Celebrating You

For me, 2016 has been full of personal growth and surprises. I’m focusing on sharing my motto: Excite, Empower, and Embrace. And, I love sharing uplifting stories, support, and words of love and peace on my personal FB page, so please follow me there https://www.facebook.com/cyndifaria/ as well as my author page where I share all my latest writing news and releases: https://www.facebook.com/CyndiFariaAuthor/

My quarterly newsletter is fast growing. I offer special prizes throughout the year, including excerpts, reader bios, covers, swag, recipes inspired by my Whisper Cove series, and peeks at what the characters are doing now. Super fun! You can sign up here https://www.instafreebie.com/free/nRk3u

I’m excited to share that my writing took a new direction (dark romantic suspense!) I can’t wait to tell you more about my new series in 2017. I’ve returned to writing book 5 in the Whisper Cove series (Thank you to everyone who requested more of that paranormal world. Dane and Abigail’s book, Spirit Freed, releases February 14th! Woot! (For info and pre-order vendor links: https://cyndifaria.wordpress.com/published-fiction/)

The new house is amazing and furnished just the way we like, lots of pillows, throws, and comfy reading areas. We welcomed a new puppy and she’s eight months old already. Will, my four year old heeler, thinks she’s awesome. The backyard, aka swampland, will be our next project…but isn’t that life’s lesson to happiness? Setting goals, empowering yourself with the skills needed to complete the work and doing your best, then embracing your accomplishments? Repeat, repeat… I’ve even been asked to speak to a group of high school-aged young women on pursuing dreams!

Before I welcome in the new year, I want to say thank you for following me and supporting my writing dreams. If you haven’t read the first two books in the Whisper Cove series, now is your chance to read the romance that started it all (books 2, 3, & 4 are stand alone novels). I hope you enjoy Jake and Faith’s quest to find their HEA.

Fall in love with Whisper Cove First two books 99¢ *Limited Time*

Spirit Awakened *FREE*
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2h3r7Hk
B&N: http://bit.ly/2g9gN2T…
iBooks: http://apple.co/2gWs2gd
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gWkkQX
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1DBb10s

“Loved it! Definitely one that pulls you in from the start! Cannot wait for book 2 (available now)!!” Reviewer

Spirit Released 99¢ *Limited Time*
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hutrIZ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2hjxbyN
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hiSCzY
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gydtLE
Google Play:http://bit.ly/1EdTRVF

“…filled with intrigue, mystery, romance, and paranormal… I can’t wait to see what book 3 has in store for us!” –Tanya’s Book Nook

Books 3 and 4 Available! Book 5 Preorder now!
https://cyndifaria.wordpress.com/published-fiction/

A Bestselling Holiday Romance, Honor the Promise, is being offered at a reduced price. This is a sweet bestfriends to lovers romance novella you won’t want to miss.

A hidden fear. A secret crush. Risking the truth could tear them apart.

A bestselling, sweet holiday romance Amazon (only): http://amzn.to/1rkb5pD…
(Bonus Chapter from the Whisper Cove series included) *Limited Time*

“…a wonderful story about love, best friends turning to lovers, and figuring out what you really want out of life.” Reviewer

Maggie leaned in, brushed her lips against Garrett’s, and shimmied closer. “Don’t be afraid to get close.”

He twined his legs with hers, thought about how the pig-tailed ten-year-old had transformed into a beauty queen, now safely tucked into his arms. “I thought we had a dance class?'”

She whispered, “Class doesn’t begin for half an hour.”

He tasted her smile, tasted sunshine on a stormy night. The way his body tingled from her chest, tummy, and thighs pressed tight against his might as well have been a lightning bolt that struck deep and fired him up inside. He could think of nothing else but claiming her as his.

Best friends to lovers never felt so good.

***

Lastly, congratulations to Catherine Maquire, winner of my Holly Jolly Facebook Hop page game. And, Congratulations to Cara Scott, winner of the Kindle paper white! Woot! I had so much fun seeing everyone’s’ Mr. Sexy! Oh, my!

Here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season! Don’t forget to download the above items and have a fabulous time reading, relaxing, and ringing in the new year.

 

Happy Reading,

 

Cyndi Faria

“Spellbinding” says Reviewer of Spirit Released #Winners #Giveaway

“A PAGE TURNER.”

Last week’s launch was such fun! I’m still excited about meeting so many readers at the Facebook Launch Party. I want to say thank you to all who attended! XO YOU!!!

REVIEWS ARE IN!

“I started reading this book and fell in love with the characters. True love trumps evil in a surprising twist. It is a page turner. I read till I couldn’t see then had trouble sleeping because I wanted to read more about Faith and her Fairy Fog spirit, Jake and his disbelief in spirits. I got up grabbed a cup of coffee and continued to read this spellbinding story. I now have to wait to see what happens in book two of the Whisper Cove Series. Ms Faria that was a great book. I loved it.”    –AnAngelLady

Thank you so much, AnAngelLady!

Authors live for reviews. And your review actually matters by way of getting a story into more readers’ hands. Soon as you’ve read Spirit Released, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ve listed the purchase links below. Simply download, read, and  leave a review.  😉

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1i9KOvu

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1nlK3l0

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/RLkugD

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1gQX7Y7

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1rta9jC

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Hosting me is Author Assistant and Reviewer April Allen.  Her mission is to bring authors and readers together. Want to read some fun facts about me, click here.

MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

FACEBOOK PARTY: Join me May 1st, 2014 at 4:40 EST. I’ll be participating as a guest author for author Veronica Blade. Her Facebook launch party for her new release, Thrown to the Wolves, is going to be amazing! I’ll be giving away two digital copies of Spirit Released. To join the Facebook party fun and find out times, etc., click here.

GUEST AUTHOR: Hosting me again, is Delilah Devlin. She’s one awesome author! Join me on Monday, April 28th, 2014 here. I’ll be asking a question and giving away a digital copy of Spirit Released to one lucky commenter.

LIKE AND SHARE: Head over to my FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE and LIKE my page. I’ve listed a CONTEST post for you to SHARE. When we reach 350 likes, I’m going to give away another copy of Spirit Released!

WHOO HOO!!! MY APRIL WINNERS…

1. Digital copy of Keep the Promise: Linda Richter 

2. Digital copy of Honor the Promise: Amanda Kay

3. Digital copy of Keep the Promise and Spirit Released: BN100 

4. $5 eGC to Amazon.com: Bella DaSilva 

5. Winner of a beautiful “LOVE” pendent  Amanda Muller  

6.: $5 eGC to Amazon.com: Benita Wilson  

7. Winner of beautiful bracelet: Krissie Kuster Bogner  

8. Digital copy of Honor the Promise: Charlene Zall Capodice 

 

Happy Reading,

Cyndi Faria

Cover Reveal – Spirit Released

It’s cover reveal time and I’m super excited to share with you!

I’ve been working so hard to bring you a full length paranormal. Book one in the Whisper Cove series, titled Spirit Released, will be available on April 22nd!

In the seaside town of Whisper Cove, a centuries’ old curse tests true love…

On her wedding day, Faith Cabrillo prepares to confess a desperate secret to her fiancé, Jake Mitchell—she’s cursed with both the ability of speaking to the dead…and never fulfilling the promise of true love. Before the truth is revealed, Jake’s life is endangered and Faith sacrifices herself to save him.

Grief-stricken, Jake refuses to accept Faith’s comatose state. His innovative research keeps Faith alive, yet he’s faced with his biggest challenge when Faith’s spirit appears with a warning that his life is still in danger. Because Jake’s a man of medicine, he denies his Faith truly exists on two planes. Until he talks to her. And holds her. And begins to hope that he’s wrong.

Will Jake’s devotion and Faith’s body and soul be forged by love’s healing power in time to stop a killer before the curse again claims Faith …this time forever?

***

During the next two weeks, I’ll be either hosting or participating in blog hops, contests, and Facebook parties. As my supporters and readers, I’ll give you an opportunity via a pre-release rafflecopter to spread the word about my release on April 22nd, for a chance to win an eBook copy and more. Then on April 22, it’s FB party time!

This weeks upcoming events:

• Monday, April 14th (8:00 am – 7:00 pm CST) via Dale Mayer’s new release celebration, there will be an awesome lineup of authors, including myself along with Cynthia Eden, Donnell Ann Bell, Virna Depaul, Marilyn Brant, Edie Ramer, Misty Evans, Robin Bielman, Jamie Lee Scott, and Michelle Diener. Join us at  http://dalemayer.com/category/blog/ (There is an event page on Facebook, if you’d like to follow along there https://www.facebook.com/events/1409988985938875/?ref_notif_type=like&source=1)
• Rafflecopter TBA
• Friday, April 18th I’ve been asked by author Diana McCollum to participate in a blog hop to discuss my newest work and the writing process. Find out what Diana McCollum has to say about her process at http://romancingthegenres.blogspot.com/2014/04/writing-process-blog-hop.html

Happy reading! Cyndi

Review Time – Turned by Virna DePaul #Giveaways #FF

Perfect for fans of J.R. Ward, Nalini Singh, and Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author Virna DePaul’s new series of paranormal romances introduces readers to a thrilling world where vampires secretly co-exist with humans, seduction rules the night, and the stakes are nothing less than life and undeath.

Virna DePaul has a way of infusing sex into every single page that I can’t turn fast enough.

4-1-14 is release day for Random House author Virna DePaul and Turned, the first book in the Belladonna Agency series. Turned is a fast paced, gritty, completely addicting, as in I-can’t-wait-to-read-book 2 (Awakened) and one of Virna’s best works.

Here’s a peek at Ty and Ana’s interaction after they’ve just met, wrestled, and Ana has disarmed the mind-reading, vampire, Ty, who is also incapable of telling a lie. Ana doesn’t know he’s a vampire nor does she know he can read her mind. Let’s read what Ty is willing to do to convince Ana to give back his gun…

“…You want me. And something tells me if I kiss you—just kiss you—you’ll tell me exactly where my gun is. What are the odds that I’m right?”

As fear drained from her body, it was replaced swiftly by anger. She felt her face flame and hated that her weakness was so transparent. Worse yet, she hated him for being witness to it. She renewed her struggles, but that didn’t stop him from lowering his lips to hers.

“Bite me,” he warned, “and I swear I’ll bite you back.”

She didn’t bite him.

She couldn’t.

She was too busy trying to stifle her every sound and every reaction to his kiss. The first touch of his cool mouth to hers seared her nerve endings, and although he kept the contact quick and gentle, she was shaking when he raised his head.

“Where’s the gun?”

She stared mutely back at him.

“You want me to kiss you again, sweetheart?”

She tried shaking her head. Wasn’t sure if she actually did. She said nothing, however, afraid if she did she’d give herself away.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

She wanted him to kiss her again. But damn if she’d tell him so.

Thankfully, he didn’t need to hear it. Lowering his head once more, he was neither quick nor gentle. This time, his touch didn’t feel cool.

This time, he opened his mouth and penetrated her with his tongue.

This time, heat swept from him into her so hot and so fast she practically ignited. She whimpered, and the sound shocked her out of her lust-induced trance. No, she thought, I won’t let this happen. I can’t.

Wrenching her mouth from his, she turned her face to the side, closed her eyes and surrendered. “Your gun’s in the cabinet under the toaster.”

Turned, by Virna DePaul, Page 29-30.

Find out what happens between Ana and Ty. Preorder here: Turned 

For a chance to win a signed print preview of Turned, the first book in the Belladonna Agency series to a US winner, 18 years or older, leave a comment about what intrigues you to read stories about sexy alpha vampires?

Want more chances to win? See blog hop details here.

Happy Reading, Cyndi Faria

Lucky 7 FB Release Party (prizes)

LUCKY 7 is an Amazon Bestseller!!!!

Lucky me, Susan Hatler, has invited me to be a guest author (10:15 pm EST)! I’ll be giving away an Amazon gift card. And there will be many more prizes, great authors, free books, and giveaways!

That’s 7 bestselling authors and 7 full-length novels for  0.99 USD. This special offer price won’t last long. You can download LUCKY 7 at any of the links: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. 

Can’t wait to see you tomorrow at the LUCKY 7 Facebook Party: Here. 

Cyndi 

Turned (Book 1 of the Belladonna Series) #FF

If you’re like me and love a romance between a sexy, alpha hero and kick-ass heroine, then you’ll love Turned by Random House author Virna DePaul. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Virna regarding her new Belladonna series.

Side note: For those of you who are unfamiliar with Virna’s books, she is the author of the FBI Para-Ops books.  Five years after the Second Civil War ends, the team combined of human and otherborn-humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA is charged with protecting both human and otherborn rights. The Belladonna series precedes this time.

So let’s hear what Virna has to say…

Question: “What inspired you to write the Belladonna series?”

Answer:  “I wanted to explore the world before the Para-Ops books, one in which vampires were just discovered and the government is faced with the possibility that they may not be monsters. At the same time, what kind of risks are humans willing to take versus what will they do to gain the upper hand? These are the very things my turned vampire hero Ty and my human heroine Ana must struggle with. How does one maintain compassion and humanity while also doing whatever it takes to survive? ”

This book is a keeper for sure! Thank you for stopping by, Virna!

Ty is one of my favorite heroes. Yes, he’s flawed, but his passion for his country, right over wrong, the woman he loves, and his desire to hold on to his humanity reigns supreme even in survival mode. Excerpt:

“With a shudder, Ty returned his attention to the man he still held. As soon as he’d bitten him, the man had gone compliantly silent and even now dangled in his arms. Ty stared at him, his previous thoughts echoing in his ears. The way he’d thought of the man as a mere human, as something weak and existing only for his own benefit, had him stumbling back, his arms falling to his sides.

The man crumpled to the ground, groaning. Blood trickled from the puncture wounds in his neck, but Ty could hear his heart thudding and his blood flowing. He was okay. Ty would leave him here, and the man would never know what had happened. At most, he’d assume he’d been so drunk he’d hallucinated a feral monster attacking him . . .

Shakily, Ty swiped his sleeve across his mouth, noting the light streaks of blood there. He expected himself to throw up, because his thoughts had indeed sickened him. Instead of puking his guts out, however, he felt a renewed energy and vitality zipping through his veins. His senses, already heightened, became even more acute. This was what was intoxicating. Addicting. Even more than the taste of the blood itself, how could anyone resist this feeling of strength? Of sheer power?

He could feel the moisture in the air changing, telling him it would rain before dawn. He could see the fleas on the cat that balanced on a Dumpster thirty feet away.

And he could smell . . .

He took a deeper breath.

He could smell someone approaching. His mind screamed at him to run. With a final glance at the homeless man he’d terrorized and a muttered curse, Ty obeyed. Strengthened by the blood he ran fast. Past his flat. Past Ana’s house. Past anything resembling a residential neighborhood until he came upon a remote warehouse. He jumped the fence and found an unlocked door. As he stepped inside, the cool, dark air welcomed him like a mother’s embrace. Leaning against an interior wall, he sank to the cold concrete floor. Closing his eyes, he cursed what he’d become.

What he’d lost.

Not just his humanity. Not just his chance to have a relationship with a human female like Ana.

He’d lost the only family he had left. His sister, Naomi. She was dead because of him.”

Cyndi here…

Awe… Poor Ty. The only comfort he could find was darkness and a cold concrete floor, while amidst his staggering blame.

Meet Ana. She’s strong. A survivor. She see’s in Ty what he has yet to recognize in himself. This softens her tough exterior, but at the same time her own weaknesses surfaces. Here’s what she does about that :

“Ty seemed oblivious to her presence.

Gritting her teeth, she reached out and touched his arm. “Ty.”

His head snapped up at her touch. His mouth was closed and she couldn’t see his fangs, but the lower part of his face was still smeared with blood. Louis’s blood. The feral look in Ty’s eyes terrified her. But as she stared at him, she saw the intensity of his regret. She saw his humanity.

Her fear and panic didn’t go away but it did subside.

Swallowing hard, she felt him shake even harder. She squeezed his arm in what she hoped he’d interpret as a reassuring gesture. “Ty, está bien,” she said. “It’s okay.”

“No,” he choked out. “This is what I am now. A monster. A freak.”

It was exactly what she’d thought about him, but she protested anyway. “You’re not a monster. Louis came after us. And you saved me. You saved both of us.”

He didn’t say anything more. Turning his face toward the wall again, he shook and shook. Somehow, before she knew what she was doing, she had her arms around him and exactly as she’d wanted to for so long. She was finally comforting him.

And he let her.

Slowly, his shaking lessened.

She started to pull away. In response, Ty wrapped his own arms around her, pulling her even closer into his embrace. “No. Please. Don’t go.”

He sounded so vulnerable, though he wasn’t. Still, his raw plea awakened long-ago emotions in her, ones she had never wanted to relive. The memories were unbearable.

Gloria had clung to her when she’d crawled into Ana’s bed at night, begging her to keep her safe from the monsters—the ones in the closet, the ones on the street, the ones that their mother brought home with her.

She’d always told Gloria she’d protect her. That she’d keep the monsters away. She wanted to tell Ty the same thing, but she couldn’t. In the end, she hadn’t been able to protect Gloria. Ty knew that. He would come to his senses, ashamed of his moment of weakness.

He was the strong one. Not her. She pulled away again.

“I have to go,” she insisted. “Debemos ir, Ty. Back to Belladonna.”

Cyndi again…

Thank goodness this is ROMANCE! Virna DePaul is champion of romantic conflict that keeps us rooting for the couple until the very end. So hold your breath and seat for an incredibly smokin’ hot and sexy ride!

To pre-order click  Turned 

Bad Boy Pre-Release Party (prizes)

LUCKY 7 BAD BOYS: A CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE BOXED SET

What a great way to kick off the New Year!

Hi everyone, I’m so excited to be a guest author for Virna DePaul. Today via Facebook, 7 awesome bestselling authors are celebrating the pre-release. That’s right, seven full-length novels by seven bestselling authors, available for pre-order with Amazon for 0.99 USD. The boxed set releases March 3, 2014. I’ve read several of these novels and I can tell you these are some of my favorite stories and authors!

Join the Lucky 7 Facebook Page: Here. Amazon pre-order link: amzn.to/1avusIk

So prizes and giveaways…

When: 9:00 EST to 11:00 EST. At 2:30 EST, I’ll be guest posting and would love to see you all. For the party, I’m giving away one eBook of A Promise Worth Honoring to one lucky winner who comments on my post. And if you LIKE my Author Facebook page, during the party, you’ll be entered to win a $20 Amazon gift card.

Additional prizes today include:

$260 worth of gift cards, 13 signed paperbacks, 54 eBooks, 3 bracelets, 2 pendant necklaces, 2 t-shirts, 2 coffee mugs, chocolate, clutches, lotions, candles, swag packs and more!

See you there…

Happy New Year!

Cyndi

Blog Hop Update – A Promise Worth Remembering

Yesterday’s Blog Hop over at  Margery Scott’s blog was so much fun. We talked about Unforgettable First Love and the responses were fantastic. There’s still time to join the discussion. 

Currently, A Promise Worth Remembering is #18 in Free Kindle Anthologies and #19 in Free Kindle New Adult. Very Exciting!

Today I’m blogging at two (2) places:

Pink Fuzzy Slippers Writers I’m discussing Symbolism and if there’s a value on sentiment.

Cindy Carroll’s blog I’m sharing my cat Lucky’s rescue.

I sure hope you blog hop over to those sites for a chance to be entered in the contest for the pendant.

Also, if you haven’t downloaded your copy of A Promise Worth Remembering, there are only two days left to pick up the short story for FREE.

Wishing you much love and happiness,

Cyndi Faria

Amazon Author Page

Winning Retreat with Margie Lawson

A winning retreat with Margie Lawson began with Sacramento Valley Rose RWA’s three-day writing retreat at Stanford Sierra Camp. Located on Fallen Leaf Lake near Tahoe, California, speaker Margie Lawson evoked my muse like none other. She has a diverse history from holding a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology to Directing an Impotence Clinic. And when it comes to analyzing a manuscript, she makes the task interesting, exuberant, unique. She isn’t afraid to tackle the most challenging manuscript issues.

DEEP EDITING TECHNIQUE:

Check out my example of a BASIC sentence:   Marcus’s voice caused Anna to shiver.

Using one of Margie’s techniques, I SUPER EMPOWERED the sentence:

At the sound of Marcus’s voice, Anna’s body quaked from the roots of her scalp down to the tips of her toenails and every cell in between, awakening a volcano on the fringe of exploding.

By expanding the description, the reader will connect to Anna’s reaction to Marcus at a much deeper level. And notice the use of the POWER WORD (exploding) deliberately placed at the end to give the sentence an extra punch.

THE EDIT SYSTEM:

The Edit System uses different colored highlighters to differentiate between dialogue, backstory, setting, and a few more.

By applying this system to my manuscript, visually I was able to spot where I needed to add dialogue, setting cues, or reduce introspection. And so on.

RHETORICAL DEVICES:

Familiar (sampling):

• Analogy
• Metaphor
• Simile

Not So Familiar (sampling):

• Conduplicatio
• Symploce
• Zeugma

By taking Margie’s classes, I’ve learned to take a ho-hum manuscript and transform the pages to an eye-popping, mouth-dropping, with tingles on top experience!

And you can, too, with Margie’s expertise.

If you’re interested in learning more about Margie’s techniques, check out Margie Lawson’s website. She offers all kinds of craft support and on-line classes and even private retreats. A complete schedule of appearances can be found on her site.

Also, the resort, located at an altitude of 6,380 feet and surrounded by snow-tipped peaks, is open to groups of 30 or more and offers full service gourmet meals, boating activities, hiking, bonfires, and much, much more. For additional information and how to schedule your group’s retreat visit Stanford Sierra Camp.

Embrace What Would Be

Moving into 2013, I’d like to embrace what would be. But before I do that, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on 2012. It was more than blog posts, traveling, and hours typing on the keyboard. It has always been and will always be about making connections with people like you. This next year, I hope to bring you more writing craft nuggets, Wordy Wednesday, and inspiration. This coming year, I plan to indie publish my first cozy paranormal romance. Without your support and encouragement, my dreams might not have been realized. Thank you for sticking by me and for all of your comments. You are my greatest treasure.

If you’re so inclined, check out my stats, your stats, below. I couldn’t have tripled my website views in one year without you.

Lifting my cyber glass, “Embrace what would be” in 2013 and remember . . . (from the movie New Years Eve, Claire Morgan (Hilary Swake’s speech) says . . .

…it’s (the ball) suspended there to remind us before we pop the champagne and celebrate the new year, to stop and reflect on the year that has gone by.

To remember both our triumphs and missteps, our promises made and broken. The times we opened ourselves up to great adventures or closed ourselves down for fear of getting hurt. Because that’s what new year is all about — getting another chance. A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more. And stop worrying about what if and start embracing what would be.

So when the ball drops at midnight, and it will drop, let’s remember to be nice to each other, kind to each other. And not just tonight but all year long.

Happy New Year 2013!

Cyndi Faria

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,700 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 8 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.