tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81727505441246987402024-03-19T08:47:15.763+00:00Shalini BolandSuspenseful Thrillers and Dark AdventuresShalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-31432099716929285932017-10-15T19:00:00.000+01:002018-01-01T23:30:56.909+00:00The Secret Mother sneak peek<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="color: #e69138;"><a href="http://mybook.to/SecretMother" target="_blank">The Secret Mother</a></span> comes out November 9th. You can read Chapter One below!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mybook.to/SecretMother" target="_blank"><img alt="myBook.to/SecretMother" border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZQ3BMIhCFQdokWYSJ01XZmiB5I7olwZv4ubvpXc-bMkFcxWvDyij63B-epyj-oMWfwwAe17sn2YnGU3m4rUmjZynSu9cW0p-x3_OXipPtSJFSZYVs5fTEGA4e7mW6jYqijYF6WEd0jk/s400/Facebook+Header+-+The+Secret+Mother.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial";">Tessa Markham</span></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> comes home to find a child in her kitchen calling her ‘mummy’. But Tessa doesn’t have any children. </span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Not anymore.</b><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">She doesn’t know who the little boy is or how he got there.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After contacting the police, Tessa comes under suspicion for snatching the child. She must fight to prove her innocence. But how can she convince everyone she’s not guilty when even those closest to her are questioning the truth? And when Tessa doesn’t even trust herself…</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black;">Chapter One</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong> </div>
<div class="first first-in-chapter first-full-width" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-t">T</span>he street lamps flicker,</span> illuminating the grey pavement mottled with patches of dirty snow and slick black ice. Slushy puddles hug the kerb, cringing away from the hissing, splashing car tyres. It takes all my concentration to keep my balance. My hands would be warmer if I jammed them into my coat pockets, but I need them free to steady myself on walls, fences, tree trunks, lamp posts. I don’t want to fall. And yet would it really be so terrible if I slipped on the ice? Wet jeans, a bruised bum. Not the end of the world. There are worse things. Far worse <span class="last-word">things</span>.</div>
<div class="first first-in-chapter first-full-width" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
It’s Sunday: the last exhale of the week. That uncomfortable pause before Monday, when it all starts up again – this lonely pretence at life. Sunday has become a black dot on the horizon for me, growing larger each day. I’m relieved now it’s almost over and yet I’m already anticipating the next one. The day when I visit the cemetery and stand above their graves, staring at the grass and stone, talking to them both, wondering if they hear my inane chatter or if I’m simply talking into the empty wind. In burning sunlight, pouring rain, sub-zero temperatures or thick fog I stand there. Every week. I’ve never missed a Sunday <span class="last-word">yet</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Sleet spatters my face. Icy needles that make me blink and gasp. Finally, I turn off the high street into my narrow road, where it’s more sheltered and the wind less violent. A rainbow assortment of overflowing bins lines my route, waiting for collection tomorrow at some ungodly pre-dawn hour. I turn my face away from the windows where Christmas tree lights wink and blink, reminding me of happier Christmases. <span class="last-word">Before</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Almost <span class="last-word">home</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
My little north London terraced house sits halfway along the road. Pushing open the rusted gate, I turn my face away from the neglected front garden with its discarded sweet wrappers and crisp packets blown in from the street, now wedged among long tussocks of grass and overgrown bushes. I thrust my frozen fingers into my bag until they finally close around a jagged set of keys. I’m glad to be home, to get out of the cold, and yet my body sags when I open the door and step into the dark silence of the hall, feeling the hollow of their <span class="last-word">absence</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
At least it’s warm in here. I shrug off my coat, kick off my boots, dump my bag on the hall table and switch on the light, avoiding my sad reflection in the hall mirror. A glass of wine would be welcome about now. I glance at my watch – only 5.20. No. I’ll be good and make a hot chocolate <span class="last-word">instead</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Strangely, the door to the kitchen is closed. This strikes me as odd, as I always leave it open. Perhaps a gust of wind slammed it shut when I came in. I trudge to the end of the hall and stop. Through a gap in the bottom of the door I see that the light is on. Someone’s in there. I catch my breath, feel the world slow down for a moment before it speeds back up. Could I have a burglar in my <span class="last-word">house</span>?</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I cock my ear. A sound filters through. Humming. A child is humming a tune in my kitchen. But I don’t have a child. Not any <span class="last-word">more</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Slowly I pull down the handle and push the door, my body tensing. I hardly dare <span class="last-word">breathe</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Here before me sits a little boy with dark hair, wearing pale blue jeans and a green cable-knit jumper. A little boy aged about five or six, perched on a chair at my kitchen counter, humming a familiar tune. Head down, he is intent on his drawing, colouring pencils spread out around an A4 sheet of paper. A navy raincoat hangs neatly over the back of the <span class="last-word">chair</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He looks up as I enter the room, his chocolate-brown eyes wide. We stare at one another for a <span class="last-word">moment</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Are you my mummy?’ the little boy <span class="last-word">asks</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I bite my bottom lip, feel the ground shift. I grasp the counter top to steady myself. ‘Hello,’ I say, my heart suddenly swelling. ‘Hello. And who might you <span class="last-word">be</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘You know. I’m Harry,’ he replies. ‘Do you like my picture?’ He holds the sheet out in front of him, showing me his drawing of a little boy and a woman standing next to a train. ‘It’s not finished. I haven’t had time to colour it in properly,’ he <span class="last-word">explains</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘It’s lovely, Harry. Is that you standing next to the <span class="last-word">train</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Yes.’ He nods. ‘It’s you and me. I drew it for you because you’re my <span class="last-word">mummy</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
Am I hallucinating? Have I finally gone crazy? This beautiful little boy is calling me his mummy. And yet I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before in my life. I close my eyes tight and then open them again. He’s still there, looking less confident now. His hopeful smile has faltered, slipping into a frown. His eyes are now a little too bright. I know that look – it’s the one that precedes <span class="last-word">tears</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Hey, Harry,’ I say with false jollity. ‘So you like trains, <span class="last-word">huh</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
His smile returns. ‘Steam trains are the best. Better than diesels.’ He scrunches up his face in disgust and <span class="last-word">blinks</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Did you come here on the train? To my <span class="last-word">house</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘No. We came on the bus. I wish we did come on the train, the bus was really slow. And it made me feel a bit sick.’ He lays the sheet of paper back on the <span class="last-word">counter</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘And who did you come with?’ I <span class="last-word">ask</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘The <span class="last-word">angel</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I think I must have misheard him. ‘<span class="last-word">Who</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘The angel brought me here. She told me that you’re my <span class="last-word">mummy</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘The <span class="last-word">angel</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He <span class="last-word">nods</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I glance around, suddenly aware that Harry might not be the only stranger in my house. ‘Is she here now?’ I ask in a whisper. ‘Is there someone else here with <span class="last-word">you</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘No, she’s gone. She told me to do some drawing and you’d be here <span class="last-word">soon</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I relax my shoulders, relieved that there’s no one else in my home. But it still doesn’t help me solve the problem of who this little boy is. ‘How did you get into the house?’ I ask, nervously wondering if I might find a smashed window <span class="last-word">somewhere</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Through the front door, silly,’ he replies with a smile, rolling his <span class="last-word">eyes</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i></i> </div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Through the front door?</i> Did I leave it open somehow? I’m sure I would never have done that. What’s going on here? I should call someone. The authorities. The police. Somebody will be looking for this child. They will be frantic with worry. ‘Would you like a hot chocolate, Harry?’ I ask, keeping my voice as calm as possible. ‘I was going to make one for myself, <span class="last-word-with-trailing-em-dash"><span class="last-word">so</span>—</span>’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Do you make it with milk?’ he interrupts. ‘Or with hot water? It’s definitely nicer with <span class="last-word">milk</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I suppress a smile. ‘I agree, Harry. I always make it with <span class="last-word">milk</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Okay. Yes, please,’ he replies. ‘Hot chocolate would be <span class="last-word">lovely</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
My heart squeezes at his <span class="last-word">politeness</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Shall I carry on colouring in my picture,’ he says, ‘or shall I help you? Because I’m really good at stirring in the <span class="last-word">chocolate</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Well, that’s lucky,’ I reply, ‘because I’m terrible at stirring in the chocolate, so it’s a good thing you’re here to help <span class="last-word">me</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He grins and slides off the <span class="last-word">stool</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
What am I doing? I need to call the police right now. This child is missing from somewhere. But, oh God, just give me ten minutes with this sweet little boy who believes I’m his mother. Just a few moments of make-believe and then I’ll do the right thing. I reach out to touch his head and immediately snatch my hand back. What am I thinking?<i> </i>This boy has to go back to his real mother; she must be paralysed with <span class="last-word">worry</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He smiles up at me again and my chest <span class="last-word">constricts</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Okay,’ I say, taking a breath and blinking back any threat of tears. ‘We’ll do the chocolate in a minute. I’m just going to make a quick phone call in the hall, <span class="last-word">okay</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Oh, <span class="last-word">okay</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Carry on with your drawing for a little while. I won’t be <span class="last-word">long</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He climbs back up onto the stool and selects a dark green pencil before resuming his colouring with a look of serious concentration. I turn away and pad out to the hall, where I retrieve my phone from my bag. But instead of dialling the police, I call another number. It rings <span class="last-word">twice</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Tess.’ The voice at the other end of the line is clipped, <span class="last-word">wary</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Hi, Scott. I need you to come <span class="last-word">over</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘What? <span class="last-word">Now</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Yes. Please, it’s <span class="last-word">important</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Tessa, I’m knackered, and it’s hideous out there. I’ve just sat down with a cup of tea. Can’t it wait till <span class="last-word">tomorrow</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘No.’ Standing by the hall table, I glimpse Harry through the doorway, the curls of his fringe flopping over one eye. Am I dreaming <span class="last-word">him</span>?</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘What’s the matter?’ Scott says this the way he always says it. What he really means is, <i>What’s the matter now? </i>Because there’s always something the matter. I’m his damaged wife, who’s always having some new drama or make-believe crisis. Only this time he’ll see it’s something real, it’s something not of my <span class="last-word">making</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘I can’t tell you over the phone, it’s too weird. You have to come over, see for <span class="last-word">yourself</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
His sigh comes long and hard down the phone. ‘Give me twenty minutes, <span class="last-word">okay</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Okay. Thanks, Scott. Get here as soon as you <span class="last-word">can</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
My heart pounds, trying to make sense of what’s happening. That little boy in there says an angel brought him. He says I’m his mummy. But he’s not mine. So where on earth did he come <span class="last-word">from</span>?</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I take a breath and go back into the kitchen. The air is warm, welcoming, cosy. Nothing like the usual sterile atmosphere in <span class="last-word">here</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Can we make hot chocolate now?’ Harry looks up with shining <span class="last-word">eyes</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Of course. I’ll get the mugs and the chocolate. You open that drawer over there and pass me the smallest pan you can <span class="last-word">find</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He eagerly does as I <span class="last-word">ask</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Harry,’ I say. ‘Where are your parents, your mummy and <span class="last-word">daddy</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He stares at the pans in the <span class="last-word">drawer</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Harry?’ I <span class="last-word">prompt</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘They’re not here,’ he replies. ‘Is this one small enough?’ He lifts out a stainless-steel milk pan and waves it in my <span class="last-word">direction</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Perfect.’ I nod and take it from him. ‘Can you tell me where you <span class="last-word">live</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
No <span class="last-word">reply</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Did you run away from home? Are you <span class="last-word">lost</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘No.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘But where’s your house or flat? The place you live? Is it here in Friern Barnet? In London? Close to my <span class="last-word">house</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He scowls and looks down at the flagstone <span class="last-word">floor</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Do you have a last name?’ I ask as gently as I <span class="last-word">can</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He looks up at me, his chin jutting out. ‘<span class="last-word">No</span>.’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I try again, crouching down so I’m on his level. ‘Harry, darling, what’s your mummy’s <span class="last-word">name</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘You’re my new mummy. I have to stay here now.’ His bottom lip <span class="last-word">quivers</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
‘Okay, sweetie. Don’t worry. Let’s just make our drinks, shall <span class="last-word">we</span>?’</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
He nods vigorously and <span class="last-word">sniffs</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I give his hand a squeeze and straighten up. I wish I hadn’t had to call Scott. And yet I need him to be here when I ring the police. I can’t deal with them on my own, not after what happened before. I’m dreading their arrival – the questions, the sideways glances, the implication that I might have done something wrong. I haven’t done anything wrong, though. Have <span class="last-word">I</span>?</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
And Harry… he’ll be taken away. What if his parents have been abusive? What if he has to go into foster care? A thousand thoughts run through my mind, each worse than the one before. But it’s not my place to decide what happens to him. There’s nothing I can do about any of it, because he’s not <span class="last-word">mine</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t have a child. Not any <span class="last-word">more</span>.</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<strong>~</strong></div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Secret Mother is available From:</span></div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span> </div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mybook.to/SecretMother" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Amazon</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-secret-mother-5" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kobo</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-secret-mother/id1274424198?mt=11" target="_blank">iBooks</a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shalini_Boland_The_Secret_Mother?id=nlEyDwAAQBAJ" target="_blank">Google Play</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-mother-shalini-boland/1127730453?ean=9781786813176" target="_blank">Nook</a></span></div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span> </div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span> </div>
<div class="subsq" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-27987710082489508042017-08-24T17:05:00.000+01:002017-08-24T19:17:06.014+01:00Pre-order The Secret Mother<h1 style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202020; display: block; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 26px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32.5px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
My new psychological thriller <span style="color: #e69138;">THE SECRET MOTHER</span> is now available to pre-order!</h1>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202020; display: block; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 26px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 32.5px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OkvrxSVTpdArqcr4GdQHfijTqBNhfZLnOKih8FSamA-n1h77CoWy4UDv_xfwmWppuuXtHn4yKOtulg9FoQeL_TXLRxXvHmFcr3v3MzQTWTVdWhRQJWoaMwCX7N85Ri96qV7SrfLNIfQ/s1600/Facebook+Header+-+The+Secret+Mother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="1600" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OkvrxSVTpdArqcr4GdQHfijTqBNhfZLnOKih8FSamA-n1h77CoWy4UDv_xfwmWppuuXtHn4yKOtulg9FoQeL_TXLRxXvHmFcr3v3MzQTWTVdWhRQJWoaMwCX7N85Ri96qV7SrfLNIfQ/s400/Facebook+Header+-+The+Secret+Mother.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 10px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<em><strong>‘Are you my mummy?’ the little boy asks.</strong><br /><br />Tessa Markham comes home to find a child in her kitchen.<br />He thinks she’s his mother. But Tessa doesn’t have any children.<br /><br /><strong>Not anymore.</strong><br /><br />She doesn’t know who he is or how he got there.<br /><br />After contacting the police, Tessa comes under suspicion for snatching the boy. She must fight to prove her innocence. But how can she convince everyone she’s not guilty when even those closest to her are questioning the truth? And when Tessa doesn’t even trust herself . . .</em><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13px;">~</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 10px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
Pre-order your copy via: <a href="http://mybook.to/SecretMother" target="_blank">Amazon Kindle</a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-secret-mother/id1274424198?mt=11" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">iBooks</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/the-secret-mother-5" target="_blank">Kobo</a> <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shalini_Boland_The_Secret_Mother?id=nlEyDwAAQBAJ" style="color: #2baadf; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Google Play</a><br />
<br />
Nook is coming any day now.<br />
<br />
Paperback and Audiobook coming soon...</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-47997076611129416642017-06-26T12:15:00.000+01:002017-06-26T12:15:22.363+01:00Just signed a three-book deal with Bookouture!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm excited to announce that my next three thrillers will be published with Bookouture!</span> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XKI0yQ0OZtlpyYGRZDaj-9uNpahulB2vS0C94Bf1uLbFu1djik8O7GuJ-0euLqDfxRlwPwjhhphHhUdCB5WPJqoPzbHssoxNb7DaJ0dpmBJBOzRPk4tkLh2s9GSRQLfFiazDA_6_Z6w/s1600/bookouture10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="940" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XKI0yQ0OZtlpyYGRZDaj-9uNpahulB2vS0C94Bf1uLbFu1djik8O7GuJ-0euLqDfxRlwPwjhhphHhUdCB5WPJqoPzbHssoxNb7DaJ0dpmBJBOzRPk4tkLh2s9GSRQLfFiazDA_6_Z6w/s320/bookouture10.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #0bb697;">"Natasha Harding, who joined Bookouture from Harper Collins in the role of Associate Publisher, has made her first acquisition for the commercial publisher. </span></strong><br />
<br />
Natasha has acquired World Rights for three new psychological thrillers by digital sensation Shalini Boland, direct from the author. Shalini has previously self-published three titles and is a top-ten ebook bestseller."<br />
<br />
You can read more about the deal on Bookouture's website <a href="http://www.bookouture.com/2017/06/26/bookouture-sign-three-psychological-thrillers-from-shalini-boland/" target="_blank">here</a>.Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-77379163243816260892017-06-19T10:30:00.000+01:002017-06-27T16:51:01.621+01:00How to write a psychological thriller<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’m fairly new to the genre
having written </span><a href="http://author.to/ShaliniBoland" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">three thrillers</span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> with a fourth – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Secret Mother</i> – in the making. But a few authors and readers have asked me how I write, so I thought I’d share. Take from my writing
experiences what you will.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhExu7aIzSLr0IN5qY0Rtc27nrqPUioSdR8Aqc4iete3LFDvGXS_oLLzHfncq3DCMyEL4FCtbvxWfIizY7TW5xXZTPxayk7XUAnerK89hhyCv8-uDLWv4sCOI2KeLo6YKIISTiwF9fFY/s1600/How+to+write+a+psychological+thriller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDhExu7aIzSLr0IN5qY0Rtc27nrqPUioSdR8Aqc4iete3LFDvGXS_oLLzHfncq3DCMyEL4FCtbvxWfIizY7TW5xXZTPxayk7XUAnerK89hhyCv8-uDLWv4sCOI2KeLo6YKIISTiwF9fFY/s320/How+to+write+a+psychological+thriller.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Plotting</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I used to be a
fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants girl with a general idea of plot, but nothing
concrete. On average it would take me eight months to write a novel with much
wailing and gnashing of teeth in between. Now, I plot the novel right down to
the final twist, and move it one stage further by taking my basic plot and
outlining each chapter in detail. Using this method, my last three thrillers each
took me 2-3 months to complete, mainly because I knew exactly what I was going
to write each day – there were no blank spots leading to writer’s block. I
can’t believe I left it so many years to work this way. It’s a revelation.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Chapters</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Each chapter must work hard to
add to the story. If it doesn’t move the plot along then it doesn’t belong.
I always keep in mind my character arc and the overall theme of the story. I
try to treat each chapter like a mini-story, with its own build up and climax,
ending each chapter with an unsettled feeling or a question to be answered,
drawing the reader along so they always get that urge to read ‘just one more
chapter’.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Main Character</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A strong plot is all very well,
but I also want an interesting main character. A character who goes on his or
her own personal journey aside from what’s going on around them. So they start
off at point A, but finish – changed in some way – at point B. If the reader
doesn’t care about the character and their goals, they won’t care about the
story. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Suspense</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Because I write psychological
thrillers, I concentrate hard on the level of suspense in the book, keeping it
rising with each chapter, backing the protagonist into terrible scenarios –
physical or emotional – where the reader wonders what the hell they would do in
that situation. I’ve had readers tell me they’ve yelled at my characters,
telling them to do xyz to get out of their situation. Another reader wanted to
climb into the pages and ‘beat the crap out of’ one of the bad guys in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://mybook.to/BestFriend" target="_blank">The Best Friend</a></i>. As well as plot and
dialogue, I like to use symbolism, such as weather, scenery etc. to subtly add to
the atmosphere, layering the tension bit by bit until the reader has no
fingernails left.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong>Twists</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If I’m adding twists to the plot
(which I always do), I try to ensure they don’t come completely out of nowhere.
There’s a fine balance between tipping the reader off too early, and not
foreshadowing at all so the twist feels too sudden and out of place, leaving
the reader feeling annoyed or confused. Unless you’re going for a subtle build
towards the revelation, you want the reader to discover the twist, drop their
jaw in disbelief, think ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of course</i>’
and immediately reread the book to find the exact place in the narrative where
the twist was originally hinted at. That’s a five-star review, right there ;)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course, you can’t please all
of the people all of the time. But, as long as most of my readers are happy,
then so am I.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I hope these insights into my
writing process have helped somewhat. I’m always learning and striving to
improve, but these are my discoveries so far. Happy psych-thriller writing! Feel free to comment below with any other tips and advice.</span></span></div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com57tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-43162563799489816252017-04-05T00:25:00.000+01:002017-04-20T19:00:03.215+01:00The Millionaire's Wife - Preview<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><a href="http://mybook.to/MillionairesWife" target="_blank">The Millionaire's Wife</a> comes out April 27th. You can read Chapter One here!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYSH7JS" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYSH7JS" border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJywLASAdkyWXq3SrSfvg9oeXBQRh5TJ4ZYGOdASGeAmHn9twpaDTcDclCfTAuz6cgAL5nREMW8Vxd3MvavE1FUuKt-aYprBjuroFn_5XL8ZRQQO0QEfOW9asKm5pRB7KxLWqny4VmT8/s400/The-Millionaire%2527s-Wife+teaser+template.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can you ever really know the ones you love?</span></em></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Anna Blackwell lives a charmed life with her
husband, in a clifftop mansion overlooking the ocean. But things haven’t always
been this way.</span></em></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After seeing a news report about the death of
a woman on the other side of the world, Anna realises that her past has caught
up with her. That her greatest fear is about to come true. That it’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">her turn next</b>.</span></em></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Uncover a web of lies and deceit in this chilling, twisty suspense thriller.</span></em></span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 68.05pt; punctuation-wrap: simple; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: black;">Chapter
One</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 3cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">3<sup>rd</sup> January
2017, Barbados</span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
man watched her hasten down the stone steps, slightly ahead of him, her bare,
tanned legs lithe and slim – a combination of good genes and regular dance
classes, more like a teenager than a woman in her late twenties. For a moment,
he felt as though he were watching a memory, a video on his laptop of someone
he used to know. He gave himself a shake and followed her.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Come
on, slow-coach!’ she called, dark ringlets bouncing around her shoulders. She
threw him a glance over her shoulder, a teasing grin. He smiled back and put on
a spurt of speed, scooped her up in his arms and jogged down the remaining
steps with her until they reached the arc of pristine sand which curved around
the turquoise bay, its backdrop of trees swaying in the breeze. The sand sifted pleasantly beneath his soles, warm and soft. Later it would become a
white-hot furnace, impossible to walk on with bare feet, and he’d have to dig out
his flip flops from the beach bag.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Katie
wriggled out of his arms and pulled him along by the hand to their favourite
spot under the morning shade of a benevolent palm, far enough away from the
manchineel trees with their poison fruit and deadly sap.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">A
cursory glance left and right, showed two other couples already on the beach,
stretched out on bright towels, and one older woman on her own, nose buried in
a paperback. It was a week day, so no sign of the weekend yachties
and speedboat owners who would moor up in the bay often staying until sundown.
No. Today, the view was of empty ocean and sky. Perfect.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Dropping
her towel and bag on the sand, Katie twirled her hair up into a makeshift bun,
fixing it in place with a hairband from her wrist. ‘You coming in?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Later.
I think I’m going to relax for a while.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Lightweight,’
she teased. ‘The woman in the villa next to ours said she saw whales in the bay
yesterday. I’m going to swim out and see if I can spot them while it’s still
early enough.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Don’t
go too far,’ he said, knowing she’d most likely ignore him.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">He’d
never been on holidays like this before he’d met Katie. Yachts, mansions and
ski slopes had not been for the likes of him. Katie, however, had been born to
it. While he’d been skinning his knees learning to ride a second-hand bike at
the local skateboard park, she and her parents had been gliding across virgin
snow, flying to far-flung continents on safari, or watching prima ballerinas twirl
on famous stages. She had led a charmed life.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Surely,
the parents of a girl like this should have been horrified when she brought
home a nobody like him – a dirt-poor, classless loser with no career to speak
of. But he had been proven wrong. The Spencers were nice people. Warm and
welcoming. Non-judgemental. Nothing like his own family. To give himself
credit, he did have a decent sense of humour and a beautiful face. He had
always been admired. Charm was his gift.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">And
so, it had been an easy thing to become absorbed into this family. He and
Katie. The golden couple. Shining wherever they went. He had shrugged on her
privilege with ease, taking it for his own. Long-haul flights to distant lands,
skiing, safari-ing, visiting the ballet, the opera. Moving in dizzyingly high
circles without once losing his balance. They were a pair. And she loved him
without reserve.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Peeling
off his t-shirt, he began applying sun lotion to his torso, watching as Katie
walked across the beach in her skimpy bikini towards the gently lapping ocean,
its water the perfect temperature. Not like the English Channel back home which
would steal your breath, needle your skin and finally give your stomach an icy
punch. No, Barbados seas were warm yet refreshing. Already up to her waist,
Katie struck off away from the shore, her arms powering forward. He watched her
for a moment and then lay back, gazing at the palm fronds and blue sky above,
trying to let his mind go blank for a while. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">It
didn’t do to overthink things.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">He
lay there for some time before he heard the noise. Faint, at first, like a lazy
bumble bee or a neighbour’s lawnmower. Then, growing louder. An engine,
determined, fast, the random crashes of its hull against the ocean’s surface.
He imagined himself sitting up and looking at the sea, searching out the source
of the noise, but his body was locked in place, too tense to move. He couldn’t
stop staring at the impossibly blue sky. Could barely breathe.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">A
scream jolted him from his brief stasis and he jerked upright before springing
to his feet. As his senses sharpened, he saw the other sunbathers running
towards the ocean, their hands raised against the glare of the sun, pointing,
shouting. Beyond them, a white speedboat bounded out to sea, its wake
contaminating the glassy blue ocean. His eyes scanned the water for Katie. No
sign. Maybe she was hidden by the chop from the boat.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">He
sprinted down to the water’s edge, shielding his eyes from the sun, trying to
locate her.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Did
it hit her?’ a woman with a German accent cried out to him. ‘Did you see?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘What?’
he replied, panting.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘The
boat out there. I think it might have hit your friend.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Are
you sure?’ he questioned, his voice slow and stupid, his mind frozen. ‘The
boat? It hit my wife?’ He dove into the water, powering through the ocean to
reach Katie.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">He
felt the company of another swimmer beside him – a concerned sunbather wanting
to help. The boat was already a pale dot in the distance, its motor a receding
hum. He didn’t know where to look for her. Stupid. He should have been looking
out for her instead of staring at the sky. But the man ahead of him knew where
he was going, his long, powerful strokes propelling him towards a fixed point.
He would follow that man.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">A
crimson stain like a beacon spread out before him, already losing its bright
hue, turning pink and dissolving into wisps. Soon it would be absorbed into the
ocean. But still no sign of Katie. This is where it must have happened. Where
the speedboat had collided with his wife. He took a long gulp of air and dove down.
He couldn’t let the other man reach her first. The crystal water showed him
what he needed to see.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Her
body was whole, but had been mangled, torn up, beyond repair. One side of her
head was missing, ribbons of red following her descent. He looked away briefly,
noticing the blurry shape of the man from the beach next to him. Then, he
turned back, swam towards his wife, took hold of her slippery body and kicked
up to the surface, gasping for air.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
man rose up with him, clapping him on the shoulder. ‘Jesus,’ the man gasped.
‘Let’s get her to shore. That fucking speedboat, man.’ A South African accent.
‘Shall I help you . . . with . . . her?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘No.
I’ve got her.’ He knew how to tow an inert body. Remembered it from his
lifesaving classes. The South African swam alongside him as he carried his dead
wife, the smell of sun and salt and blood in his nostrils, a strong desire to
vomit, a blank void in his brain, a trail of blood in their wake.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Back
on the beach, one of the women was shaking her head and crying, the other two
had mobile phones clamped to their ears, no doubt calling the emergency
services. The other man on the shore took Katie’s legs and they carried her
between them, up the beach away from the shoreline towards his and Katie’s
favourite palm tree. They laid her on her towel, where she’d been standing less
than an hour earlier. A numbness overtook his body and he realised he was
shaking.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">Someone
placed a warm towel over his shoulders, but the shivering only increased.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘He’s
in shock.’ A woman’s voice, loud and authoritative.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘It
was his wife,’ the South African said.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Do
you think they’ll catch them? The people in the speedboat?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘I
gave the police a description of the boat over the phone. Didn’t see who was
driving it, though. Surely they can track it on radar?’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘No
chance. They’ll be long gone.’ An English voice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Irresponsible
bastards.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘I
can’t believe it. Poor woman.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">‘Poor
guy.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="color: black;">The crush of
words wove through his consciousness, but he didn’t respond. He closed his eyes
and clutched at the towel around his shoulders, desperately trying to stop the
shivering and act more coherently. React. Respond. Cry. An arm slid around his
shoulder – the South African. ‘The police will be here soon, mate. Don’t worry.
They’ll catch them. Those bastards will get what’s coming to them. Don’t you
worry about that.’</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZYSH7JS" target="_blank">The Millionaire's Wife</a> will be available on April 27th </strong></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><em><strong>on Kindle, in paperback and slightly later as an audiobook.</strong></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-28312844735803305322016-10-17T14:00:00.000+01:002016-10-17T15:50:31.764+01:00Chilling Psychological Thriller - The Best Friend<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IUPE_qDnAbamIZTsp2qs3Sz7G_Gbi81YgKNuuea5xlQVpmo8Yn5x09fCxaCxsZAdDwlivNjtTIZ_vnAXeCoPBxqBRawSSn4Q6NUd8weaCNeqSb6VcUbFYny9WH4BaJhE5baHxfjR4Ko/s1600/TBF+-+Teaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IUPE_qDnAbamIZTsp2qs3Sz7G_Gbi81YgKNuuea5xlQVpmo8Yn5x09fCxaCxsZAdDwlivNjtTIZ_vnAXeCoPBxqBRawSSn4Q6NUd8weaCNeqSb6VcUbFYny9WH4BaJhE5baHxfjR4Ko/s400/TBF+-+Teaser.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
RELEASE DATE - October 20th 2016</h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Now available to <a href="http://a-fwd.com/asin-uk=B01M9A8458" target="_blank">pre-order</a>!</h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Limited-time, new-release price of 99c / 99p</h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>"THE BEST FRIEND"</strong></span></span></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>Toxic school mums, money worries, paranoia, murder...</strong></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial";"></span></strong> </div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer . . . Wrong.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Louisa’s new best friend has it all – the house, the status, the money. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But she’s also hiding a dark secret. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And as Louisa is drawn </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">deeper </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">into her friend’s life, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">events take a chilling turn.</span></span></span></span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Available for 99c for a limited time from:</strong></div>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01M9A8458" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01M9A8458" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01M9A8458" target="_blank">Amazon CA</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01M9A8458" target="_blank">Amazon AU</a><strong></strong></h4>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </h4>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Will also be available in print and audio very soon</strong></h4>
<br /></div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-90464126838748625452016-09-22T22:27:00.002+01:002016-10-24T22:36:50.093+01:00The Best Friend - a chilling psychological thriller<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDStH2MMZKHF_VMtgJdt1YPzh-CYLJM94XI-DCRP50GVTcoRkOEMe0pn0jFMfuZsfA6FCb4yjfOynm5lcce0NXddrRd41JHY2N_uYD6domNNJsgnt-QwEsd2zs6EYw0fIq18JS0nataw8/s1600/The+Best+Friend+by+Shalini+Boland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDStH2MMZKHF_VMtgJdt1YPzh-CYLJM94XI-DCRP50GVTcoRkOEMe0pn0jFMfuZsfA6FCb4yjfOynm5lcce0NXddrRd41JHY2N_uYD6domNNJsgnt-QwEsd2zs6EYw0fIq18JS0nataw8/s320/The+Best+Friend+by+Shalini+Boland.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My new thriller <em><a href="http://mybook.to/BestFriend" target="_blank">The Best Friend</a></em> is now available!!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They say to keep
your friends close and your enemies closer . . . Wrong.</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em><span style="font-family: "arial";">Louisa’s new best
friend has it all – the house, the status, the money – but she’s also hiding a dark secret. And, as Louisa is drawn deeper
into her friend’s life, events take a chilling turn . . .</span></em></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Here's a sneak peek...</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">It’s
him again. And I’m pretty sure he’s following me. I mean, I can’t be a hundred
percent sure, but I’ve seen him here three times already this week, and he was
there at the corner shop on Monday, and yesterday <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">at</span> the garage.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Mummy,’
Joe says, tugging on my arm. ‘Mrs Landry said my picture was the best in the
class.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Wow,’
I say, taking his small, sweaty hand in mine. ‘That’s fantastic.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Well,
maybe not the best in the class,’ he amends. ‘But she said it was really good.’
Joe lets go of my hand again and leaps into the tempting pile of yellow and
brown leaves that has drifted up against the school fence. He stamps his feet,
a grin on his face, enjoying the crackle and crunch of autumn.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
man is about a hundred yards away, on the other side of the road. He has a
scruffy, sandy beard and he’s wearing one of those awful sea-captain-type hats.
He looks like a tramp, but I don’t think he can be very old. I’m sure he’s not
a parent because I’ve never seen him with a child. Maybe I should report him.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Don’t
go running out of sight,’ I call, as Joe spies one of his friends up ahead and
abandons the pile of leaves.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
won’t!’ he yells back, his sturdy legs stomping off down the pavement.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
man has dropped a little further away from me now, but he’s still there. I know
it. My skin prickles. I feel his eyes on my back, but I <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">curb</span> the urge to turn and double check. I don’t want him to know
I’ve noticed him. Maybe I’m just being paranoid. He probably lives somewhere
around here. He could be just an eccentric millionaire or something.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Joe!’
I yell. ‘Wait for me at the bottom of the hill!’ I stride a little faster,
squinting in the late afternoon sunshine. I should’ve worn my sunglasses.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Joe
has stopped. He’s chatting to a tall blond-haired boy on a silver scooter. My
heart lifts knowing he’s managed to make friends quickly. He’s only been at
Cerne Manor Prep school for two weeks, but it feels like he’s been here
forever. He already loves it. Jared was right – this place is perfect for him.
Okay, it costs an arm and a leg, and we’ll be <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">skint</span>
forever – finding the termly school fees is going to be a challenge, but Joe is
the happiest he’s ever been, and that’s what matters.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Who’s
this?’ I ask Joe, finally catching him up.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Tyler.
He’s in my class.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Hi,
Tyler. Where’s your mum?’ I ask.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">He
points behind me, up the hill. ‘Talking to her friends, as usual,’ he says,
rolling his eyes.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
swivel my head to see a group of glamorous mums clustered around a white
four-wheel drive vehicle. They’re laughing and chatting in a haze of colourful
dresses, scarves, shawls and bangles. That’s the other thing about starting a
new school – it’s almost worse for the parents. I’m the new mum on the block
and I don’t feel quite up to talking to them today. My nail varnish is chipped
and I’m sure I must seem dowdy in my jeans and plain blue shirt. My four-year-old
niece, Megan, comes here, too, but she finishes half-an-hour earlier than Joe,
so I never get to see her or my sister, Beth, at school pick-up, which is a
shame. It would be nice to have someone to chat with. To not feel quite so much
of a newbie.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Well,
it was nice to meet you, Tyler,’ I say. ‘Have a lovely evening.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘You,
too,’ he says, politely.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Joe
takes my hand again, and we cross the road. I steal a glance behind me, and
sure enough, the man is still there, following slowly at a distance, his head
down. Joe and I turn left down a side-road.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Okay,
Joe,’ I say. ‘How about you and I have a little race?’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
thought your knee was bad,’ he says. ‘When I wanted you to come on the
trampoline yesterday, you said</span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">―</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Well,
my knee <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> bad,’ I say, feeling the
joint twinge in anticipation. ‘But it’s probably okay enough to run to the end
of the road. Winner gets an ice cream.’ That’s all I have to say to get Joe to
move like there’s a stick of dynamite under him. He’s off. I follow him at a
jog. My knee aches, but I ignore the pain and keep going. If that guy really is
following me, I don’t want him to see where we live. I catch Joe up and we run
along the pavement together until we reach the next road. I let him win by a
head.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Yessss!’
He pumps his little fist into the air.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Let’s
cross over,’ I say, taking his hand.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">My
heart drops as I turn and see the man at the end of the road. He’s speeding up
now. Not quite jogging, but walking pretty fast. I can hear my heart beating,
whether from the run or from anxiousness, I can’t tell. Should I call someone?
The police? Jared? And say what? No. It’ll be okay. Joe and I can lose him.
We’ll have another “race”.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Joe
and I cross the road. There’s no one else around, other than a few cars
whizzing past far too quickly – late for school pick-up, no doubt. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Okay,’
I say. ‘Ready, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">steady . .</span> .’ He’s off
again, his rucksack banging against his back, his feet slapping the pavement. I
limp along behind him, my poor knee clicking and grinding. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Does
that mean I get two ice creams?’ he <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">asks</span>
when I finally catch him up again.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Only
if you want to be sick.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
won’t be. I could have two different flavours. One for dinner, one for
pudding.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
take his hand and we turn into another side road.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘This
isn’t the way,’ he says.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘We’re
going a different way, today,’ I say. We jog across the road and turn right and
then left. I throw another glance behind us, but I can’t see the man anymore.
The sun has dipped behind the houses and a couple of <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">street lamps</span> flicker on. I shiver, even though I’m warm after our
exertions.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Finally,
we leave the side streets behind and come to Penn Hill Avenue. It’s busier
here and so Joe and I head towards the crossing. Joe is still chattering away,
but I’m too preoccupied to pay him any proper attention. I usually love our
walk home. It’s a chance to catch up on everything he’s done that day. A chance
to chat without the distractions of TV or video games. But that creepy guy has
unnerved me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
green man flashes at the crossing and we stride across the road, leaving the
leafy glamour of Lower Parkstone and heading through narrower streets to our
characterful four-bedroom house at the top of the hill. My knee is throbbing. I
can’t wait to get in and sit down with a cup of tea.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Mummy,
do you want another race?’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘You
go ahead. I’ll time you. See if you can reach home before I count to ten.’</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">My phone
pings. I pull it out of my bag and swipe the screen to see a new text message,
number unknown:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; mso-no-proof: yes;">Hi</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> Louisa! Darcy here – Tyler’s <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">mom</span>. I got your number from the class list.
</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Wondered if you guys wanted to come over after school tomorrow. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tyler can’t
stop talking about Joe. We can have a cuppa while they play xxx</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I text her
back:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">That
would be lovely. Thank you. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Can you text me your address? Louisa X</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
smile. Maybe the mums here aren’t as snobby as I first imagined. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Even
better, I haven’t spotted that creepy man again. I’m starting to feel a little
silly for worrying about him. Why on earth would I have a stalker? What would
anyone want with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><em><a href="http://mybook.to/BestFriend" target="_blank">The Best Friend</a></em> is now available on Kindle and in paperback.</strong></span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "verdana"; font-size: x-small;"></span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7F3bhX4lDWn_LkelBZQFF1YvsjsOE9tHpbMxhC0hHbUJn51fJ-SiPL-bav7Q1eWxHhBG1vkemwjpIrvvvyaQNiZ12kHVyttBi-fhbCdD6VqrrJ5zt8DroNJhB9wLCkgs6BsyleGsIqE/s400/TBF+ad.png" width="400" /></div>
<br />
<br />Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-82400612706805414912016-06-07T12:44:00.000+01:002016-07-08T12:28:26.437+01:00The Girl from the Sea - pre-launch teaser!<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm two days from launching my first suspense thriller, <a href="http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">The Girl from the Sea</a>. Here's a sneak peek of the first few pages...</span></strong><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
dark water swallows me whole, pulling me under into blackness, dropping too
fast. I cannot let the water take me, so I kick and flail. I push my body up.
Water flows. Bubbles stream away. The sound of air and desperate splashes. The
scent of <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">damp</span> night. And, at last, I see
the inky sky once more. I don’t have enough energy for relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I gasp and thrash. All I know is
that I must move my arms and kick my legs. <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Keep moving forward. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Stay alive.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 3cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Chapter
One<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
scent of salt and seaweed. My throat, dry. Lips parched. Head aching. My
clothes cling to me, heavy and wet. Cold. Shivering. I can’t think straight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">What’s
happening?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Eyes
closed. A rushing, bubbling, frothing. Birds, wind, warmth. I cough, a dry,
echoing scrape. Painful. Everything sounds close by, yet far away. My body is
stiff. Numb. I can’t move. Can I?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Water
rushes over me. Cold and salty. Like it wants to claim me. To keep me covered.
But it seeps away, replaced by a mixture of cool air and warmth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">My
eyes fly open.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A
fuzzy brightness greets me. I see blurred outdoor shapes in beige and blue and
grey.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">My
head is pressed down onto something cold and hard. Not a pillow. Not a
pavement. Sand. Wet sand. Something presses into my temple. A stone? I raise my
head with difficulty. And bring up a reluctant arm. My hand peels away a
pebble. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Tosses</span> it aside with herculean
effort. I cough. Retch. There’s saltwater in my mouth. Bile. Tears. Snot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Please,
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">someone,</span> tell me what’s happening. I feel
as though I’m trapped inside my head, unable to look outside. Like I’m covered
in a membrane. Sealed in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A
muffled voice breaks through my panic. I try to latch onto it. But the incoming
words slip and slide away – a flow of sound that I can’t decipher. I try to
keep my eyes open. To focus on something. But neither my eyes nor my ears want
to cooperate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Poppy,
no!’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A
snuffling black nose and a wet tongue. A whine and a bark.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Poppy,
no! Come here!’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">It’s
someone’s dog. I still can’t focus properly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Are
you okay? I’m so sorry. Good girl, Poppy.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
open my eyes once more and order them to focus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Are
you okay?’ The same voice, closer this time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A
face looms into my field of vision. I see a nose, a mouth, pink
lipstick, glasses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A
noise comes from the back of my throat. But it’s just a rattle and a rasp.
Nothing intelligible. What am I trying to say?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
called 999. Don’t worry. Poppy, sit! The ambulance will be here soon.’ A warm
hand takes my cold one. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be okay.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Will
I? This person is here to help me. I know that much. That’s good. I can give
myself over to the help of this woman. I close my eyes again. It’s too hard to
keep them open. Too hard to focus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">More
voices roll in and out like the salty water, like the breeze on my cheek. A
wash of sound trying to break through to me. Part of me tries to resist the
voices. Wants to keep them as a distant, blurring sound. Merging one with the
other, like the waves and the wind. But a greater part of me needs to decipher
the words. Needs to understand what’s happening.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you hear me?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Another
female voice in my ear. A younger, firmer voice. Her breath <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">warm</span> on my face.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Hello,
can you open your eyes? Can you look at me?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
force my eyes to open.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘That’s
it. Can you tell me your name?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Warmth
spreads over my body. Someone has placed a blanket over me. I’d forgotten how
cold I was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Look
at me again. That’s it. Can you tell me your name?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I’m
staring into kind brown eyes. A woman in uniform. Her hair pulled back in a
ponytail. I open my mouth to say my name. But then I close it again. My mind
has gone blank. It hurts to think.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you hear me?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
want to nod, but my head won’t obey. ‘Yes,’ I say, even though no sound comes
out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Good,’
the woman says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Do
you know where you are?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Beach?’
My voice is a faint croak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘That’s
right. Do you know which beach?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘No.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you tell me how you feel, physically?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Tired.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Have
you been in the water? Been for a swim in the sea?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
think I was in the water,’ I whisper.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Are
you hurt? Are you in pain anywhere?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
. . . I don’t know. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Sore throat</span>.
Headache. Cold.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Alright.
We’re going to get you up off this sand. Get you away from the waves where
you’ll be more comfortable, okay?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
close my eyes again. I’m scared. They’re going to move me, but what if my
body’s broken? What if it hurts when they lift me?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
next few minutes pass in a strange blur. I’m lifted onto a stretcher. It’s not
as bad as I thought it would be; my body aches, but there’s no sharp pain.
People are watching. I’m awake enough to feel self-conscious. The woman in the
glasses with the pink lipstick hovers over me for a moment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Don’t
worry,’ she says. ‘You’re in good hands now. Take care.’ She touches two
fingers to my cheek, and then steps back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">And now I’m
being moved. Carried away from the sea, across the sand. My body is still cold,
but a warm breeze skims my face, the sun heats my forehead. I feel as though
I’m floating. Light as air. The woman and the man in uniform talk to me, but
I’m too tired to hear them. Their voices sway in and out, merging with the
crunch of footsteps and the cry of the gulls.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
walls are toothpaste green, and the air smells of old socks and disinfectant.
Stale and recycled like an overheated aeroplane. I’m sitting up in a hospital
bed in the Accident and Emergency department, waiting for a doctor to see me. A
nurse has already taken my blood pressure and temperature. The curtains are
pulled around the sides of my bed, but they’ve been left open at the end so I
can still see out. A teenage boy lies in the bed opposite, his mother at his
side. I can’t tell what’s wrong with him. My thoughts are clearer now than
earlier, my mind a little sharper. But my head still throbs, and I can’t quell
the panic in my chest, the constant fluttering in my stomach or the tightness
in my throat.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Nurses
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">stride past</span>, calling out instructions to
colleagues. Trolleys clatter as medical equipment is wheeled up and down the
ward. At least I’m warm and dry. They took my wet clothing, and now I’m wearing
a hideous blue hospital gown. I tense as I hear a woman’s voice getting closer.
Her accent is pretty, and I wonder where she’s from. Maybe Russia, or Poland?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘The
one from the beach?’ I hear her say. ‘How long?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Another
woman replies: ‘Only a few minutes.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
women step into my line of sight. One is a young doctor in a white coat, her
blonde hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head. The other is an older
lady, a nurse. The doctor looks up at me and smiles. The nurse continues on her
way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Hello.
I’m Doctor Lazowski.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Hi,’
I croak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">She
picks up a clipboard from the end of my bed and comes closer. ‘How are you
feeling?’ she asks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Strange,’
I reply. ‘A little dizzy. I have a headache. I’m tired . . . and a bit freaked
out.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you tell me your name?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
open my mouth to answer, but, like before on the beach, nothing comes out. I
give a small embarrassed laugh. ‘I . . . It sounds so silly, but I just . . . I
can’t seem to remember.’ I run a hand across my damp and tangled hair.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘That’s
okay,’ she says. ‘Do you know where you live?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
. . . I think. I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. . . No. I’m sorry. I
don’t know. How can I not know?’ My voice is trembling and I’m on the verge of
tears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘You’ve
had a shock,’ she says. ‘Just try to relax. Try to stay calm. You’re here now,
and we’ll look after you. Okay? You have some retrograde amnesia, but with any <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">luck,</span> your memories should return soon.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The
word “amnesia” makes me catch my breath.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I’m
going to run a few tests,’ she says, closing the curtains fully. ‘We’ll see how
you are, physically, and then we’ll try and get those memories back.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
nod again, hit by a wave of exhaustion. My eyes want to close. I feel the pull
of sleep, but <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Dr</span> Lazowski is talking
again. I should try and concentrate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you sit up, please?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
do as she asks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I’m
going to listen to your heart and lungs. Just breathe normally.’ She takes the
stethoscope from around her neck and begins examining me, first by placing the
end of the stethoscope on my back. Then, on my chest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Can
you remember swimming in the sea?’ she asks, as I clumsily try to rearrange my
hospital gown. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘No.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Were
you in the water at all?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘I
think so. But I don’t know. I remember lying on the beach, soaking wet. The
waves were coming over me.’ I give a shiver at the memory.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Hmm,
Okay,’ she says. ‘We don’t know how long you were in the water. I’m worried
about a possible lung infection, so we’ll have to keep you in for a few days at
least. To keep an eye on you.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Is
it serious?’ I ask.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘Just
a precaution,’ she replies. ‘We’ll also get you on an IV drip.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘A
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">drip</span>?’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t like the sound of that.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">‘You’re
dehydrated,’ she says. ‘You need fluids.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I
close my eyes and massage my forehead with the tips of my fingers. What’s
happening to me? What am I doing here? How on earth did I end up unconscious on
the beach? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Why can’t I remember anything?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<a href="http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank"><strong>The Girl from the Sea</strong> is available on Amazon</a></div>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-77503888827156765332016-06-03T12:38:00.000+01:002016-06-03T12:38:01.273+01:00Special release price - The Girl from the Sea<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHtPlOpoyXQA3e9pSlwulHp3YKH7ziYWiBdctW9V5sfm_mAqgHA78Ql0jti2cdoz2c7EMt8yVGTroXN5GanebNoq9Syzhibp_zDp5f7klNFVkPdJ6Veh1kr5I7WAk_WvNqIIQDwUfjek/s1600/TGFTS+-+teaser+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHtPlOpoyXQA3e9pSlwulHp3YKH7ziYWiBdctW9V5sfm_mAqgHA78Ql0jti2cdoz2c7EMt8yVGTroXN5GanebNoq9Syzhibp_zDp5f7klNFVkPdJ6Veh1kr5I7WAk_WvNqIIQDwUfjek/s400/TGFTS+-+teaser+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
RELEASE DATE - June 9th 2016</h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Now available to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">pre-order</a>!</h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Limited-time, new-release price of 99c / 99p</h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span> </h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>THE GIRL FROM THE SEA</strong></span></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>For fans of <i>Gone Girl</i> and <i>The Girl on the Train</i>.</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span></span><span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A chilling suspense story of wounded hearts and dark secrets.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Washed up on the beach, she can't remember who she is. She can't even remember her name. Turns out, she has a perfect life - friends and family eager to fill in the blanks.<br /><br />But why are they lying to her? What don't they want her to remember?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">When you don't even know who you are, how do you know who to trust?</span> </span></b></div>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Available for 99c for a limited time from:</h4>
<h4 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">Amazon CA</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Girl-Sea-gripping-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">Amazon AU</a></h4>
<br />
<br />
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-67733526874106244382016-05-09T16:33:00.002+01:002016-07-08T12:27:22.326+01:00Psychological Thriller - The Girl from the Sea<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So, I'm branching out into a new genre. Leaving the security of YA behind me and trying my hand at writing an adult thriller. It was so much fun to write, mainly because I plotted it out so tightly before I began writing - something I've never done before as I usually fly by the seat of my pants.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Set in beautiful Christchurch, Dorset, <em><a href="http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">The Girl from the Sea</a></em> is about a woman who wakes up on the beach with retrograde amnesia, and her subsequent journey to uncover the truth about what happened to her.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I typed 'The End' last week and it's currently at the editor's being <strike>ripped apart</strike> polished. The release date is June 9th 2016.</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL6KMvqboamVIWXIAG3asOFux4E2DNj-l5wunffRj1qLH8SFqRYAZ2a5f_6OufVff4y-gi0mxeyc-WqhDQadnksMt2NsvT3sS7_vCa82Ox1ugxgfZM0IAm_HG5RzQ9nDNE7yKbJkwfhY/s1600/The+Girl+From+The+Sea+-+large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwL6KMvqboamVIWXIAG3asOFux4E2DNj-l5wunffRj1qLH8SFqRYAZ2a5f_6OufVff4y-gi0mxeyc-WqhDQadnksMt2NsvT3sS7_vCa82Ox1ugxgfZM0IAm_HG5RzQ9nDNE7yKbJkwfhY/s320/The+Girl+From+The+Sea+-+large.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a-fwd.com/asin=B01GGN0GEO" target="_blank">The Girl from the Sea</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em></em></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>A chilling suspense story of wounded hearts </em></span></span><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>and dark secrets. </em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em></em></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Washed up on the beach, she can’t remember who she is. </em></span></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She can’t even remember
her name.</span> </em></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Turns out, she has a perfect life –</span> </em></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">friends and family eager to fill
in the blanks.</span> </em></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><em></em></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>But why are they lying to her? </em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>What don’t they want her to remember? </em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><em></em></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>When you don't even know who you are, </em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">how do you know who to trust?<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_195352175"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_195352176"><span id="goog_195352201"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_195352202"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-75397697155350205022016-03-05T17:01:00.000+00:002016-03-05T17:01:04.572+00:00Other Side of Forever from a bestselling #ParanormalRomance author!
<br />
<div class="p1">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/allie-3.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-510" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="allie 3" class="wp-image-510 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/allie-3.jpg" height="361" width="234" /></a><strong>The bestselling Edge young adult box set introduces Other Side of Forever, a novel by Shannon Eckrich. This is just one of 20 page-turning, full length novels for only $.99! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EDGE-Young-Adult-Paranormal-Collection-ebook/dp/B01A93D6US/ref=la_B005RFFM9M_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1454212241&sr=1-11">Order your copy today!</a></strong></div>
<div class="p1">
<strong></strong> </div>
What if your life finally seemed to make sense? But, what if —in an instant— everything is taken away? How far would you go to get your life back?
Seventeen-year-old Allie Anderson's telekinetic powers are anything but useful— she can't bring her father back, can't stop her mother's downward spiral into alcohol, and can't keep her from falling in love with Ethan Bradley. Loving Ethan is easy, but it comes with a hefty price: Ethan is prohibited by his people from interacting with mortals— because he isn't mortal himself.
When Allie and Ethan's love is discovered, there's someone who will do anything to keep them apart. If Allie can't learn to control her powers and fight to save Ethan, this dark entity will make every attempt to stop her beating heart. And if that happens, not even the energy of an immortal can bring her back.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Author bio</strong></span></div>
<div class="p1">
Shannon Eckrich is an International Bestselling Paranormal Romance author who writes for teens and adults. She is a dreamer, an avid reader, ghost hunter, and believer in aliens, myths, and love at first sight. After all, she did marry her high school sweetheart. Shannon also believes all the problems in the world can be solved with a little bit of love and compassion.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
When she’s not creating worlds that walk the line between fiction and reality, she enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering at the firehouse down the street.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
She currently lives in Delaware with her husband, two kids, three cats, and her dog, Chewy.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Excerpt from Other Side of Forever</strong></span></div>
“Allie, why do you hate me so much?” he asked softly as he stared into the sky.
His question took me by surprise. Did he really think that?
“I…I don’t hate you, Ethan.” I stumbled over my words. “I barely know you.”
“Then why do you try so hard to avoid me?”
“I don’t,” I lied, knowing that I did, but not in a mean type of way. I closed my eyes and sighed, wishing he didn’t have to ask so many questions. Couldn’t he just go back to saying nothing at all?
“You do,” he argued. I could hear the change in his voice. He was smiling.
“No. I don’t,” I answered sarcastically. His persistence was pinching my nerves.
“Then look at me,” he challenged.
Without thinking, I turned my head and looked at him. His warm, sweet breath blew against my face as he exhaled. The scent of peppermint. His dark eyes snatched me up and whisked me away. I was lost and unprepared as he drew me deeper and deeper inside him. The walls he created around me were getting higher and harder to climb. Like I had slipped into a trench and I was sinking into the earth.
Ethan pressed forward, attempting to close the gap between us. His lips were so close to mine I could feel the heat emanating from them. And just as our lips were about to brush, the voice in my head begged and pleaded and screamed for me to stop.
Then I turned away.
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shannoneckrich.com/">Website</a> |<a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorshannoneckrich/"> Facebook </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/ShannonEckrich">Twitter</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-476" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Edge cover" class="wp-image-476 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" height="330" width="220" /></a><b></b></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<b>EDGE: A Young Adult / New Adult Paranormal Collection</b></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56aab538cf5143356070849">
Twenty of today's favorite YA & NA authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!
<br />
<br />
READER BEWARE: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afrai<span class="text_exposed_show">d to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://amzn.to/1SMURbC">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1076426414">Apple </a>/ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/edge-44">Kobo </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-rebecca-hamilton/1123224987?ean=2940152744323">Nook</a></span></div>
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-33109847853474967412016-03-02T16:52:00.000+00:002016-03-02T16:52:25.327+00:00Feed your #YA #PNR addiction with KISSED by Kimberly Loth <div class="p1">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Kissed-Final-2.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-473" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kissed-Final" class="wp-image-473 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Kissed-Final-2.jpg" height="318" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
<strong>The bestselling Edge young adult box set introduces Kissed, a novel by Kimberly Loth. This is just one of 20 page-turning, full length novels for only $.99! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EDGE-Young-Adult-Paranormal-Collection-ebook/dp/B01A93D6US/ref=la_B005RFFM9M_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1454212241&sr=1-11">Order your copy today!</a></strong></div>
<div class="p1">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div class="p1">
Trapped in a dark cult, sixteen-year-old Naomi Aren has lived a quiet, albeit unhappy, life nestled deep in the hills of the Ozarks. With uncut hair, denim skirts, and only roses for friends, Naomi seldom questions why her life is different from other kids at school. Until the day her abusive father, who is also the cult’s leader, announces her wedding. Naomi must marry Dwayne Yerdin, a bully who reeks of sweat and manure and is the only one person who scares her worse than her father.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
Then she meets Kai, the mysterious boy who brings her exotic new roses and stolen midnight kisses. Kisses that bring her a supernatural strength she never knew she had. As the big day approaches, Naomi unearths more secrets of about her father’s cult. She learns she has power of her own and while Kai may have awakened that power, Naomi must find a way to use it to escape Dwayne and her father—without destroying herself.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
This young adult paranormal romance novel will appeal to readers, teens, and all readers who enjoy romance, mysteries, and fantasy.</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Author bio</strong></div>
<div class="p5">
Kimberly Loth can't decide where she wants to settle down. She's lived in Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Utah, California, Oregon, and South Carolina. She finally decided to make the leap and leave the U.S. behind for a few years. Currently, she lives in Shenzhen, China with her husband and two kids.</div>
<div class="p5">
</div>
<div class="p5">
She is a high school math teacher by day (please don't hold that against her) and YA author by night. She loves romantic movies, chocolate, roses, and crazy adventures. She has published six novels.<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-and-all-books.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-474">
</a></div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.kimberlyloth.com/">Website</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/kimberlylothbooks">Facebook </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/Kimberlyloth?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a></div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p8">
<br /></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-476" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Edge cover" class="wp-image-476 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" height="330" width="220" /></a><b>EDGE: A Young Adult / New Adult Paranormal Collection</b></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56aab538cf5143356070849">
Twenty of today's favorite YA & NA authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!
<br />
<br />
READER BEWARE: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afrai<span class="text_exposed_show">d to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://amzn.to/1SMURbC">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1076426414">Apple </a>/ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/edge-44">Kobo </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-rebecca-hamilton/1123224987?ean=2940152744323">Nook</a></span></div>
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-67594572756931742072016-02-27T16:43:00.000+00:002016-02-27T16:43:01.722+00:00For fans of YA #ParanormalRomance - Fractured Light<div class="p1">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fractured-Light.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-557" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fractured Light" class=" wp-image-557 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Fractured-Light.jpg" height="272" width="181" /></a><strong>The bestselling Edge young adult box set includes my very own novel Fractured Light! This is just one of 20 page-turning, full length novels for only $.99! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/EDGE-Young-Adult-Paranormal-Collection-ebook/dp/B01A93D6US/ref=la_B005RFFM9M_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1454212241&sr=1-11">Order your copy today!</a></strong></div>
<div class="p1">
<strong></strong> </div>
Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. But she never felt ready to face them---until now. Defying the Auran Council and everything she's been taught, Llona must learn to use her power over light as a weapon if she wants to survive.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">EDITORIAL REVIEW</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"This is seriously addictive reading. Believe me, if you like YA paranormal romance, you'll be hooked. Fractured Light offers a new take on vampire-like creatures and introduces some fresh and imaginative paranormal ethnicities while allowing the characters to struggle against the dangers of power lust and societal bigotry." </b>-- Serena Chase, USA Today --USA Today</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">AUTHOR BIO</span></div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
Rachel McClellan was born and raised in Idaho, a place secretly known for its supernatural creatures. When she's not in her writing lair, she's partying with her husband and four crazy, yet lovable, children. Rachel's love for storytelling began as a child when the moon first possessed the night. For when the lights went out, her imagination painted a whole new world. And what a scary world it was...</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.rachelmcclellan.com/">Website</a> |<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelMcClellan/?ref=hl"> Facebook </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/rachelmcclellan?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-McClellan/e/B005RFFM9M">Amazon</a></div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-476" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Edge cover" class="wp-image-476 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" height="290" width="193" /></a><b>EDGE: A Young Adult / New Adult Paranormal Collection</b></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56aab538cf5143356070849">
Twenty of today's favorite YA & NA authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!
<br />
<br />
READER BEWARE: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afrai<span class="text_exposed_show">d to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://amzn.to/1SMURbC">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1076426414">Apple </a>/ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/edge-44">Kobo </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-rebecca-hamilton/1123224987?ean=2940152744323">Nook</a></span></div>
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-50673644584858591442016-02-24T16:36:00.001+00:002016-02-24T16:36:20.831+00:00Steamy #NewAdult #Paranormal Series - Caught in the Glow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></strong><strong style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Caught in the Glow cover" class=" wp-image-530 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Caught-in-the-Glow-cover.jpg" height="359" width="236" /></strong><br />
<strong style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </strong><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The bestselling Edge young adult box set introduces Caught in the Glow, a novel by Eva Chase. This is just one of 20 page-turning, full length novels for only $.99! </strong>When she was a child, Avery Harmen watched her father die at the hands of a Glower—a breed of demon that feeds on dreams of fame and glory. Now she secretly protects the rising stars of Los Angeles from the demons that prey on them, determined to make sure her clients never suffer the same fate.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
Then Avery finds herself assigned to Colin Ryder, a young indie rocker who just landed a major label deal. Colin is cocky, rebellious, a brilliant musician, and already in the Glowers' sights. He's also far too hot for Avery to ignore the chemistry between them—especially when she gets to know the tender side behind his celebrity facade.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
Though Avery knows she's falling too fast, she's willing to risk heartbreak if fanning the flames of attraction distracts Colin from his Glower-tempting antics. But Colin is keeping a secret of his own, one so big it will put both her heart and his soul on the line.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
The first book in The Glower Chronicles, a steamy New Adult paranormal series.</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: left;">
Eva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.evachase.com/">Website</a> |<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EvaChaseBooks/"> Facebook </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorEvaChase">Twitter </a>| <a href="http://authorevachase.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Excerpt</strong></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
He dropped his gaze, swiped his fingers through his shaggy hair, and then looked at me again. “It’s just the job,” he said. “That’s why you care.”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
There was something needy in his eyes, a plea I didn’t totally understand. But it pulled a little ache into my gut. I opened my mouth and hesitated, and Colin shrugged.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
“Of course,” he said flatly. “Well, don’t worry. I can ‘look after’ this just fine on my own.”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
The words slammed down, cutting me off, crushing any progress I’d made with him in the last ten days. They knocked the breath out of me. So it wasn’t that hard to honestly say, “No. Colin, I’d care—even if they took me off duty right now, I’d want to know you were okay. Just because it’s a job doesn’t mean you’re not a person to me too.”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
He took a step toward me, closing that distance again, and this time there was no ignoring the solid presence of him, that piney aftershave mingling with the smoke still clinging to his clothes.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
“Yeah?” he said softly.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
“Yeah,” I said. “I mean, at times a highly irritating person, but frequently one I actually enjoy being around.”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
A sliver of a smile touched his lips. “You’re never going to cut me a break, are you?”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
“Do you want me to?”</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
He paused. “No. I want...” The sentence hung unfinished in the air between us. Then, without warning, he caught me by the waist, spun me to the side, and sat me on the edge of the table.</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
I barely had time to let out a stutter of a laugh and a “What—” before his lips captured mine.</div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.evachase.com/">Website</a> |<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EvaChaseBooks/"> Facebook </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorEvaChase">Twitter </a>| <a href="http://authorevachase.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<b style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Edge cover" class="wp-image-476 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" height="330" width="220" /></b>Caught in the Glow is just 1 of the books included in <strong>EDGE: A Young Adult / New Adult Paranormal Collection</strong></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56aab538cf5143356070849">
Twenty of today's favorite YA & NA authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!
<br />
<br />
READER BEWARE: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afrai<span class="text_exposed_show">d to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://amzn.to/1SMURbC">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1076426414">Apple </a>/ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/edge-44">Kobo </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-rebecca-hamilton/1123224987?ean=2940152744323">Nook</a></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-73432724434610471882016-02-23T12:30:00.002+00:002016-02-23T14:51:06.272+00:00HUNTED Excerpt #TeaserTuesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5DXKg7Aembu4BDPebOWAnHWRENkQYJ9RbMWnNrdzh5bLFzP4Z7AhyphenhyphenOCnh8OcgX-iJZmUqBe3KdU8DW_hwPK29BJqalcdttSVV0IAXSHQTHO770sSmEmQfeejsqnc3VCTxHpurHJPELc/s1600/tt048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5DXKg7Aembu4BDPebOWAnHWRENkQYJ9RbMWnNrdzh5bLFzP4Z7AhyphenhyphenOCnh8OcgX-iJZmUqBe3KdU8DW_hwPK29BJqalcdttSVV0IAXSHQTHO770sSmEmQfeejsqnc3VCTxHpurHJPELc/s400/tt048.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt from <strong><a href="http://someonewotwrites.blogspot.co.uk/p/hidden-marchwood-vampire-series-1.html" target="_blank">HUNTED</a></strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
Book 3 in the Marchwood Vampire series</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; page-break-before: always; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo took his mug of Cheerios over to
his desk and began eating. Over the crunch of cereal, he heard
distant fireworks. It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet, and already
people were celebrating the New Year. Why was everyone so eager to
get to next year, anyway? Were their lives really so bad that they
needed to constantly look forward to tomorrow and next week and next
month and next year? </span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Hold on… that noise? He had thought it
was fireworks, but… The hair on the back of Tommo’s neck began to
prickle. He realised that the popping sound might not actually be
distant fireworks. It might be something a lot closer – like maybe
a light tapping at his window.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo placed his mug and spoon down on
the desk, and carefully finished chewing the contents of his mouth.
From the dark window, his own scared reflection stared back at him.
Surely he must have imagined the noise. His apartment was four floors
up, and there was no balcony. No tree with branches that could be
scraping against the window. But, there it was again. A rhythmic tap,
tap, tap.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo pushed himself away from the
window, his chair rolling backward over the parquet floor. The
tapping had now been replaced by a squeaking sound. What the… Was
that a circle appearing on the window? Yes, someone was drawing a
large circle on the window with their fingernail! He had to be
hallucinating. Maybe the milk was off and he was coming down with
food poisoning. </span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Just then, the circle of glass moved. It
tipped out of the window and crashed onto his computer monitor. Tommo
jumped up in terror, as the glass slid down and landed with a thud on
his desk, unbroken. A rush of frigid air flew into the apartment.
Tommo gasped, too scared to run or even scream.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">He had to get out of here. He had to
leave the apartment. But he hadn’t left the apartment in months.
Someone or something was out there in the darkness. An arm came
through the empty circle of air. Tommo panted in fear, pushed the
chair out of his way and backed up against his front door. Someone
was climbing through the window. Coming to get him.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">In the blink of a cursor, that someone
appeared in front of him, staring down at his face with murderous
eyes. Tommo shrank back even further, trying to melt into the wooden
door, wishing he had the courage to open it and run away from whoever
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><i>this</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
was.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Who are you?’ he squeaked. ‘What
do you want? Take whatever you need. Just, please, don’t hurt me.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo,’ the man said. How did he
know his name? This man wasn’t like anyone Tommo had ever met
before. He was blonde and pale, with piercing eyes and the whitest
teeth. He looked like a character from one of his games. He wasn’t
quite a </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><i>man</i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">
either. More, a boy. But the scariest boy he’d ever seen. Young and
old at the same time. Like an angel, or a devil. Not… human.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">You had a visitor today,’ the
man-boy continued, his voice a hissing whisper. The trace of a
foreign accent.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A visitor?’ Tommo repeated. He felt
as though he was watching himself from above, his mind divorced from
his body.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Yes. A girl.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">She came here, yes,’ Tommo
stammered.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">She asked you to do something for her.
But you said no. Why did you say no?’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I… I… can do it. If you want me to
do it. I can do what she asked.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Now.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Yes, yeah, sure. It… it might take a
while, though. A few hours at least.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A photograph has been sent to your
phone and to your email,’ the man said. ‘Email back when you find
a match for the girl in the photo.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">What happens if I can’t find a
match?’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">The man bent down, so his face was
millimetres from his own. ‘Do you see the hole I made in your
window, Tommo?’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo nodded.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Look at it,’ the man said. He took
hold of Tommo’s chin and turned his face toward the window, to the
newly made hole. The man’s hand was hard and cold like ice. Not
like a human hand at all.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">I can see. I can see the window, and I
can see the hole.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Good,’ replied the man. ‘It’s a
long way down, Tommo. A long way down.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Tommo felt sick. He felt the Cheerios
working their way back up his gullet.</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
‘<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Remember,’ the man said, letting go
of Tommo’s chin. ‘Find the girl in the photo.’</span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.42cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">And then the man was gone. Just like
that. Gone. And Tommo’s Cheerios finally made a reappearance all
over the parquet floor.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><div align="center" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.42cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Be swept away in this heart-pounding tale
of ancient legends, </span></em></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">star-crossed love and nail-biting
supernatural adventure. </span></em></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">This is the climatic finale of The
Marchwood Vampire Series!</span></em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.42cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.42cm; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
Hunted is now available to preorder:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Amazon US</strong></span></a><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Amazon UK</strong></span></a><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Amazon CA</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunted-shalini-boland/1123296936?ean=2940152583908" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #b22d31;">Nook US</span></span></strong></a> <a href="http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series-3-by-shalini-boland/2940152583908" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #b22d31;">Nook UK</span></span></strong></a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series/id1077025409?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>iTunes US</strong></span></a><strong> </strong><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series/id1077025409?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>iTunes UK</strong></span></a><strong> </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series-3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Kobo</strong></span></a><strong> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span></strong><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/608522" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b22d31; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Smashwords</strong></span></a></div>
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.42cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5cm;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-59011860650419405572016-02-22T17:34:00.000+00:002016-02-22T17:34:45.888+00:00Win a Kindle Fire with EDGE - the paranormal box set everyone's talking about<a class="e-widget no-button" href="https://gleam.io/Kww5P/win-a-free-kindle-fire" rel="nofollow">Win a FREE Kindle Fire!!</a>
<script async="true" src="https://js.gleam.io/e.js" type="text/javascript"></script>Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-17660054396907946622016-02-13T10:08:00.000+00:002016-02-13T13:19:47.431+00:00For fans of #CassandraClare #CharlaineHarris & #StephenieMeyer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>The bestselling Edge YA box set introduces Hidden, a novel by Shalini Boland. This is just one of 20 page-turning, full-length novels for only $.99! </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/EDGE-Young-Adult-Paranormal-Collection-ebook/dp/B01A93D6US" target="_blank"><strong>Order your copy today!</strong></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MVS-Hidden-Cover-copy.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-552" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MVS Hidden Cover copy" class="wp-image-552 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/MVS-Hidden-Cover-copy.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="p1">
In this spellbinding adventure, Madison and Alexandre discover terrifying secrets that draw them into the past -- toward their destruction. The legend of the vampire has never been so gripping... Falling in love has never been so dangerous...</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Praise for Hidden</strong><strong>: </strong></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>It's one of the best YA books I have read in a long time and I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment.' </i>--Samantha Towle, New York Times bestselling author of The Mighty Storm<span class="s1"> </span></div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
<div class="p4" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Author Bio</strong></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
Shalini Boland lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing dark adventures (in between doing the school run and hanging out endless baskets of laundry).</div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk/">Website</a> / <a href="http://eepurl.com/xx65f">Newsletter</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaliniBoland">Twitter</a> / <a href="http://www.facebook.com/ShaliniBolandAuthor">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4727364.Shalini_Boland">Goodreads</a> / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shalini-Boland/e/B004SGMOJM">Shalini Boland on Amazon</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-476" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Edge cover" class="wp-image-476 alignleft" src="http://mcclellanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Edge-cover.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="p7" style="text-align: left;">
<b>EDGE: A Young Adult / New Adult Paranormal Collection</b></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_56aab538cf5143356070849">
<br />
Twenty of today's favorite YA & NA authors have come together to bring you a collection packed with full-length, spellbinding reads sure to keep you keep you on the edge of your seat and up way past your bedtime!
<br />
<br />
READER BEWARE: These novels take everything to the edge--and not just the edge of your seat. With authors who aren't afrai<span class="text_exposed_show">d to push the boundaries, you get stories that take everything to limit, creating whimsical reads that teens can actually relate to and that adults can enjoy, too.
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="http://amzn.to/1SMURbC">Amazon</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1076426414">Apple </a>/ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/edge-44">Kobo </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/edge-rebecca-hamilton/1123224987?ean=2940152744323">Nook</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-57207942461112636952016-01-21T19:48:00.001+00:002016-01-24T11:32:19.172+00:00HUNTED, Book 3 in the Marchwood Vampire series, now available to pre-order!<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Hunted</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>(Marchwood Vampire series #3)</strong></span></div>
<div align="center">
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER</span></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Marchwood-Vampire-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Hunted-Marchwood-Vampire-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01AQNA8IE" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbToPASvMyuXfLV63OE4Fn4mAkqtJEmRlLnVCt8L3YhBdpS7D543wC9Auwfgs1lMJP8lz3huI_P7xyx_sxTBLgvVcPTwnj9uR4QeLAOWq5FdVLM98Hwv1VWDCnm8gClyMhDtarWtKTTNg/s400/MVS+Hunted+Cover.jpg" title="Hunted, Marchwood Vampire Series #3" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
A spellbinding vampire adventure that spans the centuries </div>
<div align="center">
from modern-day England and snowy Cappadocia, </div>
<div align="center">
to the wilds of ancient Scythia. <br />
<br />
Maddy and Alex are running scared. </div>
<div align="center">
The Cappadocian vampires are closing in. </div>
<div align="center">
But Alex is so busy worrying about them, </div>
<div align="center">
he can’t see the terrible threat right under his nose… <br />
<br />
Something else is hunting Alexandre. Something ancient and powerful. <br />
<br />
Be swept away in this heart-pounding tale of ancient legends, </div>
<div align="center">
star-crossed love and nail-biting supernatural adventure. </div>
<div align="center">
This is the climatic finale of The Marchwood Vampire Series. </div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong>Pre-order now from:</strong></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Amazon US</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Amazon UK</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01AQNA8IE" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Amazon CA</span></a><span style="color: #45818e;"> </span></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series/id1077025409?mt=11" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">iTunes</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hunted-marchwood-vampire-series-3" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Kobo</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunted-shalini-boland/1123296936?ean=2940152583908" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Nook</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/608522" target="_blank"><span style="color: #45818e;">Smashwords</span></a></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
<strong><a href="http://someonewotwrites.blogspot.co.uk/p/hidden-marchwood-vampire-series-1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See other books in the series >></span></a></strong></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-77725808340152823482015-11-22T13:29:00.000+00:002015-11-22T13:31:46.087+00:00Hidden (Marchwood Vampire Series) New Cover Reveal!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Today, I'm excited to reveal my brand new cover for </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://someonewotwrites.blogspot.co.uk/p/hidden-marchwood-vampire-series-1.html" target="_blank">Hidden</a> (Marchwood Vampire Series Book 1) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I hope you like it!</span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/HIDDEN-paranormal-romance-Marchwood-Vampire-ebook/dp/B004SCS738" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/HIDDEN-paranormal-romance-Marchwood-Vampire-ebook/dp/B004SCS738" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuqK0_C_0Lif9ceR4uLtBayjEsz-ggjkwXe8tLC-0OZtqbJJATyhkG77cyhBf0bBQSMCj8NsRccxtCiEe3yAtG6lFE6YSNFlM66QeBD-wXjdSBCYIDxbhC3d5tSqI2wFIIiiJQiL79As/s320/Hidden+New+Kindle+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As well as this one, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">new covers for </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">books 2 and 3 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">are also being worked on</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">by Adrijus from <a href="http://www.rockingbookcovers.com/" target="_blank">Rocking Book Covers</a>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-75245231898313880482015-08-28T23:12:00.001+01:002015-08-28T23:29:01.950+01:00Win a Kindle Fire with BY MOONLIGHT!<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To celebrate the release of <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moonlight-Paranormal-Box-Set-Vol-ebook/dp/B013XJ23UY" target="_blank">BY MOONLIGHT</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span>a 15-book paranormal box set,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">we're giving you the chance to...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ijtQt9-i4emT2UgPYUAB8OILQJiC0WX2fmV-vanWKz3o9N6zTpr_rMIjP-Iz3IjdgNodUtbpP6wgGIi_16BedINHv8XN32WBntI2GdYGVim6EUhnLqnuUyMv41FMbgZXRY8vTjjHZMU/s1600/win+a+kindle+fire+-+blog+post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ijtQt9-i4emT2UgPYUAB8OILQJiC0WX2fmV-vanWKz3o9N6zTpr_rMIjP-Iz3IjdgNodUtbpP6wgGIi_16BedINHv8XN32WBntI2GdYGVim6EUhnLqnuUyMv41FMbgZXRY8vTjjHZMU/s320/win+a+kindle+fire+-+blog+post.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's free to enter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and there are multiple chances to win :) </span></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="65582f941" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/65582f941/" id="rcwidget_81qzzg5h" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-18876546740781678962015-01-14T11:57:00.000+00:002015-01-14T11:57:14.586+00:00Guardian Interview - how to write a dystopian novel<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Today I'm thrilled to be featured in <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jan/14/shalini-boland-writing-dystopia" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> with Delve Into Dystopia! </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> Plus find out about a teen-created dystopia writing competition</span></h4>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jan/14/shalini-boland-writing-dystopia" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhLjZmylZ6MAJbeiVkwxnOCxqWj6GVk_qT-QtuuvBrz6ZXO2wu2QhfTfOfQfKUXg8ArLNxN0FQTYqX1-6dTmfMdOOFjYBubHRbpKJYxtbgd7XnhIJfhG6oDrARv8o7bR6XQrQ2t3gCaI/s1600/Shalini+Boland-+how+to+write+the+perfect+dystopian+novel+-+Children's%2Bbooks%2B-%2BThe%2BGuardian%2B2015-01-14%2B11-51-25.png" height="315" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/jan/14/shalini-boland-writing-dystopia" target="_blank"><br /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></h4>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-16353340204976934322014-09-19T12:05:00.000+01:002014-09-19T12:12:52.705+01:00iBooks Promotion - 6 Book Paranormal Boxed Set - When Darkness Falls<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today, iBooks launched a major worldwide merchandising feature that includes 100 boxed sets, each priced at only 99c. And I'm excited to be part of it!! Mark Coker, founder of <a href="http://blog.smashwords.com/2014/09/ibooks-launches-worldwide-book-bundles.html" target="_blank">Smashwords</a> invited me to take part. And so, together with five of my favourite fantasy/paranormal authors, we put together a boxed set specifically for this incredible month-long <a href="http://tw.apple.com/bookbundles" target="_blank">iBooks promotion</a>. Here it is...</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/when-darkness-falls-six-paranormal/id914189548?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/When-Darkness-Falls-Paranormal-Novels-ebook/dp/B00N7I5SB8" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZcEGSze35zjJSTGfhxOOCmPFGVZ8tC62xcQgaOQ6PKYcHElwfCqlBov8tUSYKDFUGc47xDGfVuQMa-A1acJqAHdTOed2Qp6NKZWUyz7o27nYc2p_SpdDUCDtBmvGzJE5F_Bz8CnWABg/s1600/When+Darkness+Falls+by+Shalini+Boland+et+al.jpg" height="360" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Six enthralling paranormal novels from six bestselling authors who know how </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">to weave a gripping fantasy tale. From brooding vampires, ghosts and witches, </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">to fallen angels, shifters and fae. Be enchanted with dark romances </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">and sweeping adventures to take you away from the everyday. </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>ONLY</b> <b>99 cents</b> for a limited time</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Available to download now!</span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/when-darkness-falls-six-paranormal/id914189548?mt=11" target="_blank">iTunes</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/470314" target="_blank">Smashwords </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-Darkness-Falls-Paranormal-Novels-ebook/dp/B00N7I5SB8" target="_blank">Kindle US</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Darkness-Falls-Paranormal-Novels-ebook/dp/B00N7I5SB8" target="_blank">Kindle UK</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-darkness-falls-shalini-boland/1120262913?ean=2940046136944" target="_blank">Nook</a><br />
<a href="http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/when-darkness-falls-six-paranormal-novels-in-one-boxed-set" target="_blank">Kobo</a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/when-darkness-falls-six-paranormal/id914189548?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/When-Darkness-Falls-Paranormal-Novels-ebook/dp/B00N7I5SB8" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6reIaMhnBwWu4PScMO7_ovEyM6oba23zGYZ16GlgS-nLmad67XtPYBqOmcvpeLzdMh9hkOYAzPb8bbvSEp6y5B0p8xtmNE9d7nrMmxZz4F7jQaE2YE6cGdRgHNavDpLiKtkXHksq241A/s1600/WDF+-+FB+Header.jpg" height="147" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-87444293299505624262014-07-25T00:12:00.000+01:002014-07-31T13:56:32.054+01:00Writing tips for aspiring authors<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="371">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:8.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:107%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10
things I wish every aspiring author knew</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV6_inBjdutabtHxWx8oi7US-QgjY015-HaFPvSl9Zd5laYKPlwWuQBVl2XWuLg8Du6PzRlwZ9GUJGdbwbZIXackxz2ceo1fSsA1qbq0kWsZeTb-Xwz37OnORfLRL2gE7HFGtk4UPL_s/s1600/Writer-Outline-300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJV6_inBjdutabtHxWx8oi7US-QgjY015-HaFPvSl9Zd5laYKPlwWuQBVl2XWuLg8Du6PzRlwZ9GUJGdbwbZIXackxz2ceo1fSsA1qbq0kWsZeTb-Xwz37OnORfLRL2gE7HFGtk4UPL_s/s1600/Writer-Outline-300x300.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here are some things I wish I'd known before I started out</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">as an author.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I used to think there was this single magic formula for writing, but I don't think there is. It's a combination</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> of grit, hard work and inspiration. Here are my thoughts on what you need to know ...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1. You can’t wait for inspiration to strike. If you want to be an author, you need to have the discipline to sit down and write, even if you ‘don’t feel like it’.<br /><br />2. Sales don’t come instantly (unless you’re very lucky … or you sold your soul to the devil). You have to work for them. <br /><br />3. Once you’ve finished writing your first book, that’s when the hard work starts. I’m not really selling it to you am I? Let me try and be a bit more positive in point number 4. <br /><br />4. There’s nothing quite like the feeling when you’re writing a scene and the characters’ emotions spill over into your own. You can end up laughing or crying with your own creations – that’s a pretty amazing feeling! <br /><br />5. There is no ‘one way’ to write a book. Everyone has different methods. You can plot methodically, or go with the flow. My way of writing lies somewhere in between the two. <br /><br />6. When writing a book, there always comes a point (usually around a third of the way in) when it becomes the hardest slog on earth, and you’ll wonder why you started writing it, and the whole thing feels like this giant waste of time. At this point, it’s advisable to have a good cry/punch a wall/ eat a whole jumbo size bar of chocolate/get drunk. Now you’ve got that out of your system, you must push on through the pain barrier and kiss and make up with your masterpiece-of-a-manuscript. After a chapter or two of hard slog, you’ll be back in love with it again. <br /><br />7. Beta readers are invaluable. I have input from betas during and after the writing process. People who can look at your manuscript with fresh eyes, spot gaping plot holes, tell you your pacing is off, point out that your characters aren’t believable enough etc etc. And no, your mum is not a good choice for a beta reader. <br /><br />8. Good coffee. <br /><br />9. Get a thick skin. Once you finish your book, you’ll have all manner of people telling you, you suck. From editors with red pens. To gatekeepers with heart-piercing stock phrases: ‘Thank you for your submission. While we do consider it to have merit, unfortunately we ….’ But possibly the worst and most disheartening moment is your first 1 star review. Or even worse – the pompous 3 star reviewer who tells you that he/she is a writer and would’ve written it like xyz, not like your crazy-ass xyf. Learn and move on. It’s not personal. <br /><br />10. Don’t always be analysing the sales and marketing and craft aspects of writing a book. Allow yourself to wallow in your scenes and step into your characters’ skins. Have fun with the plots and delight in wicked twists. Yes, writing a book is really hard work, but it’s also a wonderful experience. And there’s nothing quite like that incredible feeling of achievement when you type:</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Hi81GE3zbUq81OlH5ZWKgH7rtOO4Bin5EfQBXLOdCFYVTDvgl2VYBfk37tZ7ZvEcn3_RBtks9_xr3HN252g0d0WCegnuqfhnzCr7_ifXoCgRNTenE92Quwfa5UAtVlosfwEJT8twO80/s1600/the+end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Hi81GE3zbUq81OlH5ZWKgH7rtOO4Bin5EfQBXLOdCFYVTDvgl2VYBfk37tZ7ZvEcn3_RBtks9_xr3HN252g0d0WCegnuqfhnzCr7_ifXoCgRNTenE92Quwfa5UAtVlosfwEJT8twO80/s1600/the+end.jpg" height="118" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Feel free to leave a comment with your own writing tips/experiences . . .Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-24682315957437547562014-06-18T15:01:00.000+01:002014-06-18T15:01:33.652+01:00A post-apocalyptic treasure hunt!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSy6bRcxGt3BW_xU41he718QQS-zXEkKgg3gIbz07YPMwG7S04ae0vGapC8cVlamaKftyaLUfv-eF1W8Iw454qEfQTimBFqz9Ie_ObPlq58745pbgM7OyHRcf87v_NoI7HX0RN7mepmk/s1600/hunt+for+t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSy6bRcxGt3BW_xU41he718QQS-zXEkKgg3gIbz07YPMwG7S04ae0vGapC8cVlamaKftyaLUfv-eF1W8Iw454qEfQTimBFqz9Ie_ObPlq58745pbgM7OyHRcf87v_NoI7HX0RN7mepmk/s1600/hunt+for+t.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="false"
DefSemiHidden="false" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="371">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="page number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">THE HUNT FOR TOMORROW</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A virtual scavenger hunt through twenty-two fictional dystopias.</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Friday, July 18 at 6:00pm (EST) - Sunday, July 20
at 6:00pm (EST)</span></b></div>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US">I'm participating in an online
scavenger hunt that will send participants on a virtual odyssey through
twenty-two dystopian futures in search of the answers they need to win. The
Hunt is on for one weekend only, although there is no time-limit for completing
the course.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"> </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Intrepid scavengers must solve clues at each
of the dystopian author stops as they progress through the course. The twenty-two
participating authors all have books included in three dystopian boxed
sets - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Tomorrow May Bring</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Taste of Tomorrow</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shattered Worlds</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">"Indie publishing is often a solitary
experience. All of these authors coming together to work toward a common goal
is an extraordinary thing,” said author Tony Bertauski, curator of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Tomorrow May Bring</i>. “The enthusiasm
for an engaging, communal effort like this scavenger hunt shows the willingness
of indie authors to share their fans, and that can only be a good thing for
readers.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">THE WINNER WILL NAME CHARACTERS AND TITLE FOR AN INTRIGUING
PROGRESSIVE STORY</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">In a rare instance of collaborative
story-telling, nineteen of the authors will write a progressive short story
over nineteen days. Each author will have one day to write between 500-1000
words before passing the story on to the next author to create a collective
vision of a new, dark future. The winner of The Hunt will name characters and
contribute elements to create this dystopian world, and all participants in The
Hunt will receive an advance copy of the story for an exclusive period before
it is made available as a free download.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">THE WINNER WILL ALSO WIN SIGNED COPIES OF EACH AUTHOR'S BOOK!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">Those who complete the scavenger hunt will
be entered into a random draw, and for each correct answer collected along the
way they will receive an additional chance to win. Along with the naming
opportunity, the Grand Prize also includes a signed copy of each author’s book
that is included in the boxed sets, an ebook of all the boxed sets, and the
first copy of the progressive story they themselves inspired. During The Hunt,
the authors will offer up their own exclusive material, sneak peeks, contests,
and giveaways at their individual stops on The Hunt, giving all scavengers
multiple chances to win bonus prizes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US">The authors participating in The Hunt
include best-selling, award-winning and emerging writers from the United
States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. While their dystopian tales might be
bleak, cynical, or despairing visions of the future, they ultimately carry
messages of hope.</span></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">THE
HUNT FOR TOMORROW</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> will begin <a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> on Friday July 18 at </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">6:00pm (EST) <sub></sub>and ends on Sunday, July 20 at 6:00pm (EST).</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://huntfortomorrow.blogspot.com/"><b> </b></a> <sub> </sub></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">The Hunt is
open to scavengers around the world; there is no cost to enter and one grand
prize winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The DYSTOPTIMISTS</span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 9.0pt;"></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> Shining
Light on a Dark Future<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING boxed set</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.susankayequinn.com/">Susan Kaye Quinn</a> *</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://davidestesbooks.blogspot.com/">David Estes</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://jennimerritt.blogspot.com/">Jenni Merritt</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://meganthomason.com/">Megan Thomason</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.samanthadurante.com/">Samantha Durante</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://bertauski.com/">Tony Bertauski</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://carycaffrey.blogspot.com/">Cary Caffrey</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://davidjnormoyle.com/">David J Normoyle</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.josephturkot.com/">Joeseph Turkot</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://shelbiwescott.com/">Shelbi Wescott</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.deborahrix.com/">Deborah Rix</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>A TASTE OF TOMORROW boxed set</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jasongurley.com/">Jason Gurley</a>*</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://amillionmilesfromanywhere.blogspot.jp/">Chris Ward</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tanpepperwrites.com/">Saul Tanpepper</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.twpiperbrook.com/">TW Piperbrook</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.scullerytales.com/">Deirdre Gould</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://collectiveinkwell.com/">David Wright</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Worlds-Six-Dystopian-Novels-ebook/dp/B00IJYIFG0" target="_blank"><b>SHATTERED WORLDS boxed set</b></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://ellecasey.com/">Elle Casey</a>**</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.katiefrenchbooks.com/">Katie French</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.zoecannon.com/">Zoe Cannon</a>*</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://nanonoodle.com/">Scott Cramer</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://someonewotwrites.blogspot.com/">Shalini Boland</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sarahdaltonbooks.com/">Sarah Dalton</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">*Hunt only, not contributing to progressive short story</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US">**Short story only, not participating in Hunt.</span></div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172750544124698740.post-12866264877925687382014-06-11T14:25:00.000+01:002014-06-11T14:25:15.969+01:00YA Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror Price Drop!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/282675561904128/" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/events/282675561904128/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dOZuNuPvkAls6MoWyOs_wl5bDidjG3UD7gf41lyZWIRKji2alcZdXVNKX0KuItqR4nfpn4j1RwEZq3Bku8R8tlyLW_33SAghwsjl4xOA4JCR6Up-ZM8D8hlOpgC3DhNMUcsPLpP2vV4/s1600/cruel+book+summer.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl">Readers rejoice! For one day only, Friday, June 13th,
you'll be able to buy over a dozen great YA paranormal, horror and
fantasy novels for just 99 cents each. While you're checking out the
selection, the authors will be on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/282675561904128/?source=1" target="_blank">Facebook</a> throughout the event
ready to answer questions, talk about your favorite genres <span class="text_exposed_show">or just to chat. Buy some awesome books and make lasting connections with a great group of authors! </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br /> Here are the books that will be featured: <br /> <br /> 1. Patti Larsen, Book 1 of the Diamond City Trilogy<br /> 2. Tracey Ward, Dissever <br /> 3. Lynnie Purcell, The Hunter<br /> 4. Karice Bolton, RecruitZ<br /> 5. Intisar Khanani, Sunbolt <br /> 6. Chelsea Bellingeri, Love & the Zombie Apocalypse<br /> 7. Elle Casey, Apocalypsis <br /> 8. Michelle Muto, Don't Fear the Reaper<br /> 9. B. Kristin McMichael, Carnelian <br /> 10. Kirby Howell, Autumn in the City of Angels <br /> 11. Andrew Mayer, Book 1 in the Fool Series<br /> 12. Shalini Boland, Hidden<br /> 13. Lisa Wiedmeier, Cheyenne<br /> 14. Tarah Benner, The Defectors<br /> 15. Summer Lane, State of Emergency<br /> 16. J.M. Pierce, Failing Test <br /> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Please share this event with all your avid reader friends!</span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/282675561904128/?source=1" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO GO TO CRUEL BOOK SUMMER </a></span></span></span></b></div>
Shalini Bolandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06167146743839968458noreply@blogger.com1