author and call them the wrong name...twice.  Yup, I did that.

6.  You forget the names of the characters in your own book.  I have a name encyclopedia for my series now.

7.  You have nothing to blog about so you make a dumb list.

8.  Someone returns one of your electronic books that was only $0.99 cents - true!

9.  No one leaves a comment and you practically have to beg people to love you.

10.  You run into people when you're letting your eyebrows grow out.  It is hard to hide - seriously.


Leave me a comment and tell me your "Don't you love it when..."  There just might be a random drawing for something fabulous (you can't have my Justin Bieber shirt).

Teaser Tuesday - The Light Tamers

Teaser Tuesday

The Light Tamers 

by Devyn Dawson

The first excerpt from my WIP - a teaser to make you beg from more...

It’s Sunday morning and I wake up in a panic.  What am I going to wear?  Should I go shorts or jeans?  These are decisions for popular girls.  Girls that get to go on dates.  Not my kind of girl, the kind with curves.  My boobs grew for three years straight, I never thought they would quit.  Mom always said she had no idea where I got the boob gene, definitely not her side of the family.  No, I have hips and boobs, long legs and a semi small waist.  Why didn’t I think about this stuff last night, when I had twelve more hours to go?  Looking at the clock I realize I have exactly one hour and three minutes before he gets here.

Thanksgiving Cocktail

Who cares about turkey - pass me the rum. Did I say that? I did…guilty. I have no intentions to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year. We are only three plus one (I guess we’re four) and I don’t want to slave over a meal that won’t really be appreciated. They are guys; they don’t care as long as they get food….. you know I’m right! I will make pie! I’m not taking orders for their favorite pie either….we will be having my favorite pie. It is a rich and thick chocolate pie; it will make any chocolate lovers toes curl. I said that too!

We won’t be going anywhere or watching football so I’m thinking we should get liquored up. Honestly I don’t drink…although I did recently. It didn’t turn out well for me, AT ALL. I paid for my sins, certain that I would die the next day. I have no problem with everyone else boozing it up - I’ll sit this one out. I’m a fast learner….and I learned I’m not twenty one anymore. I hope everyone has a safe and love filled Thanksgiving. Have fun shopping - don’t forget to check out your local bookstore for Black-Friday deals!

I’m sharing my favorite go-to Thanksgiving cocktail - Enjoy!

Gingersnap Heaven (and it is)
4 oz eggnog (you can use the light kind) super cold is best!
1/2 oz Ginger Brandy (chill it first)
1 oz Sailor Perry Spiced Rum (Captain Morgan will work too) CHILLED
Dash of nutmeg
1 gingersnap

Combine all but nutmeg & gingersnap in blender - pour into large wine goblet - sprinkle nutmeg & add gingersnap for dunking. I like to add Ice to the blender to chill it even more. Add more eggnog & brandy if needed.

My Secret to Writing with a Fresh Perspective

Using Crystals to Help You Stay Focused on Writing by Devyn Dawson

            Everyone is always asking me if I have a routine I do before I write.  I do have a few things that I do to make it a more productive writing session.  If I know I’m going to do a long marathon of writing, I write at the dining room table.  There is a white candle that I burn to help with positive energy and a black candle to absorb the negative energy.  Weird right?  I’d like to clarify that I am not a witch, nor do I practice magic.  I do however believe in energy in the room, or even in myself.  I do use crystals to help me with my writing and feel that even if it is psychosomatic, no one is harmed and in my head it helps.  I keep them in a bag and I keep it on my person when I’m writing.  If you’re interested in crystals, there are a lot of places to buy them online.  Here is the list of crystals that I use.

Amethyst - this is a stone I wear and my kids do too.  Amethysts really help you stay focused and helps people with A.D.D. stay on task.  It is something you can put under your pillow for pleasant dreams.  It helps with headaches by rubbing the stone on your forehead.  Did you know that Catholic Bishops wear an amethyst to symbolize humility, sincerity, and wisdom?  When not in use, place it in a window sill to absorb sunlight.  I have to have it on my when I write - if I have no other stone, I must have it.

Green Calcite -  This stone will help give you balance in the mind and is gives off positive energy while it absorbs the negative.  It is also good for arthritis. 

Rose Quartz - It is very helpful at giving inner peace.  It is known to be the love stone and will help you open your heart to be responsive to love.  I use this stone to help with feelings in my story.

Blue Quartz - It helps calm the mind (sounds like I have ADD doesn’t it?) - it gives you understanding, and it inspires hope.

Kyanite - It restores energy and gives you inner peace and tranquility.  This stone is known to help the mind be clear and is a useful stone for writers.

Tigers eye - Rumor is, the person that wears this stone cannot be lied to.  It lets you see everything.  It is a good luck stone and will protect you from the evil eye (not that I’m in danger of the evil eye, but I’m protected!).

Quartz Crystal - Oh this is an amazing stone - this stone gives off energy and is known to heal.  It gives you deeper understanding and helps you have clear thoughts.  It is important that other people not handle this stone for you.  It is best if it only has your energy.  To recharge the crystal - set it in the window sill during a full moon - it will clear it from any negativity that may have been absorbed.

Hematite - If you wear this stone as jewelry, you should wear it on your left hand.  It increases your intuition.  This stone is great for protecting you against bleeding and it is said to make you invincible in battle.  I don’t particularly think it will and not willing to test that theory.

Fulgerite - This stone is created by lightning strikes.  It connects you to divine energy and will open up your psychic energy.

Those are the stones I use.  I keep them in a nice small amulet bag.  If you have crystals that you use, let me know about them.  I’m always wanting to know more about them and the earth energy surrounding them.

The Seduction - Giveaway

Hello Lovies!

I just posted a vlog that has a great giveaway in it.  You have to watch the video to see what I'm giving away and please post your messages here on my blog or comment on the vlog.  I really need your help with the cover of my book and what it should be.

http://youtu.be/g27marod2oA

Thank you and please share and tweet!

Teaser Tuesday -

Teaser Tuesday

The Seduction (A Legacy of Kilkenny Series Novella)

Allie's Personal Journal 

A passage taken from her Feb 16 entry

I’ve never, ever felt this way before.  When his hand touches mine, the coolness of his touch, melts away my fears.  I do fear that I have no choice but to fall…madly….deeply… oh I can’t even finish.

Why I write

I thought it would be a good chance for me to tell you a little about me - the writer me.  DISCLAIMER  I will not edit this, so if there is a punctuation problem... deal with it.  If I have a run on sentence.... deal with it.  I write like I think... random.

I live in the South and I'm from the Midwest.  I live in a house, at the end of a street, with one husband (I think it's illegal to have more than that... I'm not a sister wife) and one teenager that apparently got a book titled ALL THE THINGS TO DO TO DRIVE YOUR PARENTS CRAZY and studied it.  He made an A+ .  I have a twenty year old daughter that bought the book ALL THINGS DRAMATIC and studied it.  She made an A+  My husband bought a book.... no he didn't.... he doesn't enjoy books the same way I do.  My husband bought a magazine... for the articles... no he didn't.  No... he says I never talk about him.  My husband is from the South and hates the Midwest, he eats loudly (he is having a bowl of Raisin Bran and I actually double checked he didn't have chips in the bowl)... he puts up with me and doesn't beat me (I'd beat me.... no I wouldn't, I'm an angel).

Why I write.... well, because the Easter Bunny left me poems in my basket - it was a treasure hunt and the poems were silly.... I'd have to find one egg and it would have a clue for the next egg, until there was a big prize at the end.... I love a big prize!
     
              Happy Easter Stefanie Dear
              Can you believe it's been a whole year?
              Put on your shoes, don't move like a snail
              Go take a look where the man leaves mail.

That was really elementary and they did get harder as I got older.... I would write the little poems and make my own treasure hunt and one year I got a book - Poetry for children... I loved that book... and I got Where the Sidewalk Ends.  One day in sixth grade a teacher read The Raven out loud to the class... my love for Edgar began that day.  I wrote poetry, it was dark, it was creepy, it was about death and life and pain and anguish... and my mom read it... Oh crap.  She rushed me to a shrink to make sure I wasn't going to out myself.... I was given a clean bill of life.  I loved the feeling of expression... I wrote silly stories, I wrote deep stories.... I wrote and wrote and wrote. I grew up and didn't have time... I've started so many books but never finished them.... and a character came to life in my head, his reality was brought to life with my keyboard.... Abel was born as was the story about the Great Wolf.

 

I love writing.  I love reading.  I love my husband.  I love my children.  I still write dark poetry.  I have about five characters for five different books living in my head.  

Repost from my Livejournal account

Time

Time - My enemy

All of the things I don't have time for.....

I don't have time to sit on FB reading everyone's status and hope something interesting comes up.
I don't have time to read tweets all day hoping to find a good link to market myself
I don't have time to watch everything recorded on my DVR
I don't have time to walk the dog
I don't have time to play with my birds
I don't have time to sleep 12 hours (I require 12 hours of sleep a night....research for vampires)
I don't have time to cook dinner
I don't have time to clean the house
I don't have time to wash the clothes
I don't have time to smell my beautiful roses
I don't have time to have coffee with my neighbor
I don't have time to talk on the phone
I don't have time to blog
I need more time to write on my book......

I find vlogging so much easier - be sure to watch my vlog later this week - I will have some swag to give away!  I need a title for my second book - any ideas?

Muah xoxo

distractions

My husband is the strong quiet type, he doesn't have much to say.... well he doesn't have much to say until I've sat down to write.  Recently he was on vacation because he had just come back from being activated with the military.  While he was away I got a Yorkie.  I trained the dog not to bother me while I'm writing and how to be alone so he wouldn't have separation anxiety.  That worked until hubby came home.  For three weeks my non-talkative husband chatted me up every single time he saw my laptop in my lap.  He not only showed me how cute the puppy is when he eats, poops, sleeps, wears clothes, eats a sock, chews the wall, eats the baseboards and humps the cat... but he had to show me all of this multiple times.  I finally concluded that as long as my hubby is home on leave... I wasn't going to get any work done.  I've come to find this an endearing yet exhausting trait.  I always wonder how other people deal with intrusive people when they are in the writing mode.....

I'm doing a couple of book reviews in the next couple of weeks - so stay tuned.  I've also been vlogging so check out my youtube channel and follow my silliness as I write my second book.  Good night - good life - live well!

What to read?

Hello my lovely Lovies.  What shall I ramble about today?  I could tell you that it is July and I still can't find my summer shoes.  Not too exciting and not much more to say about it.

I've been trying to find a good book to read, one that tickles my imagination.  I finally finished Linger. If I were honest with you.... I thought it was empty of a story for about 3/4 of the book.  I continued reading and I found the end was interesting, enough to read the next book (I don't own yet).  I finish a book, I mourn the book... I didn't mourn this book.  Many books will take a piece of me with it.... I thought I was the only person that actually missed a book.  I'm not.  The first book I ever mourned was Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.  I read at least 5,000 books before reading that book, it just opened up the child in me... oh, that child in me is a pistol.  Bringing you back to me finding a book to read.  I have 67 books next to my bed in my 'to read' pile.. not to mention 5 ARCs.... you'd think I'd be able to find something to read out of that stack... no.  I decided to buy more books for my Nook.  I was very excited to read Jocelyn Drake's new book.  I found the beginning very detailed and I would have to concentrate to read it.  I'm in middle of writing a book  and I can't put that much focus on remembering all the fine details from a book I'm reading.  I'm entirely too A.D.D. for that right now.  I decided to read another book that is on my Nook and is from a new author and to be honest with you I don't like it much.  I might keep reading to see if it catches my interest.  I won't tell you the title because I like the author and I don't want to turn anyone off.... I was a bit bothered when the main character was talking to another girl and they were talking about why virgins wore white and the main character said "I'm a virgin."  The other girl actually said "fingers don't count."  I found that crude... isn't that funny I find that crude but I'm not bothered by the f bomb?  I think I'll read Fallen.... I've heard mixed reviews so I'll make the leap and read it myself.  I had started The Historian but it is another book that needs your full attention.  Heavy sigh.  I avoid werewolf books while I'm writing (yes I know, I just read Linger but they aren't the kind of werewolf I'm talking about).  I do it for a couple of reasons... I don't want to steal another authors ideas, even though I'd never do that on purpose.  Kelley Armstrong once talked about her writing Bitten and how she felt she was original with a female werewolf.  After her book was published another book came out that was similar (I don't remember the name) .... she realized  that it is almost impossible to write a book that is completely original but you can write one that is different or stands out from the others.  I remind myself of that all of the time.

I only have 11 followers and if they are like me they follow too many blogs to keep up with.  I do pose a question... if you like werewolf stories, what kind do you like?  Do you want a beast or beauty with a beast within?

Have a happy day Lovies.... toodles

another mistake

Okay, so as soon as I got the final rendition of my book cover I placed an order for a sign.  You see, they were having a sale.  I'm a sucker for a sale.  I had a budget. They had a sale.  I could buy a sign twice as big for even less money than what I budgeted.  I bought a 6' sign of my book cover!  It is on vinyl and can be put outside (I can't imagine ever needing it outside) and it is 30" wide.  I drive a Miata.  It rolls up nicely.  Perfect... right?  Nope.  The mall doesn't allow us to hang anything up.... so what do I do with a 6' sign that now can't be hung up?  My friends aren't even tall enough to hold it up.... it would be funny to have them hold it up for several hours. I don't think they'd like me much... I came up with a great idea.  I have those every once in a while.  I went out to buy a easel and rig up a board for my six foot sign to adhere to.  Everything seemed awesome... I even get the chance to spray paint the easel (I'm slightly addicted to spray painting things).  Everything was awesome until I realized the big solid board my sign goes onto doesn't fit in my car.  It fits amazingly in my husbands car, the very car he has to use to carry all of his military crap (I didn't call his stuff crap, I'll deny it) to work in.  I have a friend that when she found out she was pregnant with her first kiddo she ran out and bought a mini-van... I think I'll hitch a ride with her.  She is one of the friends I wouldn't mind holding up my sign, but she is only 5'3" and would look a little silly standing on a chair holding my sign.  Still a funny thought to to think...  I'd better send her a text... the trials of being me can be exhausting.

VTV

I'm a complete and utter vampire t.v. whore.... and I'm totally jonesing for some Eric.  I can not wait for True Blood to come back on.  I hope they give it more Sookie and Eric time.... I really do like all things supernatural. I've had a thing for vampires since I was a little girl.  My mom would be in the living room late at night and I'd sneak in the room to peek over the back of the couch to see what vampire show was on.  I'd run to my room and make sure the windows were locked so one couldn't come in and get me.  They were and are fascinating to me but I didn't want to get bit by one.  That is true up until The Lost Boys came out and it wouldn't be too bad to be a vamp. I still love the glamour of a beautiful vampire - even if he sparkles... although that is a little odd I can accept his disability.  I love Damon and Stephen.  I can deal with vampire Bill and swoon over Eric.  

The question is.... why did I make the star of my book series werewolves?  Very good question, I've never liked werewolves.  I've always thought they were ugly and mean until I realized they are coming from my head... and I can make them however I want.  So I did.

I hope you take the time to write what you want... not what others expect from you. Trying to please everyone was the largest obstacle I had to overcome.  I finally sat back and wrote what I wanted...  

I hope you write what makes you happy.