DROWNING by Rachel Firasek

OMG, folks! I’ve been waiting for this story for MONTHS! Author Rachel Firasek has an uncanny ability to create vibrant, flawed, and strong characters, and she’s done it again with her upcoming release, DROWNING. Today, she’s sharing the cover with the world. Ain’t it GORgeous?!?!?!

CONGRATS, Rachel!!!!

Blurb:

“I dare you.”

Those words would change adrenaline junkie, Alice Harrison’s life forever. She’s a party girl that doesn’t believe in love until she meets a man that only writes about it.

Seth James escaped his overbearing father and moved into one of the James family’s vacant condos, hoping to create the music he loves in peace. But the fragile calm he’s envisioned shatters when a tiny woman with a world full of energy bounces out of the elevator and nearly takes him out.

With the patience of a saint, Seth seeks the dark that keeps Alice from enjoying life. He challenges her to exorcise the demons in her past in order to discover the true meaning of love. But when the walls fall down, the hidden deceptions will bare the ugly truth about a woman drowning in sorrow and a man who may not know how to be her hero.

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Author Bio
Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour.

She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart!

You can meet her at:

Facebook
Twitter
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page

Rachel is hosting a Rafflecopter giveaway. Check out the ultra cool swag below, then click the link to enter! 😉

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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If you missed yesterdays’ post, click HERE for details on Heather Van Fleet’s sequel Seizing Fate!

ALSO, I’m participating in YA Bookfest today on April Baker’s blog. I’m sharing a closer look of the main character and antagonist in ENDURE, my YA dystopian. There’s also a fun scene (not in the book) highlighting how the characters interact. Enjoy!

Winner Wednesday

With great excitement, I’d like to announce the WINNERS from my Announcement post and from my Author Shout Out post.

*drum roll please*

Winners of a book of your choice PLUS a three chapter critique:

Jamie Ayres

Elizabeth Arroyo

Donna Hole

Winner of CREATING FATE by Rachel Firasek:

LYNN RUSH!!!!

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CONGRATS!!!!!

To claim your prize, please email me at: laurabdiamond@yahoo.com

Flake-out Friday–Poor Man’s MacGyver

Trolling the interwebz last weekend, I spied a website whitetrashrepairs.com. Not the most PC term, but the site catalogues pics of cob-job masters that’d put MacGyver to shame. Here are a few of my fav pics!

 

EDIT: PICTURES REMOVED TO AVOID COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. CLICK ON LINK ABOVE TO SEARCH SITE FOR PICS.

Anything catch your eye?

…

Don’t forget to check out my GIVEAWAY posts. There’s a week left to enter!

Click HERE to see my announcement and book + 3 chapter crit giveaway (just leave a comment to enter)

Click HERE to check out Rachel Firasek’s new novella and get a chance to win it (just leave a comment)

Writer Wednesday–Sirens Call Publications

I’m so happy that my short story, BEGGING  DEATH, was accepted in the Carnage: After the End anthology by Sirens Call Publications!

Here’s a mini-blurb of what the anthology entails:

It’s the beginning of the end. The Apocalypse has come; and left in its wake no more than small pockets of survivors battling to stay alive.

Eep!

I’m so excited to work with the Sirens Call team–what a talented group of peeps! Click HERE for more info about the WHO behind Sirens Call Publications.

Here’s a blurb of my story:

Peter Mack experiences The Disappearing first hand–in an instant, most of the world’s population disappears and with it, Death abandons humankind. Illness and suffering remain, leaving Peter to protect and provide for the only person he knows that’s still alive, Lucas. It starts with Peter accepting The Mark of Triple Six, the militia promising safety and rations in exchange for allegiance.

Despite the illusion of security, survival is not guaranteed. A rival faction, Serpentine, invades Triple Six and kidnaps Peter and Lucas. They are separated. Unable to shelter Lucas, Peter confronts his promise to protect Lucas no matter what. Turns out, Peter must consider sacrificing everything, even eternity, for Lucas’ freedom.

Right now, I’m reading another short story anthology of theirs titled Twisted Realities: Of Myth and Monstrosity. It’s FAB!!!!! Scary, spine-tingling, and creepy, each author’s story creates a taunting tale of horror and myth turned reality. Check it out!

Don’t forget to check out my GIVEAWAY posts. There’s a week left to enter!

Click HERE to see my announcement and book + 3 chapter crit giveaway (just leave a comment to enter)

Click HERE to check out Rachel Firasek’s new novella and get a chance to win it (just leave a comment)

Mental Health Monday–A Better Pain Chart

When patients are admitted to the hospital, their vital signs are checked at regular intervals. Vital signs include blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and percent oxygenation of the blood. A fifth vital sign includes rating pain on a scale of 0-10. Since pain is such a subjective thing, the scale includes pictures to help the rater identify where they lie on the scale.

Pain Measurement Scale (CLICK THE LINK TO SEE PIC)

 

A better pain chart has been made and it’s circling around the interwebz like crazy. So I thought I’d share it with all y’all.

A Better Pain Chart (CLICK LINK TO SEE PIC)

 

I deleted the pic to avoid copyright infringement, so I’ll paraphrase the scale…

0: No pain

1: Not sure if I’m in pain

2: Just need a band-aid

3: Distressed; don’t like what’s happening

4: Pain is not effing around

5: Why is this happening to me???

6: Ow. Pain is super legit right now

7: I see Jesus coming for me and I’m scared

8: Pain is disturbing. I may be dying

9: I am almost definitely dying

10: I am actually being mauled by a bear

11: Blood will explode out my face any moment

Too Serious for Numbers: You probably have ebola. It appears you may also be suffering from stigmata and/or pinkeye

Quite useful, isn’t it?

Don’t forget to check out my GIVEAWAY posts. There’s a week left to enter!

Click HERE to see my announcement and book + 3 chapter crit giveaway (just leave a comment to enter)

Click HERE to check out Rachel Firasek’s new novella and get a chance to win it (just leave a comment)

Flake-out Friday (the 13th!!! Eeep!)–Author Shout Out

A dear friend, Author Rachel Firasek, has a NEW NOVELLA out and I wanted to give her a shout out in celebration!! It’s titled, CREATING FATE, and is part of the UNSPUN SERIES of 3 novellas by 3 authors.

It’s a super fun read, filled with action, lively characters, and LOVE.

Here’s the blurb (from Amazon):

She gave away her heart…
Giving her heart to a mortal wasn’t something the First Fate planned. Losing him nearly shattered her soul. Upon his death, Clotho swore never to love—or weave life—again. Hoping she’ll change her mind before it’s too late, Zeus commands the spinner of life to take a much needed vacation from her immortal responsibilities.

He had to hide his…
Dane is close to cracking the drug ring he’s spent the last two years infiltrating, but needs to perform one last heist to meet the head man and prevent an impending war. An undercover agent, he’s now on the run from drug lords, thieves and with the very woman whose tears make him forget his purpose.

Together they’ll find a way back from the dark.
Chloe will have to put her trust a man she believes is like the ones that killed her fiance, or face an eternity on Earth. Without the desire for life, hope could slip through the cracks of time if he doesn’t love away her sorrow.

I’d like to give away a copy of CREATING FATE to one lucky commenter. 🙂

Considering I’m also hosting a giveaway to celebrate my second novel getting published, let’s close both contests at the same time so I can announce winners for both on the same day.

SO, that means you have until 11:59 EST, Tuesday, July 24, friends.

Spread the word, please, and do give Rachel a congrats! 😉

You can visit her Amazon Author Page to see her other novels–she’s on FIRE!

Flake-out Friday–Recent Reads You Should Share With Your Friends

So. Nano is over. You’ve put your manuscript in a drawer to simmer, right? Right?!

What do you do now?

Well, you could jump into another project, but dang, aren’t you tired? (Yes you are. Just nod “yes” and keep reading.)

I’ve got an idea for you.

Take the month and READ. (Hey, it’s part of the job too.)

Here are some books I’ve read recently and they’re still on my mind. Particularly so because they are small press pubbed and self-pubbed…and they’re FABU!!!!

For a horror enthusiast, you MUST check out this anthology by Colin Barnes:

City of Hell Chronicles Volume I

Yes, that’s me. Hehe.

If you like YA dystopian, hop onto Amazon and order this book by Susan Kaye Quinn NOW:

Open Minds

It’ll jack your mind!

Is paranormal romance more your thing? Check out this:

Piper’s Fury by Rachel Firasek

Piper’s love interest is super steamy. * swoons *

Last, but certainly not least, Author Emily Ann Benedict has a FREE ebook just in time for Christmas!!! SO if you’re looking for a great holiday read, check out this link: The Father Christmas Confessions

What if Santa Claus wasn’t one man?
What if he was a secret organization?

Jeremy Ogden has 25 days to accomplish his mission. Just like every man in his family, he has a list of people whose lives can be changed forever if he makes it to them in time. But he has one big problem…And her name is Virginia.

The Ogdens might be old family friends, but that doesn’t mean Virginia Kipyard is willing to consider their son, Jeremy, as a potential love interest, no matter what her parents are suggesting. Jeremy is as stuffy and stuck up as any man she’s ever met. But her perception of everything she’s ever known changes when she stumbbles onto Ogden’s greatest secrets.

Jeremy would love nothing better than to make Virginia forget everything she’s seen and go on with his work, until it becomes apparent that she might be the key to handling the hardest assignment he’s ever faced. He just has to keep her out of trouble in the meantime.

Funny, charming, and heartwarming, The Father Christmas Confessions is a new twist on classic Christmas traditions.

This novel is the property of the author. I encourage you to share, but do not alter or claim ownership of anything on this site. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Winter photos provided by Katherine Alison Photography.

Happy reading!