Youtube video of me talking about flashbacks

Just remember, there are no rules in fiction, only guidelines. You can break any rule you want as long as you do it well. Also, I'm a very silly person. This will be apparent if you watch the video (bet you wish you could go to one of my live classes now, don't ya?). 

LOTR and the Dwarves in the barrel question

So the question is: can you really put a dwarve in a barrel and float them down the river? 

I see numerous problems with this. First, the seal on the barrel has already been broken, so I'm not sure how watertight they would be without resealing them with some kind of sealant. Sure they can float down the river empty, but putting a person in there would weigh them down much more. 

Second: Why didn't the Dwarves push the lids open? I can't imagine the lid would be that hard to remove by simply kicking out with both feet. 

Thoughts? Any coopers (barrel makers) out there with more knowledge than me?

*update: I found this interesting article . 

Witch Fall Cover Reveal

All things fall. 

Even Witches. 

Supreme in their dominion over seasons, storms, and sea, the Witches have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind. And among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the Witches.

Lilette is one of the few who see the decadence and decay weakening the Witches. As an outsider amid her own kind, can she help them survive the coming war?

Didn't Laura Sava do an AMAZING job? She's such a joy to work with and super fast. LOVE her. To see more of her work, click here. 

So what do you guys think!?! I'm dying to hear your thoughts on the cover and the back cover blurb. *jumps up and down in excitement*

Witch Fall Cover Teaser

Isn't that the coolest stone dragon you've ever seen? I love the gold and turquoise --you can't see it, but there's a lot of rich red as well. In case you couldn't tell, this is all underwater. I'm dying to show you the whole cover! Hopefully tomorrow, if I can get the cover copy finished by then. Those on my email list will see the final version first, so make sure you subscribe 

(on the right -->).

 Here's what I have so far. Let me know what you think! 

All things fall. 
Even Witches.
Supreme over season, storm and sea, they have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind—and among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the Witches themselves.

Few see the signs. Lilette is one. An outsider among her own kind, can she delay her people's annihilation long enough for them to see the danger and survive?

{Review} The Bane (Keary Taylor)

Goodreads: Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter.  It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world.  Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold.  The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born.  The Bane won't stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction.

Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name.  But she doesn't need memories to know this world is her reality.  This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time.

Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love.  There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets.  And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind.

The Bane is The Terminator meets The Walking Dead with a heart-twisting romance.

{My Review} 

I really enjoyed The Bane. It was full of action, suspense, and romance. Taylor's take on zombies taken over not by a virus, but by cybernetics, was a fresh twist that I enjoyed. 

The heroine is tough and dedicated--she's easy to root for, even though her failure to make a decision on which guy she wanted grew a little tiresome for me. 

*spoiler alert* The story kinda reminded me of Battlestar Galactica, when one of the Cylons (a Sharon model) falls in love with a human and fights alongside them. The episodes where the humans are fighting on planets totally gave me flashbacks. 

In The Bane, Eve doesn't know she's part Bane until close to the end, and she falls in love with a full human. Without her help, the humans don't stand much of a chance against the Bane. 

All in all, The Bane is a great bargain, at only $3.99, and I will be reading the sequel.