New Amazon Page

So Amazon Affiliates offers a new function where I can create an e-store through it with links to their products. As an author I thought this was a great way to promote my writing, and as a reader if gave me a way to share the books I am reading and enjoying, so I created one.

If anyone is interested, here it is: http://astore.amazon.com/wordareweap-20

BTW, to my writer friends...if you have a quick read, be it in a compilation or stand-alone, on Amazon and it's not listed in my Quick Reads section already please give me the name of it and I will gladly add it to the list.

Reading and Reviews

So I wanted to post a little something about this, not just as an author but as a reader.  When you read a book, leave a review.  It does not need to be one of those long drawn out in-depth ones, a simple couple of lines about why (or why not) you liked it works.  Believe me, reviews are very important to us.  Thanks!

Wonderful News!

Check out this month's issue of Suspense Magazine, especially p39 (41 of the document) where my second book in the Dark Angel trilogy DARK WINGS SPREAD is featured as one of the Best of 2013 in Dark Urban Fantasy!  

I knew that I made the list, but to be listed on the same page as one of my absolute favorite authors Kim Harrison... Astounding!  I am beyond excited and humbled over this news.

I would like to say a great big thank you to those that nominated my book for this as well as to Suspense Magazine for this absolutely humbling honor.  I cannot even begin to express how happy this makes me feel, receiving affirmation that my time writing has truly been appreciated.  

Thank you!

Eronica Unbound by Scarlett Vaughn

So okay, yes I am actually doing this.  I am writing a review for an erotica book, but with good reason! Eronica Unbound [Kindle Edition] written by Scarlett Vaughn, and illustrated by Scott P. (Doc) Vaughn is actually worth a review. 

To start, I normally do not read this sort of thing.  Erotica generally is not up my alley but I admit when the whole 50 Shades thing was big I gave it a go and was under-impressed. So I went back to reading my normal fare of supernatural thrillers.  I'm open minded however, and a friend suggested I read Eronica Unbound with the selling point of pirates.  Ohhhhh pirates! So I checked it out, $2.99 for 190 pages is not a bad price, why not...

Well, first off the artwork is amazing!  Doc Vaughn's illustrations are as sexually enticing and artfully done as the writing itself.  (By the way, you can find him on Facebook or on his website and if you need illustrations, and not just the naughty kind, I highly recommend you check him out.)

Now let's get to the nitty gritty of the book, the writing.  After reading the 50 Shades books that sent my feminist side into an uproar, I was so happy to follow the exploits of the strong willed, self-sufficient lead Eron.  Her kick-ass side balanced beautifully by her natural femininity and sexuality. And of course there are them men.... mmmmm pirates.  Oh, and harems and a power hungry Sultan and a lunatic...  Oops, spoilers. ;)  Finally, what erotic tale isn't complete without a strap or a lash and someone being punished for being naughty.  

I promise you, even if you are not a fan of erotica, this one is worth your time and money!  And remember, leave a review.  It's more important to the author than you think. :)

NaNoWriMo

In nine days NaNoWriMo begins.  For those that do not know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month.  Basically you write a 50k novel during the month of November.  I participated last year and reached the goal.  Planning to participate again this year as well.  Here's the problem, I am only about 10k into Midnight Town and I really don't want to start working on something new before this is finished.  I wonder if I can write the end of this one, and start another one to make my goal...

Teaser

I think I had an epiphany in the shower because the plot for Midnight Town finally came together!  Here is the description for the novel I am currently working on:

Ripley is a witch that has bound herself to the land to save the man she loves from a horrible death.  Little did she know, his betrayal would cost her more than a broken heart.  Now when midnight hits the small town of Braxville strange things happen. 

Nick, a lonely wanderer, experiences the phenomenon first hand when he steps into a bar that should not even exist.  All the answers lie with one woman, Ripley, but when Nick tries to find her he is stopped by a force beyond anything he has ever felt before.  Having ignored Ripley’s warnings, Nick sticks around, but will he find the answers he seeks or will he be sucked into whatever it is that has its hold on the town.

Are you as excited as I am?

~Pix

News

To start, I have finally revamped my website.  I have decided that since I am now a real author (read that in Pinocchio's voice) I should have a nice fancy website to reflect it.  So, here it is. 

I am currently working on a couple ideas for a new book but having trouble settling on either one right now so I am taking a break to catch up on a little reading.  Discovered a new upcoming author named Edward Phantom.  He only has one short out right now but it's really good and I am looking forward to reading more of his work.

Life here in the city has been getting more and more "interesting" with violence on the rise downtown.  I am seriously hoping it gets better because I can't afford to get out of here right now.  Living here for as long as I have, I learned one thing...lots of ups and downs and eventually it evens out for a bit before getting wild again.

So that's pretty much it for now.  Thanks for listening and remember to leave reviews when you read a book.  It helps more than you think. :)

~Pix

Review of The Firmament of Night by Edward Phantom

I picked up The Firmament of Night by Edward Phantom out of curiosity and devoured it in one sitting. The story is well written with just enough detail to paint vivid images in your head and an ending that will wow you. Cannot wait to see what he comes out with next. Definitely adding him to my 'must read' list!

A short to share

I had written a very short story back in January, and by short I mean only a page long.  It was originally just a way for me to release some guilt that I knew I shouldn't have from the loss of a friend and I had no intention of sharing it, but with  so many people asking me about how to draw from your pain to write, I thought I would share.

Writing the words down, letting the emotion flow from inside you and onto the paper is very therapeutic.  

You can find it on on Wattpad. 

A chance to win 1 of 5 Kindle copies of the entire trilogy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Finally Here!

Your wait is over, FALL OF THE DARKNESS book three in the Dark Angel trilogy is now available!  As a special added bonus; at the end of the book I have included the playlists for all three books, including a few extra tracks that I listened to while writing. Remember you can borrow this book for free on your Kindle if you are a Prime member.
 

You have watched Aingeal transform from a victim to the cold and calculating instrument of revenge she is now, but will it be enough to help her survive this final battle when she comes face to face with her worst demons.  Alone she must fight for her life and her sanity, will she survive?

______________________________________________________________________________

Kidle version available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / As well as all other countries

ASIN: B00F3AVDYO

Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Amazon Canada / Barnes & Noble / CreateSpace

ISBN-10: 1490962816
ISBN-13: 978-1490962818

Connect with Carol "Pixie" Brearley: Facebook / Twitter / Fictfact / Goodreads

Kindle MatchBook

So I just enrolled in Kindle's very cool new program called Kindle MatchBook. Once the enrollment is complete, people that buy a print copy of my book through Amazon will have the option to purchase the Kindle version for only $.99 more..  Never fear, those that already purchased a copy will also get the option to buy the discounted Kindle version. Pretty neat!

What does this mean for you?  Well besides a discount, it means you can gift someone the print copy and have the e-version for yourself.  Now you have even more reasons to give books as gifts!

Another benefit is for those with kids that have a Kindle.  I know personally I will not allow my daughter to bring hers to school, too big of a risk of it being stolen.  If she's reading a book she wants to be able to read on the bus, this way she can have a copy for reading at home and one for leaving in her backpack.  Okay, yeah so this does not have anything to do with my book, but it does pertain to the MatchBook program. :)

Keep an eye out for it.

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

End of Summer

So, summer vacation is finally coming to an end and my kids return to school tomorrow.  This has been a really weird summer for us.    We never made it to the park, even though the kids got new bikes.  Every time we planned to go to the park it rained. :( So we stayed home and played games instead.  The kids loved going to the pool with their grandmother and dad while I stayed at the house and worked.  This was fine with me since the sun and I do not get along in the least.   Our usual family vacation at Pennsic War was thrown into a blender thanks to all the changes they made to the event dates, but we still had a good time.  To end things, we took our usual trip to Seabreeze Amusement Park and had a blast on the water rides and dry rides.  One of my friends from my younger years was there with his family, so it was a great reunion.  Sadly the Garmin decided to fall off the windshield and hit the button for the hazards, leaving us with a dead battery.  My mom came out and gave us a jump, and finally we got home.  So now that all the excitement is over, the school supply shopping complete and backpacks ready, I am both excited and sad to see the end of summer.  But enough of that, let's get to the writing.

Yesterday I received book three in the trilogy from the editor, polished it up and about to do the final read through.  If all looks good, it will go to the publisher and be available for sale really soon!  This trilogy has been quite a learning experience and I think once it is over I will be reformatting the first two books so that they match the final one better.  The main character Aingeal has gone through so very much, it is about time her journey comes to an end.  For all of you that have been following her, thank you and I hope you like how her story comes to an end.

Oh and do not fret, this is not the end of my writing.  I have a new story in the works and plan to explore a new world with all new characters and maybe even revisit one or two of your favorite characters from the trilogy.  Stay tuned.

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

Perfection Challenged Cover Reveal (Award-winning Double Helix series) by Jade Kerrion

Perfection Challenged, the thrilling conclusion to Jade Kerrion's multiple award-winning, bestselling DOUBLE HELIX series, will be released on September 17th and will be available in paperback and all electronic formats. Beta readers have declared Perfection Challenged "the best of the four books...the perfect ending to an amazing series."

If you've never picked up the DOUBLE HELIX series, keep on reading for a special offer on Perfection Unleashed, the book that launched the DOUBLE HELIX series.

PERFECTION CHALLENGED

An alpha empath, Danyael Sabre has survived abominations and super soldiers, terrorists and assassins, but he cannot survive his failing body. He wants only to live out his final days in peace, but life and the woman he loves, the assassin Zara Itani, have other plans for him.

Galahad, the perfect human being created by Pioneer Labs, is branded an international  threat, and Danyael is appointed his jury, judge, and executioner. Danyael alone believes that Galahad can be the salvation that the world needs, but is the empath blinded by the fact that Galahad shares his genes, and the hope that there is something of him in Galahad?

In a desperate race against time and his own dying body, Danyael struggles to find fragments of good in the perfect human being, and comes to the wrenching realization that his greatest battle will be a battle for the heart of the man who hates him.

PERFECTION UNLEASHED

Recipient of six literary awards, including first place in Science Fiction, Reader Views Literary Awards 2012 and Gold medal winner in Science Fiction, Readers Favorites 2013.


"Higher octane than Heroes. More heart than X-Men."

Danyael Sabre spent sixteen years clawing out of the ruins of his childhood and finally has everything he wanted—a career, a home, and a trusted friend. To hold on to them, he keeps his head down and plays by the rules. An alpha empath, he is powerful in a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution, yet his experience has taught him to avoid attention.

When the perfect human being, Galahad, escapes from Pioneer Laboratories, the illusory peace between humans and their derivatives—the in vitros, clones, and mutants— collapses into social upheaval. The abominations, deformed and distorted mirrors of humanity, created unintentionally in Pioneer Lab’s search for perfection, descend upon Washington D.C. The first era of the Genetic Revolution was peaceful. The second is headed for open war.

Although the genetic future of the human race pivots on  Galahad, Danyael does not feel compelled to get involved and risk his cover of anonymity, until he finds out that the perfect human being looks just like him.

FOR A LIMITED TIME, E-BOOKS AVAILABLE FOR  JUST $0.99 (Discounted from $2.99)

E-books available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Apple / Barnes & Noble / Kobo /  Smashwords

Paperbacks available at Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble / Book Depository

To be the first to receive news of Jade Kerrion's latest book releases, sign up for her New Release Mailing List. If Perfection Challenge makes it to the bookstores before September 17th, you'll be among the first to know.

Connect with Jade Kerrion: Website / Facebook / Twitter

My Review of The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone

I just recently finished reading The Lonely Mile by Allan Leverone. This book is an emotionally gripping story that takes a father's love for his daughter to the very brink of its limits. Several times during this book I wanted to hug my teenage daughter just to reassure myself she was safe. 

When common man and dedicated father Bill Ferguson stumbles across the 'I-81 Killer' in the process of abducting a young lady, he is unable to just stand by and watch it happen.  Unfortunately in saving the girl, he puts his own in terrible danger.  The battle between insanity and a father's love begins, and takes you for a roller coaster ride of pain and strength. Be prepared for suspense and an ending that will send you for a loop!  A must read!

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

Updates

For those of you following my Dark Angel trilogy, you will be happy to know that the rough draft of the final book is complete!  I am working on the rewrite as we speak and I am looking toward a possible release date of July 14, 2013.

On another note, I have an idea for a new story brewing.  Yes, I had planned to take a break after the trilogy is complete but this one woke me last night so I guess it will have to be put down.  Plan is to take it slow though, no deadlines or anything.

Well, that's about all for now.  Have a wonderful night!

Interview with Aingeal

Check out this interview between blogger Jade Kerrion and Aingeal.  It is quite insightful!

My thoughts on Cornerstone by J. M. LeDuc

Cornerstone by J. M. LeDuc brings us back to that ragtag group that you cannot help but affectionately consider family.  Here we see the Phantom Force after the Trilogy of the Chosen and watch Brent struggle with some of the worst pain he has had to deal with yet and thus go through another painful but necessary transformation.

Just when Brent is ready to give up, he receives a message from the divine that gives him the push he needs to finish his mission.  Although there is a religious base to this book (as with the previous trilogy) it is not so overpowering as to overtake it and definitely worth reading.

Be prepared for tears with this heart wrenching story and an ending that leaves you wondering where this tale will go next.

If you have not read the Trilogy of the Chosen, you should start here:  Cursed Blessing (Trilogy of the Chosen)

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

Musings

So the final book in the series is coming along.  Writing as the muse sees fit, occasionally she decides to take a break and hides in the shrubbery but that is okay.  I am a little over three quarters done writing it, and will hopefully make my goal of completion by the end of June which means I should hopefully have it available to all of you by the end of July!

The hardest part of all of this is the face I am not getting enough reading done.  I absolutely love reading, and there are several books out that I really want to read but I just do not have the time.  One book I am dying to read is Warbirds of Mars: Stories of the Fight!  A good friend of mine had a hand in this book and I am really curious to dig into it, but I have three books in line ahead of it and all need to get done ASAP.

I'm considering taking a break from writing after the trilogy is complete, just to catch up on some of my reading, but I am not sure how good of an idea that will be.  Maybe I will just lower my daily writing goals after this one is done.  Take my time on writing the next book so I can have some 'me' time.  Or maybe create a plan where I write less on certain days so I can get some reading in.  {shrug}  Who knows. 

I know that as a writer I should be cranking out the books, writing until wee hours of the night, losing sleep.  That's not for me though.  I've never been one to follow the herd.  Will it hurt my sales?  Will I lose followers?  Who knows, but I do know that I am not going to push myself past my limits just to crank out books. 

So, there it is in a nutshell.  Book three is almost done, I am working at my own pace and happy with where things are going.  Hopefully you guys are happy with it as well and willing to stand by me.  Have a wonderful day!

Tallies so far

So another month is coming to an end and I thought I would write up a post with my totals for each month since I started writing book three on February 15.

February: 15,972 words
March: 23,781 words
April: 13,508 words
This brings my total to 53,261

This is way under where I wanted to be.  My goal was to do about 8,000 a week, but as you can see I was definitely NOT making that goal. :(

So, now I have made myself a hard deadline to get myself really cracking, I plan to reach my goal of at least 90k words by the end of the first week of June.  It's going to be difficult but if I crack down I should be able to pull it off.

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

Review by J. M. LeDuc of Book Two, Dark Wings Spread

Dark Wings Spread

By

Carol ‘Pixie’ Brearley

“Dark Wings Spread” picks up right where “Rise of the Dark Angel” leaves off.  We watch as Aingeal rides a rollercoaster of emotion. From the highest of highs encompassing love, contentment, and peace to the lowest of lows entwined in a thorn bush of loneliness, despair, and depression. As sad as we are for our heroine, her negative emotions culminate in anger and it’s her anger that brings the Dark Angel back to life.

Like a phoenix rising from the dead, Aingeal takes justice into her own hands and becomes the jury, judge, and executioner. It’s feels good to have her back. In “Dark Wings Spread,” Aingeal takes on an accomplice who becomes a friend and a lover. We start to see her begin to reopen her heart and to once again find a glimmer of happiness.

Carol “Pixie” Brearley has done what few authors have accomplished. She has written a sequel that outshines her debut. She has written a dark thriller whose emotion leaves the pages of the book and enters our souls.  

Dark Wings Spread is a hypnotic, adrenaline filled ride that will leave you breathless. The ending will pierce your heart and leave you begging for the third installment of the Dark Angel Trilogy.

Reviewed by:

J. M. LeDuc, author of Cursed Days (Trilogy of the Chosen), book three in the Trilogy of The Chosen

My thoughts on 'The Crypt of Dracula' by Kane Gilmour

Okay, so this is a completely new thing for me.  No not reading or having thoughts on the books I read, but writing a real review of a book.  Normally I just write one or two lines about a book, but I have decided I should really start writing more so here we go...

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If you are a fan of the old style Dracula stories you will definitely enjoy reading 'The Crypt of Dracula' by Kane Gilmour. Mr. Gilmour did an amazing job recreating the feel of Stoker while adding his own style, bringing back the traditional vampire story.

Travel to a magnificent castle perched dangerously on a cliff in Romania with a very dark and dangerous secret. Within the walls hide your worst nightmare, blood-thirsty and evil. Can anyone stop his terror before more die?

Finally, a vampire that makes you weak in the knees and afraid of the dark, there are definitely no EMO glittering vampires in this book! Be prepared to sleep with the lights on.

Also by Kane Gilmour is 'Resurrect: A Jason Quinn Thriller'.  Another great read if you are into action.

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As always, if you read a book please leave a review.  It may not seem like that much to you, but we really appreciate it.  Happy reading!

Amazing Review of Book One

RISE OF THE DARK ANGEL has received an amazing review by Steve Manke.  If you are still not sure if you want to read my first book, perhaps this review will give you incentive.

Book Two DARK WINGS SPREAD is live!

For those of you that have been waiting, you can now get Dark Wings Spread for the Kindle for only $2.99!  Paperback version will be available soon.

Book one of the trilogy, Rise of the Dark Angel is now only $1.99!

Book two is back from the editor!

I am so very excited!  Book two is now back from the editors and I have started making the necessary changes.  I am hoping to have it available for release later this week! 

Stay tuned!

Awesome Review

I just received a great review and I wanted to share it with everyone.

An interesting moral dilema. On the one hand you have a brutalized victim who (bless her soul) refuses to be a victim. But on the other hand we have a preying vigilante - a raptor who will forgive herself anything in the name of vengeance. So many times throughout the course of this book I found myself thinking, "No! No! Turn away from it all! There's a life out there just waiting for you! Don't throw it all away!" An all too human reaction, I suppose, from someone who has never experienced such trauma, to the all too human reaction of someone who has. Ms. Brearley was masterful at creating that rift and maintaining it throughout the story. Very well done indeed! And the ending was no slouch either! By Chuck Lovatt

To see this review and more, go here: Rise of the Dark Angel reviews

Follow Me...

I know it has been a while since I have been around and I do apologize.  I thought I would pop in here and write up a post sharing some links.  There are many other places you can be following me, so here is the list:

• Amazon.com
• Goodreads 
• Facebook 
• Twitter
• Fictfact
• LinkedIn
• Wattpad
• Academia
• Pinterest

It's my birthday!

As my birthday gift to all of you, I am offering book one RISE OF THE DARK ANGEL for only $.99 for the next three days!  Why not give it a try!

Wading through the Craziness

So let me begin by apologizing, it has been so crazy lately. Aingeal has been quite vocal about this third book, and I have been spending a lot of time writing and planning it. It has been really difficult because I've been dealing with some health issues but I am trying to stick to a 1,500 minimum words/week day schedule. The book is currently at 13,800 words!

Book two is still at the editors. I spent nine months on that one and now my baby is in their hands. I am a bit nervous because I have not heard anything from either of them, I sure hope I didn't fail on that one. :(  So, unfortunately it looks like I will not be releasing it on my birthday like I hoped but I will still be doing a special on book 1:

On March 6,7,8 you will be able to buy the Kindle version of RISE OF THE DARK ANGEL for only $.99US on Amazon!

Originally this was going to correspond with the release of book 2 but I guess it will have to be it's own thing, maybe I will come up with something else for that. So for now, this deal will be my own personal birthday give to you all. I will post again on the 6th with a reminder and a link, so keep an eye out!

Book 2 is in the editors hands

Rewrite is now complete and my baby is in the hands of my editors. Book two was much easier to write, I think having made a connection with Aingeal really helped. I managed to get this one complete in seven months which is a miracle if you take into account it took me over two years to complete the first one.

In book two, “Dark Wings Spread” there is a lot more intimacy. I try to keep it mostly implied, but there is a reason for this. In book one; her relationship was all about comfort and security, but in book two it is about passion and breaking free. Her personal life and her emotional state of mind shift together, creating something a little darker. With the ability to be the dark angel all the time, instead of hiding it most of the day, she loses something good and gains something a little more dangerous. The same can be said about her intimate relationship.

I am aiming to release book two on March 7^th as a birthday present to myself. Keep an eye out for it.

Author's Spot

Check it out, I made an author's spotlight:
http://thomasrydder.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/my-author-spotlight-for-today-carol-pixie-brearly/

Interview with Thomas Ryyder

Check out the interview here.

Writing lags

So, one thing I am learning as a writer is that sometimes you just can't write. I had set myself a goal to write, at least a little, every day. Some days however, it's just impossible.

First, I have three kids, and they require a lot of attention when they are home. Raising a family is a full time job and my primary one.

Then tack on that the fact it is cold and flu season...  I've tried writing while I am really sick, doesn't work. No matter how hard I try, I just can't sit down and write when my head feels like it is going to explode.

So, I have to suck it up and deal with the fact I just can't write every day and if it happens I can't beat myself up over it. I am a writer yes, but a writer is not all I am.

Confession Morning

So, when I first wrote 'Rise of the Dark Angel' I wasn't sure if I was going to go through with publishing it. I was terrified it would not be good enough, that everyone would hate it. That I would be laughed at for even trying.

Finishing it was hard enough, but thankfully I had friends cheering me on, coaxing me to get it done. They then encouraged me to publish it, so I did.

The book is selling. No, it's not flying off the shelves, but people are interested in it and actually reading it. It has gotten some great reviews. And I thank those reviewers from the bottom of my heart, because they are the ones that are encouraging me to finish book two of the trilogy.

Is it any easier? Not really.

Am I still terrified of the laughing and pointing crowds? Yes.

Will I let it stop me? No, not as long as I have my friends at my back.

Thank you guys!