Ally Broadfield Shares Just A Kiss

My guest is author Ally Broadfield, who stopped by to share some insights about her writing career with my readers. 

Nancy Lee: Welcome! Tell us about how you became a writer.

Ally: When I first started writing, I was a total pantser, and I made all the classic newbie mistakes. Though I had a black moment and a beginning, middle, and end, I started the story in the wrong place, there was too much backstory, and most of the scenes were full of fun, witty dialogue and very little conflict. I knew just enough to know my manuscript was a mess, but I didn’t know enough to fix it myself. So I took lots of online classes, read many craft books, and most importantly, keep writing. When I finally sold my first book and was able to submit future projects on proposal, I realized I had to start plotting.

Nancy Lee: I have always had an issue with plotting. What did you learn?

Ally: The first part of a story that comes to me is always the characters. As soon as they’ve taken shape in my mind, I start to think about conflict. I determine the internal and external goals, motivations, and conflicts for the hero and heroine, and make sure their goals are in conflict with one another.

Once those steps are complete, I use the information to help me complete a beat sheet based on the examples in Blake Snyder’s book, Save the Cat. This helps me determine the correct place to start the story, the inciting incident, turning points, and resolution. If you’re not familiar with it, Save the Cat is written in an entertaining, easy to understand style that makes the information easily accessible, even to those unfamiliar with screenwriting techniques. (For more information about beat sheets, see Pat Haggerty’s excellent post about Using Scrivener to Save the Cat)

Nancy Lee: I recently purchased the book First Draft in 30 Days by Karen S. Wiesner, and it has helped me get the character names, descriptions, and goals set in an outline of the story. Tell us more.

Ally: Once the beat sheet is complete, it’s easy to create a synopsis if needed for a submission package or pitch. I’ve also found that I write a lot faster after completing a beat sheet, but still have the freedom to make changes as I go.

Nancy Lee: What’s next for you?

Ally: I’m currently working on the first round of edits for a Regency-set romantic suspense that is the second book of a continuity series with four other authors. It will release in early 2015. I’m also writing the first draft of a Regency romance with a dash of mystery that will release this fall. After that I will be revising the first draft of a single title Regency that is the sequel to Just a Kiss and will tell Anna’s story. It should also be released in early 2015.

BOOK BLURB

Charlotte Lightwood has one season to find a husband or she’ll be forced to marry her guardian’s loathsome cousin. With no title or dowry, she doesn’t have much hope of making a good match. Sebastian Wilkinson, the Earl of Marley, has been the most eligible bachelor on the marriage mart for more years than he cares to count and is very aware of his duty to marry a woman who will add to the wealth and stature of his title. Sebastian makes Charlotte an offer she can’t refuse: he will pretend to court her to help her attract more suitors in exchange for her advice about which ladies he should pursue. As they work together, their mutual attraction grows. When they realize they just might be perfect for one another, they must decide whether to bow to the dictates of society or follow their hear

EXCERPT from Just A Kiss

“You should also consider Lady Hoskins. Though she appears quiet initially, you’ll discover she’s quite intelligent upon closer association. As the daughter of a duke, she exceeds your requirements.”

He seemed overly interested in the pattern of the parquet floor and didn’t answer immediately. “I’ll take your suggestion under consideration.”

Charlotte raised her eyebrows. “Have you spent any time with her this week?”

“I’m afraid she’s too…perfectish.”

She stopped and turned toward him. “Perfectish?”

He lowered his head and gazed into her eyes. “Yes, perfectish. It’s a clear indication that some horrible fault will come to the surface the moment you’ve irrevocably declared your intentions.”

She allowed one corner of her mouth to curve upward. “Well, then. I guess it’s a good thing I could never be considered perfectish.”

His eyes darkened as he leaned closer. “No, you are certainly not too perfectish.”

She struggled to catch her breath and turned away from his intense gaze. “Where are we?” They had been walking much longer than should have been necessary. Marley Hall was exceptionally large, but surely they should have reached the main stairwell by now.

“In the east wing.”

“I thought you were concerned about leaving the duke and duchess waiting. Have you lost your way in your own home?”

Sebastian shot her a sheepish smile. “They’re not actually waiting. I was the one impatient to get started, but now that you’re entertaining me, I feel no particular need to hurry.”

“Odious man,” Charlotte mumbled under her breath, turning away to hide her smile from him.

Nancy Lee: How can my readers buy your book?

Ally: Readers can go to the Entangled Publishing page for Just a Kiss to see all of the purchase options: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/just-a-kiss/

Ally Broadfield

More About the Author

Ally has worked as a horse trainer, director of marketing and development, freelance proofreader, and a children's librarian, among other things. None of them were as awesome as writing romance novels (though the librarian gig came closest). She lives in Texas and is convinced her house is shrinking, possibly because she shares it with three kids, five dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and assorted reptiles. Oh, and her husband. Ally likes to curse in Russian because very few people know what she's saying, and spends most of what would be her spare time letting dogs in and out of the house and shuttling kids around. She has many stories in her head looking for an opportunity to escape onto paper. She writes historical romance set in Regency England and Imperial Russia.

You can find more information 

about Ally Broadfield at:

Website     Twitter 

Facebook      Goodreads  

And check out her

BOOK TRAILER

Fiction Editing: How to Save Time Without Sacrificing Quality

By Nikolas Baron

There are Not Enough Hours in the Day

            We’ve all heard it before…there are not enough hours in the day. You feel as if your time is fleeting and there’s not enough time for you to complete your writing and editing in time for your publisher’s deadline. And what if you’re a self-publisher. You drive your own deadlines but at the same time you don’t

Nikolas Baron

want to be spinning your wheels. Whether you’re a self-publisher or working with professional editors and publishers, time is of the essence. So how do you save some of that time without sacrificing the quality of your work?

 Online Editing With Grammarly

            Thankfully, we have the resources of the Internet and all the online editing resources it can offer. While we try to cram as much work as possible into one day, we can be happy that there are helpful and reliable resources available. The only caveat is finding the resources that are truly what they say they are. I’ve wandered through many websites that claim they’re free or that they have the best proofreader. They have the most boards, the most synonyms, the most people talking about their website. But it’s one thing to claim all these things and cram social media inboxes with tweets and posts about your website; it’s another for the website to be useful to writers.

            One of the best resources I’ve found amongst all the Internet garbage is Grammarly. Grammarly offers a fast grammar check that finds errors Microsoft Word misses, a proofreading tool that adapts to your style, and an online help community second to none. I love that their website and tool is extremely comprehensive and covers every facet of writing I need help with. The grammar check makes sure my work is clean if I want to send a cover letter. I can be confident that my letter, manuscript, or short story is error-free because of the in-depth way Grammarly proofreads material.

            Grammarly learned my style and helped me correct my most common errors. That’s one of the most frustrating things for me when it comes to writing: making the same errors over and over again. Everyone has certain ticks when they write but we all have to overcome them to make publishable material. Grammarly constantly makes me aware of my most common errors and teaches me how to fix them and avoid them in the future; therefore, saving me time.

 Especially when you’re trying to save time editing, going over the same errors a million times can waste hours you would have spent improving your work. With Grammarly, you don’t have to worry about wasted hours because they teach you to avoid errors that cost you extra time.

 Quality Over Quantity

            Grammarly’s quality outweighs many other writing help sources that provide similar services. There may be websites that claim they offer more way more help options than a site like Grammarly, but are they devoting equal time to all the things they offer? Or are they just trying to boost their resume? Do they really care about helping the user become a better writer and editor? Or are they more concerned with money, SEO, and grabbing more visitors?

            Grammarly is able to save you more time by providing you with quality services. They don’t waste your time with ads and more “helpful tools” than you could ever use. An excellent proofreading/grammar check tool, teaching resources, context-optimized synonym generator, an adaptive style tool, and extensive help/question and answer boards make Grammarly a truly outstanding tool. By allowing you to clean up things quickly and accurately, Grammarly makes editing easier and saves you time.

---------------------------------------

*A little bit about the author:

Nikolas discovered his love for the written word in Elementary School, where he started spending his afternoons sprawled across the living room floor devouring one Marc Brown children’s novel after the other and writing short stories about daring pirate adventures. After acquiring some experience in various marketing, business development, and hiring roles at internet startups in a few different countries, he decided to re-unite his professional life with his childhood passions by joining Grammarly’s marketing team in San Francisco. He has the pleasure of being tasked with talking to writers, bloggers, teachers, and others about how they use Grammarly’s online proofreading application to improve their writing. His free time is spent biking, traveling, and reading.

You can find more information 

about Grammarly at

Website     Blog    

           Twitter    Facebook            

Go sailing with ‘Sea Panther’ by Dawn Marie Hamilton

I am happy to announce that fellow author, Dawn Marie Hamilton, has released a book I was able to read in its infancy. We were members of a critique group, and we enjoyed the opportunity to read other authors' ideas. To see Sea Panther published, is great!

Thanks, Nancy, for having me as a guest today.

Inspiration comes to writers in unexpected ways. We must always be open to the stimulus around us. The musings for Sea Panther began while I was sailboat shopping with my husband.

What does sailing have to do with a Scottish inspired paranormal romance?

Kimberly, the heroine in Sea Panther, swore never to sail again, feeling responsible for her father’s death in a sailing accident. But after losing everything, and learning she might be pursued by a hit man, she answers a crew wanted ad placed by the captain of Sea Panther, a ninety foot yacht sailing south to Florida and the Caribbean.

What she doesn’t know is that the sexy Scottish captain, who she can’t help being attracted to, is a cursed, three-hundred year old vampire that shifts into a Florida panther.

The adventure takes Kimberly and Robert to many port-of-calls while sparks of desire fly between them. From Cape May to Chesapeake City to Annapolis to New Bern to Charleston to Florida. Kimberly desperate to escape a hit man. Robert desperate to find a cure for the curse. Both desperately falling in love. Then they set sail for a trip into the Bermuda Triangle and through time to Jamaica 1715, where they face Robert’s past—pirates and a voodoo priestess—before finding their happily-ever-after.

It was such a blast doing the research for the sailing portions of the book, which paralleled my husband’s quest to find a sailboat. Going to boat shows was great fun, especially the sailboat show in Annapolis.

I used this sailboat layout as the plan for the black-hulled Sea Panther. Night Thrill, the second, smaller sailboat in the story came from memory, from the many boats we looked at during boat shows. And the descriptions of the boats in 1715 came mostly from my imagination and the memory of restored historical boats I’ve toured over the years.

Have you found inspiration in an unexpected way? Do you have a favorite sailing romance? Leave a comment on this post for a chance at a gift e-copy of Sea Panther. Please leave an email addy so I can contact you if your name should be pulled from the sailor’s hat.

Nancy asked me to reveal three things you might not know about me…

1.       I wanted to be a ballerina, but ended up in a corporate career instead.

2.       I’ve traveled to every state in the US except Alaska and Hawaii.

3.       I’m not sure how I’ll handle sailing—will I get seasick?--when my husband finally finds his dream boat.

Blurb for Sea Panther:

Can love mend a fractured soul?

After evading arrest for Jacobite activities, Scottish nobleman Robert MacLachlan turns privateer. A Caribbean Voodoo priestess curses him to an eternal existence as a vampire shifter torn between the dual natures of a Florida panther and an immortal blood-thirsting man. For centuries, he seeks to reverse the black magic whilst maintaining his honor. Cruising the twenty-first century Atlantic, he becomes shorthanded to sail his 90-foot yacht, Sea Panther. The last thing he wants is a female crewmember and the call of her blood.

Although she swore never to sail again after her father died in a sailing accident, Kimberly Scot answers the captain's crew wanted ad to escape a hit man. She's lost everything, her fiancé, her job, and most of her money, along with money belonging to her ex-clients. A taste of Kimberly's blood convinces Robert she is the one woman who can claim the panther's heart. To break the curse, they travel back in time to where it all began—Jamaica 1715.

Excerpt from Sea Panther:

Her eyes glimmered with recognition, and she smiled. “Captain MacLachlan?”

“Aye.” Robert waved toward a chair. “Sit.”

He clenched his jaw. Was it his voice that sounded so gruff? Just as well, he didn’t want to give encouragement.

She dropped into the chair. A perplexed expression played on perfect features.

“What is your name?” he asked.

“I…I’m sorry.” She jumped up and reached out a hand. “Kimberly Scot.”

“Robert MacLachlan, Captain of Sea Panther.”

He hesitated before shaking her hand. Would her touch produce the same effect as on their last meeting? He tightened control on the vampire and the panther, and grasped the slender hand.

Zap.

Her eyes widened.

He yanked his arm away and extinguished the unwanted flame of lust. This woman meant trouble.

“Sit,” he barked.

Though her hands trembled, she did as directed.

He trembled too. Needing time to rein in the chaotic emotions, he poured wine into two goblets from the bottle on the wet bar. He handed her one, careful not to make physical contact again. “I own this establishment. The wine is excellent.”

“Thank you,” she said and accepted the glass.

He grunted. God, he was being rude.

He paced a few feet away. Far enough not to reach for her. The lingering sensation from their brief handshake made him edgy. The pulse at her neck called to the vampire. The panther, demanding his mate, fought against bonds to which Robert tethered the animal. Robert forced control. “You want to crew on Sea Panther?”

Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. Was she afraid?

Aye. He smelled trepidation. Although it was best she fear him, the thought didn’t sit well. A strong need to protect his mate blasted his frontal lobe. Damn panther.

She held his stare. Finally, she answered, “Yes.”

“Why do you want to crew for me?”

Sea Panther is available at:

Amazon – Amazon UK – Barnes & Noble – Apple

Although I love writing about vampire shifters, I also enjoy writing about time traveling Highlanders and mischievous faeries. I’m currently working on Book 3 in the Highland Gardens series, Just Wait for Me. Look for it this fall.

More About the Author:

Dawn Marie Hamilton dares you to dream. She is a 2013 RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist who pens Scottish-inspired fantasy and paranormal romance. Some of her tales are rife with mischief-making faeries, brownies, and other fae creatures. More tormented souls—shape shifters, vampires, and maybe a zombie or two—stalk across the pages of other stories. She is a member of The Golden Network, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal, Celtic Hearts, and From the Heart chapters of RWA. When not writing, she’s cooking, gardening, or paddling the local creeks of Southern Maryland with her husband.

You can find more information about Dawn Marie and Sea Panther at:

Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads

7 Fun Ways to Put the 'Magic' Back in Writing

by Adrienne deWolfe

Bestselling Author

Please welcome my guest, Adrienne deWolfe, who I have asked to share some tips for making YOU a better writer. Welcome, Adrienne!

When I’m connected with my Writing Muse, all is “write” with the world.  My characters surprise me; cliff hangers magically appear; and sassy one-liners occur in the dialogue.

If you would like to experience the same creative Nirvana, I encourage you to try the exercises below. 

Important:  Don’t wait until writer’s block sets in or the Grim Reaper of Deadlines is stalking you.  Experiment with these creative ideas on a good writing day.  Who knows?   Having a little fun just might inspire you to write better than ever!

#1. Tired of losing the staring match with your cursor?  (Oh, yeah.)  Pack up your Writing Muse and take her on an official play date.  Go to Paint Ball.  Or a museum.  Or a treehouse (my personal favorite.)  Dress like a Storm Trooper.  Act like a 7-year-old.  Give yourself permission to color outside the lines.  (Note to First-Time Paint Ballers:  Drop by the pharmacy on the way home.  Buy a tube of Ben Gay.)

#2. Lonely for conversation?  (From real people?)  Visit a busy restaurant at lunch time. Take your critique partner with you. Speak about your characters as if they’re business acquaintances. Brainstorm how to kill one off.  Do this REALLY LOUD.  Enjoy the horrified stares!

#3. Liberate your subconscious! Wash the dishes. Weed the garden. Vacuum the air ducts.  The point is to distract your conscious mind from your problem by engaging in some menial task.  I cannot tell you how many times a brilliant idea has popped into my mind while I’m scraping fried eggs from the bottom of a skillet!
#4. Buy a hoola hoop.  (Betcha know where this one’s going, huh?)  Okay, so you’re lousy at hula.  Do jumping jacks instead.  They’re free.  I promise you, the shot of joy-juice (endorphins) that you get from aerobic activity will do wonders for your creativity.  (Extra Perk:   you’ll work off the sugar from the caffeinated beverages that you’ve been guzzling – so you can guzzle even MORE!)
#5. Try a different POV to solve your writing dilemma. Write as the banana on the kitchen counter. Transport your mind into a three-year-old child’s. What’s it like to stare at the knees of your heroine all day?  Pick a favorite fictional character. How would Scooby Doo save the day?  Rhett Butler?  Bella Swann? (By the way, if these cheesy POV exercises lead you to write the next bestselling vampire novel, be sure to cut me in on the royalties.)
#6. Ever hear the saying, “Books aren’t written, they’re re-written?” (Yeah. That advice used to annoy me, too.) The next time you’re faced with a re-write and your Inner Child is pitching a fit, give in to the tantrum. Throw Nerf balls at the wall. Jump in the swimming pool and yell under water. Torch the objectionable critique in a appropriately fire-safe container. (It’s truly gratifying to watch bad reviews burn – uh, so I’ve been told.) Now that your brain’s clear, go write something!
#7. Still stumped?  Dear me.  (Ever consider a brain transplant?)  For those of you who’ve reached Def Con 5 (translation: a chocolate fondue, a bottle of wine, and a full-body massage couldn’t wrangle one measly word out of you), try some positive reinforcement. Every time you do finish a scene, stuff a $1.00 bill inside a mason jar.  If you’re independently wealthy, stuff $10 inside the jar. By the time your manuscript is finished, you’ll have a sizable nest egg. Use that money to reward yourself. (Or send it to me. Your choice. )

What’s Next for Adrienne:

Look for DEVIL IN TEXAS (Book 4, Velvet Lies) the eagerly awaited sequel to SEDUCED BY AN ANGEL. (Read an excerpt from DEVIL here: http:// ebookdiscovery.com/adriennedewolfe.html ) Available Summer 2014 from ePublishing Works.

Adrienne is donating a portion of royalties from each book in her award-winning Velvet Lies series of Western Historical Romances to urban tree-planting efforts! Learn more about this exciting project at http://writingnovelsthatsell.com/best-selling-romance-author-donates-royalties-to-urban-reforestation/

SEDUCED BY AN ANGEL

Book 3, Velvet Lies

By Adrienne deWolfe

Book Description

Kentucky belle Seraphina Jones craves a dashing stranger worth kissing. When she spies her handsome, half-naked hired hand at the riverbank, she thinks her dreams of romance have come true. But this Texican is wanted for murder.

Jesse Quaid can't let Sera's sweet kisses distract him from rendezvousing with Cass, a childhood friend, to clear his name of a crime that he didn't commit. But then a case of mistaken identity turns Cass into Jesse's deadliest rival for Sera's heart. Now, Sera must find a way to end the feud before the man she loves is lost forever.

Excerpt:
    "Can I have my pants back?" A wicked dimple flirted with his lips.
    "Maybe." She narrowed her eyes at his bawdy show of humor. "Are you going to pack them in your bedroll and ride?"
    "Now that's an interesting question, coming from a maid."
    "That is not what I meant!"
    "Isn't it?" Those strong white teeth flashed in a feline smile. "It seems to me a young, unmarried woman shouldn't be visiting her hired hand's digs in the middle of the night. Unless, of course, she has a certain kind of pleasure-riding on her mind."
    Sera's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe Jesse would think such a thing about her!
    Well, okay. Maybe she had imagined kissing him with a reckless abandon. And maybe she'd imagined stripping off his shirt to feast her eyes on his rock-ribbed planes. But was that such a crime? Imagining?
    "Why are you being so contrary?" she demanded. "I thought we were friends."
    "So did I. Until I came in here tonight and caught you spying on me."
    She caught her breath. "Jesse, I swear. That is not what I—"
    With a speed reminiscent of his quick-draw, he ripped the denim from her hands and caught her wrists. She shivered a little when she recognized the hunger in his jungle-cat stare.
    "Jesse, please don’t be angry with me—"
    "I’m not angry with you, Sera. I want to do forbidden things to you. I want to do scandalous, bawdy things that will make you pant and gasp and shake with the sheer, wild pleasure of my kiss . . . "

Find Adrienne’s Books
·       Velvet Lies Series

http://ebookdiscovery.com.p8.hostingprod.com/AdrienneDeWolfe.html

·       Wild Texas Nights Series
http://ebookdiscovery.com.p8.hostingprod.com/AdrienneDeWolfe.html

·       The Secrets to Getting Your Romance Novel Published
http://writingnovelsthatsell.com/the-secrets-to-getting-your-romance-published/

About Adrienne deWolfe

Adrienne is a #1 Bestselling Author and the recipient of 48 writing awards, including the Best Historical Romance of the Year. She consistently delights readers with sexy, action-packed, western-style romances, including her Wild Texas Nights series and her Velvet Lies series. In addition, she is the author of the bestselling non-fiction ebook series, The Secrets to Getting Your Romance Novel Published.

Fascinated by all things mystical, Adrienne writes a blog about dragons, magic, and the paranormal at http://MagicMayhemBlog.com to help her research her upcoming Paranormal Romance series. She also writes a weekly blog with writing tips and advice about the business of writing at http://WritingNovelsThatSell.com. Both websites support Romance authors by hosting book tours.

A fiction-writing instructor who has taught at the college level, Adrienne enjoys mentoring aspiring authors and helping published authors advance their careers. With more than 20 years of award-winning public relations campaigns to her credit, she offers book marketing services as well as professional story critiques and private mentorship.

Follow Adrienne deWolfe

Facebook (Writing Novels ThatSell)

Good Reads

Google Plus (WritingNovels That Sell)

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Twitter (Fantasy Fiction of AdriennedeWolfe)

Twitter (Novel Writing Tips)

Nancy Lee Badger Presents John Reinhard Dizon and The Role of Gender

Author John Reinhard Dizon

2014 brings some changes to my blog, and I am happy to start the year off with an article by author John Reinhard Dizon. John stopped by to discuss the role of gender. Learn more about how his used this subject in his latest release, The Bat.

The role of gender in The Bat is highly significant as we consider the impact of female protagonist Brenda Hammond on the narrative. The tone of discontent is prevalent throughout as Brenda realizes she is being exploited by Chief Joel Madden in the exchange of information as an undercover operative for the detective badge she desires. Her romantic involvement with Johnny Sullivan, a member of the group of interest, is being leveraged by Madden to his own benefit in trying to win Brenda’s affections. She is also stressed by having to compromise Richard Garrison and Dr. Coulter, conflicted by having to betray their personal trust in pursuing her professional objectives. She compares her situation with others in her department and realizes she is being exploited as a female rather than being able to rely on sheer ability to succeed in the investigation.

Holly Westlake rejects the gender norms in her act of suicide caused by the abusive relationships she has endured. Her deceased husband gave her a life of uncertainty and risk as a professional gambler, and after his murder she existed under the threat of blackmail as the Mob pressured her for her husband’s ‘black book’. In turning to Dr. Coulter, she finds a lover and a therapist who betrays her by using his experimental DMX-1313 drug on her. The omniscient narrative implies that Holly killed herself out of desperation. Yet scholars might consider the possibility that Holly may have sacrificed her life to have placed the ‘smoking gun’ in the untouchable Doctor’s hand. 

 

We find Darla Mc Carthy reaffirming the gender norm as the stabilizing female character in the novel. She takes the initiative in kindling a relationship with Richard Garrison, then recedes as he reestablishes contact with his own emotions. Unlike Tommy O’Hara’s girlfriend Jill Masterson, she succeeds in breaking down Richard’s walls while strengthening both their relationship and his own overall self-perception. She leads Brenda and Jill by example in improving their own relationships without being didactic or self-righteous. Darla becomes a ‘mother earth’ figure of serenity as opposed to Brenda being a damsel in distress and Holly having opted out rather than seeking resolution to her struggles.

The Bat continues in the tradition of John Reinhard Dizon’s works in discussing the role of gender in society and literature, examining the cause and effect of cultural projections on women and how personality, psychological outlook and overall character determines social outcomes. The ‘second class citizen’ viewpoint is not only questioned but rejected in this essential viewpoint on female perspectives.

What’s next for you?

Nightcrawler is another action/adventure novel with a strong female protagonist who may appear as an anti-heroine forced into a situation beyond her control. It’s being released by Black Rose Writing this month, and we hope it is going to be another essential contribution to the women’s fiction genre.

BOOK BLURB

The Bat (An Existential Fable) is an action-adventure novel centered on the not-too-distant future in NYC as the Big Apple becomes the beacon of the world in the throes of the Great Recession. Existentialism becomes a philosophical alternative to religion in a city that has lost hope in the future. Crime is rampant as narcotic use has reached epidemic proportions, and vigilantes began to capture the imagination of the world press as they take a stand in the War On Gangs.

Excerpt from The Bat

She tried to struggle but it was as if the blow to her neck had drained all the strength from her body. They carried her into the tunnel, into the darkness, then dropped her upon what seemed to be a padded surface. She could hear a knife being flicked open, and felt a hand grab her by the front of her shirt and lift her off the ground.

“I think you guys are in for a big disappointment,” she heard a booming voice at the entrance of the tunnel behind them. “This is not going to be worth it.”

They looked up in amazement at a dark silhouette blocking the lamplight outside the tunnel. They saw what looked like a man in a hat and long coat, hands in pockets. They looked past him and saw no one else. They determined that he had no visible means of escape, and could not be carrying much more than a handgun. They knew Julio was carrying a .22, and could exchange fire with the intruder long enough for them to retreat if necessary. Julio and two others moved towards the right, while the other three Raiders moved to the left.

Julio had no choice but to empty his clip of .22 rounds at the man. The new anti-gun laws in NYC provided for a mandatory ten years in prison, but Julio saw no other option. The man staggered but did not drop, suddenly surging forward and tacking Julio to the muddy ground. She recalled a vicious scuffle followed by deathly silence.

“This should teach you a lesson,” she would The Bat’s voice as a sexy growl in her nightmares. “This park isn’t safe for anyone.”

She tried to call out to him but the cumulative shock swept her into unconsciousness. 

How can my readers

buy your book?

Check out John Reinhard Dizon’s

Amazon Author Page  

A little bit about the author

John Reinhard Dizon was born and raised in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn, NY. He participated in local and high school sports at Bishop Loughlin MHS. He was a key figure on the Brooklyn rock scene during the Punk Revolution of the 70's. Relocating to San Antonio TX in the 80's, he moonlighted as a pro wrestler while pursuing a BA at UTSA and degrees in Korean martial arts during the 90's. He currently lives in KC MO where he is studying for his MA in English at UMKC.

You can find more information about John Reinhard Dizon and my book, The Bat (An Existential Fable) by visiting:

WEBSITE    BLOG    TWITTER

FACEBOOK    GOODREADS