DAWN OF THE VIE EBOOK 99 CENTS NOW!

Hey all! My publisher, Curiosity Quills Press is having a Winter Sale on all their books this month. Super cool, right?
My YA sci-fi/dystopian/horror, DAWN OF THE VIE is only 99 pennies RIGHT NOW. 

(The sale runs for today 12/11 & tomorrow 12/12. 😉 )

So if you’re still holiday shopping or need a fun read for yourself, grab a copy now!

Amazon Kindle link

Summary: Since their Arrival, immortal alien Vie rule the planet. Enslaved humans are their servants, entertainment, and food. Anemies—humans with various types of anemia—are exterminated. Their nutritionally deficient blood is useless to the Vie.

Or so it’s thought…

Alex, an Elite Vie, is part scientist, part Raid Specialist, and part drug addict. He knows Anemie blood is valuable—as a drug. Rather than blindly carrying out his boss’s kill order, he spares a few Anemies, not only for study, but also for his own private stock.

The more Anemie blood Alex drinks, the more he slips into delusion, and the more his double life threatens to crumble. But quitting Anemie blood is not an option. There’s no rehab for his condition.

When Alex tastes Justin’s blood, his hallucinations bleed into reality…

Anemie Justin knows he’s living past his expiration date. It becomes a guarantee when he’s bitten by Alex during a raid and infected with the Vie’s toxin. Alex adds insult to injury by promising Justin a second chance—a cure if he agrees to be a lab rat. And a mule…of his own blood.

The only leverage Justin has is a stake and a serious lack of self-preservation.

GAME ON.

******

For those of you looking for a YA short story anthology, look no further. The Alliance for YA Authors published a collection of 40 magical short stories and the Ebook is FREE on Amazon. Over 5000+ copies have been downloaded so far and it reached #1 in two categories!

My story, LEARNING TO FLY, is about a boy in Ming Dynasty China who discovers that he is a dragon. 🐲🐉🐲

Check it out HERE. 

(Also, the post before this one has info of all the authors.)

Description: Love YA paranormal, urban fantasy, science fiction and dystopian books? 

We’ve gathered a handful of thrilling stories from all of your favorite genres and put them together into an epic anthology of young adult fiction. Some of them are just the beginning of a unique adventure, while others are complete stories that will spark your imagination. 

With over 200,000 words (about three full-length novels) That Moment When will provide weeks of reading pleasure.

OUR THEME

Have you ever reached a moment in your life when everything changed? A crossroads of sorts… a point of no return. An event or realization so enormous you knew it would impact you forever in ways you couldn’t begin to understand? Discoveries so momentous they changed everything you thought you knew about the world, and yourself?

That Moment When is filled with exactly these kinds of moments. 

If you read the stories in this anthology, I guarantee you’ll find at least a few that thrill and excite you. Make sure to follow the authors if you want to read more – most of us have at least one free book on our sites.

The Alliance of YA Authors is a community of over 1000 young adult writers. Many of us are award-winning, bestselling authors; others are brilliant debut authors just starting out. We team up to make it easier for you to find your new favorite reads, with book giveaways, contests and joint book promotions.

******

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, FRIENDS! ❤️

That Moment When YA Anthology #1 In Dystopian and Short Stories!

That Moment When is an anthology of young adult writing featuring some of today’s hottest new talent in young adult fiction. Find your next favorite author as you read through 40 thrilling short stories.

Get it on Kindle / Get it on iBooks / Get it on Kobo

 

Love YA paranormal, urban fantasy, science fiction and dystopian books?

We’ve gathered a handful of thrilling stories from all of your favorite genres and put them together into an epic anthology of young adult fiction. Some of them are just the beginning of a unique adventure, while others are complete stories that will spark your imagination.

With over 200,000 words (about three full-length novels) That Moment When will provide weeks of reading pleasure.

OUR THEME
Have you ever reached a moment in your life when everything changed? A crossroads of sorts; a point of no return. An event or realization so enormous you knew it would impact you forever in ways you couldn’t begin to understand? Discoveries so momentous they changed everything you thought you knew about the world, and yourself?

That Moment When is filled with exactly these kinds of moments.

If you read the stories in this anthology, I guarantee you’ll find at least a few that thrill and excite you. Make sure to follow the authors if you want to read more – most of us have at least one free book on our sites.

All your favorite YA genres!

PARANORMAL & URBAN FANTASY

• Inconvenient Curiosity, A.M. Lalonde
• Melissa, Kaitlin Bevis
• Reflection, Katlyn Duncan
• Push, Leia Stone
• The Wrath of the Fury, Michelle Madow
• Sanctuary, Melle Amade
• The Volunteer, Melissa A. Craven

SCIENCE FICTION

• AVLYN, Jenetta Penner
• Zoo girl, Jennifer Bardsley
• The Guardians, SL Morgan
• When I find you, Norma Hinkens
• Humanity’s Protectors, David R. Bernstein

DYSTOPIAN & POST-APOCALYPTIC

• Drift Away, Rob L. Slater
• The End, Melissa Algood
• Sand and Starships, Heather Lee Dyer
• Provisions, Kira Lerner
• Misery, Patti Larsen
• Translucents, Kelly St. Clare
• Taste, Derek Murphy

FANTASY

• The Confectioner’s Guild, Claire Luana
• Unicorn Magic, Roz Marshall
• Another World, Rachel Morgan
• Running Toward Illumia, Angel Leya
• Jarra, Shaun L Griffiths
• Arrows & Angels, Kristin D. Van Risseghem
• The Birth of the Immortal Queen, Katherine Bogle
• Emerald Eye, S. McPherson
• The Dry Season, Cassidy Taylor

THRILLER & HORROR

• The Waiting, Laurie Treacy
• Desperate, Stacy Claflin
• More Than a Crush, Kat Stiles
• Second Chances, Jackson Dean Chase

AND MORE (UNIQUELY SPECULATIVE FICTION)

• Fox Red, Amy Laurens
• Silk and Service, David Kudler
• Learning to Fly, Laura Diamond
• Underbelly Circus, Hilary Thompson
• Glimpses, Avril Sabine
• Doormaker, Jamie Thornton
• The C in Summer, Jaime Munn

 

Get it on Kindle / Get it on iBooks / Get it on Kobo

The Alliance of YA Authors is a community of over 1000 young adult writers. Many of us are award-winning, bestselling authors; others are brilliant debut authors just starting out. We team up to make it easier for you to find your new favorite reads, with book giveaways, contests and joint book promotions.

That Moment When is an anthology of young adult writing featuring some of today’s hottest new talent in young adult fiction. Find your next favorite author as you read through 40 thrilling short stories.

BOOK BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: IT’S DAWN OF THE VIE’S RELEASE DAY!!!!

Dawn of the Vie
Laura Diamond
(Immortal Aliens, #1)
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: October 3rd 2016
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Since their Arrival less than 30 years ago, immortal Vie rule the planet like the super-predators they are. Enslaved humans are their servants…their entertainment…and their food. Anemies—humans with various types of anemia—are simply exterminated. Their nutritionally deficient blood is useless to the Vie.

Or so it’s thought…

_________

Alex, an Elite Vie, is a bit of a Renaissance Alien. Part scientist, part Raid Specialist, part drug addict, he knows Anemie blood is valuable. Rather than blindly carrying out his boss’s kill order, he convinces some colleagues to spare a few Anemies, not only for study, but also to reserve a secret stock.

The more Anemie blood Alex drinks, the more he slips into delusion, and the more his double life threatens to crumble. But quitting Anemie blood is not an option. Every Anemie has their own personal flavor. Each gives a unique high.

When Alex takes a hit of Justin’s blood, his hallucinations bleed into reality…

_________

Anemie Justin knows his little sister, Sammie, and he are living past their expiration dates. It becomes a guarantee when they’re bitten by a Vie named Alex during a raid. (The bite is fatal, thanks to a toxin carried in Vie saliva.) Alex adds insult to injury by promising Justin a second chance—an antidote in exchange for agreeing to be a lab rat.

And a mule…of his own blood.

When Justin says no, Alex takes off with Sammie.

All Justin has to do is find them, beat Alex, and cure himself and Sammie. All he has is a stake and serious lack of self-preservation.

No problem.

_________

Alex wants Justin’s blood.

Justin wants his sister back.

GAME ON.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I hated afternoons the most. Soon after came darkness—the time when a raiding squad could snatch you out of bed and drain all the blood from your body. It was amazing that any Anemies survived with the extermination campaign ridding the world of us red blood cell-deficient freaks.

I gently squeezed my sister’s hand to make sure she kept up. Dirt caked under her fingernails like it caked under mine. The cuff of her torn sleeve had stains like mine. Her pant cuffs were rolled up six times… also like mine. A younger version of me—mouthiness and all—in girl form. Unlike me, Sammie tended to dawdle, and since we held onto the last rung of the society ladder by the tips of our fingers, giving in to distraction could get us hurt—or killed.

My gaze jumped to the pale, indifferent sky then jittered to the partially constructed biodome edge as I walked. Large, clear panels filled the metal framework in a beehive of hexagons. Eventually, the damn thing would cover the entire city, including the river surrounding the island and part of the ocean capping the south side. The project had been progressing since before I was born.

Once the construction workers completed the biodome, Vie wouldn’t have to fear the destructive UV rays of our sun and could wander freely during the day. We’d have no safe period whatsoever. Vie could get us any time.

Author Bio:

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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Book Blitz: Lost Reputation by Kimberly Ann Miller

LOST REPUTATION

Kimberly Ann Miller

Romance/Contemporary/Suspense/Young
Adult

Evernight Teen Publishing/237 pages

Casey Hayes has a secret—she writes
the conspiracy theory column for her high school newspaper. As the editor, she
thrives on the thrill of uncovering the facts—until she gets tangled up in a
scandal.

When she exposes a teacher’s shameful
secret, threats start, demanding she stop spreading the vicious rumors. Casey
blows it off and keeps on writing. Even sexy Victor Cruz, the hot senior with
the adorable accent who chases after Casey and tries to protect her, fails to
convince her to keep her mouth shut. But things only get worse as she ignores
the warnings, and soon, Casey must decide if exposing the truth is more
important to her than her life.

Buy Links:   Evernight
Teen    Amazon   
ARe    

Excerpt:

I laughed at the memory as I locked
up the newsroom and rushed to my next class. I still had a smile on my face as
I plopped down on my seat in the back row of calculus. Victor Cruz, my secret
crush, entered the room. My pulse reacted to his presence, but, thank God, no
other part of me did that he could see. I didn’t want to be lusting after
anyone this year because I was planning on working hard toward my college goals
and didn’t need the distraction.

The worst thing was, Charli told me
he gave his ex-girlfriend some rash because he cheated on her. I so did
not do the sexually transmitted diseases thing, and I definitely had zerorespect
for cheaters. Not even for a hunk like him, who obviously screwed around and
didn’t care if he got girls sick.

But damn, did this guy make my
insides quiver. He was totally hot. His parents moved to New Jersey
from Spain during middle school when Vic was scrawny and didn’t speak much
English. When senior year started a month ago, no one recognized him because
he’d grown ten inches, gained fifty pounds—of muscle—and must have taken some
classes in style because, damn, the boy knew how to dress to show off his
build.

Loose jeans with a belt, black boots,
and a black, long-sleeved tee only made him sexier. And the way he walked? It
should’ve been a crime. He had a swagger about him that rivaled any of the good
old boys of Hollywood. Watching it made me quiver in places I didn’t know could
quiver.

But it wasn’t just his looks that
held me captive. He had the values of an old-fashioned guy—holding the door
open for girls, helping them with heavy stuff, defending them when guys were
too rough or mean.

If it wasn’t for that wild partying
side of him … sigh.

As he approached his seat, I couldn’t
help but stare at his thighs, mesmerized by the fluid sway they made with each
step.

He caught me staring and raised a
thick black brow. I diverted my eyes and pretended to be very interested in the
junior’s notebook next to me. But I didn’t even know his name. Ugh.

Vic slid into his seat next to me and
winked at the girls that were staring at him.

They always stared at him.

I rolled my eyes. But when I felt his
eyes on me, I shifted in my seat, fighting the funny tingle in my stomach that
came from looking at him.

The other problem was, besides being
a distraction, Vic knew how sexy he’d become. He acted so cocky and confident,
I wanted to smack the grin off his face and remind him that not long ago, he
could have passed for a ten-year-old boy who couldn’t speak English or speak to
girls.

But, whatever. He had a harem now, so
good for him. And shiny black hair, smooth, bronze skin, and deep brown eyes
that … never mind. Didn’t matter anyway.

Kylie sauntered over to him, swaying
her hips so hard, I wondered how they didn’t dislocate. She leaned over his
back and wrapped her arms around his ample shoulders, pressing her boobs into
his back. I’m sure he loved that. “Hey, Vic. Busy this weekend? My parents are
out of town, and we can go riding if you want. I’ll pack us a lunch.” She ran
her fingernails over his chest as she spoke, clearly enjoying the feel of him.

He pulled her fingers off him and
slipped out of her grasp. “Sorry, I’m busy, but thanks for asking.”

She leaned into him again, making
sure to press her boobs into his neck. I rolled my eyes so hard, they almost
didn’t return to face front. That would suck. What would I tell the nurse? I
was looking at my brain instead of in front of me and I needed an eye
adjustment?

“Maybe another time, okay?”

Vic nodded once. “Si.”

I pulled out my phone to check
messages, done with listening to the vixen and her attempts at charming the
hottest guy in school.

“Hey, Casey,” he said in his sexy
Spanish accent. He had this way of dragging out the end of my name, making it
sound like Kay Seee.

It was both unsettling and adorable,
so I just grunted at him. How else could I get anything done with him around?

About the Author:

Kimberly Ann Miller received
Bachelor’s degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a
Master’s degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New
Jersey.  She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and
young adult novels.  She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides
in Monmouth County with her husband and cats. When she’s not writing, she loves
to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by
night. She always takes her Nook with her.

Website Link: http://kimberlyannmiller.com/

authorkimberlyannmiller@gmail.com 

* * * * *

Giveaway: $10 Evernight Teen GC

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Bottled by Carol Riggs

SNOW FRIGHT COVER REVEAL (And a Signing!)

OMGosh, I *super* excited to share the cover to Amie and Bethanie Borst’s final installment of the Scarily Ever Laughter series. From Cinderskella to Little Dead Riding Hood, and now to Snow Fright, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these books, the characters, the challenges they face, and oh man those covers. So without further ado, take it away Amie!!!

PS: CONGRATS!!!!

PPS: If you’re in the Kingston, NY area on Saturday, June 25, come see Amie, Bethanie, MYSELF, and a host of other local authors at the Barnes and Noble for a panel, reading, and signing at NOON!!! (I’ll be reading from The Zodiac Collector, yay!!!)

OK, for real now, Amie you’re up! 😉

Amie: The final installment of the Scarily Ever Laughter Series is here! Or, well it’s on its way. October 4th is its big debut.  But no need to wait until October for all the excitement! You can see the cover now! (And be sure to check out the first two books in the series, Cinderskella and Little Dead Riding Hood!)

Snow Fright Book Blurb

Sarah White is gorgeous even if she is a little bit rotten. A mirror arrives on her twelfth birthday and she thinks it’s the perfect gift. But when an innocent game of laser tag gets out of hand, the mirror swallows her whole!

Sarah finds herself dead center of the Underworld. As if repeated run-ins with Mr. Death weren’t bad enough, Sarah now has to deal with her decaying flesh and sudden craving for brains. Not to mention she keeps having brain freezes, all due to the seven worms living in her head.

Of corpse, by the time Sarah escapes the Underworld, she finds her new zombie life less than appetizing. Even worse, she needs to return to the Underworld to save her friends, Cindy and Scarlet.  With a poisoned apple, a crow named Raven, and a glowing necklace, Sarah’s pretty sure that if she doesn’t rescue her friends, she’ll be a brain craving zombie forever. And that’s more dead-ication than she’s willing to accept.

And now the cover! Ain’t it fab???

Want your own copy?

Add Snow Fright to your Goodreads account or pre-order your copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound!

About the authors

Amie Borst loves glitter, unicorns, and chocolate. But not at the same time. That would be weird. She’s a PAL member of the SCBWI as well as a founding and contributing member of The Mixed-Up Files…of Middle-Grade Authors, a group blog dedicated to middle-grade books. Amie lives in Virginia with her three beautiful daughters, her handsome husband, and two cute dogs named Lily and Maggie. She wishes she could travel the country in a hot pink elevator but for now, her minivan will have to do.

Bethanie Borst is 16 and the author of three books but she was only 10 years old when she wrote her first one. She enjoys reading, writing, and archery. She’s also interested in paleontology and astronomy. Bethanie is fluent in both sarcasm and humor and is prepared for the zombie apocalypse and/or spontaneous combustion of the world. Because, let’s face it, both of those things are totally realistic.

You can find the authors on Facebook, as well as their website

About the cover artist

Rachael Caringella is an artist, illustrator, intuitive reader, and healer. And deep down, she is just like you; a rebel and truth seeker. Her days are spent in a little cabin as she paints, dances, sips delicious coffee, reads tarot cards, and, of course, illustrates! When she’s not in her studio, she can often be found wandering the woods, honoring her wild nature in the great outdoors searching for beauty adventure and inspiration.

You can find the illustrator on Facebook and her website

Oh and there’s a giveaway!

Click HERE to go to Amie’s website where there’s a link to sign up for an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of Snow Fright.

UNDER MY SKIN Gets Nod in USA Today HEA Blog Article

Guys! I’m *so* excited to share this news. The USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog is featuring books from Swoon Romance and my book is included!

Click HERE to read what my publisher, two other fab authors, and I have to say about  handling difficult subject matter in books for teens.

 Here are some screenshots of the article:

  
    
 

UNDER MY SKIN Book Blitz and Review Sign-Up

UNDER MY SKIN Book Blitz and Review Tour

I can’t believe UNDER MY SKIN has been out for THREE WEEKS already! I want to thank everyone for tweeting, sharing on Facebook, blogging, and supporting my first YA contemporary’s release!

It’s a scary thing putting your work out there and it sounds like folks are liking Adam and Darby’s story so far. Some reviewers are comparing UNDER MY SKIN to The Fault In Our Stars–how awesome is that?

To keep the momentum going, YA Bound Book Tours is hosting a book blitz (with prizes!) the week of May 23-27. I’d love for you to sign up and take part.

***There will also be signups to do a review! Please consider taking part–I will mail swag from my books to anyone who reviews the book. Just send an email to authorlauradiamond@gmail.com with a link to your review and your address and voila! you’ll receive personalized book swag!***

Click HERE to sign up for the book blitz!

Here’s what reviewers are saying so far about UNDER MY SKIN:

Suze says: “Under My Skin is a beautiful romantic story. Adam has a tough time and can hardly do anything because of his heart problems. Laura Diamond describes his condition with accuracy and compassion. She’s perfectly captured what it feels like to be gravely ill. She knows feelings through and through and it shows. Her book is all about emotions and what happens when things suddenly become too much. I love the way she tells her story and think it’s amazing.

Under My Skin is a moving book about a difficult topic. The writing has a nice flow which makes it easy to read and that gives the reader more time to process what the story is all about. I think Laura Diamond found the exact right tone of voice for her story. It’s sensitive, honest and real. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns as well. The ending is surprising and gripping and it made my head spin. I think Under My Skin is a fantastic book with impressive main characters.”

Ronald says: “Under My Skin by Laura Diamond is not the typical book I read. My reading taste veer somewhere between fantasy/SCFI and Literary mysteries, however after I started to read Under My Skin I immediately became immersed in the rhythm . Each rhythm is unique, distinct to Adam and Darby the two main characters of the book. The author’s use of this technique pulls you through the book and enriches characters who are wholly believable and heartbreakingly flawed. It is being compared in some circles to The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, another book that was recommended I read. I can see the similarities between the two books, but what makes Under My Skin a better book is the authors ability to make the main characters talk and act in a more realistic manner than in John Green’s book. I purposely have not given any plot details because I believe the reader should experience this wonderful book as I did and be surprised and moved the way it surprised and moved me. I highly recommend Under My Skin.”

Poulami says: “This book was intense. I mean, it had a lot of elements. It’s about guilt, self blame, accepting reality and finally moving on- all of these facts were executed neatly and pretty well…I haven’t read anything like this before, so it was fresh and intriguing.”

Serenity says: “No matter what happens, its that split second that will always be remembered. The day with the car on the icy roads. Now this is where the story got really interesting and the tables turned in a way. I so didn’t expect what happened. It was a perfect twist. The details and feels just got stronger and by this point I was already glued to the seat until the last page was read.”

Christine says: “This is my first read from Laura Diamond and let’s say it will not be the last. This is a beautifully written story about two teenagers who are stuck in the worst circumstances. Both characters who feel misunderstood by the people who surround them daily.”

Lynda says: “…the book does contain some beautiful descriptive passages, both of images and inner turmoil. The author also deals with a difficult subject matter and handles it with great sensitivity. Probably the most poignant moment for me was Adam’s sad analogy of comparing himself with Frankenstein’s monster.”

Susan says: “Downloaded this, and could not put it down! What an excellent read, chores were ignored, dinner was not served! I lost myself in the characters who were so well developed that I really felt they were people that I knew. The psyche behind people dealing with a heart transplant, and the people who lost a loved one were very well written. I am a 48 year old mom, and while this book is geared towards the YA set, I still very much enjoyed it, I would recommend this read to any age.”

********

IF YOU’VE READ UNDER MY SKIN, PLEASE POST AN HONEST REVIEW ON AMAZON.

I WILL SEND SWAG FROM MY BOOKS TO ANYONE WHO REVIEWS UNDER MY SKIN. JUST EMAIL ME AT authorlauradiamond@gmail.com WITH A LINK TO YOUR REVIEW AND YOUR ADDRESS! 

********

Purchase UNDER MY SKIN on Amazon (ebook is only $2.99 and a paperback is also available)

Purchase UNDER MY SKIN on Barnes & Noble

Purchase UNDER MY SKIN on iTunes

Purchase UNDER MY SKIN on Kobo

UNDER MY SKIN BOOK TOUR

Under My Skin
Laura Diamond
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 12th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a fatal arrhythmia. But staying alive requires Adam to become keenly focused on both his pulse and the many different daily medications he must take in exactly the right dosages. Adam’s torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.

The pressure is getting to him. Adam stops talking to his friends back home, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man’s heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.

And then a donor is found…

Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals . Whether it’s painting, ignoring her homework (dyslexia makes a mess out of words anyway), kissing a hot boy she doesn’t even know, or taking the head cheerleader down a peg , no one has ever accused Darby of being a shy. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents – something Darby has never had.

Darby’s always had bad timing . She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

—

EXCERPT:

ADAM:

Best to get it over with now. I type: I had the thought today.

I click send.

For a few seconds, I watch the screen, waiting for her to reply. I can’t expect Dr. Shaw to be right there to answer me. She’s probably in session with someone.

A group of students pass by, chattering and laughing, light at bubbles. They halt at the curb to wait for the light to change. They’re all wearing NYU sweatshirts and carrying messenger bags or laptops with silkscreen logos about “being green” and “tolerant of diversity.” Adventurers embarking on the quest known as Life. What it must be like to have a whole lifetime to look forward to, no dead end staring back at you.

My mobile buzzes.

It’s Dr. Shaw. Tell me the exact thought and context.

I had a flutter. After, I saw Mum and Dad. Their backs were turned to me and I thought: They’d be happier without me. They’ll be fine after I’m dead. I click send and try to ignore the gnawing pit in my stomach. My message seems dramatic now that I’ve sent it off for her to scrutinize. It was better left unsaid.

A bubble with three dots surfaces at the bottom of my screen. She’s typing right now. I suck in a dry, exhaust laden breath.

She replies: What evidence do you have that they’ll be happy?

That was simple. They were laughing.

Your death will be devastating to them.

My heart twinges a bit. Will be? Does she somehow know I won’t make it until I find a donor? Maybe the surgeon told her I’m not a candidate. I blink and re-read her statement. No, I’m over-reacting. She’s just countering my argument with logic. It’s her style to challenge me with the opposite idea so I’ll find the reality somewhere between. Still, I’m not ready to admit she’s right. Mum and Dad don’t need me dragging them down. I text, Yes, but they’ll be alright.

Of course they will. Life goes on.

Dr. Shaw is unrelenting in her approach. So different from Mum who tries to comfort me with delusional happy thoughts.

Right. And I’m such a burden on them now.

Whatever you think they’re sacrificing is nothing compared to how much you mean to them.

I’m tired of waiting for my heart to stop.

Do you want it to stop? You won’t suffer anymore.

Author Bio:

Laura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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