Join the Launch Team for book six!

I'm looking for interested people to help promote the launch of book six, The Diamond Bearers' Rising. I'm so excited to move forward with this series and would love to have you join in the fun. Right now the series is being pitched by Hollywood movie producers to big name studios. Wouldn't it be fantastic to be a part of a "rising" franchise? (See what I did there?) 

I'll be rewarding my launch team members with a signed paperback copy of book six and other exclusive series merchandise not available anywhere else. As a team member you would help me spread the word about the book release for approximately two-three weeks in November through social media outlets. So, naturally, you'll need to have at least one, preferably two or more, online accounts ie: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.

You do not need to have read all of The Unaltered series books to join, just be willing to promote, promote, promote. 

To request to join the launch team, please click HERE and fill out the form. I hope to see you around!

The Unaltered Series UK Bestseller

It's been a little while since I've been able to say The Unaltered series is a bestselling series in the UK. Today, I'm just a hair off of being able to say that. All but book five are under 100 on the Amazon UK charts. Book five ranks #102, however, earlier in the month book five ranked #28, so maybe that counts.

Join me in a somewhat-celebration for having the series hit the charts! Post a comment or big smiley face if: 1)You live in the UK, 2)You are a fan of the series, 3)You don't live in the UK but are a fan of the series, 4)You've visited the UK on holiday, 5)You wish you could travel to the UK, or 6)If someone asked you what UK means, you'd have a proper answer.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/…/pr…/B0125WXQ60/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

ShoutOut to my Fans!!

Thank you for reading my books! Without you, I'd just be a dreamer.

To the fans who have followed my series since I first launched online in 2011: 
You're Awesome!

To the fans who only just recently discovered my series:  Welcome to the Awesome Club!

Everyone in between:  I wouldn't be where I am today without you! 

**Please leave a comment below saying when you discovered my books and how. (friend, free list, amazon, nook, itunes, etc...) I'd love to hear from you.

Update on book four, The Diamond Bearers' Destiny:

I will be releasing book four in The Unaltered Series December 20th, 2013. 

I've been bombarded with "life", which has delayed the release. I'm sure most of you understand, nothing seems to go as planned. This is the main reason I didn't set a release date earlier . . . I figured something unexpected might come up.

I will be giving away free downloads of book four, replicas of the Sanguine Diamond, and other fun swag as the big date approaches. So Stay Tuned! 
Enter to win the first contest HERE.

Again, thank you for reading my books and sharing your excitement with your friends! Hope you'll leave a comment. :)

Lorena

*In no way do I sell, distribute, or give away the email addresses of my readers. I may occasionally send you a newsletter concerning my books, but I never spam.

 

THE DIAMOND OF FREEDOM is here!

**UPDATE**
Barnes and Noble now offers  
The Diamond of Freedom, book 3 in 
The Unaltered Series.
Finally!!!! 
Go grab it from: 

Amazon 
Smashwords
Gumroad-kindle 
Gumroad-epub
Kobo 
iTunes iBookstore
Barnes & Noble

THE DIAMOND OF FREEDOM release date

 

April 11, 2013 is the official release date for 

THE DIAMOND OF FREEDOM, 

book 3 in The Unaltered Series.

Calli Courtnae and Chris Harding race against the clock to identify the mysterious power-neutralizing stone that will help them hide from their enemy, but that will also prevent Calli from healing her life-threatening injuries. Their challenge is not simply to identify the stone; they must also learn how to counter its effects so they can fight against the rogue Diamond Bearer named Freedom. US $3.99



Please click the LIKE button to help me promote the release.

Read the first chapter HERE.

Apple's iBookstore recognizes A DIAMOND IN MY POCKET as a Breakout Book!

Celebration Time!

Feb. 5th, 2013. Apple's iBookstore launched a major feature in the US called Breakout Books.  The first book in my Young Adult series The Unaltered, A Diamond in my Pocket, was selected for this opening collection. It is truly an honor being recognized by the iBookstore team amidst thousands of titles, and to be placed on a list that showcases books they feel readers should check out first.

Learn more about the Breakout Books feature at the Smashwords Blog.

The Silver Lining

You know how sometimes things don't go as you planned? Or is that just me? Months ago I set myself a deadline to complete book three of The Unaltered Series. It was a self-imposed deadline that in hindsight was impossible to reach due to the many different directions I was being pulled in. Yes, I am still writing on book three, The Diamond of Freedom. I haven't given up, for those of you who are wondering. I've just been extremely busy living life and dealing with all the many different complications that arise when doing so.

My life isn't any different than yours. It is full of excitement, adventure, drama, sadness and joy. Everyone has these aspects in their lives, maybe not at the same time, but all the same they are there if you look for them. (I don't necessarily look for the sadness, it just finds its way in. However, it makes the happiness and joy even better when you have something to compare it to.)

I've been busy moving my family 700 miles from Idaho to the Portland, Oregon area of the Pacific Northwest. It's been a dramatic change both visually and emotionally and my husband and children are settling in well. There have been ups and downs, and a few "inside outs" (for lack of a better description,) but we are all doing well now.

Earlier in the year, back in Idaho, we opened our home to a friend from Holland for a couple months. He brought a different perspective of how to view the world and the people in it, and while he was there I learned about meditation, quantum physics and how to enjoy brown rice. I also experienced the harsh judgment from the ultra-conservative community for having a male house guest in my home; this coming from a community that touts, "Judge not, lest ye be judged." Funny ole world, isn't it? Good thing my husband and I have grown thick skin ... how we grew that skin is a whole different story. Ah, maybe I'll write my own memoir. My tens of fans would love it!

Through it all, I've grown as a writer and am busily working on my manuscript. A Diamond in my Pocket remains on Barnes&Noble's Teen Bestseller list ranking #130 as of 11/12/2012. It has been as low as #100. The fact that it's free has brought it a lot of attention, and NOOK fans have been absolutely awesome with their reviews and comments! The book ranks #7 on the Teen low to high pricing list. The last number of total downloads from the different Internet outlets for all four of my titles was just under 70,000. Not bad for being on the Internet for a year and a half.

I apologize for the delay in completing The Diamond of Freedom, I am working on it on a daily basis.  Rest assured I'm not going to release it until I feel the storyline is gripping enough to please my dedicated fans.

The phrase, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade," is similar to, "finding the silver lining in the clouds." There is always something good that comes from a storm, the trick is to open your eyes and see it. My experiences of 2012 will definitely find their way into my future books in some way or another making my silver lining the richness and depth I've developed personally and lived firsthand.

~Lorena

Be careful what you wish for

A recent comment left by an unsatisfied reader left me contemplating my Young Adult series, The Unaltered. I’m no stranger to bad reviews and I’m of the mindset that a critical critique can be made into a positive resource if adequate information is given. Frankly, if an Indie author can’t handle being cut apart, then they’re in the wrong business. The reviewer in question, most likely an adult female, didn’t like my writing style saying it was predictable, lacked description, and she was upset with one of my character’s behaviors in the second book feeling that other readers should be aware of the immoral, age-inappropriate conduct before going into the series.

My first reaction to any harsh critique is to take a deep breath and remove myself from the computer. Perhaps I’ll pour a glass of Pinot Noir and watch a movie, or I might surf the Internet and look at famous authors’ bad reviews while I let the new negative comment sink in. It would be a lie to say these kinds of comments don’t affect me, so I won’t say that. This particular review was posted on Barnes & Noble and unfortunately may deter some readers from entering my fantasy world--and that’s too bad.

I’m going to veer off in a different direction for a moment. With every year of life come experiences that make us who we are individually. I think it’s safe to say we’ve all experienced being loved on the basic level of parent/child, we’ve probably been in situations where we weren’t accepted by our peers, and we’ve all probably had a moment in life when we were extremely scared. However, the level of severity of these experiences varies from one person to the next. The difference between someone giving you sympathy or empathy is based on that person’s own experiences in life; if they’ve experienced the exact same thing, they can empathize with you… otherwise they can only give you sympathy. Every experience in life, whether good or bad, is cataloged in our brain and is often referred to when reading a book or watching a movie. Consider the phrase, “It leaves nothing to the imagination.” If a scene in a book or movie is painted in a way that “leaves nothing to the imagination” then the reader/viewer doesn’t need to access their own archive of stored experiences to fill in the blanks. However, if a scene is painted vaguely using euphemisms, harmless words that substitute suggestive or offensive words, to encourage the reader/viewer to fill in the blanks, the intensity of the scene will vary from one person to the next based on personal experiences.

For example, the disappointed reader didn’t like the character who I painted as a “player” who uses his “special ability” to “get what he wants.” To a twelve year old, whose own life experiences are slim to none in this area, the term “scoring” may mean kissing; to a college aged individual it means something entirely different. The point is the intensity of my writing is only as powerful as the reader’s own experiences. First and foremost, my books are in the Young Adult category, not Middle Grade; second, my own experiences as a teen and the stereotypes I dealt with are mirrored in my books in a vague way and anyone who has experienced similar things will pick up on what I’m implying. Lastly, I think it’s safe to say that my negative reviewer connected with my books on a much deeper level than she cares to admit. For her own life experiences to fill the blanks I left open in such a way that she felt others shouldn’t read the book, it says to me that she wants to protect youth from having to experience what she went through. That’s a powerful response. She would have an interesting story to tell, I think.

Fiction is all about imagination… for both the author and the reader. I’ve had a huge amount of feedback from teens that identified with the different characters in the book. In fact, some of my fans have attacked the negative reviewer defending the character and saying that the “player” behavior is what made the book more believable. I can’t even begin to describe how it feels to have fans defending my made-up characters and my writing style.

As for the other topics of predictability, lack of description, and a “writing style that left much to be desired,” I can only say this reader is not in my target audience and she won’t be the last person who doesn’t like my style. I won’t be reading any other negative comments from her because she said she “won’t be reading anymore books by this author anytime soon”; that’s good at least. She did say that my “idea was fairly inventive” and that garnered me a two star rating. And that’s good as well.

To all the aspiring authors out there who dream of thousands upon thousands of readers, be careful what you wish for. Understand that the more popular your book becomes, the more likely readers outside your target audience will read it, not like it, and then feel they have to tell the world about it. But take heart, once you reach this level you’ll know you’ve made it over the hump of obscurity. Don't ignore the negative reviews because sometimes you can implement changes based on the review. I will certainly work on my descriptive words and character building thanks to her critical critique, but I won't be doing it to please her, I'll do it to improve my own writing.

A Diamond in my Pocket --FREE

NOOK, Kindle, Multi-Format

A Diamond in my Heart --$2.99 (Limited time- $.99)
NOOK, Kindle, Multi-Format

The Importance of Reading the Fine Print

**Edit 3/22/12 Amazon has relisted my books and the issue was resolved**
My books, The Unaltered Series and Scars of Defiance Series, are available for purchase on Smashwords.com in several formats, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iTunes.

My books are no longer available on Amazon.com/Kindle books due to an oversight on my part. **Edit** My books are back up on Amazon 3/22/12 **Edit**  Apparently Amazon doesn't like it when an author's book is being sold at a lesser price anywhere else on the web because they are obligated to meet that price--even if it's free. The email I received said that in the terms and conditions it states books cannot be offered free anywhere on the internet. I listed my books on Amazon in July 2011 and it took them this long to figure out at least one of my books has almost always been free, either that or this is a new policy change.

So, next time I'm hustling and bustling along clicking my mouse on the box that states I've read the terms and condition, I'll take a moment and actually do it. It's a lesson for all to learn--even South Park creators made a show about it, not one of their finer creations but the message is the same. Read before you agree.

Three little kittens and a Hurricane named Irene

A couple years ago our mama cat named Bear gave birth to three kittens under our deck.  This was a good, safe place for the babies from the neighborhood dogs and the rain.  After a couple of weeks, the kittens began moving around a bit more and found their way out from under the deck.  Bear didn’t like this so she took them one by one up a wooden pole to our second floor balcony.  

We had no idea she’d moved her babies until one day when my young daughter and I went outside and heard the kittens’ terrified meows.  I looked up and saw three fluffy heads peaking over the edge of the balcony and one of the kittens moved dangerously close to the edge.  My daughter gasped in fear; I had to act quickly.  I positioned myself under the kitten just in time as it tumbled off the balcony.  I caught it, surprisingly, and hurried and set it down readying myself for the next one.  The other two followed one at a time and I successfully caught them and placed them on the ground.  I was elated with my ‘good deed’ as was my daughter who watched the events unfold.   She would have been horrified if the kittens had fallen to injury or death.

In comparison to the kitten story is Hurricane Irene which wreaked havoc along the Eastern Coast of the U.S. in late August, 2011.  For days, this looming storm was predicted to cause damaging winds, intense flooding and other potentially life-threatening conditions.  People were warned to evacuate and most did, but some die-hards decided to weather the storm.  Emergency personnel reminded the determined people that top meteorologists were predicting the storm’s path would most likely remain unchanged and it would be unwise to stay in the path of possible death.  

Even with all that knowledge, some still remained in their homes.  Invariably, some of these stubborn people would most likely call for help once the storm intensified and the same emergency workers would be forced to tell them they could not come to their rescue due to the perilous conditions.  Anyone who knows one of these first-responders personally, or everyday heroes as I call them, would understand that a moment like that would rip at their hearts.  It would be similar to baby kittens on the verge of falling off a balcony and the one who wanted to try and catch them was being held back by forces beyond their control.

I believe most people in the world would try to catch the kittens; and most people would try and save others from possible danger or death.  This type of individual is personified in the YA fiction books I write, especially A Diamond in my Pocket, where the lead heroine is allowed to see an impending disaster in the future in which many will die unless changes are made in the present.

My own understanding of gravity allowed me a quick glimpse of what might possibly happen to the kittens, therefore I acted and completed three lucky catches--and saved my daughter from witnessing the horror of what might have happened.

Do you have a 'lucky catch' or 'in the right place at the right time' story? I'd love to hear it!

-Lorena

Sequel to 'A Diamond in my Pocket' --Now Available

A Diamond in my Heart release date-- January 31st

**Spoiler Alert**

 If you haven't read A Diamond in my Pocket don't read further 

lest ye be spoiled! 
FYI: A Diamond in my Pocket is currently FREE on Amazon

Book two in 'The Unaltered' series
A Diamond in my Heart description:
Calli's life back in Ohio is as normal as can be expected. Well, if you consider that she has a piece of a magical diamond inside her heart which infuses abilities such as mind reading, future sight, healing, super speed, and super smell; all of which must be kept under wraps. Calli awaits Maetha's training and tries to blend into the world around her, a world she will never view with the same eyes again.

She meets a strange man who can communicate telepathically and possesses all the powers of the Sanguine diamond... and he knows Maetha. He brings an offer of freedom and a warning concerning Maetha's plans. Calli's crazy world is jumbled even further with the realization that this stranger also carries a diamond, as does Maetha. But that's only the beginning of Calli's adventure.

*A mysterious new power, one not contained within the Sanguine diamond, emerges in one of Calli's classmates and Calli is assigned to investigate and teach this person about his new world.
*Someone is systematically kidnapping each of the amulet wearers within the clans.
*Calli's future vision of meeting Chris is realized, but it's not what she thought it would be.

I can't wait to hear back from you about the book. Please send me a note using the contact me page.

~Lorena
A Diamond in my Pocket- FREE
A Diamond in my Heart- $2.99
The Diamond of Freedom- $2.99