On a Dare She Wrote: Erika M Szabo #OurAuthorGang

We invited authors, aspiring authors, and poets to be our guest on the Author Gang's blog.

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/p/join-us-be-our-guest.html

Author Erika M Szabo submitted her story and chose this picture to match.

Erika's story will be featured in the Golden Box Books Publishing's Readers' Magazine.

http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/magazine.html

TIME AND TIME AGAIN

Searing pain squeezed my chest as I struggled to breathe. Let it be over, I begged silently. I'm so tired. My wish was finally granted and I was floating over my withered, old body.

The pain was gone and I was finally free. My earthly feelings of jealousy, hate, pity, entitledness and vanity peeled off and left only acceptance, serenity and love behind.

The tranquil feeling enveloped me as if I was wrapped in a comforting blanket. Basking in the brilliant white light I floated up in the familiar, wide tunnel. My memories slowly surfaced and by the time I reached the end of the long tunnel and floated into the beautiful gathering place, I remembered every single lifetime I lived.

"Welcome home Tiana," the familiar, soft voice in my head greeted me with my real name that was given to me so long ago. A large group souls surrounded and greeted me with loving embrace. Their gentle touch gave me pure joy. I saw my parents from many lifetimes along with my children, relatives, and friends.

"Finally you’re home," came the thought of my soulmate from the crowd. The souls parted to make way for him. "I’ve been waiting for you for so long."

"I missed you so much, Joland," I projected my thoughts. "I couldn’t find you and I was so lonely without you."

"My last lifetime was too short, only fifteen earthly years," he sent me his loving thoughts and longing vibes. "I love you so much! Come, I have so many memories to share with you."

We floated toward our beautiful, comfortable home that we shared while we both waited to be reborn again.

Finally, after spending a long life without him, we had a chance again to embrace in the purest form of lovemaking. We held each other in silence for a long time, floating in the warm light and enjoying our reunion.

"How was your life, my love? Would you show me?" Joland asked.

"It was too long," I showed him a mental picture of my last life.

My short childhood years were uneventful, so I started with my wedding day that was a sad occasion because my parents married me off young. I didn't love my husband but I learned to respect him over the years. We struggled and he worked very hard to provide for our growing family. He died in the war and I was left alone to raise ten children. Sadly, after all that struggle and hard time, I outlived them all and I died alone in a nursing home.

"Sorry, love. My last, short life wasn't happy either," Joland replied sadly.

He showed me a mental picture of a young boy who was abused by his brother from the time he turned nine, until his fifteenth birthday when he gathered the courage and strength and stabbed his brother to death. His father was heartbroken over the death of his favorite first born and shot Joland in the head, killing him.

We recalled happier lives for a while and then a group of souls we've connected with through so many lifetimes and resting periods, came over to visit us.

"How was your life since I’ve seen you?" I asked Kira, who was a cook in King Tut's court when I was a dressmaker.  

Kira replied, "I haven’t been sent back for a long time, but I didn’t tell you about the last one. Although I was born to a rich family and had a chance to travel a lot and study, I kept bumping into brick walls in the men's world. I found out a lot about how the human body works and learned herbal medicine from healers but I was not allowed to enter medical school because I was a woman."

She showed us a mental picture of her travels in many European countries when she visited healers, shamans, and medicine women.

Then she continued with a bitter tone of her voice, "I became a midwife but when the doctors who believed in bloodletting as the only form of medicine found out that I've been using herbs to heal people, they declared me incompetent and locked me up in a mental asylum where I died years later."

"So sorry, Kira," I tried to console my friend.

“It’s okay but under different circumstances, I could have earned my permanent stay. Well, maybe next time. Oh, I hope you don’t mind me inviting Sandor,” she pointed toward soul floating alone by the window.

“Of course I don’t mind. Who’s he?”

“He’s been a permanent for a long time but he’s kind of a loner and doesn’t make friends easily. You see, all his lifetimes, that happened to be war-times every time, he was destined to be the underdog, sickly and weak. He couldn’t fight but in his last lifetime he wrote a poem that moved an entire nation which led them to victory.”

“Wow! I never knew writing a poem would be enough to earn someone a permanent stay,” I mused and then spotted my dear friend in the crowd. “Have you met Gertrude?” I asked Kira.

“No, but I see she’s a permanent. How did she earn it?”

“She invented the first antiretroviral drug to treat AIDS. I wish I could achieve something similar in my next life.”

“Yes, me too,” Kira projected her words.

We mingled, socialized, enjoyed each other’s company and learned from each other’s earthly experiences. Later we played our favorite games, listened to music and went to see a play.

Although we don't measure time in our resting periods, this time Joland and I had a longer than usual time together. We spent the time enjoying the pure happiness that only soulmates have a chance to experience.

"I hope in our next earthly lives we could be together in body and soul." he wished.

"I hope we will be born at least on the same continent so we could have a chance to meet,” I replied. “But, let's not waste time worrying. Let's enjoy what we have."

We did for a long time but then the voice came, "Tiana, Joland, it's time for both of you to go."

"Can we stay for just a little bit longer?" I begged.

"No, you know the rule," the stern voice replied. "Both of you must keep going back until you achieve something in one of your lifetimes that helps to move humanity forward. You must do something that people find worthy to remember your name for. Then you can reunite and stay together for eternity."

I embraced Joland and he sent me his thoughts and his feelings of pure love, "Until we meet again."

We floated away from each other dragged by a force we couldn't fight. Suddenly, I found myself struggling to push my way through a dark, narrow, and very tight tunnel. I pleaded silently, please, let us both find our purpose in life this time.

As I wiggled my small body free and struggled to take my first breath, I tried to hold onto my memories but everything faded away. Cell memories surfaced and I remembered only sounds and the comfortable feeling of floating in warm liquid. I heard familiar, loving voices and the calming, rhythmical lub-dub sound as I was laid on a warm and soft surface and felt the reassuring vibes of love radiating toward me. I'm not alone. Everything will be alright.

www.authorerikamszabo.com

I became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to my dad who introduced me to many great books. I write alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.

Read about Erika in her author magazine

https://joom.ag/0CtQ

Tenet 1: Build Only What you Need #OurAuthorGang

By Rich Feitelberg

http://feitelberg.net

So you want to writing a fantasy story? Great. One thing you'll need is a world to set it in. The term for doing this is world building. It's a bit of a misnomer because the world part isn't what you think. It's a frame of reference thing.

For example, the Lord of the Rings and the Wheel of Time and many other stories require a whole world to tell their tales. But Thieves' World doesn't. For that, you need a very detailed city and lots of characters.

Harry Potter, on the other hand, only requires the bits that are different from the modern world. So you need the school he goes to and some idea about magic and potions and the back story of some characters.

My point here is world building varies from story to story and gets me to my first point: build only what you need because building a whole world can take months or years and drive you mad with all the details. So I'll repeat myself: build only what you need.

How do you do that? Well there's no one way to do it. You can read articles online and even a book entitled, Planet Construction Set, which will outline aspects to consider. But all that's not needed to get started. A simpler -- and in my mind -- an easier way is to think of the world as a character in your story. Is the world modern? Medieval? Futuristic? Steampunk? Ancient Greece? Set in a specific period or location? In each case you'll need different information to define the world.

What's the technology level? What races or groups exist? What religions and government? As you answer these questions, you'll quickly sketch out and define the world and provide yourself with a skeleton for the information that will come later. Of course, to answer these question you may have to do some research on religion, government, technology, and so on.

Don't be afraid to do it. I will serve you better later.

That begs the question: how do I know when I've built enough? Answer: you won't. Or more precisely, you can't know, at least unless you start writing. You'll hit points where you need more than you've got. That's okay. You can stop and work those parts out. I don't recommend skipping over that point in the story; it will likely lead to extra rewrites and revision. I also don't recommend that you start writing until you have a general sketch of the world; otherwise, you'll be working without a net and decisions you matter later will introduce inconsistencies, which will lead to rewrites.

Example

Here's how I'd answer these questions for my fantasy world:
Is the world modern? No 

Medieval? Yes with magic thrown in.
Futuristic? No 

Steampunk? No 

Ancient Greece? No, but there are influences of ancient Greece in the world like the name of the country, Thalacia and its capital Andropolis. 

Set in a specific period or location? Specific period, no? Location yes; Thalacia  

What's the technology level? Medieval, no black powder weapons. But magic which can simulate modern technology if I let it. I decided not to because it would ruin the flavor I am trying to achieve. Magic as seasoning, not entree. When I write stories focused on my favorite wizard, then magic can be the entree.

What races or groups exist? Lots of them: elves, humans, dragons, giants, dwarves, gnomes, lizard men, goblins, and other associated fantasy races. 

What religions and government? Religions: several, the christian sect, jewish, muslin, and various pagan religions, plus most other races have their own beliefs. There are also older religions that have died out from humans of past centuries. 

Governments: Most races have some form of government, monarchies mostly. Humans government vary worldwide; in Thalacia, the feudal monarchy prevails. And most other races have a similar form of government with a strong single leader, like a king or thain or tribal chief or matriarch, depending on the race.

Once you know all this, or at least some of it you can think about maps. And that is the topic for the next post. See you there.

Readers #OurAuthorGang

Readers

Greg Jolley

Must open this post by first tipping my hat to all the good and interesting writers of The Small Gang of Authors for letting me weasel my way into their excellent celebration of books. I’m thrilled and honored.

To the topic: Readers

Yesterday evening, I joined another reading group, this one in my very small home town. I delight in these, no matter the genre or the group’s temperament or lack of cake and coffee.

The book being discussed was Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things

(which I hadn’t read, being new to the gaggle). I held my singular, almost standard question until the end (manners for once keeping me leashed).

“As you wadded into this novel, assuming you didn’t toss it across the room, what drew you through, what compelled you to engage with the story and read on to the end?”

I won’t summarize, but simply share what I scribbled as these kind and sincere folks spoke:

“I cared for her (the main character).”

“It was a puzzle that I wanted to complete.”

“The first few pages snagged me, I want to see what would happen.”

“There were these interesting twists. Even when some confused me, I pressed on.”

“It was so real.”

“I had to know what happened in her life.”

“I was learning so much about moss.”

It’s for others, likely the East Coast Literati, to construe a single learning or insight from such comments. Not my job. But for my work, I am encouraged yet again to remember on a daily basis (I write seven days a week), that I write for myself and others and offering a hand whenever I can, feels right and caring. I’ve also decided to not research and work at length in moss – it’s now be done by one of the finest.

All the best,

Greg Jolley

The Danser Novels

Pithy book shilling:
The Danser Novels are Available at:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2o4tIob
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-in-a-very-small-town-greg-jolley/1126859762;jsessionid=220A8A13D1F8E80D75A584FB05D4845B.prodny_store01-atgap03?ean=2940154315811
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1264853603

KoBo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/murder-in-a-very-small-town

On a Dare She Wrote: Grace Augustine #OurAuthorGang

We invited authors, aspiring authors, and poets to be our guest on the Author Gang's blog.

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/p/join-us-be-our-guest.html

Author Grace Augustine took submitted her beautiful story and chose this picture to match her story.

Grace's story will be featured in the Golden Box Books Publishing's Readers' Magazine.

http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/magazine.html

HOME FIRES

There’s a chill in the air and the heat from the fireplace feels wonderful…especially after spending most of the day outside doing chores.

I don’t mind milking the cows or tending the chickens. After all, it is food for the table.

I think it’s going to be another harsh winter. We lost several heads of cattle last year because of the frigid temperatures. There’s only so much coal you can burn and someone needs to be awake twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to assure the barn doesn’t catch on fire. We only have ourselves, and of course, my brother Billy. It’s a challenge to take turns staying up all night. 

Lance is doing the best he can, I know that. Poor man, he works from the dark of morning to the dusk at night. When he’s not outside tending to the animals or making repairs, he’s inside working on the financial aspect of keeping this place going.

Me, well, I keep the home fires burning. I make sure his clothes are clean and there is hot food on the table. I take care of the dog and cats and try to get a bit of sewing done so I can take it into town.

Jenny and Mick run the general store. Jenny’s said that my dresses are some of the finest she’s seen and she goes on lots of buying trips for fancy fabric. She says if she could take them into the city, they’d bring top dollar. I don’t know about that. It would be nice, though, to have some extra money. I just like to sew. She wants me to use some of that fancy lace fabric for something she calls overlays. She’s willing to take me with her the next time she goes into St. Louis. 

Lance and I have been married for ten years now. Seems like yesterday when my Daddy and Momma walked me down the aisle. It was a lovely early spring day, and we had the wedding outside at my Grandmother’s house in her fabulous garden. The trellis of roses smelled divine as we stood under it reciting our vows.

We’d thought by now we’d have several children running around. That’s not the case. Doc says I can’t have kids, something about my female parts not being developed properly. Lance says it’s alright. So long as we have each other, that’s all that matters. I still wish I could have a baby or two to cuddle.

Lance and I usually sit in the rockers in front of the fireplace after the dishes from dinner are washed and put away. He plays his guitar and sings such wonderful songs to me. Sometimes he just plays music. When he does that, I read or work on my ever-growing stack of mending. Can someone tell me how there can be so many holes in a pair of socks?

The fire is dying slowly, the sign another day is ending.  I’m sure we’ll awaken to a new foot of snow. But that is tomorrow and tomorrow has its own adventures. Right now, it’s time for Lance and me to head to bed and snuggle down under the heavy wool quilt. We’ll hold each other until we fall into a restful sleep and Lance will once again be up before the sun to care for our land and provide for our needs. I sure do love that man.

Grace Augustine

www.graceaugustine.weebly.com

My fascination with the written and spoken word began as a 6th grader. I was like a sponge. I couldn’t get enough spelling, sentence diagraming, and literature. This passion followed me through junior high and high school and into adulthood.

I’m a Jill of most trades: co-owned a weekly newspaper, administrative office work, kitchen design, custom jewelry creation, wedding planning, floral design, preaching sermons, public relations, and marketing, designing social media promotions, copy and manuscript editing, and now add the title author to this mix.

I write mainly romance in several genres. The Acorn Hills series is a seven-book series based in the Pacific Northwest and deals with life issues and romance for the over 50 yr. old group. I have written a paranormal romance trilogy, a 40+ yr. collection of poetry/prose, a contemporary romance, and a self-help book. I am currently working on book 1 in a Christian romantic suspense series.

I’m originally from Northern Montana, currently live in Iowa, have 2 adult sons and a three-year old cat named Bou, who is Princess of the Manor.

Are you an author, not published yet but love to write stories or a are you a poet?

Click on this link and take our writing challenge:

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/p/join-us-be-our-guest.html

On a Dare He Wrote: Joe Bonadonna #OurAuthorGang

We invited authors, aspiring authors, and poets to be our guest on the Author Gang's blog.

https://asmallgangofauthors.blogspot.com/p/join-us-be-our-guest.html

Author Joe Bonadonna submitted his story and chose this picture to match.

Joe's story will be featured in the Golden Box Books Publishing's Readers' Magazine.

http://www.goldenboxbooks.com/magazine.html

ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT

by

Joe Bonadonna

When Debbie was 8 years old she discovered that monsters lived in her closet and under her bed. Although they never bothered her, always sticking to the shadows but always watching her, she was still frightened by this discovery. She complained to her parents over and over again, but they didn't believe her, never once checked her closet or under her bed, and just told her to do her homework and stop making up stories and acting like a big baby. 

Debbie soon grew resentful of her parents and thought they were very mean. One evening, after once again telling them that she had seen the monsters, they sent her to bed without her supper. They also grounded her for a month: no TV, no books, no movies, no music, no internet, and no phone calls to and from her friends. After school each day she had to report straight home and stay in her room until supper time, after which she had to go back to her room to study, study, study. Even her bratty little brother told her there were no such things as monsters, and he laughed at her and made fun of her.

While she lay in bed crying her heart out that night, two monsters emerged from her closet and from under her bed to speak with her. Frightened though she may have been, there was a darkness in Debbie's soul that aroused her curiosity and fascination, and was surely the reason the monsters had moved into her room in the first place. 

"We know your pain and frustration, Debbie," said one monster who looked like an alligator crossed with a lobster, "and we are here to help you."

Debbie wiped the tears from her eyes. "But how? How can you help me?"

"We can remedy your situation and take you away to a place where your parents will never be mean to you again," said another monster, this one a werewolf with sharp claws and fangs, and four arms. "We can teach you magic and how to use it, and no one will ever make fun of you again."

"I don't understand. How can you help me?" Debbie asked. 

"Serve us," said the first monster, "and we, in turn, will serve you." 

"Just give us permission to do what we came here to do," the second monster told her.

Debbie didn't have to think twice about this. The thought of learning magic and how to use it was very much to her liking. "What do you want from me?"

So the monsters told her what they wanted her to do and thus she all too quickly gave them the permission they required from her. 

"Now what?" she asked.

"You must sign this binding contract between us," she was told.

Debbie was only too happy to comply.

That night, Debbie's mother and father learned that there were indeed monsters living in her closet and under her bed when she gave the monsters permission to eat her parents. For dessert, she told them it was okay for them to go ahead and eat her bratty little brother, too.

After that, the monsters took Debbie away to their secret Shadowland, from where they controlled the kings and queens, and the politicians and wealthy captains of industry who held all the power on Earth. But the monsters pulled their strings: they were the puppet masters who truly ruled the world in secret, keeping always to the dark corners of their own shadowy world.

As the years went by and Debbie learned how about magic, she used her powers to corrupt the politicians, the military leaders and all the rulers in the world. And as her powers and influence over the Earth grew, she caused wars, famine, plagues, natural disasters, and steered the course of events in any direction that suited her whims. Over and over again she would select people she thought would be a wonderful snack for the monsters, and they devoured these individuals with great relish. The monsters were most pleased with Debbie and her work, and she continued to serve them well. 

As the years dragged on, the monsters began to fear Debbie, and grew more and more concerned about their own well-being. They were afraid that the darkness in Debbie's soul that made her delight in causing so much havoc and turmoil all over the world would one day expose their secret and bring them out of the shadows of their own world. 

So the monsters of Shadowland decided they had to act immediately, before it was too late. 

On her twenty-first birthday the monsters called Debbie into a conference. 

"Now, while you have served us well over the years and provided us with many tasty snacks, your actions and your growing power are most troublesome to us," said the alligator-lobster monster. "We can no longer trust you and have decided that you have overstepped your bounds."

"Therefore," said the four-armed werewolf, "we have no choice but to invoke Article 13 of the contract you signed with us seventeen years ago." 

Debbie was confused and surprised. "Article 13? What's that?"

"You mean to say that you never read that clause in the contract? You never read the fine print?" asked the first monster. "You should always read the fine print in any contract."

"Well, no one told me to!" Debbie said angrily. "So what is this clause you're talking about?"

"Simply put," said monster #1, "Article 13 gives us permission to punish you and take away your magic, should you ever step out of line."

"Punish me? How?" Debbie asked, growing frightened, something she hadn't experienced since the night the monsters first spoke to her. She knew that her magic had no power over the monsters. "What sort of permission did I give you?"

Monster #2 bared his glistening fangs. "What do you think?"

And with that, the two monsters gobbled Debbie up, bones and all.

"Quite a nice little snack, do you think?" asked the first monster, his alligator jaws opened wide in a long, drawn out yawn. 

The four-armed werewolf licked his fangs. "Indeed so," he agreed. "Karma, as they say, is a bitch."

Yes, indeed it is. For what goes around eventually comes around.

I should know. I'm one of the monsters. 

https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Bonadonna/e/B009I1KYIK

#darkhumor #horror  #darkfantasy  #jobobooks

Meet the Gang #OurAuthorGang

We are a small group of authors who write various genre books.

What brought us together on this blog:

First and foremost, our shared love for writing.

We like to "hang out" together, helping each another other

by promoting each other's books, blogs, events,

and doing whatever we can to support one another.

We take turns posting about our books,

the rewards as well as the difficulties of publishing and book promotion,

and about things we enjoy in everyday life.

We need your support, please visit our blog often,

comment on our posts and share our posts.

Thank you!

Every hug is greatly appreciated, thank you for your support!

The Authors in this group

Joe Bonadonna

Heroic fantasy and children's fantasy

Read about Joe's books on his PAGE

Hello out there in cyberspace! I write Heroic Fantasy, Space Opera, Sword & Planet Sci-Fi, Sword and Sorcery Fantasy, Children's Books, and I also dabble a bit in Horror stories.

Why do I write?

My Dad gave me not only a love for old movies, but also my love of reading by bringing home children's books and teaching me to read before I was in kindergarten. I've been writing off and on over the years since 5th grade. In my 30s and 40s I settled down and got serious about writing. I retired in 2010, and have not stopped writing since. I can't. Storytelling for me is an addiction.

Erika M Szabo

Fantasy novels, children's books and health related books

Read about Erika's books on her PAGE

I became an avid reader at a very early age, thanks to my dad who introduced me to many great books. I write alternate history, romantic fantasy, magical realism novels as well as fun, educational, and bilingual books for children ages 4-12 about acceptance, friendship, family, and moral values such as accepting people with disabilities, dealing with bullies, and not judging others before getting to know them. I also like to encourage children to use their imagination and daydream about fantasy worlds.

Why do I write?

Writing is my passion and my hobby because I'm not a big talker but because I have a lot to say, I write. I do have as much anxiety about my writing as any author:

Are they going to like what I write?

Am I going to get a lot of criticism?

Will my books become popular?

When I'm in doubt, I always recall the day when we had to do a book report on one of the assigned books back in school. It was the War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Half of our class absolutely loved the book, and half the kids hated it. One girl asked the teacher why he assigned such a boring, stupid book, the other one hushed her saying, “You’re stupid and boring. This book is brilliantly written.”

The teacher smiled and replied, “Now kids, today you’ve learned a valuable lesson. Every reader's likes and preferences are different, but every writer who has the courage to put their thoughts and feelings on paper has something to say. And, eventually, every book finds its reader. If you have something to say, say it. Even if only a few friends and family members will read it, you will leave a mark with your book, 'I was here'.”

Mary Anne Yarde

Historical fiction

Read about Mary Anne's books on her PAGE

Mary Anne Yarde is an award-winning author of the International Best  Selling Series — The Du Lac Chronicles. Set a generation after the fall of King Arthur, The Du Lac Chronicles takes you on a journey through Dark Age Briton and Brittany, where you will meet new friends and terrifying foes. Based on legends and historical fact, the Du Lac Chronicles is a series not to be missed.

Born in Bath, England, Mary Anne Yarde grew up in the southwest of England, surrounded and influenced by centuries of history and mythology. Glastonbury--the fabled Isle of Avalon--was a mere fifteen-minute drive from her home, and tales of King Arthur and his knights were part of her childhood.

Why do I write?

I think, for me, writing is like breathing. It is something that I have to do. It is an addiction that I have no intention of trying to quit.

Mackenzie Flohr

Young Adult fantasy

Read about Mackenzie's books on her PAGE

Mackenzie Flohr grew up in the heartland of America, chasing leprechauns and rainbows and dreaming of angels. Her parents nurtured a love of fantasy and make-believe by introducing her at a very young age to the artistic and cultural opportunities that the city of Cleveland had to offer.

From the time she could hold a pencil, Mackenzie was already creating pictorial interpretations of classic stories, and by the age of nine, she and a childhood friend were authors and reviewers of their own picture books.

While following her love of adventure, Mackenzie found a second home, the Beck Center for the Arts Children's and Teen Theater School. It was there that a world of wonder was only a script and a performance away.

Yet it wasn't until she was on a trip to Indiana, viewing a Lord of the Rings exhibit, that the innermost desire of her heart became clear to her. She wanted to write a fantasy of her own, one that could inspire imagination in others and lead them into a magical world of their own making. She hopes The Rite Of Wands will do just that.

Wherever we live and wherever we come from is our individual heartland. Anything is possible and everything can happen. Pure imagination is in all of us—we only need to discover it, and sometimes story telling helps.

Rick Haynes

Heroic fantasy

Read about Rick's books on his PAGE

I am an author of heroic fantasy and an award-winning Drabblist.

This is my world.

Ever upwards, never stopping, the staircase to the heavens awaits all those wishing to dream. 

And all you have to do is place one foot on the first step. 

Consider the endless possibilities, as you climb higher and higher.

Boredom is unknown in my time and space, for can you not see the stars sparkling bright, ready to enlighten you? 

Is your mind ready to absorb the endless possibilities of a million words? 

And are you ready to join me on a magical journey? 

I will embrace you with open arms.

And welcome you into the realm of my imagination.

N.N. Light

Romance, poetry, YA, and non-fiction

Read about the author duo's books on their PAGE

N. N. Light is the bestselling husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

Subscribe to their author newsletter and you'll be eligible to win $5 Amazon gift card monthly:  http://ow.ly/jWec308TabL

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

Grace Augustine

Contemporary romance

Read about Grace's books on her PAGE

My fascination with the written and spoken word began as a 6th grader. I was like a sponge. I couldn’t get enough spelling, sentence diagraming, and literature. This passion followed me through junior high and high school and into adulthood.

I’m a Jill of most trades: co-owned a weekly newspaper, administrative office work, kitchen design, custom jewelry creation, wedding planning, floral design, preaching sermons, public relations and marketing, designing social media promotions, copy and manuscript editing, and now add the title author to this mix.

I write mainly romance in several genres. The Acorn Hills series is a seven-book series based in the Pacific Northwest and deals with life issues and romance for the over 50 yr. old group. I have written a paranormal romance trilogy, a 40+ yr. collection of poetry/prose, a contemporary romance, and a self-help book. I am currently working on book 1 in a Christian romance suspense series.

Rich Feitelberg

Fantasy and poetry

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Rich Feitelberg is a poet and novelist, author of the fantasy series, the Aglaril Cycle. He also has four short story collections and a collection of poetry available at fine booksellers everywhere. 

Rich is an avid map collector, and student of popular culture. Going up on a steady diet of comic books, science fiction, and fairy tales of all kinds, Rich soon began weaving his own tales at a young age. These activities continue to this day, as Rich is working on the next installment of the Aglaril Cycle, and writing more poems and short stories for your enjoyment.

Ruth de Jauregui

Non-fiction

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I originally studied fine and commercial art, way back when dinosaurs walked the earth and eBooks weren't even a gleam in Amazon's eye. I started my career as a graphic artist as the sign maker at the old Nut Tree in Vacaville, California. After a stint at a print shop (ouch), I began working as a book designer for Bill Yenne at American Graphic Systems. While working for Bill, I wrote my first two books, "Ghost Towns" and "100 Medical Milestones That Shaped World History."

After the book market tanked in the mid-90s, I went on to a government job where I wrote, designed and produced newsletters for in-house and clients, annual reports, and materials for special projects, including the North Bay Stand Down for homeless and at-risk Veterans.

Through the years, I've written numerous how-to, informational and news brief-type articles for websites such as SFGate, AZ Central, DailyPuppy, LiveStrong, PawNation, eHow and more.

Greg Jolley

Suspense and mystery

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Why do I write?

Because of the dance. 

Good and evil out on the floor, under the soft lights, the music varying.

Who will lead? Who will follow? Or will they embrace?

The Danser novels are about individuals and their choices, as well as their instincts, passions, goals and compulsions. 

But always there is the dance, the suspense: Good or Evil?

Background:

I’ve published five of the sixteen Danser novels, each dealing with the tension, the suspense, of right and wrong, good vs. bad. I have a Master of Arts in Writing from the University of San Francisco and live in the very small town of Whitmore Lake, Michigan.