Friday, September 26, 2014

Celebrating!





Walking on air this morning as The Promise: Children of Annwn is live! It is now available on SCP AND Amazon!

Sweet craving store.
http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=23&products_id=240
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+promise%3A+children+of+Annwn
Amazon USA
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Promise%3A+Children+of+Annwn



I wasn't sure that this day would ever arrive and now that it has all I am worried about is whether or not my readers will enjoy the story. I hope so because book two and three are on their way!







Have a fantastic weekend and if you buy the book please leave a review and let me know how I did as a new author!  

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Release of The Promise:Children of Annwn.


                                                     
This moment has been a long time coming, and I couldn't be happier now it's finally arrived!
My debut YA romantic light fantasy is being released this Friday 26th September, as an e-book and then in March 2014 as a paperback. 
Needless to say, I want to start the celebrations now and have an on-line event planned for the 29th September, 2014. I am hosting alongside several of my author friends who will also be talking about their books.
There will be some Q&A sessions, games, and competition with two copies of my book up for grabs and some Amazon gift cards.
          I could really do with your support and hope to see you there.Any questions let me know!
       


                                           Excerpt from Chapter One!
The bell over the front door at Felicities jingled every time a gust of wind blew, and Mia glanced over as tingles exploded down her spine. The diner hummed with animated conversation and the aroma from the bubbling espresso machine.

All seemed normal, but she knew it wasn’t. Something was lurking, whispering inside her head, and scratching under her skin to be free.

      Which could only mean one thing: trouble with a capital T. 









 You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be!
by Donna Levine
There is inside you
All of the potential
To be whatever you want to be;
All of the energy
To do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be,
Doing what you want to do,
And each day, take one step
Towards your dream.
And though at times it may seem too
difficult to continue,
Hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find
That you are the person you dreamed of,
Doing what you wanted to do,
Simply because you had the courage
To believe in your potential
And to hold on to your dream.

         This link will take you directly to the event and please sign up, so that I know you will be             attending.

















https://www.facebook.com/events/804037386305025/



Monday, September 15, 2014

Behind the story.




With the expected release date of the 26th SEPTEMEBER for THE PROMISE:CHILDREN OF ANNWN I wanted to reflect over how it all began.
   
 
Behind the story of The Promise.


In 2009,  I moved from Wales back to New England. I had relocated there in 2001 with my husband's job, but I had only ever in my heart decided that this would be a short term move whilst the children were young.

However, as anyone who has moved and lived abroad will know, many things change and when you return home neither you or the place is the same. Therefore, in 2009 I was once again back in the states.

As I sat in the garden of my new home and pondered what I had done again as I had left behind my oldest son, who was twenty, my aging mother, my sisters who could barely speak to me at the time and my nephews, I was in a dark and lonely place. For a while, I shut myself off to the world and contemplated my life, my future and what that would entail. 

So whilst my kids frolicked in their new Gunite swimming pool in the middle of August, I sat there and penned my first ever romantic novel.  

My mind was full of ideas and a story came to life very easily, and I supposed I poured my heart out to start off with. I always found writing therapeutic and when I read over what I had written a lot of pent-up  feelings, and emotions filled the pages.

My only clear view of the story at that time, which in the beginning had no title and has changed twice in the course of five years, was the picture of a young woman stood upon the shores of her home saying good-bye.  Mia as the character became known was tall, slim, and her hair flowed behind her. She stood reminiscing over the reasons she was leaving, and as she sobbed, the waves crashed against the shore. Then,  a breathtakingly handsome man strolled over the sand and stands behind her rubbing her arms and whispering that it was time!

I saw that scene as clear as day and have spent the past five years crafting and perfecting the story. In the beginning, I had a flurry of ideas for the plot but making sure that what I wanted to say transpired into something one could read was another story. I did what I believe a lot of writers do, I simply kept writing whilst the story unfolded inside my brain, I let the characters perform and sometime drift! Only stopping when the story concluded.

Afterwards when I read the entire manuscript, I realized several things, NEVER show anyone until you are happy with the manuscript and what you think you have written isn't sometimes what you have actually written! Furthermore, that characters don't always know what is best for themselves, and you have to have a plan before you start and then let the world build up around you!





In reading through my manuscript, I started to evaluate and critically appraise my writing. I started using a story board as I was working through the changes and really began brain storming where I actually wanted the story to go, because there were parts I felt needed explaining and backing up. It was also my way of making sure that things that I said in the beginning of the book were carried out and followed through so that the story made sense.

I always knew the story would be a romance and that it would be centered around a couple that would be young adults. The plot was centered around a voyage of self-discovery about themselves, and what obstacles were in their way to true love. I wanted the story to show how to overcome your fears, and how to face unexpected challenges that life throws at you with a mix of fantasy thrown in. When in your darkest moments  you think you will fail something inside makes you push through and try harder, that is the power that true love can provide.

True love is the strongest magic and a powerful source of energy that can sway the balance of evil and all that is good. Mia and her love Ryder have a journey full of hurdles they both have to overcome. Mia is tested to the brink of insanity and life itself.
In 2009, I made a promise to myself that I would write the story that invaded my head and dreams. This is only the beginning.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Release date!


ds is a stranger to herself, happy to hide in the background because of her terrifying visions. At Mia Childs is a stranger to herself, happy to hide in the background because of her terrifying visions. At night, she dreams of Annwn where she meets an outrageous flirt called Ryder and a sense of belonging invades. However, when Mia’s dreams become reality in the shape of a newcomer at school who's identical to the one in her dreams, her reality crumbles.

Ryder’s touch awakens her memories revealing that she is a child of Annwn, a guardian of her magical realm and the mortals. She learns that it was her visions of dwindling pregnancies causing the end of humanity and Annwn, which led her to evoke an ancient law, The Promise, which tests the power of their love and magic as a way to gain entry into the human world.

Now, Mia must embrace her fears in order to fulfill her promise and save humanity because Greyson, a Darkshadow has been manipulating events from the beginning and the fate of everyone she loves lies in her hands.

The Promise: Children of Annwn is the first in a trilogy. The story follows Mia and Ryder who are sent from their magical realm of Annwn into the human world to test the power of their love and magic. Their love is tested to see if they are a strong enough match as only the strongest are allowed to be together to ensure that magic continues to thrive.

Unknown to them a power struggle ensues back in Annwn which results in the Darkshadow prince entering the human world to cause chaos and he threatens the promise by threatening Mia with the lives of those that she loves if she doesn't agree with his demands.

"Falling in love in Annwn came with a price, and she was willing to pay if it meant there was a happy ever after with Ryder , the man who possessed her heart."


The Promise: Children of Annwn is YA romantic fantasy. It is about making a promise and the challenges that Mia goes through in order to fulfill it. It's a voyage of self-discovery that challenges her very sanity and soul. It's a story of good versus evil and how love can change you for the better or worse. It's about the power of true love. It's about magic...

                                Expected RELEASE DATE IS 26TH SEPTEMBER!!!

I am busy arranging blog hops and competitions for the day that the book is released and will keep you all informed as to how you will be able to buy the book.

So excited!!!