Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 10/22/16 and 09:00 AM on Sunday 10/23/16. Visit the other participants on the list and read, critique and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors. Twitter hashtag #8sunday. 
I've been sharing from my WIP, The Tree of Life, where Kirin is trying to prevent her mother from discovering her interest in Rio, the Shapeshifter who managed to give her mother, Isis, the slip while in the rainforest in Brazil. Sehkmet has just entered the royal family discussion and announced that Luc can sense Rio's presence because they share the same DNA strand...
"They’ve grown too powerful. I heard about what happened. He defied Isis? They’re dangerous. Let me take care of this problem now.”
Osiris held up his hand to still Sekhmet’s tirade. “It seems Kirin and Luc are going to undertake this mission. They will take Mukhtar with them.” “Prince Mukhtar?” Kirin asked. “The Bedouin,” Isis responded thoughtfully. “Yes, a perfect choice. Mukhtar, son of Sheikh Abdul Kummel al-Rahman, leader of the Hassana, one of our most faithful allies. Keep your secrets for now, Kirin. You'll not have them for long." 
I hope you enjoyed the snippet I shared for Elizabeth this week. Please visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and Sunday Snippet authors for more fun reads! Don't forgot to follow the blog hops for lots of fun prizes amd gift cards...last chance to sign up!
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Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 10/22/16 and 09:00 AM on Sunday 10/23/16. Visit the other participants on the list and read, critique and comment on their 8sunday posts. Spread the word, share the love, warriors. Twitter hashtag #8sunday.  I've been sharing from my WIP, The Tree of Life, Book II of my Illuminati series. Kirin is trying to make sure that she and her brother Luc are sent after Rio, the shapeshifter who managed to escape from her mother's telepathic command to stay, in the jungles of Brazil. Isis, not fooled by Kirin's attempt to atribute her interest to scientific interest alone, demands to know how Kirin knows the identity of the shapeshifter. She wants to know Kirin's true interest. Let's eavesdrop on this royal family scene again...  Sekhmet “He has a habit of escaping,” Andrew said, swallowed, and then added, “he was in the lab so we had to take him with us, but he jumped out of the helicopter into the rooftop pool and got away.” “Quite a resourceful creature,” Osiris said, chuckling. “That doesn’t explain, Kirin, how you know he’s the shapeshifter, the same creature who was outside the ruins in the rainforest, unless he revealed himself to you while he was in the helicopter.” Andrew shrugged and all eyes were on her then, waiting for her to explain what defied explanation. “I can’t know for sure, but as soon as you said it, I just knew he was the one. It’s his eyes; Rio has the eyes of a cat, the grace and movements of a cat. I sensed his presence without knowing what I was sensing at the time, not until now. You know it too, don’t you Luc, she said, looking up at him.” The doors opened, and she glanced over to see Sekhmet, enter, but added, “You knew he was there before anyone else, didn’t you?” “Of course he did,” Sekhmet said, "they come from the same DNA strand.  I hope you enjoyed the snippet I posted for Elizabeth this week. She's so busy getting ready for tomorrow's Book Signing. I'm not sure what that is, but I don't think I like it because I don't get to go. I guess I'll go take a nap and think about all the mischief I'll get into while she's gone. Don't forget to visit all the other wonderful Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday Authors to discover some great reads!
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 10/15/16 and 09:00 AM on Sunday 10/16/16. Visit the other participants on the list and read, critique and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors. Twitter hashtag #8sunday. 
Now that my story anthology has released and is doing VERY well, (exciting!), I am back to sharing from my WIP, Book II of my Illuminati series, The Tree of Life. When we left off, the Royal family had just returned to Egypt where Isis, somewhat angry, was informing her husband, Osiris, that one of "his mistakes" was loose in the wilds of the rainforest and had dared to attack her. The entire clan quite naturally expressed varying degrees of shock and disbelief at this annoucement, though it was a given that the creature must be brought under their control.
We are in Kirin's point of view as she is the heroine of this novel, and the "mistake" as we will discover soon enough is to be the hero, Rio. Kirin has already encountered Rio, but had hoped to keep that encounter from her mother. 
Dr. Kirin Vargas, M.D., Ph.D.
“Rio? You know that cat’s name? Andrew!” Isis said, turning toward her son who was tearing a large hunk of bread off with his teeth. “You will take some of your men and fetch this beast.” "Mother, wait. I think Luc and I should go, if it’s the geneticist who had the ingredient for my formula. You said yourself he has knowledge we need.”
“She speaks wisely,” said Osiris. “And with duplicity. You have not yet revealed how you know this man is the shapeshifter or how you came by your knowledge of him,” Isis insisted. 
I hope you enjoyed the snipped I posted for Elizabeth. Be sure to read the other Weekend Writing Warrior Posts and Snippet Sunday authors for more great reads. Also, to sign up for lots of prizes or to join a Haunted blogs Hop, be sure to click on the link I highlighted for you! And check out Elizabeth's newest release below!
Many thanks to first Amazon Review by Verified Purchaser, Mensa Mama!: "Perhaps the finest horror anthology to date, delivered with the exquisite caliber of writing we have come to expect from the noteworthy Tell-Tale Publishing! Each tale is handcrafted for maximum chills and thrills. . . .You will definitely sleep with the lights on!"
It helps justify the #40 and climbing rating in the Top 100 bestselling Books ranking in Amazon and the #11 Hot New Releases Anthologies! Very exciting! I'd love to hear your reviews too!  Last year, Amazon began deleting reviews from books and authors couldn't figure out why. After some research, the new policies helped explain. Amazon had successfully implemented new book review policies. Here are the reviews the amazon watchdogs are already chewing up and swallowing whole: 1) A review by a book blogger whose blog is part of a paid blog tour, even if the book blogger is not paid. Often only the organizer of the tour gets paid, but the blog review is considered a “paid review,” so it can’t be posted on Amazon. 2) A review written in exchange for a gift card. Even if that card is only in the amount of the price of the book. A reviewer could possibly use the card for purchasing something else. 3) A review written in exchange for another review. Review trading is 100% FORBIDDEN. 4) A review written in expectation of a free book. A review copy must be given before the review is written or the book will be seen as payment for the review. 5) A review by a person you “know” online. Amazon can now detect if someone leaving a review is following you on Twitter or befriended you on Facebook. Amazon's expectation is that a fan will leave a biased review, so it wants only impartial people writing them. It is now fairly well know why Amazon (over)reacted in this way. John Locke. The Amazon megastar who wrote a book on how to sell millions of books, but failed to mention, until afterwards, that he purchased reviews. Yeah, thanks, John. There is now an expectation that if any of the above rules are broken, Amazon will automatically delete the review in question. They will not let the author know whenever a review has been absorbed into the ether, it will simply cease to be. [And I don't know about you, but I take some time and care into writing my reviews and that would tick me off like no other!] Okay, okay, so Amazon is trying to keep its reviews objective, of course. But weeding out friends and family is one thing. If they are relying on social media contacts to determine whether a reviewer is impatial it's unfair to all authors, whether they are independent or supported by a big publishing house. Independent authors, self-published or those with a smaller, independent publishing house, usually rely on blogs and social media for much of their marketing. Even for authors whose books are with the big 4 publishing houses, with all their clout and distribution, social media matters. Reviews are crucial to online sales and online sales account for the lion's share of today's publishing market. So far, though Amazon is trying to regulate freebie books for reviews too, it's still okay to give out books so long as they are given with no strings attached BEFORE a review is given. They have kicked that policy's butt too though. Verified purchase reviews have more weight. Also, more recent reviews have more weight. And now Amazon in its ever-questionable wisdom has decided to enact some more review laws, er, policies--and keep in mind that they now own Goodreads as well.  Authors are no longer allowed to post a book review. That's right. As an industry professional, our opinion carries more clout and we will screw up their well-regulated, heavily-policed review boards. A bad review and we are trying to squash the competition. A good review and we are trying to bolster an industry buddy. We are incapable of an unbiased opinion, AND our opinion is more valuable than the average readers'. I can see it, understand it and then it gets all blurry again. How about you? So, how do we get around these Cypercops in this Apocolyptic world or Amazonia? Here's a couple of strategies: I've noticed that many authors use their regular facebook page to promote themselves to fans. Amazon has no way of knowing who are your family and friends and who are your fans.... Any review a "friend" posts may get deleted or rejected. Just to be on the safe side, set up a fan page. Social Media Use your social media as a person, not as an author. That includes twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc. Reviewer Disclaimers Always encourage your reviewers to post an "I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review," dislaimer. *Note: Jannine kindly pointed out in the comments below that Amazon sees "exchange" as a trigger word and you must now have reviewers say, "I received a free copy of this book, and here is my unbiased review." Author Reviews If our reviews are professional reviews, then one way around having them deleted is to email them to the author/publisher so that they can be added to the editorial review section of the product page. As you know, I have been providing reviews on my blog for years, and they have been my honest, reader in me, opinion. I will continue to do so. I will continue to post them under "Book Bling" on Amazon, and under Kindle Book Review on Amazon, on Goodreads, on B&N, on Shelfari, and wherever else I choose. To my knowledge I have never had any reviews deleted ::knock on wood:: yet. However, I have had some deleted from my work, that were written by others, and they were not people that I knew. How do you feel about this? What do you plan to do, if anything? 
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 10/08/16 and 09:00 AM on Sunday 10/09/16. Visit the other participants on the list and read, critique and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors. Twitter hashtag #8sunday. 
I've been sharing from my soon-to-be-released short story, The Opal Ring, in which Jasmine is trying to escape her evil uncle with the help of a Jinn, and her father's magic show contract with a Vegas talent scout. When we left out, the talent scout had just granted her father the coveted contract, and Jasmine is about to find out what she really owes the Jinn for granting her wishes.
“What?” Her beautiful sweet mother had fed the Jinn souls? Sinful souls like her uncle’s? “The Jinn killed momma?”
“She just couldn’t make herself available to all those hideous, evil perverts any more, the kind of dark souls the Jinn savors. She would never have led the Jinn to her own beloved daughter. I saw the ring on her finger when I closed her casket myself!” He staggered back, clutching at his chest. “Father!” Jasmine rushed forward, grabbing his arm. “What is it?” “Just out of breath. Nothing,” he said, gasping. But then his knees buckled, and he fell to the floor, doubled over in pain. 
I hope you enjoyed Elizabeth's blog as much as I enjoyed posting it for her! Please be sure to read the other fine Weekend Writing Warriors and Snippet Sunday Authors for some more great reads! You can sign up for next week's WEWRIWA blog by visiting their website. And if you're into Halloween Horror Parties, then you should visit my publisher's Halloween Horror Party and sign up for their Haunted Blogs Hop, so your readers have a chance to win these fabulous prizes too...wait, hey, while you're here...sign up for these fabulous prizes!
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officiallyInsecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. Let’s rock the neurotic writing world! Our Twitter hashtag is #IWSG And we’re revving up IWSG Day to make it more fun and interactive! Every month, we'll announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. October 5 Question: When do you know your story is ready? The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, andSusan Gourley! Don't forget to check out the guidelines for this year's IWSG Anthology Contest! 
The Reveal--The Deadline
Be honest, isn't that the perfect time to cut her head off? LOL! She gets her veil out of the way, revealing her neck, doesn't suspect or fight back because she's taken by surprise...perfect! Yup, that's when my story is ready. I call it deadline ready. You can always find one more sentence to tweak, one more scene to enhance, one more plot to twist, but sooner or later, you have to let it go! So just as in the short story I have being released on October 15th, I had to let it go because if I didn't it would not have been the perfect moment--the deadline! I revised it a zillion times--mostly because it was my first horror genre and my first short story, but also because I am never satisfied. Ah, the horrors of being a perfectionist! What about you?
If you love Halloween as I do, check out the blog below and sign up for some cool prizes at my post below or sign your blog up for a cool Halloween Blog Hop my publisher is having to let your readers in on some cool prizes! www.halloweenhorrorparty.org
Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors, the weekly hop for everyone who loves to write! Sign up below with your name, blog and email and share an 8 to 10 sentence snippet of your writing on Sunday. Your post needs to be live between 12:00 noon on Saturday 10/01/16 and 09:00 AM on Sunday 10/02/16. Visit the other participants on the list and read, critique and comment on their 8sunday posts.
Spread the word, share the love, warriors. Twitter hashtag #8sunday. 
I have been sharing from my soon-to-be-released story The Opal Ring, involving a Jinn and a young woman named Jasmine who is using true magic to enhance her magician father's act in order to secure a Vegas contract and their freedom back to America. With the aid of her only friend, she finds a talisman that gives her control over a Jinn, whose spell casting will surely give her all the leverage she needs against her rich and powerful uncle and his henchmen. But at what cost? When we left off last week, her father had just seen the ring on her finger and claimed it had been buried with her mother. Naturally quite a few readers, including Hudson, are wondering how that's possible...
Just for fun, below is a painting I created titled, The Jinni, at the studio today. I paint for the sheer therapeutic love of it. Fellow art students felt it a fitting "monster" for Halloween! 
The Jinni-Acrylic on Canvas by Elizabeth Alsobrooks
“Then how could you have had it on the plane? You’re not making sense.” Had her mother been the Jinni’s last mistress?
“You were too old for dolls, but you kept it with you because your mother had given it to you. I opened the window blind on the plane, and the sunlight sparkled off the opal on the ring. It was around the doll’s ponytail.” “So how do you know mother didn’t put it there on the doll?” “She couldn’t do it anymore, couldn’t stand being around those vile men, and couldn’t see what that creature did to them. She tried to explain, tried to bargain with the Jinni, but he wouldn’t see reason. We were going to flee, find someone who could break the spell, but the very next day that car, it came out of nowhere.” He wasn’t focused on Jasmine any more, but seemed to be reliving the incident in his mind, the terror of it fresh on his face. “Do you really think it was just an accident?” 
I hope you enjoyed the snippet I posted for Elizabeth this week. I like her painting, too. It smells. I've been sniffing it all night, but she won't let me lick it. That's okay. It doesn't smell like meat or popcorn anyway. Be sure to visit the other Weekend Writing Warriors and #SnippetSunday Authors for some great new reads!
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I blog there the 18th of each month!
Elizabeth Alsobrooks's books on Goodreads
The Keeper's Secret: Tell-Tale Publishing's Annual Horror Anthology
reviews: 1
ratings: 2 (avg rating 5.00) 
2016 NaNoWriMo Winner!
My Newest Release
An Amazon Bestseller!
Paranormal, Fantasy, Dystopia and Romance Reade...
 3923 membersThis Is A Group for Readers,Writers and Reviewers of All Different Genres. Our Goal Is To Help P... 
 
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