Tag: Paranormal Romance

It’s Book Launch Day!

Published on by Jan Sikes59 Comments

I am so excited that my new book, “Ghostly Interference” is available worldwide today! This has been a long time coming!

And I am heading out on tour! (Virtual, of course) I am grateful to the community of bloggers who volunteered to help me launch this book. If you are not already following their blogs, this tour is the perfect opportunity to do so!

I will be making lots of stops over the next few days and would love it if you can drop by and share the posts on social media!

I’ll share their blog links here, so stay tuned!

Thank you for helping me send this book out into the world!

Author, D.L. Finn’s blog is the first stop on this tour! She is a beautiful supportive author who writes poetry from the back of a Harley and produces inspiring children’s books. But that’s not all. She also has written some nail-biting suspense novels with Angels and Demons as a backdrop! Thank you, Denise! https://dlfinnauthor.com/2020/12/14/new-release-ghostly-interference-by-jan-sikes-jansikes3-iartg-asmsg-writingcommunity-newrelease-mustread-newage-runes-solider-ghosts/

The second stop today is at Wild Rose Press Author, Amber Daulton’s blog! Amber writes sizzling romantic suspense novels, so if that is your thing, check her out! https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/2020/12/14/newrelease-guestpost-ghostly-interference-by-jan-sikes/

BOOK BLURB:

Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn’t a “he”, it’s a “she”, a dark-haired beauty.

Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag’s apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother’s final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for “happily ever after” have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love?

Ghostly Interference – Release date and guest blog requests!

Published on by Jan Sikes38 Comments

Hello, fellow bloggers! My new book, “Ghostly Interference,” will be released on 12-14-20. I am putting out a request for any bloggers who might be willing to host me and help me get the word out about the new release.

I know it’s getting really close to Christmas, but I had no control over the release date. I’d really like to push it hard in the two week period between the 14th and Christmas holidays. If you have a spot available and would be willing to host, I’d be forever grateful.

And always know that my blog is open to you to help launch any of your new releases!

You can email me at rijan21@gmail.com if you can host.

Thank you!

Book Blurb:

Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn’t a “he”, it’s a “she”, a dark-haired beauty.

Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag’s apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother’s final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for “happily ever after” have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love?

How I visualize Rena Jett
How I visualize Jag Peters

What worked? What didn’t?

Published on by Jan Sikes26 Comments

NaNoWriMo 2019 ended yesterday. Was it a success? I suppose, like most things in life, it’s the perspective with which you look at it, as to the answer to the question.

The original goal for NaNoWriMo was to write 50,000 words in the month of November.

After the second weekend, I realized I was not going to make that goal. So, I reduced my goal to 30,000 words and ended the month with 30,105. At least, then it didn’t look like an epic fail. 🙂 That brought my story to 56,724 words. And I’m now in the wrap-up phase of “Jagged Feathers.”

Here’s what worked:

  1. The motivation to participate was a huge propelling factor
  2. Knowing where my story needed to go (even though I don’t outline, I knew what needed to happen)
  3. Having my characters fully developed, and what each had to hide and had to learn
  4. Finding determination to write as much as I could without verging on the edge of insanity.
  5. Having personal experience with an amputation.

What didn’t work:

  1. I had to stop multiple times and do some research (for instance, what are the residual effects of being shot with an assault rifle wearing a bullet-proof vest, where in Dallas, Texas can you buy a certain kind of ammo, Can you buy live hand grenades in Dallas, Texas, Where is a military clothing store, are there storage lockers at the bus station, etc…) – So, note to self: try and do the research ahead of time. If someone was to look at my search history, they’d probably think I was a terrorist. 🙂
  2. Family events ( I wound up keeping all five grandchildren – three one time and two the next – for several days in a row) That interfered with writing for sure.
  3. Thanksgiving holiday (no matter how much I wanted to kid myself about having all this extra time, Thanksgiving was taken up with quality family time and I don’t regret it one bit!)
  4. Going back and reading what I’d written (one of the proponents of NaNoWriMo is to just write and not worry about sentence structure, plot points, grammar or punctuation. I found that I couldn’t do that.)
  5. Even though I had NaNoWriMo Buddies, there was little communication between us, so I don’t think I quite understood that part.

Will I do it again?
I can’t say yes and I can’t say no. So, I’ll just say, “we’ll see.” 🙂

It was certainly an experience and I’m very glad I did it. At least it got me back to the story that I’d abandoned a year ago.

To everyone who reached or exceeded the 50,000 word goal, my hat is off to you! Congratulations!

My progress – or lack thereof #NaNoWriMo

Published on by Jan Sikes32 Comments

So, I committed to participate in #NaNoWriMo.

Then life happened in a really big way. And my word count progress is pitiful. But, I am not giving up. Any word count is good, right?

So here’s a snippet from my WIP, “JAGGED FEATHERS”:

Nakina understood more about him than he knew. He was keeping something from her. Something big enough, that he would go to any lengths for it to remain hidden.

Her heart broke for the soldier who took on her fight without hesitation. He’d simply been trying to rebuild his own life and find some semblance of peace. Then she came along with her baggage and disrupted his entire world.

Truth be told, she was happy it was Vann Noble that found her that cold morning. Perhaps there was such a thing as fate or kismet. She couldn’t imagine that anyone else would have so willingly jumped in to rescue her. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. They had to somehow get out of this alive.

So far, my word count for the month is around 7,500, while according to NaNoWriMo, to reach my goal, I should be over 10,000. But, as I said, any progress is good progress. At least I’ve returned to the story after almost a year. 🙂

I hope everyone participating in #NaNoWriMo is having less interruptions and more writing success!

The Button by D.L. Finn #RRBC #RWISA

Published on by Jan Sikes41 Comments

Thank you, Jan, for inviting me to be on your blog to help celebrate this week’s release of The Button!

Button_covEbkFinal

Blurb:

Lynn Hill left a difficult childhood behind when she turned eighteen. The 1980s were going to be the beginning of a great life. Then what started as an ordinary evening out with her best friend, Stacy, turns into a nightmare. Lynn hears warnings: “Go!” “Leave!” Believing she is hearing things after partying too much, she goes back for one more drink before going home. That decision sets off a chain of events that nothing could have prepared her for. While humans and not-so-human beings are attempting to either help or harm her, Lynn risks everything to find the only person she trusts, Stacy. Who can help her? The stepbrother who shows up right when she needs him or the attractive, helpful bartender who gives her his phone number? Lynn must learn to trust again. Her survival depends on it in this paranormal thriller.

Excerpt:

PROLOGUE

Castro Valley, California, 1976

Lynn was suddenly aware of her surroundings. It was tranquil floating above her still body next to angels. She felt indifferent at seeing her pale form hooked up to wires and IVs, although the beeping machines indicated that her body was still alive.

“You have to go back—you have more to do,” the female angel informed her.

Lynn met the angel’s steady gaze. While she was in awe of her beauty, it was the angel’s silver dress that drew her attention. It reminded her of how the water in her grandmother’s pool had wrapped her in serenity when she sat at the bottom. She’d loved doing that for as long as she could hold her breath. It was one of the few times she felt safe, cocooned in water where no one could hurt her. That dress, flowing like water around the angel, affected Lynn in the same way as the pool did—it made her feel safe. The angel pushed her hair back, causing it to cascade over her peacock-green wings.

Lynn turned her attention to the male angel. His smile was mesmerizing—like a lava lamp, hot and fluid. What a babe! With his long brown hair, strong chiseled features, and green eyes she could get lost in, she felt she could totally spend eternity with him. He smiled broadly at her, but the smile quickly disappeared when the female angel scowled at him. Wait a minute—do they know what I’m thinking? Not cool! Lynn felt her face redden.

The embarrassment was quickly erased as both angels smiled at her again. Lynn wished they’d say more, but she wanted to continue to hang out with them. She was feeling a peace she’d never felt before.

She started to express her desire to stay. “I don’t—” was all she got out before images of an older version of herself filled her mind all at once. Then she was thrust back—into her life and that pallid body hooked up to the beeping machines…

Random Finn facts:

  1. One of my favorite poems is “A Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. I have a framed print of it above my computer.
  2. I love the seasons: the red leaves of fall, the first flowers in spring, stargazing on a warm summer night, watching the landscape change during a snowstorm and listening to it rain–no matter what season it is.
  3. I prefer to drink my tea out of a coffee cup, although I collect teacups.

1

D.L. Finn is an independent California local, who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to the Sierra foothills in Nevada City, CA. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, being surrounded by towering pines, oaks and cedars, her creativity was cradled until it bloomed. Her creations vary from children’s books, young adult fantasy, adult paranormal romance to an autobiography with poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to her readers to join her.

D.L. Finn’s social media:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

Linkedin

Google

Links to Purchase:

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

D.L. FINN BANNER WITH WORDS

D.L. Finn is an uber-supportive member of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB and RAVE WRITER’S INT’L SOCIETY OF AUTHORS

Courage

Published on by Jan Sikes35 Comments

May you find the courage to follow your dreams.A New YearA Clean Slate

I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. To me, they are only rules you make for yourself that you end up breaking, then feel bad because you weren’t able to stick with it.

Instead, I choose a word at the beginning of each year that is my theme or go-to for the year. For instance, last year, my word was “Believe.” Looking back over the year, it was amazing how many times that word got tested and/or validated. Here’s a synchronicity that pretty much blew my mind. Shortly after the beginning of 2017, I was at my daughter’s house and she said, “Mom, I got a Young Living order in and they sent me a free bottle of oil. Do you want it?”

She handed it to me and I had to smile. The name of the oil blend was – yep, you guessed it – “Believe.”

Believe

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, for the entire year of 2017, I put a drop of “Believe” on the bottom of my feet every morning.

I said all of that to say my word for 2018 is “Courage.”

I am attempting to find a publisher for a new series I am writing. I need Courage to pursue that and not give up. I need Courage to spread my writing wings, to write in a genre I’ve never attempted, Courage to try new things I’ve never before tried, Courage to step into my own personal power.

My power animal is the Puma or Cougar and they are the symbol of Courage or Bravery.

I have a feeling I will be calling on my power animal a lot through 2018.

I’d like to share with you the blurb I wrote for my new book, which is Book 1 of the White Rune Series – When Two Worlds Collide.

Caught between a strong mind and fragile heart, Rena Jett vows never to let anyone in. The horrific abuse she suffered as a child has left permanent scars. Jag Peters doesn’t realize anything is missing from his near perfect life until he almost collides with Rena on her candy apple red Harley.

Rena’s brother, protector and only friend, Sam Jett, died in Afghanistan. A final letter from Sam delivers a mysterious White Rune to her. Jag is able to see and communicate with Sam’s ghost creating a triangle of souls. And when life-threatening danger comes to call, the two join forces to save Rena.

Could it be possible for two worlds so completely opposite to find a common ground and perhaps even love or a happily-ever-after?

What do you think? Does this pique your interest and make you want to know more? Give me only honest opinions, please. 🙂

Of course, I hope to attract a publisher who is willing to take a gamble on me. In the meantime, I am working on the second book in the series where the White Rune gets passed to a soldier desperately in need of his own happily-ever-after.

winstonchurchill1-2x

 

#RWISA Rising Writer, D.L. Finn

Published on by Jan Sikes26 Comments

Each month at RAVE WRITERS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS (RWISA)  a Rising Writer is recognized.

Congratulations to November’s Rising Writer, Author, D.L. Finn!

She has written children’s books, poetry, a memoir and now a paranormal romance.

Check out a one minute video clip showcasing her work HERE

D.L. Finn is an independent California local that encourages everyone to embrace their inner child.

She shares that she has always best expressed herself in the written word. She explores what is going on inside herself and her characters–how things aren’t always what they seem. She learned that lesson a long time ago with a difficult childhood. She applies this to her work. She believes a message of courage, hope, and wonder is needed in a world where there seems to be less acceptance of it; when it’s easier to embrace fear, hate, and anger, instead.

Her latest book, “This Second Chance” is proof of how diverse D.L. Finn is as an author.

The Blurb:

Newly married Rachael Battaglia finally had it all. The only detail that stained Rachael’s perfect wedding was a gift she received. It was the exact present that her late ex-husband had given her on their wedding day — a snow globe. That marriage was not what she had envisioned, and she endured years of his abuse and charm until one night she escaped with two kids and one on the way. Now Rachael was headed to Hawaii with an amazing man and her chance at happiness. Unbeknownst to Rachael, she had an Angel on her side, although this Angel might not be able to save Rachael and her family from the evil that surrounded them. This is a tale of love, past relationships, things unseen, and redemption. Will Rachael find her happy ending, or will this evil thing get its way?

This Second Chance eBook Cover

Take a peek at ALL of D.L. Finn’s Books on Amazon!

Follow D.L. Finn

Twitter:  @dlfinnauthor