Have You Gotten Your Autumn Cider? Undawnted's Seasonal Reads Program Guide

As the evenings turn cool, fire pits are decorated with people cooking marshmallows and wearing sweaters.

The holidays are close at hand. First, we get to enjoy the descending darkness into longer nights. We get costumes and candy... and fireside stories from beyond.

How do you get your fall fill? Well, read, of course!
Here are some of my reads for your reading list:

Fiction
Novels  
In the Name of Blood: Vampires are Relative
Novel about the supernatural ties that link people between the ages.

Poetry
Chapbooks 
The Descent: a darker breed of poetry  
Haunting... paranormal... cryptic... literary and contemporary fantasy. 

 

Autumn Reads and Workshops runs September 1st to November 30th.

 

 

 

Autumn Cider Seasonal Reads: In the Name of Blood

 Ready for a haunting read? Try In the Name of Blood:

Riley Austin believes life is predictable. That is until she helps her friend, Tony, catch the kidnapper of three little boys. While using her sixth sense to find the missing kids, she and Tony are attacked and Riley is taken by Julian, a vampire, who wishes to use her gift for his own purposes.

When he asks for her assistance, Riley discovers a kindred spirit in Julian. Moreover, she discovers that an insane, power-hungry vampire called Wilhelm is at the center of many disappearances. A bond grows between Julian and Riley and is strengthened when she saves his life. For her own protection Julian returns her to the safety of the mortal realm.

What Julian does not realize is that Riley was never going to remain safe...

Buy In the Name of Blood on Lulu. 

Bring this vampire crime drama to life in your imagination.

 

 

Winter Frost Novel of the Season: Nocturnal Redemption In the Eye of the Beholder

Want a great read for sitting by the fireplace? Then pick up the Nocturnal Redemption paranormal romance saga. 

When Ryan is attacked by werewolves, she is rescued by the hidden Regent of the Vampire Nation, Jeremy Hampton. This event sets a domino effect in motion that Jeremy's adversary could not foresee. The future of the vampires lies on a knife’s edge: matters of the heart.

Could the love that betrayed the gypsy witches into cursing the vampires three hundred years ago be the one thing to end their immortal suffering and bring peace between these two ancient factions?

Love is always In the Eye of the Beholder.



Read more on Nocturnal Redemption's page.

Or, buy your own copy: 

Nocturnal Redemption: In The Eye of the Beholder (PDF)


*****
Critical Acclaim from Readers:

"A lively yet very believable protagonist, entertaining dialogue and then the introduction of an enigmatic hero who may or may not still have the air of humanity about him."

"Great dialogue."

"It all makes for a good combination... Very enjoyable stuff."

Hode is Now Available at Barnes and Noble with a 2 Chapter Preview

Hode: The Legend Lives Again has been distributed by Barnes and Noble.

It's exciting news! 

This retailer has also provided the first two chapters as a Preview.

Enjoy! 

Hode: The Legend Lives Again has been Published!

Fans and Readers!

Great news. Hode: The Legend Lives Again is available on Lulu. To celebrate its release, my publisher Sonoran Dawn Studios is offering the PDF for FREE.

It's a Limited Time offer.

Get your copy of this exciting update to the old classic now!

Become a Fan. Leave great feedback! 

The Roben Hode Adventure to be Released March 31st

I never thought a book could flow onto the page as quickly as this story did.

Hode: The Legend Lives Again is the origin story for this new book series. Meet his Merry Band of Men, and Will Scarlet:

“We must be true, loyal… Equal partners. Do you pledge to do right by each other and this world?”

“With an honorable leader.” Marian smiled. “A White King to guide us. As Marian James, I pledge. ”

“A Black Knight to keep us safe.” Dale nodded to the verbal contract. “As Dale Allan, I pledge.”

“Grey Magus to see beyond the mundane.” Tuck agreed also. “As Friar Tuck, I pledge.”

Robert looked to the sullen cryptoanarchist. “Well? What say you, Will Scarlet?

“As Will Scarlet…” He flipped Robert off.

Read about this new mythical hero on March 31, 2018 when Hode: The Legend Lives Again is released as a PDF EBook on Lulu via Sonoran Dawn Studio's Fiction Spotlight.

Have a heroic day!

Hode: The Legend Lives Again

Writing an updated version of the Robin Hood Story has been epic. 

No. Seriously. I shot out a novella in record time. I guess the universe had something to say! 

...about Robin Hood.

Don't miss a minute of this evolving novel. Visit Hode: The Legend Lives Again, which has been added to the Long Fiction section of Undawnted.

Convicted of a crime he did not commit, Robert Laurence spends ten years imprisoned and tortured in a military black site. Freed by a secret organization, he now dedicates his life to the pursuit of justice... Don't call it karma; you can call him:  Hode.

 Everyone needs a mythical hero to save the day. Let Roben Hode be yours.

On Its Way Feels Pretty Good

We should always do something nice for ourselves. When I decided to create the print book version of In the Name of Blood, I knew that that was my gift to myself this summer. 

So it is official:

What have you done for yourself lately?

Have a great and wonderful day.

First Print Mockup for In the Name of Blood is on the Way

As I have been creating new marketing materials, I decided to create the back page for my novel. 

I have had the item on my to-do list but I have always had some other task before it. Not that I crossed off the other tasks, I just made the move to finish what I started a year ago. Now the back page jacket looks pretty good. 

What do you think? 

In the Name of Blood Official Full Book Jacket

After it was done, I then added a table of contents to the book itself. That as they say was that! I had created the full version of the print edition to In the Name of Blood. I will also update the ebook to have a table of content as well.

I have put in an order for the mockup. When it arrives in the mail by next weekend, I will be able to correct any issues that may have arisen. Then I will begin to offer my ebook in print form. 

Hooray!

It is about time I hold my handiwork in my hands. I have a place on my bookshelf for my creative fiction and poetry, but being disabled makes my timetable a little longer than most. Plus the lack of funds does not help my timetable either. 

Now, more positive routes are in motion. It's not the destination, but the journey. Mine just happens to be in the slow lane.

Have a great and wonderful day! 

Pondering the Possibilities

With my book cover work for Delilah nominated this year, it got me thinking. Should I wait to publish my next novel until the start of 2018 so that I can enter into book cover events and competitions spring through autumn? 

In the Name of Blood published in October 2016.. too late for events. 
 

Or is that tacky?

Could be smart. If no one knows you have written a book, then how are you supposed to get any readers? Events and promotions could be a sensible way on a no-string budget to get noticed. 

Readers will be better prepared to come to you.

It appears that events, promotions, and competitions are the mainstays of online, independent authors.  I am in many different kinds of forums for independent authors, but nothing that says: Readers Apply Here. 

The question then comes down to: is the work you have written worth all the fuss?

 Have a great and wonderful day!

Spoiler Alert! Your Escape into Poetry

If you like reading some poetry of mine, then you will want to Like my Facebook page: Dawn Leslie Mullan.

And, visit my Authorsden! I rotate my poetry and articles on that site from something I just completed to what I am working on right this second.

And leave a review, I may just feature it on Undawnted! 

So there are ways to have your own personal spoiler alert, but you should really try buying a novel or chapbook.

The Sonoran Dawn --Poetry Spotlight is open and ready to receive your ebook order. 

Have a great and wonderful day!

Love is in the Air

When I first began writing Nocturnal Redemption, I knew a love story was being built. 

All the elements were there. Still, I wanted a story that was more than a romance novel. I wanted the story to be about something concrete. 

So I added into the story a subplot about politics. It's interesting that I began writing this novel way before a woman had ever run for President of the United States. 

Nocturnal Redemption will be out soon...  I hope you enjoy the first book of the series as much as I am enjoying writing the complexities of political life.

Paranormal Romance for the Election Hangover

This national election cycle left me dreadfully dreary. Votes are still being counted. In order to cure my election hangover of too much television news, brightly lit electoral college maps, and a host of very unhappy commentators on CBS and PBS, I began to edit and write. 

I have been working on getting two different types of paranormal romance novels ready for publication. Romance is a bit of a stretch since I am not a romance type writer. I write for plot and character, not to be provocative. 

We will go by the Merriam Webster definition of romance:

a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural (2) :  a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious (3) :  a love story especially in the form of a novel

That better suits the way I write: for love. I will leave the reader to fill in all the blanks!

How about you?

Have a great and wonderful day! 

In the Name of Blood Countdown

With the close of September looming, a new release is set for publication in October. 

My Halloween themed poetry book: The Descent is already making waves. Next to come is my fiction novel: In the Name of Blood. 

I know what you are thinking... not another vampire story. Well that is the advantage of my creative writing:  I do not write anything that is derivative. I write authentic, original stories and poetry. 

My characters tell me how they want to be represented... no teenie bopper story lines here. My characters are mature adults with an attitude all their own. 

So if you are on the fence about my writing, don't be. My writing has received many great reviews from fellow writers and authors during the rewriting, editorial, and constructive critique processes. 

Plus, the writing is free for the first two weeks. So have fun and read an interesting, character driven story with a good plot and development.

In the Name of Blood is due out October 16, 2016 and will be free until 11:59pm on Halloween.

The Descent is available now until October 1, 2016 for free, then will turn fee based.

What more could you ask for? 

Have a great and wonderful day!

Knight's Way Crossing Added

I found an archived story: Knight's Way Crossing.

Kaitlin Lane has a problem. Everything about her is fake. Her name is borrowed. Her life belongs to someone else. The one gift that is hers is to speak to the dead.

Don't get excited; she's not. 

If you would like to read more about this upcoming release in 2019, visit the Knight's Way Crossing page here on Undawnted!

Have a great and wonderful day.

Babylon 5 News, Fanfiction

Remakes, reboots... re my asteroids.

From my understanding this reboot will be in movie form and not about Babylon 5 the station. It will be about something else. Someone in the comments section yelled: Psi War!  Since JMS likes to shine the light on history and politics, I think we are going to be in for one hell of a ride.

Or, I will be doing a lot of fanfiction writing. 

If you like Babylon 5 and fanfiction, I have a neat story for you. It is called Circles We Find Ourselves In.  Take a read. You won't be disappointed. 

Until then... hey, JMS: why not do a reboot of VR.5? Fox left that unended and unsatisfying.  

And, one word of advice on the B5 reboot: leave us a happy ending this time... after Marcus Cole died, I pretty much lost interest in the coming fifth season. So remember to throw the audience a bone, not all love in unrequited. 

Thank you! and have a great day.

Source: Blastr

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

The North American Southwest is in for a rainy few days.

The clouds, actual real clouds, have inundated the skies causing the sun rays to weave in and out of them as well as give some passing showers. Nothing too heavy, rain to make the day feel soggy. 

I have spent my weekend watching Babylon 5, seasons 3 and 4. Pivotal, prophetic, and masterful, this television show from the 1990's is a gem. I wish more science fiction shows would be so informative. What is happening now is history repeating itself and MJS loved to write from historical context.

When I write, I love to base some of my aspects on writers I believe have a very keen intellect when it comes to human nature, historical perspective, and philosophical inquiry. I remember as I write what makes me want to watch the show more, or reread a section of a novel. 

MJS of Babylon 5 and Timothy Zahn of the Star Wars Extended Universe are two of my favorites. Not my only favorites, but if I feel I am stuck, I can always pop in a DVD or read a chapter and feel better about what needs to be done in my story. 

Inspiration is key. It is priceless. Anything that removes a block is just as awesome. 

Have a great and dry weekend!

 

Writing is Such Fun My Cats Help Me

That Steampunk idea really kicked my writing of Blood Oath, Blood War off.

I've written a good solid 15 pages of dialogue. The word count will really rise when I back fill and write all the descriptions. The plot too has expanded.

I am really excited about how the main character Riley Austen is changing from a simple gallery owner into a leader and romantic figure.

In my editing of the finished product, I hope I remain true to its humble beginnings and keep the action moving and the dialogue snappy.

All of which would go a lot faster if my calico cat would stop laying on my lap so i cannot type very well. She is quite the character, especially reaching over the keyboard to stretch and setting of F4 - F8 at times.

Nothing says mommy's little helper like having to reboot my computer.

Have a scary, autumn day!!

Steampunk, Paranormal Romance, and the Age of Alternative History

Awesome.

That is a load of words to say isn't it? I had been reading up on how to write the genre because I have a half done historical novel waiting for a great plot twist. 

My novel is more like a Paranormal Romance slash Historical novel, but I wanted to update it. 

Low and behold, Steampunk incorporates the supernatural. I can do that.

It is an exciting way to revive an old story and it has opened my mind to possibilities. So much so that the new concept has broadened my understanding of  Blood Oath, Blood War. 

And, that's how creativity works. 

One creative epiphany leads to another. So Steampunk can revitalize a historical romance and set in motion more crime-drama in my vampire novel. 

That is why I love writing. You wake up with doubt and leave with hope. 

Have a great and wonderfully spooky day!

Down for the Count

Serious illness is unpredictable.

I guess it's back to writing! The cats don't care; they're asleep all over. Some on the bed. Some of the dresser... Some are missing.

What a great life a house cat has.

Maybe, I should start writing about them!

Have a great and wonderful day.