NIGHT SHIFT will be a featured story on wattpad starting October 4! You can read it for FREE here. The bursting excitement has me all giddy and bubbly headed. Yes, I just made up the phrase 'bubbly headed.'
Here's my conundrum though, I have ten awesome cover designs by wattpad readers, but I'm not sure which one to use. And this is where YOU enter stage right and cast your vote, thereby using your power to help one cover rise above the rest—one cover will rule them all.
Let me know which one would make you stop, reach out and snatch it off the shelf—or in this case, click the mouse and start to read.
If you need some inspiration check out the book trailer below or the Pinterest Board.
Now scroll down to experience all the lovely. I'm amazed at all the different images for the same story.
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All right, now comes the big responsible part. Just leave your vote in the comment section. And thanks for playing.
Or better title, "Blood Magic; The Most Convenient Magic of all"
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The show starts with Emma giving birth to Henry while the security guard from the prison looks on. She refuses to hold the baby, and tearfully says she's not fit to be his Mother.
We flash forward to present day as Hook, aka Captain Sexy Eyes (CSE), steers the gang toward Neverland.
Henry lands on a darkened beach with Naomi and Greg. They break it to Henry that they're not in the Enchanted Forest, but in Neverland “The Mother-load of Magic,” according to Naomi.
CSE points out to Regina how ironic it is that he's wasted most his life trying to leave Neverland to find Rumpelstiltskin, and now he's got him on board.
Emma is bitter towards Mary Margaret and David. She says choosing to be good has never worked out for them. She decides being hopeful sucks and that her parents are useless.
Mr. Gold breaks up the meeting and determines he's the one that can save Henry. He calls Emma out, saying she's still a non-believer.
He says, 'Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild, and unfortunately yours doesn't.' Then he disappears!
Greg and Naomi make a camp fire, hoping to connect with their evil counterparts. Out of the woods, the Lost Boys arrive and drop the bomb shell that they tricked Greg and Naomi. Their only mission is to collect Henry.
While a freaky shadow thing rips out Greg's soul and Naomi is skewered, Henry takes off into the jungle. He's rescued by a young kid with big ears.
Back on the ship, Emma does chin ups in anticipation of some kick ass action to come. CSE gives her Baelfire's old sword. They throw back a few shooters, drinking to Neil.
In the Enchanted Forest, Neil wakes up surrounded by Mulan, Aurora and Prince Phillip.
So... I guess they found Phillip.
Aurora excitedly tells Neil that she knows Henry since they spent some time in the sleepy room of flames together. She's convinced she can contact him again with a message that Neil is alive and that he loves Emma.
The pirate ship comes under attack.
What is it? A whale? A krachan?
Nope. Angry mermaids. There's a lot of canons fired, then Regina gets bored and tosses a couple fire balls into the water. Emma manages to catch one and they bring it aboard.
FYI, mermaids in Neverland wear a lot of eye make-up and bejeweled bikini tops.
Henry and the mysterious boy with big ears take a rest. He shows Henry a vial of pixie dust, but claims it's useless. Then they talk about how creepy Pan is...you know about the stealing boys out of their beds issue.
Dear ABC,
J.M. Barrie is rolling in his grave.
Neil and Mulan converse about his bizarre childhood and upbringing. Aurora wakes from her sleep and determines she cannot make contact.
I'm shocked that she's useless...just like every other episode.
Neil puts on a sad face. Then he remembers his dad was so magical, he must have left something behind in his castle. Maybe that could help them?
Off to Rumpelstiltskin's castle!
Speaking of...Mr. Gold finds Naomi pulling herself along the ground with an arrow sticking out of her back. I know he's still Mr. Gold and NOT Rumpelstiltskin because his hair is straight and there's not a speck of gold glitter.
He magically heals Naomi and asks her about Henry. She tells him Henry took off into the woods. She apologizes profusely and asks for his forgiveness. Instead, he rips out her heart and crushes it like a bag of potato chips.
Mulan and Neil travel to Rumpelstiltskin's castle. He confesses his fear of not having Emma love him back prevented him from telling her he loved her.
What? *scratches head*
The mermaid blows her conch shell and creates a storm. The others argue how to interrogate her; Mary Margaret wants to strike a deal, while Regina wants to kill her. Instead, Regina turns the mermaid into a statue. Suddenly a huge wave engulfs the entire ship.
Dummy. Everyone knows you never, NEVER turn a mermaid into stone.
In Rumpelstiltskin's castle Neil and Mulan search for some kind of magical solution to their problem.
Wait, that's every episode.
Robin Hood shows up and threatens them with his arrows, claiming that the castle is now his.
Does anyone see that this Robin Hood is completely different looking than the Robin Hood from last season?
Neil says he doesn't want the castle, only that one magical thing. Robin Hood tells Neil that Rumpelstiltskin actually spared his life.
Soon magical music starts...Neil finds his father's walking stick and a mysterious cabinet is revealed. Neil recognizes the blood magic.
Oh, okay. Blood magic. That's convenient.
Regina and Mary Margaret manage to have a fist fight on the ship. CSE and David decide to join them. Meanwhile, Emma tries to steer them through the storm. Since no one is listening to her, she dives overboard.
That, Emma. It's always about her desperate need for attention.
Henry and the kid with big ears are cornered by the Lost Boys. Henry grabs the vial of pixie dust and gives a lovely speech about how you have to believe in order for it to truly work. He takes the kid's hand and they jump off the cliff...and what do you know, they can fly. They can fly. They can fllllyyyy.
David ties a rope around his waist. He jumps in the angry waters after Emma and brings her to the surface. With the others helping, she's brought on board. She spits up some water and suddenly the storm stops.
Oh my gosh. It's like they had to work together to stop the storm...just like magic.
Mr. Gold finds the head Lost Boy, and says he's in Neverland for Henry. The Lost Boy gloats, promising a battle that will end Mr. Gold's life. Then he slaps down a present from Pan, a crude doll made from corn husks. Mr. Gold starts to cry.
Neil searches the hidden cabinet. He finds a snow globe and concentrates on how much he loves Emma. There is a vision and Neil sees that Emma is in Neverland.
She and the others have made it to the dark beach—except the mermaid, I don't know what happened to her.
Emma reminds them all that this island is build on belief, and now is the time for them to all believe...not in magic (even blood magic), but to believe in each other.
I think Sesame Street called that cooperation.
Henry and the kid make it to safe ground. Then the boy reveals that he's Peter Pan. He's been on a mission to find the heart of the truest believer. And now Henry and his heart belong to Pan.
And now it's time for a musical request. This one goes out to Henry from Storybroke, the truest believer and youngest member of the most dysfunctional family.
I admit, I was a bit sore with the writers/producers/directors/key grip guy/make-up artists/coffee gofer and basically anyone else who had anything to do with the last episode of Season 2, "Straight On Until Midnight."
However, after a long summer of the Bachelorette Season 9, I'm ready to return to Storybrooke. And most importantly, Hook or Captain Sexy Eyes as I like to refer to him...(CSE) for short.
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The first episode of the third season will be two hours and I'm guessing there will be plenty of back flash footage we've already seen—which is perfectly acceptable if it involves seeing this dude again. The Sheriff of my dreams. *sigh*
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Okay, here's a sneak peek at all the evil fun and inconsistent magical times we're about to be dumped into.
#1. The hot new guy in your chemistry class ignores your brilliant charisma and instead zeroes in on the shy girl with mousy brown hair who never wears make up and has no personality.
#2. Everyone's parents are either working late, running out the door to work, or too tired from work to notice that the new neighbor may or may not be a werewolf.
#3. Your best friend has been the same guy since grade one, even though no one ever stays best friends that long. Plus, you've secretly developed a crush on him.
#4. The most gorgeous girl in school is also the meanest.
#5. Your best friend from #3 starts to date the girl from #4. You're upset, but not enough to tell him the truth because that would make NO SENSE AT ALL. Instead, you plan an elaborate ruse to win him over that blows up in your face the night of the big dance.
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#6. Yourother best friend is a fashion diva and likes 80's music.
#7. When a dark and mysterious dude moves to town you start developing super powers.
#8. The brooding delinquent is misunderstood by everyone...except you.
#9. All it takes to make you over into a super model is a pair of contacts and a hair straightener.
BONUS!!!! Every cute guy has amazing abs and green eyes, however statistically suspicious it may be.
I have those moments when I finish an amazing book and think, "Oh my God, I will never write this well." And a dark cloud of funk hangs over me, raining doubt.
Does that sound familiar?
It's natural that we slip into those melancholy batches, but generally as a whole, I think writers are an inherently hopeful people.
Here's why:
1. When you start a book, you're hopeful that you will finish.
2. When you finish the book, you're hopeful that it will be published.
3. When you publish the book, you're hopeful that people will buy it.
4. When people buy your book, you're hopeful they will read it.
5. When people read your book, you're hopeful they will understand it.
6. And when they understand your book, you're hopeful they will love it.
And unbeknownst to you, that person is probably saying, "Oh my God, I will never write this well."
So stop doubting yourself and let your hopeful nature shine.
Last week on youtube a video was uploaded showing students at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, celebrating FROSH week by singing a chant getting all the new kiddos super excited for their first University party!!
This is how it goes...
Y stands for your sister.
O is for oh so tight.
U stands for underage.
N stands for no consent.
G stands for grab that ass.
At first I rolled my eyes and muttered, "Guys are pigs." Then I saw that girls at the event were singing it as well.
Wait? What!?
How is that possible? How could you stand there clapping and smiling while the guys around you are getting riled up by singing a song bragging about statutory rape?
I wasn't mad. And I should have been. We ALL should've been.
'It's only a song', some people commented when interviewed,' they (the students) weren't actually condoning rape.'
I disagree.
It's not so much about women's rights or feminism, it's about basic human decency—something that needs to be taught and demonstrated everyday, especially at the University level (apparently).
It's the small, benign moments we let pass that lead to a comfort level with this kind of abuse that make the public immune. When you compromise once, the second time is easier, and the fine, seemingly insignificant details you ignored earlier, will soon turn into the large problem.
And this chant is now a large problem for the public relations department at Saint Mary's.
But I have the solution. And it's quite simple, really. Treat people with kindness. Show others around you what is acceptable, and stand up when you witness otherwise.
I feel for the students, professors, and staff who work hard to make Saint Mary's University an institution that excels in preparing young people to be contributors to society. Everyone is sharing the shame of a few, but I'm glad someone finally made this ugly chant public.
We'll only have the opportunity to improve when we are uncomfortable enough to make a change.
And in one last note, Saint Mary's isn't the only University on the hot seat this week, just yesterday the national news reported the University of British Columbia has been using a similar chant.
It's time to put the pom poms away, stop with the Y.O.U.N.G, and concentrate on our 'P's and 'Q's instead.
We are so excited to release the cover of Rebekah Crane’s next YA contemporary novel, ASPEN, today! Dance break!
Now that that’s out of the way. We present… ASPEN!
One quiet night in Boulder, Colorado, Aspen Yellow-Sunrise Taylor made a mistake.
In the next instant, her life changed forever.
Aspen doesn't want to remember when Katelyn Ryan, a sleek-haired popular soccer player, crossed the yellow line in her car and smashed into Aspen's. But forgetting is pretty hard- because Katelyn may have died - but she didn't leave. Her ghost is following Aspen around, and heading into senior year, it's kind of a problem. Especially when Katelyn's gorgeous former boyfriend Ben appears to be the only person at school with a clue as to how Aspen feels.
Popularity, college, Homecoming Court, hot guys - none of these things ever mattered to Aspen. She's been busy trying to rein in her giant mass of blonde curls, keep her stoner mother Ninny away from Toaster, her mom's awful bongo drumming boyfriend, and prevent her best friends Kim and Cass from killing - or kissing - one another. But with Ben sitting next to her in Physics looking all too gorgeous, Katelyn's spirit dogging her steps, and her obsessive snow-globe collecting therapist begging her to remember all the things she wants to forget, Aspen is thrust into a vivid, challenging world she can't control … and doesn't want to.
A darkly funny, emotionally gripping story of opening up, letting go, and moving on, ASPEN is about the best-worst accident of your life ... and what comes next.
Rebekah Crane fell in love with YA literature while studying Secondary English Education at Ohio University, but it wasn't until ten years and two daughters later that she started to write it.
Inspired by her past students, growing up in Cleveland with its fabulous musical theater community, and music of all kinds (particularly the Avett Brothers), she created
PLAYING NICE. Is her first published novel, but having an unbridled imagination, it's not the only fantasy world she's lived in (just ask her husband).
ASPEN, her second YA creation, is set to release in January 2014. She now lives in Colorado, where the altitude only enhances the experience.
