How women are losing our power

In the last sixty years, the world's culture has shifted, and not for the better. For decades, women have fought for equal rights. It's a fight that still continues to this day. So why have we willingly given away so much of our power?

What I'm talking about is the shift of women from being people to being objects.

Don't believe me? How much time do you spend making yourself beautiful each morning? How much money do you spend trying to make yourself even more beautiful--things like clothes, makeup, beauty creams and the list goes on and on (guilty of all of the above). How much money is spent every year on porn?

How much thought do you put into loosing weight instead of being strong (guilty, but I'm working on it)?

How much time do you spend hating your imperfections instead of valuing your strengths (guilty, but working on it).

How much energy do you spend worrying about where you are on the "pretty pecking order" (more so in high school)?

Listen to the above video. And realize that you are more than an object. You are a person who deserves love and respect, and gaining that respect starts with loving and respecting yourself.

I bring all this up because the character in my current work in progress (Summer Queen) struggles with this. She's been trained to seduce men, and through the book she begins to realize that using her body to trick others into getting what she wants has pretty devastating effects (also, try pulling off that theme while keeping it strictly PG-13. I'm gonna have to cut some scenes).

I've been waiting 15 years for this . . .

A chance to buy a FANCY dress. I haven't since my wedding 13.5 years ago. So when I heard I was a finalist for a Whitney Award, I didn't really care about the award--cause the prize is the pretty dress. You know what I'm sayin'?

*please read the rest of this post with a "valley girl" intonation.*

So I called my best girl friends (Thanks Katie and Laura!). And we went shopping. And the people in the stores where all like, "Why are these 30ish women shopping for "prom dresses"? And we were like, "Shut up, hookers! We shoppin' for award dresses!"

Let me know which is your favorite!

*note* I'll post the winning dress when the pics from the gala go up!

I thought I would hate this dress. I sort of loved it. 

I didn't feel pretty in this dress.
And I wasn't a fan of the color. 

Meh. It's okay. 

I liked this one.
The boning had pushed through the fabric
and was stabbing my ribs. 

I really liked this one. Unfortunately, my hands at the back were
the only thing keeping it closed (it didn't fit). 

I really liked this one. Top 3ish. 

Everyone loved this one! Everyone except me!

{Review} The Here and Now by Ann Bradshaw

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.
Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins. 

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth. 

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 

{My Review}

I really enjoyed The Here and Now by Ann Bradshaw. My very favorite part was the romance between Prenna and Ethan. Prenna lives a cloistered life, and she's suffocating inside and out. Her only relief comes from Ethan, who is everything a man should be. He's kind and gentle and determined and thoughtful. 

I found myself rooting so hard for this couple, wanting them to find a way to be together, to be safe. Every character in this book is so dimensional and realistic, even the villain(s). I totally understood why they did the things they did. I even felt sorry for them as they did terrible things, which takes real talent to pull off. 

The Here and Now is sweet and powerful and lovely. I definitely recommend you pick it up. 

{Review} The Furies by Mark Alpert

For centuries, the Furies have lived among us. Long ago they were called witches and massacred by the thousands. But they’re human just like us, except for a rare genetic mutation that they’ve hidden from the rest of the world for hundreds of years.

Now, a chance encounter with a beautiful woman named Ariel has led John Rogers into the middle of a secret war among the Furies. Ariel needs John’s help in the battle between a rebellious faction of the clan and their elders. The grand prize in this war is a chance to remake the human race.

For fans of Michael Crichton, Justin Cronin, and Stephen King, The Furies weaves cutting-edge science into an ingenious thriller, showing how a simple genetic twist could have inspired tales of witchcraft and sorcery, and how the paranormal could indeed be possible.

{Review} 

To start off with, this book is definitely not young adult. The themes as well as the content make this strictly an adult novel. But I couldn't resist another book about Witches (I wrote four of them myself) and I loved the cover. 

The Furies is well written and unique. I enjoyed the scientific explanation for why or how witches might actually have come about, and where their real power comes from--knowledge acquired over centuries and dozens of lifetimes (these witches, you see, are immortal). 

The plot progresses well, with all the right beats in the right places. If you enjoy Michael Crichton, you'll like this one as well. 

{Giveaway} 11 books for 99 pennies in time for Valentines Day

Take this chance to snag some awesome books by 11 Dauntless authors 

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Happy Valentines Day!

All books only .99 cents until Feb. 13th! Don't wait.

Confessions of a 16-Year-Old Virgin Lips by Cindy M. Hogan

Originally $3.99  Now only .99 cents

Because it really is all about the kiss!
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Winter Queen by Amber Argyle

Originally $4.99. Now only .99 cents

Becoming a winter queen will make Ilyenna as cold and cruel and deadly as winter itself, but it might be the only way to save her people from a war they have no hope of winning.
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#3. The Curse Girl by Kate Avery Ellison

Bee has to break the curse if she wants to escape her magical prison. And she's going to have to team up with the handsome and infuriating Will to do it.

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Tabitha thinks there's nothing worse than being forced to live on her grandparents' farm and attend public school. She's dead wrong.

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#5. Awakening: Book One of The Geis by Christy Dorrity 

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 Because some Celtic stories won't be contained in myth.
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#6. With a Kiss by Stephanie Fowers

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FREE book from Twisted Tales series. 

Halley Starr will do anything to get her heart back, even work with the dirty faery who stole it from her.

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#7. Immortal Essence boxed set by RaShelle Workman

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Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them. 

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#8. Eternal Echoes by Angela Corbett

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 Love can't protect her from her past.

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#9. The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

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The next murder Jayne witnesses might be her own.
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#11 Sun and Moon by Lee Strauss

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 "The difference between you and I, is like the sun and the moon."

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Enter to win here!

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Title help for Fairy Queens 1.5

I just sent out my short story (Fairy Queens 1.5) to my beta readers! Now I want input on the title (I love involving my fans). From the back cover (draft):

Arel is an acolyte destined to be the next High Priestess, but the Emperor of Idara has other plans for her. He needs a wife and heirs. She consents to marrying him on one condition: he rescues her family from a war torn province.

When the emperor refuses, Arel escapes and sets out to do the impossible: free her family and bring them to safety no matter the cost. What she doesn't yet know is that in escaping her marriage, she may have just sealed Idara’s destruction.

Title options:

1. Runaway Queen
  ~Really like this one. It has Queen in it like the other two titles, so it ties in nicely. I don't love that it's so close to The Runaway King by Jennifer Nielson (it feels like I'm stealing it or something-even though my son is the one who suggested it. So if anything, I stole it from him). But then the resonance is nice, cause our books share an audience.

The downside is that I have no idea what to call the other short story, which is about Ilyenna's mother and father.

2. Of Fire and Ash
  ~I'm writing another short story for the series (Winter Queen .5), which would be called Of Ice and Snow. Awesome tie in. Unless you guys like it better with the "Of" taken away. So it would be: Fire and Ash, Ice and Snow

I like the "Of" though.

So that was all kind of rambling. Sorry, it's late as I type this. The options are:
1. Runaway Queen
2. Of Fire and Ash
3. Fire and Ash
Also, what do you think of the description/blurb/cover copy?

And, go!

{Review} The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielson

Jennifer A. Nielsen takes readers on an extraordinary journey in this final installment of the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Ascendance Trilogy.

War is coming. . . . Join Jaron as he embarks on his final adventure!

{Review}

I was lucky enough to score an ARC from Netgalley. For those of you who have to wait until release day, all I have to say is nener nener nener. 

Just kidding. Mostly, I just feel bad for you. Because I've checked to see if this book is up for sale probably every month (I'm an author, that's like synonymous for scatterbrained). And I don't have to wait anymore. But you do. *hands over the tissues*

Really though, if you read and loved the first two books in the series, The Shadow Throne will not disappoint. Jaron stays true to himself and his clever, trickster nature. He's still loyal and kind to a fault. Always looking for the good in everyone. I love that about him. Love that his strength isn't in his muscles, but in his mind and his kindness. 

The romance was perfect. I can't say more without spoiling things for you, but I will say that the resolution couldn't have been better. 

If you haven't started the series yet, what are you waiting for? This is a must for fantasy lovers. And for those of you who don't like fantasy, you should especially give this one a chance. Jennifer Nielson's voice is very accessible. The story is about the characters and the plot, rather than heavy-handed world building. 

I can't wait until they make this into a movie!