So I did it again. Yep, I got caught talking to myself out in public (actually I was arguing with myself over a plot point). You would think that because it happens so often that I would be used to it by now, but no, I still slink off as if I think they are going to call the men in the white coats and nets to come get me. 

It did get me to thinking though, a writer engages in all sorts of craziness. It's that insanity that allows us to create stories and characters for others to enjoy, but in non-writers...Well, it would be odd to say the least.

1. Hearing Voices:  This is one of my favorites. I don't know about other authors, but my characters 'speak" to me. I'll be doing something completely unrelated to writing and all of a sudden I'm coming up with a conversation between my characters. It doesn't matter if that is not the story I am working on at the time (Yes, Alastor, I'm talking about you), sometimes they just cannot be ignored. Now my daughter reminds me all the time that even in Harry Potter, hearing voices isn't good. See? Non-writers can't go around admitting they hear voices, but we can and people just ignore it or chalk it up to "creativity".

2. Compulsive Lying: This is at the very heart of our profession. We get paid to lie for a living. When you get right down to it, writing is nothing more than making stuff up. Now, how entertaining that stuff is determines how successful you will be. Again, normal people can't do this and not lose a few friends or at least get a few strange looks.

3. Delusional: What writer doesn't LOVE spending time in the world that they created? Sometimes that world is so much better than the world we actually live in. Again , sorry non-writers. You all are stuck here...There is hope though, pick up a book and let a writer take you away into their imaginary world.

4. God-Like Complexes: Okay, we are God in our world. Sometimes are characters stray, but for the most part they obey are every whim. They live because we allow them to live and we can kill them off at anytime (Game of Thrones fans know this too well).

5. Denial: And despite everything to the contrary, we still believe that the desire to write is not some special form of insanity that we have been blessed with.

I don't know about my writer friends, but even though it's crazy, it's too much fun NOT to do it. To me, writers are the best type of crazy because if you are crazy enough, readers will want to be a part of your insanity, they will read the conversations those voices created, they will care about the lies you created, and they will cry out when the story breaks their heart and mends it again. Yeah, writer's are the best type of crazy.

Like most writers, I am an avid reader. As a reader, there are some things that only my fellow book lovers can understand.

The insane pleasure of reading a book outside in the fresh air.  

Photo: http://kingsbridgelibraryteens.tumblr.com/

I am so excited to be a part of the Faery Realms: Ten Magical Titles (Multi-Author Bundle of Novels & Novellas)! It just came out and it's already reaching so many new readers! 

Faery Realms: Ten Magical Titles (Multi-Author Bundle of Novels & Novellas)

Enter the magical realms of Faery with these ten award-winning, bestselling fantasy authors. Each title in this sampler collection offers a new and different world full of mystery, love, and most of all, fae enchantment~

Over 1400 pages of stories, with *exclusive* titles from Alexia Purdy, Tara Maya, and Anthea Sharp!
Best for ages 13 and up~

THE FAERIE GUARDIAN – RACHEL MORGAN
Kickbutt faerie Violet is about to graduate as the top guardian trainee of her class, but when an assignment goes wrong and the human boy she’s meant to be protecting follows her back into the fae realm, a dangerous plot is set in motion. (298 pages)

THE WITHERING PALACE (A Dark Faerie Tale 0.1) – ALEXIA PURDY *Exclusive Content*
Untold darkness rules the Unseelie realm of the Land of Faerie. Hidden in this vast area, Aveta, the future queen of the Unseelie Army, perfects her gifts over lifetimes. Learning that magic isn't the only way to manipulate the world around her, this naive girl grows into a woman of strength and cunning, ultimately becoming one of the most feared leaders in Faerie. (75 pages)

DARK PROMISE – JULIA CRANE & TALIA JAGER
Rylie’s life is turned upside down when a stranger knocks on the door, claiming to be her real mother. Soon she will have to face the terrifying fact that not only is she a faery, but one that has been promised to the dark prince. (240 pages)

FEYLAND: THE FIRST ADVENTURE – ANTHEA SHARP
High-tech gaming and ancient magic collide when a computer game opens a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie. Jennet Carter never thought hacking into her dad's new epic-fantasy sim-game would be so exciting... or dangerous. But behind the interface, dark forces lie in wait, leading her toward a battle that will test her to her limits and cost her more than she ever imagined. (65 pages)

BLOOD FAERIE – INDIA DRUMMOND
Unjustly sentenced to death, Eilidh ran—away from faerie lands to the streets of Perth, Scotland. When she discovers a human murdered by one of her own kind, she must choose: flee, or learn to tap into the forbidden magic that cost her everything. (264 pages)

HOOD & FAE (Daughters of Red Riding Hood) – TARA MAYA *Exclusive Content*
Roxy Hood is just trying to make ends meet to pay her mom’s medical bills. Sure, Roxy takes on some jobs of, ahem, dubious integrity, like pretending that she can speak to the dead. But hey, that’s harmless. It's not like a malignant ghoul is going to attack her. Or a sexy billionaire will show up trying to buy her red jacket. Or a werewolf will attack Granny Rose. Because that would be whacked. (100 pages)

THE DARK FAE – TERRY SPEAR USA Today Bestselling Author
Alicia can recognize the mischievous fae when they show up to "play" with the humans. Only now she's faced with one highly annoyed dark fae and she's certain he knows the truth about her. She can see him, which means her life is forfeit. (184 pages)

EHRIAD – JENNA ELIZABETH JOHNSON
Cade MacRoich is Ehríad, an outcast of Eile. While hunting Otherworldly monsters in the mortal world, he discovers Meghan, a young woman whose magic seems very familiar … Three scenes from Faelorehn – Book One of the Otherworld Trilogy, told from Cade’s perspective. (84 pages)

ONCE (Gypsy Fairy Tale) – DANA MICHELLE BURNETT
Harmony's life will never be the same... Every day is just as normal, and just as boring, as the one before it... And then the Carnival comes to town. Suddenly, Harmony’s small town world is overtaken by the handsome Kieran and she discovers that not all fairy tales are pretend. (140 pages)

FAE HORSE: A Faery Tale – ANTHEA SHARP *Exclusive content*
Accused as witch, Eileen must flee for her life, leaving her village and true love behind. With her pursuers closing in, she chances across a strange black horse who offers her only hope of escape. Eileen mounts it—only to discover that the cost of her ride may be more than any mortal could bear. (20 pages)



The set is currently 0.99 and is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and GooglePlay.

The stories of these real life exorcisms are stranger than fiction. You may like your horror novels, but this takes scary to a whole new level.

Salvador Dali: In 2005, a sculpture of Christ on the Cross was discovered in the estate of friar Gabriele Maria Berardi. It is believed that Dali created this work as an act of gratitude to the man that was rumored to have performed an exorcist on the artist in France in 1947.  

Roland Doe (AKA Robbie Mannheim):  The events of this supposed possession and exorcism inspired the novel The Exorcist and later the film by the same name. The case became more serious as vials of holy water placed near the boy would shatter, the words "evil" and "hell" would appear on the boy's body, and a picture of Jesus rattled on the wall. Representatives from several churches conducted an exorcism at Georgetown University Hospital over thirty times in the duration of several weeks. 

Michael Taylor:  In 1974, accused of infidelity by his wife, Michael Taylor claimed that he felt an evil force within him. His local vicar and other ministers conducted an exorcism until 6am the following morning. Exhausted, the ministers sent him home, but warned that although forty demons were cast out, some remained. Once home, Michale murdered his wife and strangled their poodle. The police found him covered in blood and naked in the street. At trial, he was acquitted by reason of insanity.  

Anneliese Michel:  The case that inspired The Exorcism of Emily Rose. After a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy, she was treated at a psychiatric hospital ofr depression. She became intolorant of religious objects by 1973 and eventually began to hear voices. Her family was convinced she was possessed, but it wasn't until 1975 that permission was given by the local bishop for two priest to perform a secret exorcism. She died, malnurished and dehydrated, as a result of the rites. Her parents and the priests were found guilty of negligence and served six months in jail. 

Mother Teresa:  Known for her religious work, Mother Teresa gave permission for an exorcism to be performed on her when she was first hospitalized with cardiac problems. 

Latoya Ammons Family of Gary Indiana:  Even the Gary police walked away believers after Latoya Ammons claimed to be possessed by demons. It all began when the family rented a home on Carolina Street. That December, black flies swarmed the screened porch and footsteps could be heard climbing the basement stairs, but no one was there. The noises continued, but in March 2012, things got scary when Latoya's daughter levitated off the bed while sleeping. All of this could be dismissed as a mother's overactive imagination, until it gets to claims from medical staff seeing her son thrown about even though no one was there and then walking up a wall backwards. When police investigated the house, they too, began experiencing paranormal activity. Hard to ignore that many witnesses, isn't it. 

It's no secret, I am a huge fan of Anne Rice and especially her Vampire Chronicles! Since she announced her next book Prince Lestat, people are talking about her "Brat "Prince". Here are a few life lessons we can learn from him.

1. Go bold or go home. If you are special in some way or have an amazing talent, don't hide it. Lestat risked the wrath of vampires around the world because he refused to hide.
2. Sometimes people will paint you as the villain even though you don't see yourself that wa
3. Your family is your family whether you like it or not.
4. It's okay to ask those deep philosophical questions, even if you don't have the answers.
5. Sometimes the best medicine is to shut the world away and read.
6. You have to look the part. Even as a vampire Lestat knew that it was all about the impression that he wanted to make.
7. Sometimes you have to break the rules. Lestat is known for his defiance of the rules....It's part of what earned him the name "The Brat Prince".

So who is your favorite vampire from The Vampire Chronicles?

I super excited to release the teaser trailer for my upcoming novel The Soul of the Witch! My newsletter subscribers got a sneak peek this morning, but now I'm releasing it to the world!