Today I have a guest author, fellow Black Opal Books author, Jami Gray, to share a post and her free read. She’s super awesome and I love this post. Her husband seems to be a hoot.
Guest post by Jami Gray
Inside the Insanity that is a Writer
As a writer, I belong to numerous discussion loops whose evil plans are to crash my in-box under the weighty heft of insightful discussions on the industry, craft and whether your cover should feature more or less skin. However, one day someone sweetly shared a link to a very insightful blog about being a writer. After picking myself up off the floor, I quickly forwarded it on to the other, like-minded individuals of my critique group, and then, because I’m mean, I made my hubby sit down and read it.
I sat on pins and needles (okay, so I basically stood over him with a blunt object) and waited for him to be swept away by the genius evident in the post. He laughed, which was good–nice to know the warped sense of humor I married him for all those eons ago is still there–and then he looked at me with (gasp!) pity?!!! What the hell? No, no, no, he was suppose to say, “Oh honey, now I understand why the Prankster Duo and I have to exist on unidentifiable left overs and delivery, while you sit in a dark office illuminated only by the flicker of a computer screen and why you sometimes resemble Gollum from Lord of the Rings (that’s the weird little dude who glows in the dark for you non-nerds). It all makes sense!”
Did he say that? Um, nope. Instead his response is, “It’s okay baby, I knew that when I married you and I still said ‘I do’.”
Seriously?? Did he not see the mad genius that exists in each writer’s mind? It’s a mad babble of voices that fight for supremacy while leaving minor things like groceries, doctor appointments, eating, and basic hygiene, scrambling for solid purchase in their frenzied wake? There’s a reason a writer will stare at you with a bemused smile while their eyes keep darting off to the side in the midst of your conversation. Really, they’d love to listen to you but it’s a bit hard when the characters in your head start to get pushy and demand exclusive attention. I know, it sounds a bit psychotic, but it’s not our fault. It’s why we write!
Growing up, every book or movie that caught my attention (Star Wars, Lloyd Alexander’s The Book of Three, Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising, and oh so many more) would end up being rewritten in my head. A new character would join the cast—the female bounty hunter that made Princess Leia look like a wimp, the female wizard that kept Taran the Wanderer from wandering, or the brand spanking new character that joined Bran and Will in overcoming the looming evil to wake the Old Ones—and the story would adjust accordingly, starring a character that eerily resembled, well, moi.
Eventually what transpired in my head made it to paper via an electric typewriter. Now days, my shiny desktop fruit helps me capture the worlds and characters in vivid detail for others to enjoy. On some level, I’m hoping to spark that same need to add and rewrite in my readers. If I’ve done my job right, it should work and I’ll have dragged another poor, unsuspecting soul into the maddening world of a writer. If not? Well, then I must try again, and again…
I once read something that clicked even though it was directed at musicians. They said to make great art, you had to expose your soul, even though some things are better left safely in the dark. Those that fear exposing such darkness are constantly tormented by the fact they can almost touch the creative beast, while those who grit their teeth and reach out may burn, but the beauty of such exposure ensnares those around them.
Much like playing or creating music, writing demands a price from its creator. Every writer uses their own experiences in some way or fashion to help put life into our characters and create believable worlds, but it’s also one of the scariest things we’ll ever do.
The next time you run across one of us, be gentle and understand, regardless of the genre (poetry, children’s books, songwriting, screen writing, mystery, romance, etc.) published or unpublished, we are writers and it’s not as simple as sitting down and typing out a string of words. We’re sharing with you something infinitely precious, so if you damage it, expect repercussions. You may find something familiar about that character we killed off in horrible ways in our next book. Yet, if you share how much you enjoyed our stories, you’ll make a writer’s week. Heck, maybe even our month.
Pick up SHADOW’S EDGE for FREE for a limited time and dive into the shadows of the Kyn…
THE KYN KRONICLES (Urban Fantasy series w/Black Opal Books)
WRAPPED IN SHADOWS, Kyn Kronicles .5
(Things That Go Bump For The Holidays Anthology)
The magic of the holidays can be hell…
Celebrations abound during the holidays, but this Christmas an engagement celebration goes horrifically wrong. What appears to be a simple murder/suicide hides a vicious surprise. The type of gift Raine and Gavin, elite member of the Kyn, didn’t want humans to unwrap, because revealing the monsters in the shadows isn’t the way to spread holiday cheer.
SHADOW’S EDGE, Kyn Kronicles #1
Everyone fears what hunts in the shadows—especially the monsters…
When the supernatural lurks in the shadows of the mundane, hunting monsters requires unique skills, like those of Raine McCord. A series of deaths threatens to reveal the Kyn community and forces her to partner with the sexy Gavin Durand.
As the trail leads to the foundation haunting Raine’s childhood, she and Gavin must unravel lies and betrayals to discover not only each other, but the emerging threat to them and the entire magical community.
SHADOW’S SOUL, Kyn Kronicles #2
Some nightmares are born of love…
A simple assignment turns into a nightmare when Raine McCord follows Cheveyo to the Southwest on a consulting gig. When the most feared beings of the Kyn kidnaps Cheveyo and leaves Raine for dead, her ability to heal her mind and spirit hinges on the one man who can touch her soul, Gavin Durand.
Unraveling the Southwest Kyn’s web of secrets and hidden vendettas will either bring them together or tear them apart forever.
SHADOW’S MOON, Kyn Kronicles #3
Even wild hearts can be broken…
Tracker, Xander Cade, confronts an enraged Shifter in a crowded human nightclub, fraying the thin secrecy shielding the supernatural community from public scrutiny. Danger stalks the pack and she must protect her alpha and mate, Warrick Vidis, even if he doesn’t want it.
If they don’t find a way to trust each other and accept their rare bond they risk losing everything-their pack, their friends and each other.
SHADOW’S CURSE, Kyn Kronicles #4
Death and chaos can devastate even the best-laid plans…
After tragedy strikes the Northwest Kyn, leaving the houses in chaos and the Wraiths hungry for blood, the fallout threatens Natasha Bertoi’s carefully laid plans. When the Council sends Darius Abazi, the one man guaranteed to skew the odds, she faces her toughest opponent yet.
As death stalks the Northwest Kyn, can Natasha trust Darius, a man well versed in subterfuge, to uncover the truth before treachery destroys them all?
Coming Fall 2015:
A collection of Kyn shorts, including WRAPPED IN SHADOWS
PSY-IV Teams (Paranormal Romantic Suspense series w/MuseIt Up Publishing)
HUNTED BY THE PAST, PSY-IV Teams #1
Sometimes death is the only way to out run the past…
Changing the past is impossible, a fact ex-marine, Cynthia Arden, understands all too well. Struggling with the aftermath of a botched mission, a panicked phone call brings her home to face a killer’s game. Unfortunately, the distracting Kayden Shaw returns as well, the one man she thought would stand by her, until he chose his job over her.
To survive, will Cyn risk her heart or lose the man she loves and her life?
Coming Spring 2016:
TOUCHED BY FATE, PSY-IV Teams #2
Trusting him with her secrets is dangerous. Trusting him with her heart could be fatal.
As a specialized consultant for the Department of Defense, Risia Lacoste understands the bargaining chip of a well-kept secret. When her current assignment threatens to unearth her deeply buried skeletons, she’s forced into a high-stakes game of lies and loyalty where even her ability to foresee the future can’t predict the winner.
Darkness lies under the skin of every man, and PSY-IV Team operative and touch empath, Tag Gunderson, has the demons to prove it. Scarred by betrayal and disillusionment, he’s not Risia’s top pick for a partner in the game, but he’s all she’s got.
As the game draws them deeper into a pit of intrigue and their list of enemies grow, will Risia trust Tag with more than her secrets or will his demons destroy them both?
BIO:
Jami Gray is the award winning, multi-published author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, and the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams. She can be soothed with coffee and chocolate. Surrounded by Star Wars obsessed males and two female labs moonlighting as the Fur Minxes, she escapes by playing with the voices in her head.
You can find me at:
Black Opal Books: www.BlackOpalBooks.com
Muse It Up Publishing: http://museituppublishing.com
Website: www.JamiGray.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JamiGrayUFWriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamiGrayAuthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JamiGray
Google+: https://google.com/+JamiGray
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B006HU3HJI
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/LvoZn
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jamigrayauthor/
BUY LINKS:
You can find all the buy links for both The Kyn Kronicles and PSY-IV Teams, in all formats at:
http://jamigray.com/kynkronicles/
http://jamigray.com/psyivteams/
Or you can use the following:
THE KYN KRONICLES:
THINGS THAT GO BUMP FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Wrapped in Shadows .5 Kyn Kronicles)
Amazon: http://amzn.com/1626940908
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/things-that-go-bump-for-the-holidays-black-opal-books/1117680975?ean=2940148940685
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/387518
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/anthology/things-that-go-bump
Shadow’s Edge: Bk 1 of Kyn Kronicles
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061CAXJ4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-139.html
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/101023
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-edge-kyn-kronicles/id482595056?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-edge-the-kyn-kronicles-book-1
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/235371403/Shadow-s-Edge-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-1
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Edge?id=ubxyAgAAQBAJ
Shadow’s Soul:Bk 2 of the Kyn Kronicles
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B008DIZ9OI
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039ssoulthekynkroniclesbook2-848561-139.html
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-jami-gray/1111742135?jan=2940014698955
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174291
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-soul-kyn-kronicles/id541827836?mt=11
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-soul-the-kyn-kronicles-book-2-1
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/235371430/Shadow-s-Soul-the-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-2
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Soul?id=nb9yAgAAQBAJ
Shadow’s Moon: Bk 3 of the Kyn Kronicles
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00K8AZZES
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-moon-the-kyn-kronicles-book-3-jami-gray/1119462166?eae=2940149437719
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/435674
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039smoonthekynkroniclesbook3-1507186-140.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-moon-kyn-kronicles/id875444016?mt=11
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-moon
Scribd.: https://www.scribd.com/book/233279819/Shadow-s-Moon-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-3
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Shadow_s_Moon?id=npODAwAAQBAJ
Shadow’s Curse: Bk 4 of the Kyn Kronicles
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00RLE3PZU
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadows-curse-jami-gray/1121072005?ean=9781626942202
Black Opal Books: http://www.blackopalbooks.com/shop-our-store/authors/jami-gray
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadows-curse-kyn-kronicles/id954894551?mt=11
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/505822
KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/shadow-s-curse-the-kyn-kronicles-book-4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shadow039sedgethekynkroniclesbook1-625433-140.html
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/253090806/Shadow-s-Curse-The-Kyn-Kronicles-Book-4
THE PSY-IV TEAMS:
Hunted by the Past: Bk 1 of PSY-IV Teams
MuseItUp Publishing: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/our-authors/57-our-authors/authors-g/445-jami-gray
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00M289FTA
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/449240
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1119776913?ean=9781771275538&itm=1&usri=9781771275538
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id890554328
ARe: https://www.omnilit.com/product-huntedbythepast-1553419-143.html
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/Hunted-by-the-Past/PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A?MixID=PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A&PageNumber=1&MixID=PsOHi6QaXUSjCDITW_cZ-A&PageNumber=1
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jami_Gray_Hunted_by_the_Past?id=u1nOBAAAQBAJ
Ramblings of a Writer 