Happy June!

Happy June, everybody!

First and foremost, thank you for downloading Awaken during the massive giveaway I had last weekend!  I was so in awe of your enthusiasm for it, and it's encouraged me to host similar giveaways because you guys deserve it.

I am hard at work outlining the final installment in The Dark Paradise trilogy.  I'll title it for you some time in the next couple of weeks - so stay tuned for that!

I also want to inform you that the next project I'm working on is Losing Myself in You.  It should be up for publication next month, with an advanced copy giveaway late June, early July, depending on when edits are finished.  I officially took it down from Fictionpress today, so it'll definitely be published some time soon.

I'm excited at what's to come!  I have so many plans, and I hope you continue to stick with me and see where it takes us!

Awaken: Review

A five out of five star review for Awaken!

"I find the prologue intriguing, the story weaving of myth & romance & adventure, enjoyable and the epilogue left me wanting for more ~ There was some parts that I didn't expect to happen but I love the build up of the 3 main female leads ~ The core for me is that love is still a force to reckon with ~"

I am so glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy Catalyst, the sequel!

Awaken: Review

Awaken got 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon!

"I thought that the book was overall a good read, but I did find some aspects confusing, like the constant changing of scenes and I did have to go back and re-read some parts just to double check what scenario different people were at. Although I found it quite confusing I would recommend it, I did find Heather Myers other book Four Sides of a Triangle a better read."

Thank you so much for your opinion, and I'm glad you enjoyed the read!

Catalyst book cover reveal

All right everyone, I am SO excited to present the cover for Catalyst.  Every book has a theme, and the covers hopefully give you an idea of what the central theme of the story will be.

 

Any guesses to what the theme for Catalyst is?

 

 

If you haven't done so already, don't forget to download Awaken for free here!

Catalyst is now available!

Hey guys!  I wanted to get this post to you yesterday but I got to work late, then had a girls' night with my friends.  But Catalyst is now available to buy on Amazon for $2.99 here!

I'm so excited for you to read this book.  It's darker, more graphic, and it sets up the final installment quite nicely (in my excited, humble opinion).

And, if you need to catch up with the first one, be sure to download Awaken free here. 

Today, is going to be a major post day - including a cover reveal, and first chapters of the novels I've released this week, including Catalyst.

Awaken giveaway

Awaken is FREE on Amazon right now!

If you're looking for a dark new adult read for the long weekend featuring angels, demons, and the inability to decide which is which, please download Awaken, Book 1 in The Dark Paradise Trilogy for free starting today! It's sequel, Catalyst, will be released tomorrow. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JZ4E5EE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1400770434&sr=8-1

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the link to purchase Catalyst, another view of it's summary, and it's book cover!

Catalyst news

So I know you're all wondering what's up with Catalyst.  Awaken was released about 10 months ago originally, so Catalyst is making good time.  Those who have joined my mailing list were given the opportunity to get a free copy of Catalyst in exchange for an honest review on Amazon.  If you're interested in joining it for upcoming giveaways and contests, feel free to email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject Mailing List, and I'd be happy to add you to it. 

So its release day is Friday.  Yes.  Catalyst will be released for $2.99 on Amazon some time on Friday.  Friday will also be where I reveal the cover it here on this blog.

But that's not it.

In honor of Catalyst's release, Awaken will be FREE the entire Memorial Day Weekend, starting tomorrow.

Awaken = FREE

So download Awaken, purchase Catalyst, read them over the long holiday and please, please, please enjoy!

Below is the summary - feel free to leave your thoughts about it, predictions, guesses, whatever you want, and come back tomorrow for the link to download your free copy of Awaken and Friday for the cover reveal and the link to purchase Catalyst.

Now that Andie Shepherd is interning at Eagle Corp., life should be easier. She doesn't have to deal with gossip, antagonizing receptionists, and her lingering feelings for CEO Jack Phillip. She doesn't regret her decision to walk away, considering she knows that Jack Phillip is Onyx's own resident vigilant whose first priority is protecting the citizens of Onyx, not being in a relationship with a high school junior. When Noir escapes from Underwood Mental Institution, Andie is forced into Jack's path once again. And maybe it's not such a bad thing, what with her new boss illegally funding an act that could be detrimental to Black Wing and her direct supervisor being someone from Andie's past, someone she's still afraid of. On top of all that, Keirah has disappeared once again, but this time, she's not sure if she was taken by force or left willingly. There are no coincidences in Onyx, not with a war brewing, and Andie doesn't realize it but she's right in the middle of it all.

Aspiring Writers Series #5: Chelsea Beam

Hello everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Before we get to our lovely interview today, I wanted to update you guys on some things, some personal, some not.  In terms of writing, I'm on Chapter 6 Awaken 2, which is an Andie chapter.  I hope to finish it in the next 2 months in order to release it before the end of the year.  (Fingers crossed, we'll see.)  I'm also editing 2 books (1 novel, 1 novella) I hope to send to Renee (my publisher) once I've finished with that.  Renee is also reviewing 2 books (again, 1 novel, 1 novella) and she should give me her decision by Wednesday in regards to possibly publishing them or not.  Once I get that information, I'll be able to tell you what 2 stories they are. 

On a personal level, again, I can't say much.  I promise I'll let you know once everything's official.  However, everything is confirmed and set to go.  I'm excited and nervous, so there's that.  But it'll be the start of one amazing adventure.

And now, let's get to the interview!

Please tell us a little about yourself.
Well, for starters, my name is Chelsea. :)
I'm a Stanford graduate ('12) who majored in English with a Creative Writing emphasis. I'm currently applying to grad school while working on edits for (what I hope to be) my first novel, GENESIS. I'm from Southern California and would really, really like to get away from the heat (hopefully Oregon... maybe England?). But, my family still lives here, so I'm back at home with them while I figure out my life. :)
Like most other authors, I love reading and writing... but that becomes a bit hard since I do most of this in my room (where my bed is five feet away) and my favorite mode of procrastination is sleeping, soo... XD
What type of books do you like to read? What type of books do you like to write?
I love fantasy and sci-fi (mostly of the YA variety but not always) which pretty much explains why most of my writing falls into one of those two categories, haha. :)
However, genre fiction is somewhat frowned upon in graduate programs so I've been trying my hand at more literary fiction/slice of life pieces/character introspections/real world scenarios. It's hard but somewhat rewarding (even if I somewhat feel like I'm cheating on my first genre loves.)
What are your top 3 books? What are your top 3 authors?
Books:
-Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
-Fault in Our Stars by John Green
-Harry Potter by JK Rowling (Okay, so I'm stretching it a bit here considering there are seven books in this series...)
Authors:
-Robin McKinley
-Meg Cabot
-Tamora Pierce
What inspires you to write?
You know, I'm not entirely sure, actually.
I think it can be pretty much anything - a song, a scene, a statement/quote... I've been inspired by all sorts of things, really.
I've never tried to pinpoint it so I don't have a very definitive answer to this question.
Sorry. ^^;
Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?
It depends - I've tried both.
If I had to choose, though I'm probably a plotter. Even in those stories where I start off as a pantser, I inevitably reach a point where I get stuck and need to start plotting things out.
It probably ends up this way because I tend to write very vocal, stubborn characters who enjoy running away and taking my stories into unwanted directions. Without some idea of where the whole ordeal is going to end, things get pretty chaotic and crazy (and I just curl up in a corner, cry, and wonder where it all went wrong).
What time of day do you write?
Late at night. I can't do mornings to save my life. :)
What tool do you normally write with? (A pen, computer, phone, etc.)
Both, depending on what it is that I'm writing.
Because I tend to be able to type faster than I think, a lot of the stuff I type ends up being really horrible streams-of-consciousness writing that should never see the light of day (think first draft NaNoWriMo status). So, for stuff that I don't want to go back and (immediately) edit extensively, I handwrite.
(For example, I handwrote GENESIS and the sequel. (~170k. It was a somewhat painful endeavor. ))
As for phones, I can't stand writing on them. At all, haha.
Have you ever dealt with writer's block? If so, how did you combat it?
I've definitely encountered writer's block! It's the worst. :)
My methods for getting past it are... probably not the best ones, haha. With writer's block, I tend to do one of two things: (1) force myself to keep writing through it so that I have something on the page to go back and destroy later or (2) work on other things (although this doesn't always work for me because I incessantly think about how to get around the initial bit of writer's block I've encountered).
Please tell us a little bit about your work.
I unfortunately don't have anything published but I'm currently working on GENESIS, the start of a trilogy.
Basically...Kali Ravelin wants nothing more than to become a soldier like her father - even if his desire to protect innocent people caused him to save his subordinate at the cost of his own life. However, to become a soldier, she must join the army and the army has a very strict rule in place: for their own protection, women aren't allowed to enlist. Not letting this stop her, Kali decides to cross-dress and sneak her way into the ranks. For awhile, things look like they're going to work out for the best... until she discovers that someone is trying to assassinate her superior officer, Leiden Fontaine - the same man who her father died to keep alive. Refusing to allow her father's final action go to waste, she takes it upon herself to keep Leiden alive. However, she has to do so from the shadows, lest her true gender be revealed - because if she gets kicked out of the army, there's no way that Leiden will manage to survive.
I've worked on a few other pieces over the year as well, but GENESIS is the one I'm most proud of (currently). :)
Where did you get your idea for this story?
I've always loved the idea of time travel or going back in time to fix one's mistakes/save a loved one/etc.
But, considering that time travel is rather hard to write just off the cuff, I pretty much took what aspects of time travel stories I liked and then nixed the idea of someone going back in time.
Thus, there are the "wanting to save a loved one" and "having to keep secrets," tropes to start. And then from there, the idea just sort of... fully fleshed itself out. It was pretty awesome, actually. :)
What challenges have you faced with writing this story?
I know nothing about the army. At all.Doing all the research for that was a lot less exciting than I was expecting it to be so it took a lot longer than I thought it would. Also, because I wasn't enjoying it, I got to the point where I just... stopped researching and started guessing at things just so that I could keep writing.
Going back to change all of that has been somewhat of a pain.
Now, though, as I'm doing final edits, I'm struggling with making the world in which the story takes place a bit more vivid. I hadn't realized how difficult it was to put the image in my mind onto the paper and make it sound exactly as it exists to me.
Oh, and two of my characters might be too similar, so that's also been a bit of a bummer. ^^; Who is your favorite character to write?
It comes down to either Kali (the main character) or Drake (the becomes-her-best-friend character. For those who haven't encountered him... he's pretty close to being certifiably insane - but in a good way! Think Luna Lovegood... just with a heckuva lot more energy).
I like writing Kali because she's like... the most normal of the lot (although this is the same girl who thought that crossdressing and sneaking into the army was the most valid plan she could come up with, so that really doesn't say much about the sanity of my characters). Additionally, she's the one I feel connected to the most. :D
As for Drake... he's just so spontaneous, I can get away with so much when I'm writing in his voice. And he makes me chuckle. Assuming it's not too narcissistic of me to say, any character that makes me laugh (even if I'm the one doing the writing) is just too precious for words. :)
What type of romantic relationship do you like to read? (Hate/love, best friend, forbidden, etc.) is it the same type you like to write? Why or why not?
I like reading hate/love stories if they're done well. So many people like to just throw the "there's a fine line between love and hate" line into the story and leave it there as if that's all the MCs need to fall in love. Sorry, but I don't quite buy that - for all that they're similar, love and hate are very, very different emotions.
My favorite though is probably either the best friend one (or even best friend's brother/sibling's best friend) or the boy/girl-next-door one. I know, they're very cliche but as a kid I always wanted that kind of relationship for myself. But since it never worked out, I can content myself with stories of this nature. ;)
What draws you to a book (to read)?
Characters first, plot second. :) 
What characteristics do you look for in your ideal heroine? Your ideal hero? Are they the same characteristics you employ when you write your heroine and your hero? Why or why not?
Ooh, hard question! :)
Heroine (reading, top four):
1. Being an equal to any other MCs in the work
2. HAVING A BRAIN.  Flighty, vapid girls that are initially only interested in their looks or friends or whatever/bratty teenagers make me want to break things.
3. Strength (not necessarily physical or not necessarily only physical)
4. Compassion - Badass girls are awesome but I tend not to like girls that are almost... too cool/inhuman.
Hero (reading, top four):
1. Humor
2. NOT BEING A DICK.  I don't know where the love for this particular personality trait came from but it just makes me angry. Sure, there are men out there with hearts of gold who put up a front of being a dick for reasons I don't understand but, for every reader that finds that front to be attractive, there are an equal number of people who HATE IT. I am one of the latter.
3. Strength
4. Having large families/being a family person/being a people person
I'd like to think that some, if not all of these characteristics are parts of my cast of characters but that's [probably a bit false.
For my heroine(s), I'm pretty sure that I have #1-#3 down pat... but I struggle with giving my female MCs a believable amount of compassion. Typically, I either give them too much (and then I end up disliking them because their compassion overshadows any backbone or intelligence they might have) or I give them too little compassion (and then I think my MC is a bitch and I tend to start disliking her as well).
For heroes, it's the same thing... #1-#3 I manage. #4, not so much but only because my stories tend to have large male casts of characters and believability can only be stretched so far - it's highly unlikely that six unrelated characters are all going to have large families and all be great with children and people, in my opinion. So, I have to spice up their pasts and personality traits to add in some variety. :)
What are you currently reading?
You've actually just caught me between books, haha.
Yesterday, I finished reading "A Darkness Strange and Lovely" by Susan Dennard. (It was amazing. Go read it. :D)
My next book to read is "The Name of the Star" by Maureen Johnson.
Clearly, I'm on a historically-based fiction kick. ;) 
Finally, what are the ingredients to your favorite book? (A dose of action, a splash of romance, etc.)
At least one witty character is a must. Preferably more.
Definitely a dash of action.
SURPRISING TWISTS. (Think like when The Sixth Sense initially came out. Or Star Wars, with Darth Vadar being Luke and Leia's dad.)
Romance isn't a must but if it is in the book and I'm not reading a romance novel, than I'd rather it not take over the whole story.
Realistic - but happy - endings! (For [very specific] example, if there are two characters that are connected - like, say twins - then, if one of them dies, BOTH OF THEM SHOULD DIE.
*SPOILER ALERT*
 
 
 
 
I'm looking at you, JK Rowling.)

Aspiring Writers Series Interview #2: Padmini Muraletharen

I hope everyone had an amazing weekend!  I've gotten a tremendous amount of responses for Awaken - either 4 or 5 star reviews.  You can purchase your copy for $2.99 here (Amazon) or here (B&N).  Also, if you're still looking for that perfect beach read, Four Sides of a Triangle  for $1.99 here (Amazon) or here (B&N).  Already read it?  Tell your friends!

On a personal level, I've got some major life changes coming up.  I can't share anything with you yet, but once I can, I will.  It's pretty huge.  But has absolutely nothing to do with writing.  So there you go.

Next up on our Aspiring Writers Series is Padmini Muraletharen.  Check back here tomorrow for our third interview.  Again, if you're a writer and want a unique way to promote your work, email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject INTERVIEW and I'd be happy to interview you for this series!

Please tell us a little about yourself (if you can provide a picture, feel free to do so).

My name is Padmini. I’m turning 18 soon and I’m going to be a senior. I’m a total Florida child,
never even seen snow. I’ve been writing since I was about 14 years old. I love learning anything new. I’m not sure what I want to study in college. I was sure I wanted to study medicine since I was little, and now in the last year of high school, I’m not so sure anymore. So many things interest me and want to do a lot of different things. My list of dreams and careers I wish I could have is crazy. I love talking a lot and I do debate. I like to think I'm the typical Sagittarius. I like deep thinking, I love learning and understanding, storytelling thrills me, I love adventure, and I'm brutally honest.

What type of books do you like to read? What type if books do you like to write?

My favorite type of book to read and write is romance. It can be from any genre but there has to be some kind of romance. Anything I write will always have romance and that’s what I look for to read too. I won’t ever read horror books or anything sad. I love cliché plots as long as the author makes it very distinct and interesting with a stand out style of writing. I read fantasy and suspense too. I’m pretty picky with what I read. The writing itself has to be great and I have to fall in love with the characters mainly.

What are your top 3 books? What are your top 3 authors?

No matter what books I love –and I can love them a lot- but Harry Potter will always be at the top. I just absolutely love everything about it. I grew up with it, and that’ll always be the favorite in the background. J.K. Rowling is my favorite author. It blows my mind that she wrote this huge intricate series with its own universe and all the planning she put into it that’s not even mentioned in the books. It was pretty amazing that she kept track of all of that and tied everything up so perfectly in the end. I don’t think I’ve ever been so attached to a set of characters since Harry Potter. My other favorite author is L.J. Smith who wrote the Night World series and The Vampire Diaries series. Night World is one of my favorites because it’s also so extensive and has a lot of awesome well developed characters. Then there are a lot of different authors and books I love on Wattpad.

What inspires you to write?

Reading epic kind of stories like the Harry Potter series really inspires me. It’s always astounded me that authors can create such well thought out elaborate and detailed worlds for their characters. I’ve wished since I was little that someday, I can write something of that caliber too. The main thing that inspires me is characters kind of forming in my head. The things they would do or say, their personalities and attitudes, and their stories. Once a character, an idea for a story, or even a few words pop up in my head, I have to write them down and develop them. That usually inspires the rest.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Why?

I wasn’t sure what a pantser was, but based on what I looked up, I would be more of a pantser. I come up with a few things and run on that. I’m a bit of a planner too, even though I don’t plan a lot. I think of different plot lines and I really plan characters, their pasts, and possible scenes, but I don’t make outlines or anything.

What time of day do you write?

I usually write really late at night after everyone has gone to bed. I stay up pretty late, and I always feel most creative after midnight. It’s easier to think when I’m alone and it’s pretty relaxing to just sit down and write after a long day. If I’m doing something during the day that makes me think of a good scene or just a few words, I’ll write them down.

What tool do you normally write with? (A pen, computer, phone, etc.)

Most of my writing is done on my computer because it’s more convenient. I have Dropbox on my computers and tablet, so I can continue writing anywhere. I also have a few documents meant for just small bits and pieces of writing that don’t necessarily belong to any story yet. So if I feel inspired and just have to write, I can add to those wherever I am, even if it’s just one sentence at a time. Sometimes I’ll write a memo on my phone or scribble something on scratch paper that I’ll add in when I can. Then, when I’m writing, I can go back and stick the little excerpts in where they fit.

Have you ever dealt with writer's block? If so, how did you combat it?

I’ve had a lot of writer’s block in the past. I come up with characters and concepts to base stories off of. I can write descriptively, so I don’t have a problem with writing scenes as much as I do with filling the blanks in a plot. I don’t write linearly. I know the idea of the story, characters and what they go through as people, and where they end up. So, I can write the beginning, the end, and lots of scenes throughout that develop the story and characters. Sometimes, I don’t even know the whole plot or exactly what happens to the characters in between. To handle it, I usually just wait until something comes to me or I may throw around ideas with my best friends to come up with something.

 Please tell us a little bit about your work.

I write a few stories at the same time. I write adventure and fantasy books that always have romance. I’m mainly working on two books write now. Hopefully, they’ll both be part of two different series. One is about this girl Holly who’s training to be a CIA agent and Ash who’s this CIA legend that has to train her. The other one is about Hallie, who works for this huge company. She and her young boss Alex have a love hate relationship. She finds out some huge news about him and that kind of changes everything. That one turns into a fantasy romance and they go on this quest to kind of save the world.

 Where did you get your idea for this story?

The story about the spy, I started writing when I was 13 or 14. I’ve always loved the whole spy, assassin, con artist theme and so it just came out. The other one, I wrote about two years ago as an assignment. I’m a big procrastinator so I started writing about the first idea that I came up with the day before it was due. After, I kept working on it and I just wanted to turn the short story to a series where I could continue it in a fantasy setting.

What challenges have you faced with writing this story?

The biggest challenge was coming up with the plot. No plot or adventure for the characters seemed big enough or just right. I’m a big perfectionist so I wasn’t satisfied with a lot of parts. I write scenes and dialogue that I have to work around. I had a lot of trouble writing the middle and connecting the scenes.

Who is your favorite character to write?

The guys are always my favorite to write. Ash, the CIA agent and Alex, the horrible boss are my favorite. Both are guys that start out as jerks and then you get to find out that they’re really good people. They’re the kind of guys that are a little damaged and have all these layers, and when they actually do something nice, it’s really fun to write.

What type of romantic relationship do you like to read? (Hate/love, best friend, forbidden, etc.) is it the same type you like to write? Why or why not?

I love any romantic relationship where the guy and girl have a lot of really witty banter and don’t get along in the beginning. Love hate relationships are the best because the reader can see the characters fall for each other. Heroes or anti-heroes that change into a nice guy in the end are the best kinds. The longer the hero and heroine take to get together, the better the story because tension and excitement build up.  I love the forbidden romance stories too.

What draws you to a book (to read)?

A plot that sounds really interesting and a description that’s intriguing gets my attention. When I first start reading, the way it’s written and if it’s well told draws me in. The author has to have a great style of writing. Very well written, life like characters also draw me to books. Characters that are very witty and clever.

What characteristics do you look for in your ideal heroine? Your ideal hero? Are they the same characteristics you employ when you write your heroine and your hero? Why or why not?

I like heroines that are very witty and clever. Ones that can stand up to other characters and are strong and brave but a little clumsy and unsure at the same time. The hero should be cool and indifferent at first, interesting, brave, daring, and protective. He can be very rude, confident, and rough around the edges but has to be caring, thoughtful, and deep at heart. I try to make most of my characters fit these qualities because it’s always fun to unravel these conflicting contradicting traits in a character.

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading a bunch of different books on Wattpad right now. The one I look forward to reading most is the Death is my BFF series by katrocks247 which is about this girl Faith and the grim reaper, and Saving Elliot by northbynorth.

Finally, what are the ingredients to your favorite book? (A dose of action, a splash of romance, etc.)

Definitely romance, adventure, lots of action, banter, really ingenious diction, and charming attractive characters.

 

 

Awaken news

Hello everyone!

 

I have some major news!  Awaken's book cover is below, and let me tell you, when I saw it, my jaw dropped.  It's stunning and captures the tone of the story perfectly.  My publisher is absolutely amazing.  I swear, there's pretty much nothing she can't do.  (Find out more about her at http://www.reneeromance.com/).  My boyfriend has it as his phone's background because it looks so AWESOME.

 

 

 

The free ARC giveaway is officially closed.  If you didn't get a copy, it's okay because it's currently on sale for $2.99 at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  Yes, you read that right: Awaken has officially been released.  Those of you who promised a review in exchange for a free ARC can go to either website to leave one.

 

That's not all.  Below is the first chapter of Awaken just to tease your appetites if you're still on the fence about buying it.  I had such a blast writing it and I really hope you'll enjoy reading it.  I've gotten positive feedback so far!  (If you have a problem viewing the PDF, let me know and I'll send you a Word Document.)

 

Finally, I have a Goodreads page here, and Four Sides and Awaken have their own sites as well here and here, so if you have an account, please add me!  I'd love to get to know you better and find out what you guys recommend reading! 

 

Keep in touch!  I'd love to get your opinion on the book cover, the chapter, the book itself, or anything really.

 

Check back next Monday for more Aspiring Writers interviews!

 

Chapter 1

  To put it mildly, Andie was pissed.

  Her strawberry blonde hair decided to go frizzy the one day she needed to look professional for an interview, and it was especially noticeable since she decided to cut it to her chin over the summer. As she was getting her usual hot chocolate with extra whipped cream from Starbucks, some jerk completely spilled his hot black coffee all over her only white collared blouse. By the time she reached Phillip Enterprises for her interview, she already knew she wasn’t going to get the internship due to her frazzled appearance, but she had to suffer through it thanks to her high school business class requirements. She needed some sort of internship by the end of the week or else she’d fail the class. She was already stressed out, thanks to her mother’s reminder of how important it was that she got this internship, how the money from Andie’s job at the Spirit Museum and Keirah’s job at the bank just wasn’t cutting it anymore, that taking care of family was more important than getting a good education. Well, her mother would certainly be disappointed and no doubt remind her how desperately they were struggling ever since their father left and how she was depending on Andie to help out and couldn’t she just do a little more? It would go such a long way.

  The interviewer – who, by the way, was not Jack Phillip like she was told it would be, but some old guy, because apparently Phillip couldn’t be bothered to interview a high school junior clamoring for the lone internship his company offered even though he was only a few years older than she was – began the question with the dumbest question she had ever heard: “Did you know you have a stain on your shirt?”

  The pressure she felt pooled over. “Yes, I did. I wanted to stand out from my peers by arriving to a very important interview with a big-ass stain on my very nice, very expensive shirt.”

Because of that particular retort, security had to be called because what’s a party without rent-a-cops? In a commendable fifteen seconds, Andie found herself walking the streets of Onyx, running her shaky fingers through her brow-length bangs. This was a new feeling for her, being absolutely furious. She wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. Her fingers itched to call Carey, but she was heading over to Carey’s house now, and anyways, it wasn’t likely she could even formulate words at the moment. Her head was starting to pound so she wasn’t up to par with her well-honed pedestrian dodging skills. She ran into someone, someone built, because instead of knocking him over, she fell down rather ungracefully on her backside.

  “This is just typical,” she hissed through gritted teeth. Before she knew it, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.

  She cast her eyes up, ready to tell the person to watch where he was going, when she came in contact with a pair of jade-green eyes. He was tall, probably six feet, and dressed casually – something uncharacteristic for him since he was rarely seen in anything but one of those designer suits he owned. His thick, chestnut brown hair was not slicked back from his face the way he normally wore it, but fell loosely, framing his long face. His thin lips, notorious for frowning and making out with his flavor of the week, were pursed, and he looked at her with a quizzical brow, probably due to the furious look she was giving him.

  “Of course,” she muttered. “Who do I happen to run into on this already horrible day? You.”

They were standing on the bustling sidewalk, the passersby none the wiser that there was a celebrity in their mist. Andie could tell he was getting uncomfortable, but she didn’t care.

  “I’ve had the worst day because of you,” she snapped, poking him in the chest. He was wearing a royal blue V-neck sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. The material was soft under her fingertip. “I went to your building to be interviewed for your internship and obviously didn’t get the job because the interviewer – who wasn’t you, by the way, like I was led to believe – asked the stupidest question and ugh!”  She threw her arms up in frustration.

  Phillip blinked once, twice, and then said in his usual low, soft spoken voice, “Do you think it might have to do with your attitude? Because, certainly, my staff – who I do train personally, though it isn’t any of your business – would never hire someone as rude, brash, and obnoxious as you. And they certainly don’t need me to tell them otherwise. You, on the other hand, would need more supervision than I could afford to hire. Want some advice? Watch your mouth.”

  Her mouth dropped open as fast as if he had reached over and slapped her across the face. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was PMSing. Maybe she was having some sort of breakdown because of all the pressure and expectations she just failed to meet. She was being completely unprofessional, but in the heat of the moment, it didn’t matter. His words had no time to sink in. Before she realized what she was doing, she grabbed her water bottle from her oversized bag, unscrewed the cap off, and dumped it on him. Being only five foot six, Andie couldn’t pour it over him like she wanted to, but at least she got him wet. His demeanor darkened and his jade green eyes took on an edge.

  Phillip’s sudden demeanor change didn’t intimidate the seventeen-year-old. “Don’t act like you know me,” she said. “Do you think I’m naturally a bitch?”

  Before she could follow up, he answered with one firm nod. “Yes.”

  Once again, her mouth dropped open, and before she could finish, he began to walk away. She would be damned if she let him get away with the last word, so she quickly positioned herself directly in front of him, preventing him from walking any further. “Maybe you’re right and my attitude could use some fine-tuning,” she admitted. “It’s no excuse for my behavior, but I’ve had the worst day, and look at you, walking the streets without a care in the world. Well, I’m sorry Mr. Phillip, but we weren’t all born into wealth and privilege; we all can’t walk the streets when we want to get away from our problems. We have to work for money and good grades, but you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you? Your life was pretty much made for you before you were born.” Her pale eyes hardened into emeralds. “Instead of doing any good, you walk around like you’re better than us. Let me tell you something: Just because you have more money than everyone doesn’t make you a better person, it just makes you an asshole.” With that, she ran her fingers through her frizzy tresses once more before sidestepping him and disappearing in the crowd.

  It was a blur to Carey’s home – a townhouse tucked in Onyx Garden, a gated community – and she had to press in the key code three times before her fingers got the keys correct. From there, it was a two minute walk to the blue and white classic American style home. Andie walked up to the door and all but pounded on it.

  “Jeesh, Andie,” Carey said as she opened the door. “What’s your” - she stopped midsentence, her quick brown eyes taking in her friend’s appearance. “You look like shit.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wanna talk about it over chocolate chip cookies?”  Carey led Andie through the foyer to the marble-topped kitchen. “My mom made a fresh batch before she had to scurry off to confirm a really important job tomorrow. You know, the one we’re waitressing for?”  She winked as she took a seat on the barstool.

  Andie headed for the cabinet, preparing for a glass of milk. She took a seat across from Carey and remained silent while she took a bite of the still-warm cookie. It melted on her tongue. She had no idea how, but homemade chocolate chip cookies always made her problems disappear. Now she could talk.

 

---

  “Oh my God,” Carey said, reaching up to touch the back of her neck. Her pixie-cut dark blonde hair and soft facial features made her look like a fairy and her dimples just added to the allure, giving mischievousness to her adorable façade. “You did what?”

  “I know, I know,” Andie said, wincing like a puppy being scolded. “I shouldn’t have gone off on him. It just happened. Look, in all likelihood, I’ll never see the guy again. I’m planning to chalk the whole incident up to PMS, learn to not take my problems out on rich douchebags, and forget about the whole thing, okay? I just hope the guy hasn’t blacklisted me. Oh my gosh, do you think he can fire me from the Spirit Museum? I mean, he technically doesn’t own it, but he donates so much that I bet if he called them” –

  “Dude, Andie, calm down,” Carey said, grabbing Andie’s wrist to emphasize her point. “You’ll be fine. It’ll all work out.”

  Andie’s eyes narrowed on Carey’s sucked-in cheeks. Carey only sucked in her cheeks when she wasn’t telling Andie something, something important. “What, Carey?” she asked. “What did you do?”

  “Okay, the thing is, when you hear what happens next, you’ll be slapping your knees due to how funny life is,” she explained, her voice getting breathier the faster she spoke. “You know the waitressing job tomorrow night? The catering job my mom is confirming right now that you already agreed to waitress with me? Well, that job is at Phillip’s party tomorrow night.”

  Andie’s mouth dropped open. “That’s just great,” she muttered. “Not that I don’t appreciate the job, Care, because I do. I definitely need the money, but I’m pretty sure once he sees my face, he’ll kick me out of his house for sure.” She paused, sighing, and then, in a nicer tone, asked, “There’s no way I can get out of this?”

  Carey pressed her lips together and looked at the smooth surface of the marble countertop. That was a no.

  “Fine.” Andie felt her stomach sink into a pool on the black and white tile floor. “What time tomorrow night?”

 

Quick update

Sorry about the lack of updates. It's been a busy week.

If you're interested in joining my mailing list and getting updates about contests, giveaways, and upcoming books, please email me with the subject line MAILING LIST and I'll be happy to add you. The first one has already gone out and I expect another one to go out in a couple weeks.

August, I'm switching up the blog a bit. I'm interviewing aspiring writers to talk about the writing process, where they get their inspiration, what they're working on, and their writing goals. Are you an aspiring writer? Then us love to interview you. Email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject line AW INTERVIEW. I also plan to interview successful self-published authors and more surprises, so keep your eye out!

I just finished Awaken's edits over the weekend, as well as edits for two super-secret works in progress. Once I get the okay, I'll drop more hints on just what they are. I'm also writing Awaken's sequel so... Yeah, I've been busy.

Personally, my boyfriend and I have adopted two terrier-chihuahua puppies, and let me tell you, they are exactly like kids. All they do is way, poo, and sleep, and we're still working on potty training, but they're so cute and who can resist them. Look for pictures soon.

How are you guys? What's going on with you?

Book cover reveal

Well guys, it's officially here: book cover release time! The credit goes to Renee, who is so incredibly talented and artistic. If you're in the market for a book cover, feel free to check out her portfolio at her site, http://www.reneeromance.com

One other point of contention: the Four Sides ARC giveaway is officially closed. I want to thank everyone who entered. Also, keep in mind that my book Awaken, Book I of The Dark Paradise Trilogy will be released in the next few weeks. It combines Saving Smiles and Fatal Attraction, and a similar giveaway will be hosted around that time. Keep checking back and follow me on twitter for the latest news!

Now, without further adieu, here is the book cover for Four Sides of a Triangle!

It's beautiful and flirty and the models are perfect. I'd love to hear what you think - feel free to drop me a comment!

Also, Four Sides should be released some time today, so keep your eyes peeled!

One, two, three

I am currently working on my third manuscript.  No, it's not the sequel to STRANGER or the sequel to AWAKEN.  It's a completely new manuscript that will be the first of it's own trilogy, completely unlike the previous two stories I've written.  I promise I'll tell you more about it a little bit later.  Right now, I just wanted to give you a quick update of what's going on as of right now.

I am editing STRANGER for the fifth and last time while simultaneously formatting it for Amazon's ebook program.  It's not as tricky as I expected it to be, especially since Amazon lays it out really well and it's easy to understand.  My step-mom, a graphic artist, is working on the cover as we speak so expect the reveal some time over the summer. 

I edited AWAKEN and sent it to my amazing beta, Leighann, and expect it back some time in the next couple of months.  I'll be posting a summary and release date later this year.

I can't believe the amount of support I've received from each and every one of you.  Thank you so much.  You make me excited to write and excited to share with you.

I hope everyone is having an amazing summer!

Beginnings, Endings, and Middles

Hello everyone!

Sorry for another absence.  School has been putting me through the ringer to the point where I can barely even read for fun anymore, but I'm going to try to update at least once a week.  I'm in the middle of spring quarter, with four papers due around the same time, so I'm slightly overwhelmed.  Please bear with me.  There are many things I want to tell you that I can't just yet, but I have a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT in August June 7, so be prepared for that.

I finished my second manuscript, entitled AWAKEN.  I can't get too much into detail about what it's about, but I will hint that it's about angels and demons and involves fan-favorites from my work on Fictionpress.

I have a tumblr here.  Feel free to follow me (if you mention you're a writer or found me on Blogger/Fictionpress, I'd love to follow back and get to know you better!) and ask me anything.  Also, be prepared for reblogs of superheroes, actors, musicians, television shows, and my many, many ships.

Follow me on twitter.  I'm @heathermyers22.  I'm going to try and use it more often than I do, but I'm a big hockey fan, so be aware that I will be discussing hockey.

For now, that's it, but I'll speak to you soon.  Have a great Monday!