A-Z Challenge: ...

It's 12:40am on 4/16. It's officially my release date. But it's also about nine hours after the explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. So my mind is a jumble, to say the least.

I ran track in high school and cross country in college. I know the surge of energy that comes in a homestretch very well. It's what I raced for. Those last couple hundred meters made me capable of pushing my body beyond itself. The people that would come cheer us on, watching competitors run by all afternoon, made such a difference. There were times I wanted to quit, but when I came up on a pack of supporters cheering for me even if, especially if they had no idea who I was... I had to keep going.

I just saw the video of the first explosion. It's sickening. Whoever did this set the devices where the crowd would likely be larger - where families would wait to take pictures of their loved ones crossing the finish line. Whoever did this attacked love and support in one of its purest forms.

But it didn't work. Once people realized what was happening, they ran towards the smoke and debris to help. Talk about pushing beyond themselves. Talk about love and support. About not quiting. This is what I want to focus on, what I have to focus on. The good. The kind. The brave. They have my attention. Not whoever did this.

A-Z Challenge: M is for mid-month break + main character

Ok, I promise I'm not bailing or being super lazy. My book releases tomorrow and then Thursday I fly to NY for a three day event. So today is.... busy. And I'm a last minute kind of girl. And so there we are. BUT I am going to give you a mid-month funny, and something that will give you a little insight into my main (M!) character Tanzy Hightower. I'll go in depth about Tanzy on her day, but in general, I like a strong female lead who is more likely to stand up for herself than wait for a knight in shining armor.

A little comic parody that floated around FB a couple of months ago sums it up very well. Apologies in advance to any twilight fans.. and just fyi, I read all four.

A-Z Challenge: L is for Lucas

I have to admit, once I got to know Lucas, Tanzy's main squeeze, I kind of had a crush on him myself. His organic devotion to Tanzy's soul gave me the warm and fuzzies. And he's the kind of good-looking that doesn't strike you at first, but comes on slow, and simmers in your memory long after you've left him.

Tanzy and Lucas's initial interaction was inspired by Buffy and Angel's first interaction: a little sass, a little spice, and tension that pulls like a tightrope between them as each side tugs their end of the rope a little closer.It should be no surprise that this BTVS junkie took a page from Angel's lovely features in crafting Lucas: dark hair, dark eyes. But that's where their similarities end. Lucas's face is more angular and lean. One side of his face has two long scars that run from beneath his eye to his jaw. But the way he gets them... *sigh*...) Oh, sorry. One of my favorite details: he has mud on his boots the first time they meet.

But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So here are a few pictures that remind me of Lucas. (Sorry, boys. Tanzy and Vanessa will make up for it on their days.)

A-Z Challenge: K is for Kentucky

Tanzy journey begins at Wildwood Horse Farm, which is nestled in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. A turn of events and a new friend take her to the blue-grass hills of Kentucky. Tanzy expects to have the time of her life... but something goes terribly wrong. Here is an excerpt from Tanzy's first sunrise in Kentucky:

15. Blueblood.

Waking up is a mixed bag. Because if today is real, if I get to shop the world’s most pedigreed horses without a budget, then last night was real. And I almost killed a man. The first thought makes me want to leap out of bed. The second makes me want to jump out the window.

I glance at the clock on my bedside table. Seven-thirty. Time to get moving. But the simple action of swinging my legs over the side takes everything I’ve got. I blink and John’s face is in front of mine again, smoke and beer on his breath. Another blink and all I see is red. Salty, warm, red that smells like rust and is every bit as corrosive, eating straight through my flesh and deep into my soul.

Even now I can feel the drops of blood that splattered my cheek the moment my fist made contact. I catch myself wiping at it, sure I’ll see stains on the back of my hand. But there’s nothing there. A man could be dead because of these hands but they don’t look any different. Shouldn’t they look different? They start to tremble all over again. I shake them at my sides, shake them until they hurt.

A-Z Challenge: J is for Jadie Jones

Jadie Jones is a pen name, which honors two women in my life.

First, the history on Jadie. When I first began drafting Moonlit (then called Origins,) my best friend would come over and we'd pour a couple of glasses of wine and hash out plot ideas for Tanzy and company. My friend's mother had recently passed away after a long battle with an unknown illness: one day she was fine, and then she collapsed, and fell into a coma. She awoke several days later, but lived in a state called a "waking" coma for over a year before passing on. My friend obviously had a hard time with the loss. She wanted a way for her mother to live on, to feel close. So I told her one night: if this book is ever published, I promise you I will find a way to honor your mother. Her name is Judy Dawn. At first I considered using the initials, J.D., but there are already a couple of big writers boasting those initials. So I created a full first name instead: Jadie.

Now, for the Jones. My grandmother, Shirley Jones, is very likely the coolest person on the planet. She believes in everything: from Jesus to aliens, and she believes in letting people be exactly who they are. She likes to sit in her favorite, blue corduroy chair and contemplate life. And she always has a dish of York peppermint patties within an arms reach. She's smart, sassy, and selfless. And don't ask her a question you don't want a truthful answer to, because she'll shoot you straight no matter what. She's also one of the most literary people I know, and she often says that had she believed enough in herself in younger days, she would've pursued a career in journalism.

Every time I sign "Jadie Jones," I think about them both. It makes the signature mean so much more to me than if I'd signed my real name. And, to be honest, Jadie Jones has become a second identity to me. Jadie is more organized. She can manage time better, and seeing the big picture feels more natural. These two women have given me a gift with Jadie Jones. I will do my best to do right by them.

A-Z Challenge: I is for "it" factor

Every now and then, I come across a book I literally cannot put down. I forgo meals, sleep, just to find out what happens next. And once the journey has ended and we've gone our separate ways, I might even go through a little post-book grief.

I imagine, for any author, that's the goal: to create a work with an "it" factor. But what is "it" and is it the same for most (or all) readers? Of course, if it was as simple as dropping in the "it" factor/formula/etc., then every book would have it. That sounds like a lovely idea: every book a masterpiece. But if it was that simple, then the treasured affect would diminish. The hunt would be null and void. I like that the "it" factor is a bit of a mystery.

For me, the "it" factor in a book is simple: I have to believe, with all my heart, in the main character. I don't have to always agree with him/her, but I do have to feel like, in reading his/her voice, he/she is telling me their story exactly as they know it to be true. When a writer does this, I'll follow that character anywhere: to spaceships, magical woods, dragon caves, political arenas, underwater, etc. The voice of the writer is absolutely the "it" factor for me. And it's what I tried very hard to focus on in Moonlit.

A few of my "it" factor books:
Bloodroot, Amy Greene
Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins (book one only)
The Black Stallion Series, Walter Farley
Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

What is your "it" factor? What are your treasured books that have it?

See you tomorrow. I'm tell you the whole story behind my pen name, Jadie Jones.

A-Z Challenge: H is for Horses

Horses are a huge part of both my life and my main character Tanzy's life. In the first few drafts of Moonlit, I actually tried to minimize the horse aspect of the story, fearful non-horsey types would grow bored of the horse/farm details. I sent a friend the draft (and she's about as non-horsey as you can get,) and she sent it back with surprising advice: make horses part a bigger part of your story. It's really interesting, and you write best when you're writing about horses.

Oh.... OH. There's the arc I've been missing the whole time.

Anyways, the sequel of Moonlit travels to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where wild horses roam free. I'm also amping up the supernatural aspect of the story, and I've found tons of great pictures to help inspire this chapter in Tanzy's epic journey. Instead of dumping a ton of horse info on you, I'm going to give you a peek inside my brain. But, if you have any horse related questions, feel free to ask them in the comments and if I can answer them, I will!