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Quote from Captivated

"I stood close to the edge looking down at what I thought was my death. Then, I somehow ignored the water and only saw him. He looked like a dark angel on a cloud of mist holding his arms out to me. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Then I jumped." Mindy - Captivated, An Affliction Novel

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Awaken Me Darkly by Gena Showalter Review

Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress, #1)Awaken Me Darkly by Gena Showalter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm not good at reviews, so please bear with me!

I love anything Gena Showalter writes and I was a little worried when I first started Awaken Me Darkly. I'm not into reading about detective work and scene of the crime type stuff, so that's the only reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars. However, there wasn't much of that going on, only in the beginning, then it got good...really good.

I loved how close Mia was to Dallas and how she did everything she could to save him, including getting around breaking the law in order to do it. Ghost, Kitten, and Jax were loyal friends and trusted Mia with any order she dished out. I just love to read about that rather than betrayals. :)

Kyrin....wow! He is an Arcadian (alien) that grabbed Mia's attention from the moment she sensed him (mine too). He's powerful, strong, and passionate. I'd love to be captured by him any day! What Kyrin revealed at the ending made my heart melt.l

Mia can kick some ass! She is a strong protagonist and a sexy hereon! Her past troubled life led her to be the A.I.R agent that eliminates criminal aliens off the face of our planet. And...it also led her to Kyrin. She finds things out about herself and her family that she refuses to believe. I even refused to believe them, but Kyrin was very convincing. *wink wink*

Awaken Me Darkly was a face paced read with entertaining fight scenes, enjoyable love scenes, and characters that are easy to fall in love with. Not only did I feel like I was in the story due to the amazing detailed description Gena's magical fingers entwine, but at times I felt I was Mia! Although I am nothing like Mia, I felt like I connected with her and I was living the story through her eyes. That was really enjoyable on a particular scene that you will just have to read about. ;)



View all my reviews

Saturday, January 7, 2012

I'll be at the Tucson Festival of Books!

This is amazing guys! The Tucson Festival of Books invited me to participate in the event! I will have a booth set up on March 10th  from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Soooo, if you are going to be there, stop by and say hi! 


Here's a little info about the festival...

http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/item/show/262

About the festival

By Festival Staff / March 18, 2010
2nd Annual book festival drew in more smiles

John Humenik can proudly announce: “This year’s book festival was an even bigger success than its debut of 50,000 people and 450 authors that attended last year’s festival. More people, more smiles, and a greater energy.” With over 1,000 volunteers running the festival, a variety of authors and events successfully took place for parents, teens, and kids:

Character Parade for kids of famous children book characters the Wild Thing and the Hungry Catapillar.

The Lindley Lopez Literary Circus performing a circus acts of literary themes.

A Science Pavilion, with science writers Gary Smalls, Robert Glennon, and Kate Jackson, a science writing panel, and science zone with Insect Discovery and a DNA Forensics Murder Mystery.

A TV Culinary area for travel, garden, and cooking and home improvement. Cooking demonstrations by Canyon Ranch’s Scott Uehlein, and Janos Wilder from Janos.

Popular local Tucson restaurants Zivaz, Brushfire, Pastiche, and The Fat Greek and Create fed and pleased crowds.

The festival saw and heard more than 450 authors:
Children’s author Michael Buckley, The Sister’s Grimm and Nerd Series who also works on the Cartoon Network Series “Horrorbots,” Mark Frost, television/film writer, co-created and co-produced Twin Peaks, Jordon Hill, famous storyteller, told stories of the Jewish tradition, and popular novelist Curtis Sittendeld, best-selling author or Prep and fictional novel of Laura Bush American Wife was in attendance.

Bill Viner was happy to see more people and more smiles for a second year in a row:
“It’s great to see how many people returned from last year, and how much bigger the turn-out was this year. Everyone had a great time!”

Once expenses are settled and bills are paid, there will be announcement about how much was raised for literacy groups in Tucson. 


Festival Heard Many Great Performances 

Thank you to all the wonderful entertainers who donated their valuable 
time and creative talents to the 2010 Festival of Books. This year's 
entertainment focused on youth and local performers from dancers, poets, 
singers, and drama performances to jazz, classical, acoustical and rock 
musicians representing cultural groups from around the world. The Tucson 
Festival of Books is a celebration of literacy, the literacy of the 
written word as well as the literacy of language through music, song, 
and the spoken word. Thanks to all the performers whose talents 
entertain as well as increase the literacy of our community.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

ENDED....$50 Barnes and Noble Gift Card Giveaway!!!!

**UPDATE 01-25-12**
Using random.org with the 26 entries for the giveaway, number 16 popped up! I couldn't do the print screen to show you. Sorry!


Terry Matlock is the winner of a $15 gift card to Amazon!!!! Wahooo! Now you can buy some more kindle books! Thank you so much for participating!! Please send me an email at d.apodaca@theafflictionseries.com.  


Thank you so much for participating in this giveaway, but there weren't enough participants for me to be able to giveaway the $50 gift card. We needed 11 more reviews! :(  But, I will be picking a random winner and sending her/him a thank you gift. :)




Hello Captivated fans! I wanted to do a giveaway for those that have read my book! I need help spreading the word on Amazon so that potential readers will want to give Captivated a chance. Soooo....this giveaway is for posting reviews of Captivated on Amazon. If you have already rated it, then THANK YOU and you are already entered!


There are only 24 ratings so far and over 2,000 purchases. Which I am also excited about!!! :) Anyways, as soon as there are 11 more ratings, the giveaway will take into effect. I can't do the $50 gift card giveaway if only a few people add to it. So get on over to Amazon and start your rating! If you are using someone else's account to post a review (like your parents or something) please don't forget to state your name!


If you have friends and family that have read Captivated, then please let them know so they can have a chance to win too! The giveaway begins as of now and will end on January, 15. Great luck to all of you!


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Unattainable, Chapter ONE!



You guys have all been waiting patiently for Unattainable and I thank you for that! I also thank you for taking the time to read Captivated and enjoying it! Don't forget to stop by Goodreads and Amazon to leave a review or rating because it would help out a lot with spreading the word. :)


Now without further a due, I give you the first chapter to Unattainable! (keep in mind that I haven't had it edited yet) ENJOY the tease! 




Chapter 1

MARKUS 


   I FOUND IT! I can’t believe I actually found it! Dean’s gonna be siked! Maybe he’ll crack a smile and give me that pat on the back. Nope…most likely not. Knowing Dean, he’ll tell me to give him the details already and to go away.

   My car barely made it to Dean’s driveway before overheating. Steam was seeping out of the hood desperately. It was only a matter of time before the shoe broke down. The shoe…that’s the name Mindy gave my car. The shoe. I took a deep breath and swallowed the knot in my throat at her memory, then I turned off the ignition and reached for my notes on the passenger’s seat. Just to double check, I looked over the map I had sketched out for Dean. It looked good to me; I believed it looked like I tore it out of a map book. It was perfect. I headed for the front door and walked in. Dean never locked the doors to his house, he never had a problem with people breaking in or anything and he wished vampires would try so he could have something to kill.

   “Dean?” I called out to let him know I was in. I shut the door behind me and turned on the kitchen light. What I saw on the counters was a new habit Dean picked up after Mindy turned. He didn't like to call it that. Dean yells at me when I say she turned. He preferred the word 'died.' Which was a word I couldn't say…not when it was about her. It has only been a few weeks since she turned and Dean managed to become an alcoholic. I set my stuff down and grabbed a garbage bag from under the sink. There were no dirty dishes anywhere, just empty bottles and broken shot glasses. I opened the bag and started throwing away every bottle and shot glass I could find. I even threw away the ones that were still full and half empty in the fridge. When I couldn’t find anymore, I tied the bag up and set it outside of the back door so that I could grab it before I left and throw it away in a dumpster far from this house. I headed for the basement door and walked down the stairs. Heavy metal was blasting with the sound of a bag being punched repeatedly in the background. Then, the 100 pound punching bag came flying at my feet. Its insides were pouring out of the huge tears from Dean’s fists.

   “I think punching bags aren’t cutting it for you.” I said as I stepped over it. I walked over to the stereo and clicked it off.

   I turned to Dean standing next to the punching bag stand. The bottom was piled with over fifteen cement bags to keep it in place while Dean whaled on it. He was breathing normally and he hadn’t broken a sweat. He was looking right at me with that dark mask that had come back to his face. He looked like crap and he hasn’t slept much since Mindy…

   “I need you to get me another bag.” Dean said.

   “I don’t think these bags are meant for slayers. We might just have to make one for you. That’s the fifth bag you’ve gone through. They’re not cheap you know.” I replied.

   “What’s in your hand?” Dean asked while reaching for a beer. As he chugged, I noticed that his ribs were popping out. Usually, they were covered in muscles.

   “Should you be drinking while working out?” I asked as I skimmed the room in search of water bottles. All I saw were beer bottles and no dishes that showed evidence of food that has been consumed. “Have you been eating at all? You’re getting thinner. And you need to drink water while you’re working out, not alcohol.” I stepped up to Dean and regretted what I was about to do. I pressed my lips and ripped the bottle out of his hand. I took a gulp of my own spit hoping he wouldn’t send me flying across the room. He stepped up to me with murder in his eyes.

   “I told you to quit doing that Markus.” Dean said coldly through his teeth. His breathing was controlled and steady like he was calming himself down. He looked mad, as in crazy mad.

   I tried to draw his attention to something else. “I found it.” I blurted. And that was all he needed to hear in order to forget that I just pissed him off.

   “Where is it?” Dean demanded. His face softened slightly with anticipation.

   I raised the map up and he quickly grabbed it from my hand. Dean studied it and his eyebrows scrunched with confusion. “I don’t understand this map.” He looked at me with irritation. “Quit bringing me maps until you learn how to draw. Where is it? Show me.” He sets the map on the washer and steps aside.

   “Maybe you should learn how to read maps.” I mumbled quietly. I threw the beer in the trash and walked to where the map was placed. “There.” I said as I pointed to a building on the map.

   “Impossible.” Dean said. “That’s the Impulse.”

   “I know.” I said.

   “Markus, I hunt there all the time. It’s not there.” Dean said.

   “Look. Ever since you haven’t been around there every hour of the night, more vampires have been coming out. I stalked that place for hours. Why do vampires seam to hunt there more then anywhere else in town? Have you ever asked yourself that?” I questioned Dean.

   “Because there’s a lot of young blood there.” Dean answered with certainty.

   “There’s young blood at every other club in Austin too. That’s not the reason. The vampires haven’t been as careful as they used to be because you haven’t been there as much as you used to. So they’ve been more active than usual. It’s there Dean.” I assured him.

   “You mean to tell me that the vampire club I’ve been looking for has been under my nose this whole time?” Dean says through his clenched teeth.

   “Yeah. That’s why you’ve caught so many vampires feeding there. They get hungry, so they go upstairs and grab a bite. The entrance is actually in the abandoned building next to the Impulse. There is a door that looks like it’s leading into a basement when it’s actually a tunnel that leads to a club under the Impulse. It’s genius.” I said with excitement.

   “It’s almost sundown. I’m going to get ready to head out.” Dean said.

   “I’m coming too right?” I asked already knowing the answer.

   “No.” Dean said firmly.

   “You wouldn’t know where it is if it wasn’t for me. I deserve to go!” I argued. It came out a little whiney like when I’m asking my dad for something I really want. I cleared my through and approached it more maturely. “Look. I could be your back up.”

   “No.” Dean repeats as he took off his work out pants and slipped on a pair of dark jeans. He strapped on his ‘commando’ vest with all the daggers in place. I smiled when I noticed the darts I came up with were also in place. The ones with the garlic extract and holy water, genius!

   “What exactly are you planning to do over there anyway? You can’t just go in and kill all the vampires. You’ll be stripped of your abilities.” I remind him.

   Dean paused after buttoning up his navy blue shirt. It was as if he didn’t have a plan and was just realizing it. “I’m going to do whatever I have to.” He spits out just to give me an answer.

   “I’m going with you.” I boldly said. I went to his chess and reached for a dagger. This one was different from the rest. The handle was encrusted with red jewels. The blade was black and too sharp to even look at. Dean carefully took it from me and examined it in his hand.

   “This was my dad’s. Many vampires have died at this blade.” Dean’s calm breathing accelerated and his jaw clenched. A storm of anger reached his eyes. He looked away from the blade and up at me. At least I was the same height as Dean. “But not enough have died. Not to my satisfaction.”  Dean slipped it in a strap on his back and pulled his shirt down over it.

   Dean paused and brought his arms down from his back. His face looked lost, I was beginning to think he was going crazy with all those mood swings. I didn’t interrupt, I was just going to let him get out of this trance. But it didn’t go away. Dean was looking at me. Not at me me, but at my shirt? My shoulder? He reached for my shoulder almost too scared to touch it. He hesitated and held his hand in mid air before slowly and carefully coming down to my shoulder. I hardly felt a pinch when his fingers gripped a long red strand from my shoulder. One of Mindy’s hairs found its way to my shirt. How? I wouldn’t know. Maybe it was in my car and it clung onto me. Girls lost hair all the time. Maybe there was more in my car from taking her to and from school every day. I guess that wasn’t important right now, the important this was, that at this very moment, Dean was present. The hair was in his hand and I wished I would have noticed it before he did. I wished he would have never seen it.

   “She’s still out there Dean.” I said carefully, not knowing what was going through his mind right now. His eyes were lost in the wavy strand he was holding up to the light. It shimmered, just as it used to when it was on Mindy’s head. If she were dead…this would be difficult for me. I would be locked in my room listening to all the songs we liked all day and all night. But to me…she wasn’t dead. She was still out there and I said it again. “She’s still out there.”

   Dean snaps out of it and crushes the hair in his hand. “She’s dead Markus!” His words come out harsh. “She’s not out there. Whatever THAT thing is…it’s not her. It’s not my L…” He stopped what he was saying. It didn’t sound like it was going to be the word Mindy, it was some other name he didn’t want to say out loud.

   “It’s her! You saw her. She got up and she was there!” I snapped back at him.

   “That thing that looks like her is evil. When humans turn, they die first, then that evil shit takes over their body. It takes over their soul.” Dean trailed off.

   “What are you talking about? It’s still her.” I retorted.

   “She doesn’t remember her past life. They wake up as killing machines. They lose their humanity. Even if that were her, her soul is trapped in that body, being controlled by evil.” Dean said.

   “Then she’s still there. How do you free the soul? I bet if you can figure out a way to free it, then she will be Mindy again!” I said with too much hope.

   “Killing the thing will free her.” Dean said with some hidden pain in his voice.

   We both fell silent. What if Dean had to kill Mindy? What if he had no choice? Would he really do it? I know he said it wasn’t really her inside that body, but I didn’t know if he truly believed it. I looked down at his crunched fist and saw a red curl squeezing out of his knuckles. I didn’t push it anymore. At least not tonight. Dean was going into a pit of vampires and he needed his head in the game. And I honestly didn’t want to know the answers to the questions in my head.