Finding My Heart by Queen of Spades

Hello wonderful readers! I am very happy that Author Y. Correa has allowed me to be here to discuss my newest short story offering "Finding My Heart".

Blurb:

Leopold Hawkins Threadbare is revered for his scientific genius, which has blessed him with great fortune. When the lovely Katarina is less than impressed, their disagreement spirals him into unexpected circumstances. Time is of the essence. The treasure is Leopold’s heart. The reward is his life. Discover if Leopold achieves success in Finding My Heart.

Excerpt:

“Leopold Hawkins Threadbare, in matters of the heart, you are one of the most obtuse human beings on the planet!”

Flabbergasted at her statement, I shouted. “Rina, why so salty? I thanked you for being there for me. What else do you want?”

The porter pointed at the watch, signaling the last call for passengers.

Katarina sighed. “I pray it won’t be too late by the time you figure out the answer.”

She kissed me on my right cheek. “This is farewell Leopold. For now or forever is up to you.”

With that declaration, she boarded the train. The doors closed, and the train began pulling off.

My body had a mind of its own. The clanking of my shoes against the surface of the platform. The train was not quite at maximum speed. Perhaps I could make it stop.

“Rina!” I screamed. I waved my arms, hoping to get someone’s attention. Not willing to give up, I sprinted. Still yelling Rina’s name. Still waving frantically.

A sharp pain flooded my body. My hands clutched my chest. My sprinting slowed into a walk, then to a crawl. The train gained speed, widening the distance. I’d never be able to catch up.

More pain came, paralyzing me. The act of breathing was a struggle. My throat tightened. All surroundings became fuzzy. Then distorted. Then deleted.

"Finding My Heart" is available (1) on my website (in pdf form) or (2) via All Authors Publishing House (which also offers epub and mobi, along with pdf).

Thanks for your time,

When Summer Lingers by Queen of Spades

Good day everyone! I am Queen of Spades. My main genres are poetry and contemporary fiction. Author Y. Correa has been kind enough to allow me to talk about one of my short story freebies "When Summer Lingers".

Blurb:

Dahna is quite comfortable in her role as an outcast. Her favorite activities are painting her nails and hanging out on the beach. An observation by the quirky Carr leads to an endearing friendship between two unlikely people.

Overall, When Summer Lingers covers the tale of two individuals. Dahna is withdrawn and accustomed to being a loner. Carr is more extroverted and open to making new friends. During the summer, an important message is driven home: to treasure time and the experiences you have with others.

This free short story is available on my website as well as on the Freebies section of the All Authors Publishing House website.

Taint on Religion by Queen of Spades

Hello everyone! Queen of Spades here, dropping by Author Y. Correa's spot to talk about my earliest short story freebie "Taint on Religion".

Blurb:

Natasha was taught three things: to love God, to love herself, and to always go to church. When a sea of tragedy strikes in her youth, she strays from the path of God. Realizing the error of her ways, she seeks redemption in her adult years. Reverend Jamison and his church looks to be the answer to her prayers. Yet when things in the dark come to the light, Natasha is faced with a tough decision. Does she stay silent with her discovery or does she dare put a taint on religion?

***

With "Taint on Religion" I tackle quite a few subjects. How one processes tragedy and going down an improper path. If a church can truly be forgiving. If a person's intentions are actually pure or have an ulterior motive. The reader goes through all the motions with Natasha but that doesn't mean that each reader will have the same feelings once the story is over.

"Taint on Religion" is available on my website or the Freebies section of All Authors Publishing House.

Thanks for having me.

Short Story Freebie: Brielle by Synful Desire

Hello Awesome Visitors! I hope you have had fun thus far during National Short Story Month. So far, a few folks have stopped by to discuss and share information on how to get their freebies.

Guess whose turn it is?

Today I would like to discuss my newest freebie, entitled "Brielle". Although I played around with a few other titles, I decided to settle on my working title, which is rare for me.

Think of Brielle as a bit of a modern-day woman. She is laser-focused on her career goals. Brielle isn't relationship oriented but recognizes that she has needs. Brielle has an interesting way to fulfill said needs. I will let your imagination fill in the rest.

"Brielle" is a mix of relationship reflection, light erotic situations, and comedy. If you remember the vibe of "Handy", then you will get the gist of "Brielle".

"Brielle" is available in my Freebie section of the All Authors Publishing House website.

Until next time,

A Rose of Two Freebies

Hello, one and all. As always, thanks for stopping by.

For us, the lovers of the paranormal, fate is preferably manifested supernaturally. That's because for us, fate being embodied in an otherworldly way brings a sense of excitement, mystery and importance to life.

However, those who believe that fate is real also trust that it takes place in even those things we consider mundane.

Like what?

Every day life.

In celebration of short story month, I would like to bring you something old and something new. In both, we will find an exhibition of fate as experienced by the characters in the interpersonal enigma that is life. Join me?

First: The Old

Blurb:

Martina Foxworthy only knew one thing for sure in her life ... the Log Cabin.
It was her family's tradition to visit the Log Cabin every year, and every new year was a repeat of the last. Nothing ever changed at the Cabin, Martina's family liked it that way.
But Martina, not so much.
One day, when a fly ball comes out of nowhere and crashes through her bedroom window Martina realizes that there is a lot more to life; the Log Cabin was just the thread that kept it together.

Years pass far too fast. This is something that Martina Foxworthy knows all too well. Sitting in her favorite chair, in her favorite place, Martina recollects her life's journey.

Excerpt

"The spring of her eighteenth birthday, Martina felt like a misfit just as she had her entire life. She’d been told that said feeling would change when she got older. Well, she was older now and nothing had changed. She was, for all intended purposes, now an adult. Eighteen; she could vote, smoke, buy alcohol—although not consume it—even go into a bar if she so desired. And yet, that profuse and innate sensation of not fitting in had become such an all-consuming part of her life that Martina didn’t know how not to feel it. Every spring, during the Easter Holiday, Martina and her kin took a two-week hiatus in the family log cabin, purchased an umpteenth million years ago by her great grandfather Martin Foxworthy the Second.

If anyone ever wondered how she’d gotten her name, all they had to do was look at the family tree. Her father was Martin Foxworthy who was the fifth in his bloodline. And, since he’d not spawned a son first but a daughter, Martin added an A to the end of the name and blessed their female child with a name that no one would ever want."

I love this story though I don't speak of it much. "Martina's Memories" embodies fate in a relatable way. I feel like most of us could relate to her life trajectory, to her ups and downs, and to her ultimate destiny.
Here, in this "old" story, we can see kismet at work through a seemingly banal existence. That is until the bigger picture is revealed.

Lastly, The New

Blurb:

In the famous words of Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” For Angelo, life is like a slice of pizza; juicy, delicious and worth the wait. For Sandalphon, life is an unending cycle of sameness. That is, until she meets Angelo. From staircase to stairway to heaven, Sandalphon has an Angelic Epiphany.

Excerpt

"Angelo Esposito sat on the right-hand side of the front porch steps, fourth step up, people watching. On an overcast day, the clouds created a particular shadowy pattern across the passersby faces making them look mechanical. Things like this always entertained Angelo, he never seemed to get enough. Most of the people who strode through the streets were enthralled in their respective cell phones. The rest looked angry at life; emotionless and half-alive. Except maybe for the bum at the street corner who on any given day would assume the job of heralding government conspiracies, or dance for dollars. It all depended on the day.

Sitting on the old and tattered, historically profound New York porch step, Angelo was perfectly comfortable. Entertained and amused; a people watcher at his core. He couldn’t help but think how the persons that walked past were missing out on the knowledge of the rich culture of the avenues which they treaded. Every inch of the firmament, replete with history, depth, despair, glee and the essence of lives now gone.

Being brainwashed by technology has that effect on people. They miss the enriching simplicities of life. The little things that made life worth living like the kids jumping rope, the hum of a busy city street, the scent of pizza in the air. There was nothing like it. Angelo always felt like life was best enjoyed when appreciating small wonders."

This story has become my newest favorite for two reasons. First, it is connected to my Fate's Endeavor Series. Second, it's heartwarming, relatable and supernatural. An "All-In-One Punch" if you will.

In this story, serendipity meets destiny. It feels as though the Universe has planned something accidentally-on-purpose and at the end of the day the one who learns the lesson is not the human but the angel.

It is my pleasure to be able to offer these to everyone for free. You can get them in PDF, ePub or Mobi by clicking the link below. No strings attached! Go grab your copies and enjoy the manifestation of providence. 😊

Book Release: "Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno"

Greetings, one and all!

If you've been following along this past week and a half you probably already know that this is the day that everything has been leading to.

During day one we introduced you to the ingredient of Purpose. Adonis Mann brought up, "Express-Oh".

Day two we took a look at Commitment via Carol Cassada's contribution, "Not Always Like This".

On day three it was all about Consequences; we delved deep into this ingredient via Harmony Kent's story, "The Fireman".

Day four examined Love with Beem Weeks' tale, "The Complications of Fire".

Day five was overtaken by the ingredient of Reinvention as told by C. Desert Rose's story, "Calliope's Inferno".

Day six told us that Tenacity was an important ingredient no matter what the circumstance through Y. Correa's, "Moxy".

Day seven touched on how the ingredient of Risk can be as scolding as any through Synful Desire's, "Antipode".

Day eight cleverly showed how Conviction was as good ingredient as any to keep the fire roaring. Da'Kharta Rising showed us how in "The Chronicles of Aidan".

And last but never-ever least, Queen of Spades indubitably demonstrated how Empathy is the most powerful of ingredients when maintaining our soul's fire burning in, "The Calefaction of Insight".

Now that the picture has become clear and Inferno's stew is bubbling, come serve yourself us a bowl. Come get your copy of, "Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno".

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

"Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno" Cover Reveal

Today the members of the All Authors Family are celebrating the cover reveal of "Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno", the fourth installation of the Concordant Vibrancy anthology collection.

First, the blurb ...

There is a universal fascination associated with passion―its defining element, fire, as well as the unseen. Yet how many dare to trespass beyond the final product, exploring the ingredients which keep it sustainable?

This is the traverse of the fourth installment of the Concordant Vibrancy collection, presented by All Authors Publications and Promotions, entitled “Inferno”. Nine phenomenal talents diverge under one purpose: the creation of literary works guaranteed to set the mind, heart, and spirit ablaze.

Stories included:

“Express-Oh” by Adonis Mann

“Not Always Like This” by Carol Cassada

“The Fireman” by Harmony Kent

“The Complications of Fire” by Beem Weeks

“Calliope’s Inferno” by C. Desert Rose

“Moxy” by Y. Correa

“Antipode” by Synful Desire

“The Chronicles of Aidan” by Da’Kharta Rising, and

“The Calefaction of Insight” by Queen of Spades.

Since January 2015 All Authors Publishing House has been exploring the elements of nature through the enterprise known as Concordant Vibrancy, an All Authors Anthology Collection.

Book One explored Unity under the theme question of "What elements contribute to the concept of unity?" The element being Earth. Through an array of tales, the authors explained what Unity meant to them.

Book Two examined Vitality. The theme question was, "What force drives your spirit?" The element was Air. Here the authors endeavored to answer the question with a combination of stories and essays.

Book Three looked at Lustrate using the theme question, "What embodies the composition of fluidity?" The element was water. Herein the authors spoke lucidly and clearly on what fluidity meant to them.

Book Four takes a peek at Inferno ... the element of Fire. It asks "What are the ingredients to a sustainable blaze?" By far the best of the collection, "Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno" is a demonstration of depth in thought and evolution in craft.

Now, without further ado and with great pride All Authors brings you the cover of "Concordant Vibrancy 4: Inferno".

Pleasure Prints Book Release!

 

 

AND BOY DO WE HAVE A GOOD REASON TO CELEBRATE!

All Authors has been waiting 3 years to release this publication and the joy is beyond words!

Blurb:

Divergent Ink is the mesh of different frames of thoughts, various interpretations of one core question that yearns for universal expansion. Although the subject matter may change every year, the purpose of the Divergent Ink series will remain the same.The second book in the Divergent Ink anthology series, “Pleasure Prints”, revolves around the following question:

Where is paradise?

Six Divergent Inks exploring "Pleasure Prints". Will the destination cause one to sip a tropical cocktail or cock an eyebrow in amazement?

Featuring:

Adonis Mann: Desperation and delusion are a marriage of emotions. Sentiments collide when three lives tell their tales. Hypnotizing and melancholic are the days of the souls who pursue the "Odyssey of Rhapsody".

C. Desert Rose: Helena can be cumbersome and crude, while her life is at a standstill, she likes it that way. Amidst the orange glow of office lights and a steaming cup of hot chocolate, Helena learns that life is a series of "Fleeting Moments".

Da'Kharta Rising: For Masato, there's no time like the present. Is no limit too great to accomplish “Masato's Zion”?

Synful Desire: Cecilia Teflon knows she doesn't have much time left. Before she leaves this earth, she must make a confession. Will this revelation grant her entrance into spiritual paradise? Explore the twists and turns of “Onus”.

Queen of Spades: Axana has always lived a very careful life but a lucrative advertisement shreds her comfort zone. Paradise is where one least expects in “Axana … Unscripted”.

Y. Correa: Myth or memory, which can it be? A life so scripted can be less than desirable. To go or to stay, it is that question that leaves, "Nalani at Heaven's Gates".

Also, GET "CRACKLES OF THE HEART: DIVERGENT INK BOOK 1" FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME!

Blog Tour Final Day--My Divergence

Hey y'all.

I was luck enough to be the last one to be featured during this week long blog tour. Because of it, I thought I would speak a little bit about what makes me different. Here you have it.

My Divergence.

For a long time I thought that being different was something to be frowned upon. Then I created All Authors and through those means was able to connect with others who considered themselves different. Now, being different is something I revel in, and of course, condone.

Please, by all means, be different! Different is GOOD!

Truth be told there is more to it than meets the eye. Please permit me a moment of your time to tell you the short story of my divergence.

Once upon a time, I was a kid growing up in the hood. Due to several family chemistry elements, I was not allowed to be who I truly was. And who I truly was, was vastly different from the ambiance that surrounded me.

At a very young age I struggle with dyslexia that remained unaddressed for many years. But that did not take away from me love for books which consequently started very early on as well. My love for books started with the library. Whenever I entered this magnificent place, it was like walking into my dreams. Picture books were my favorite as they had very few words.

In time the romance with literature grew as did I.

I never really fit in, as a child. It had much more to do with the function of my mind than anything else.

Through a series of disappointing events I eventually became the person I am today. And guess what? I wouldn't change a thing. Because while the quest to self-discovery led me through some unappealing roads, it also served to teach me that what made me different from most was also my strength.

The very same challenges that subsequently molded my person also established the firmament of my art.

I take irrevocable pride in my divergence for it speaks in volumes to the public that I am not just “another writer”. Writing is in my blood. It was what I was always meant to do. Who I was always meant to be. I don't just tell stories, I create an experience, and I love every minute of it.

It is this divergence that allows me to write lines such as …

“A wistful ghost, was she. Enraged, defeated, perpetually ponderous, she felt. How could this have happened? Rage consumed her to the point of paramount eruption. Who did they think they were? No one! No one had ever done such a thing to her before! Vagabond she hazed the Netherworld, back and forth, forth and back—as though she were unable to do anything else. Of course, she was unable to do anything else in the bleak, lifeless place. The only thing her infuriated persona was capable of doing was pacing and waiting.”

Excerpt “MarcoAntonio & Amaryllis”

“Wispy ringlets danced in the sky in a million different colors—some unrecognizable. Soft blue and majestic puffy cotton-balls filled the space behind it. A backdrop of celestial azure with a rainbow of circles aplenty curtaining atop. A single sphere of bright light swayed to and fro above it. A luminescent orb with a life of its own.”

Excerpt “Camielle’s Lights”

“Pivoting on her heels, Genesis turned to face the long, empty expanse ahead of her and walked away. Her hips swayed as she ambled forward, like a nymph, precision and allurement absolute.”

Excerpt “Earth 8-8-2: The Genesis Project”

“Then the dream—the memory—took on an ominous milieu. Dark, calamitous, eerie, hitting Lilith’s cerebra in horrifying palpitations.
Blood.
Screams.
Lilith on top of Randolph.
More screams.
Warm solvent running down her chin.
The taste of cloying amrita.
Blood everywhere. On the ground, on the walls, spattered in every corner of the expanse.
Randolph, pale and limp, eyes open yet lifeless.”

Excerpt “Lilith’s Dominion”

The day that the vice president of All Authors created “Divergent Ink” and told me about her idea, it was like music to my soul. I simply could not say no to the venture. I saw this as the opportunity to give the world a taste of our collective hearts, minds and spirits. I was, without a doubt, beautiful to me.

Writing “Nalani at Heaven's Gates” in order to give my answer to the theme question, “Where is paradise?” was so gratifying. You see, after many years I have learned that my personal paradise is being exactly who I am, exactly where I am.

The Arithmetic of Life

As most of you guys probably already know, Queen of Spades and I are like 2 peas in a pod. I am the President of All Authors and she is the Vice President. For the Pleasure Prints Blog tour, I found it fitting for her to get her "real talk" on. So, here you have it ... Queen of Spades!

Hello to all,

Today I am taking a small break from being Queen of Spades the author because in order to discuss this particular topic, I must serve as Monica the Architect.

For those of you who didn’t know, I am the half-brain behind the “Concordant Vibrancy” concept and the full brain behind the birth of “Divergent Ink”. I am going to focus on Divergent Ink, but I actually apply this method to both collections.

A few weeks back, all the participants in the Pleasure Prints blog tour were discussing dates and specifics. One of the authors asked me:

How do you determine the order of writings in the collection?

To outsiders, it does seem random. I don’t go from shortest to longest or longest to shortest. I don’t go in alphabetical order via title or alphabetical order via author. Yet, there is a science to the process.

The formula I use to set the order of writings is “The Arithmetic of Life”.

“The Arithmetic of Life” mark the ups and downs of life. It’s like waves. One moment, all could be smooth sailing. The next, you are experience high tide, fighting to stay alive.

I go into the planning as a reader, absorbing each story and the way certain characters and situations make me feel. I take into account the lingering effects as well. Am I left wondering? Am I left inspired? Am I left shaking my head?

Sometimes, there’s even a type of music playing inside my head. For the more intense scenes, a bit of opera, maybe hip hop. For lighter scenes or happily ever after, some rhythm and blues or a light piano.

When I’m in “reader” mode, I’m not doing any editing or making suggestions. I stay in my role.

After reading each story, I explore the number of stories as well as how many fit one set of emotions versus another.

For Pleasure Prints, the feel is from “whimsical” to “coming full circle”.

If there is a situation where more than one story produces similar feelings or resolutions, then other factors come into play like length and the author’s names. So far, the times I’ve encountered that have been minimal.

See, there was no algebra involved. Just symmetry of psychology and the actions therein.

Hope you enjoyed this backstage pass into my process.

Peace.