Please Welcome DK Davis as She Tells Us About Her YA Paranormal Romance, SECRET: At HL Woods

Secret: At HL Woods

The Secret Series

Book 2

by DK Davis

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: BWL Publishing, Inc.

Date of Publication: December 15, 2017 

ISBN: 978-1-77362-990-2

ISBN: 978-1-77362-989-6

ISBN: 978-1-77362-988-9 print

ASIN: B077ZT2H5V

Number of pages: print book - 199

Word Count: 60,200 words

Cover Artist: Michelle Lee

Tagline: A high school ghost-seer, an all-star jock, and a bully, cross paths, sparks spew, and lives change…

Series Tagline: A series of secrets, invisible yet glaring, and most include a supernatural spin, like an unwelcomed sensation sparking every nerve ending.

Book Description:

Bri, a seventeen-year-old ghost-seer, keeps her ability under wraps at the new school until a murdered couple from the 60’s asks for help.

Kyle, a high school jock, realizes the new girl lives next door; she’s crazy cute, goth-odd, and too convenient to ignore.

Max, Kyle’s best friend, only sees Bri as a wicked threat.

Luke, Bri’s gay best friend, moves in for the summer, escaping his abusive father.

Paths cross, sparks spew…will anyone remain the same after?

Books2Read     Amazon     BN     Kobo     iTunes

1st Excerpt – Beginning of story, 392 w/c (from unedited ARC copy)

“What the—? Ugh!” Air exploded out of my lungs as I face-planted in musty dirt and leaves. A little fur-ball chipmunk had scurried across my path and should be a smear on the bottom of my tennis shoe, but I’d dove over it like diving off the raft. Air wheezed back into my body on gulps of mortification.

“Holy crap. Kyle, did you see that agile ballerina move? It’s none other than the dark witch-girl, Bri Lancaster. You know, the very one that unveils morbid Goth clouds wherever she goes.”

Max. My worst nightmare. No, no, no. Don’t look. Do not raise your head. I did, coughing and sputtering dirt from my mouth. Kyle, the guy that lived next door, ran full bore toward me, while Max struck a pose, laughing. A deranged hyena came to mind. What in the heck were those two doing this far into the woods? They’d never been in this area of the forest, at least not for the past three months I’d been jogging here.

“Are you hurt?” Kyle kneeled next to me and extended a hand.

I got to my feet on my own, brushing dirt from the front of my T-shirt. “I’m fine.” I glared at Max, who was still a distance away laughing his butt off. How mature.

“Max. It’s not that funny.” Kyle unfolded himself to stand beside me. His ice-blues twinkled from the sunlight filtering through the tree branches. “Are you sure you’re all right? That was quite a tumble.”

Stop staring at him and respond. A slap on my shoulder shoved me into Kyle. I nearly knocked him to the ground. Somehow he righted both of us.

“Get a grip, Goth-girl. He’s not into you.” Max jerked me away from Kyle and completed my humiliation. “You kissing the dirt made a perfect Snap Chat expose, my evil one.” He flashed me the picture on his phone. “Today we get to enjoy black spiky hair tipped in fluorescent fuchsia. What happened to your eyebrow stud?” He blinked his eyes and grinned, most likely for effect.

As if on auto-mode, my hands curled into fists with a deep-seated urge to punch his face. My hair wasn’t spiky, just short, and how he got his phone to grab a close up of me on the ground was beyond me. I hate him.

Hello, Linda and hello to everyone visiting – thanks so much for stopping by. Linda has asked me an excellent question: What is it about the book, Secret: At HL Woods, that makes it special?

I’m DK Davis, author of Secret: At HL Woods, a YA paranormal romance. Each of the Secret Series books is stand-alone stories with unique secrets, characters, and plots, there is no required reading order of these books.

Okay…on to Linda’s great question…things about the story that is special to me:

A couple special aspects are addressed in this book that impacted people in my life and compelled me to share – like the racial issues of the 1960’s and gay issues caused by certain mindsets that continue to be ongoing. These fictionalized events that seem all too real, bring a deeper understanding of the characters living within the pages.

Another special part of the story is the two main characters, Bri and Kyle. A number of their physical and personality traits were formed from two particular muses in my life (“hint” – grandchildren).

The book cover image is also high on my “special” list to do with this book as she represents Bri (the protagonist) and happens to be my granddaughter. My daughter is a professional photographer and followed the BWL Publishing, Inc. Art Director’s specifications for the image. My daughter, granddaughter, and I had a blast playing dress-up for the picture (like dressing a star for a part). Michelle Lee, Art Director, produced a beautiful cover using my granddaughter’s image.

I appreciate the opportunity to spend a day with you, Linda, and thank you and everyone for stopping by. Please don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win an Amazon gift card, a box of See’s Chocolates, or an e-copy of Secret: At HL Woods. Good Luck – and Happy New Year to all!

About the Author:

DK Davis writes YA sci-fi, supernatural, and fantasy with a good dollop of all the relationships woven in between. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she’s hiking, RV’ing, fishing, spending time with grandchildren or her favorite muse (her husband) in Southwest Michigan.

She also writes mainstream supernatural, suspense-thriller romance as S. Peters-Davis.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DKDavisBooks

FB: https://www.facebook.com/dk.davis.92

    

Website: http://suda788.wixsite.com/dkdavis

BWL Publishing Inc. Author Page: http://bookswelove.net/authors/davis-dk/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-davis-8660542/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111204210260997952780

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/970388-susan-davis

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Fantasies (Artist Unknown)

Steampunk Cafe in South Africa

Check out all 9 pictures here.

It's a Small, Small World

Hypo-pigmentation in the Wild, Part 2

Hypo-pigmentation in the Wild, Part 1

Viewing Through a Tilt-Shift Lens

Using a tilt-shift lens gives landscapes and similar photographs the appearance of being miniaturized replicas. Check out some results below.

San Francisco Bay

Tokyo

Paris

Baby Goats Wearing Sweaters

Amazing Macro Photographs of Snowflakes by Russian Blogger Alexey Kljatov.

See all of these incredible photographs here.

Now Available in Print! BREATH OF CHRISTMAS, a Sweet Contemporary Fantasy Romance

Now Available in Print!

BREATH OF CHRISTMAS
Sweet Contemporary Fantasy
Word Count: 11.2K
$1.99 e / $6.99 p

After being gone for months, there's nothing like being home for Christmas. Although Brindle has no family there to welcome her back, and the little town has grown since she left, it's still home to her and exactly where she wants to be in these final days. 

With a little help from a generous stranger full of the Christmas spirit, the holiday is sure to be perfect for Brindle. Full of love and memories, both old and new. 

She just prays she's able to enjoy it before she runs out of time and breath.

Excerpt and buy links.

Your Yearly Dementia Test (Only 4 Questions This Year!)

Yep, it's that time of year again for us to take our annual senior citizen test.

Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles.

As we grow older, it’s important to keep mentally alert.

If you don’t use it, you will lose it !!!



Here is a very private way to gauge how your memory compares to your last test.

Some may think it is too easy, but the ones with memory problems may have difficulty.


Take this test to determine if you’re losing it or not.

The spaces below are so you don’t see the answers until you’ve answered.

OK, RELAX, clear your mind and begin.

#1. What do you put in a toaster ?







































Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast', just give up now and go do something else.

And, try not to hurt yourself. If you said, bread, go to Question #2.

# 2. Say 'silk' ten times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink ?







































Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next question.
Your brain is already over-stressed and may even overheat.

Content yourself with reading more appropriate literature such as Women's Weekly or Auto World.

However, if you did say 'water', proceed to Question #3.

# 3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from ?















































Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass.



If you said 'green bricks', why are you still reading this ???PLEASE, go lie down !

But, if you said 'glass,' go on to Question #4.

# 4. Please do not use a calculator for this for it would be cheating:

You are driving a bus from New York City to Philadelphia.

In Staten Island, 17 people got on the bus.

In New Brunswick, 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on.

In Windsor, 2 people get off and 4 get on.

In Trenton, 11 people get off and 16 people get on.

In Bristol, 3 people get off and 5 people get on.

And, in Camden, 6 people get off and 3 get on.

You then arrive at Philadelphia Station.

Without going back to review, how old is the bus driver ?













Answer: Oh, for crying out loud !

Don't you remember your own age? It was YOU driving the bus!


If you pass this along to your friends, pray they do better than you.

PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!



Sorry for all the spaces. You'd be tempted to cheat otherwise.
(Many thanks to my friend Therese for this!)

Monday Movie Review - BEYOND SKYLINE

First off, let me admit that I liked Skyline, even though its ending was poignant and left a lot to be desired. But the story was original, and the effects top-notch.

Beyond Skyline is the sequel, and takes place at approximately the same time the first movie does. Frank Grillo heads this mostly unknown cast in a movie with a lot more action scenes and conflicts than the original. Again, the special FX are superb.

I do have one major beef, and that's because some characters were "brought back" for this installment, but they weren't portrayed by the original actors, which I feel would have enhanced the story considerably.

But I enjoyed this flick as much as the first one. Many of the plot points in the first film are "repeated" in the second, giving the two movies continuity. And kudos for the twist at the end. I never saw it coming, and that was a pleasant surprise.

I own a copy of Skyline. Don't know if I'll add this one to my permanent collection, but I do heartily suggest that you

Even though this movie can stand on its own, I strongly recommend you see the first movie beforehand, just to appreciate the flow of the plot threads.

The 365 Day Penny Challenge

I Know It's After Halloween, But You Have to Check Out These Amazing Pumpkin Carvings

Check out all 15 entries here, carved by a group of artists from Passion For Pumpkins.

Now Available in Print! WHEN THE HEART WHISPERS, a Sweet Contemporary Romance

Now Available in Print!

WHEN THE HEART WHISPERS
Sweet Contemporary Romance
#olderadult
Word Count: 20.2K
$1.99 e / $6.99 p

After losing her husband a couple years prior, Lily’s children decide it’s time for her to stop grieving and move on with her life. She’s always wanted to travel, and a few days later she finds herself in New York City. Touring the Big Apple alone on her own schedule is perfectly fine with Lily, but a guided tour from a local proves to be even better.

After repeated run-ins with the redheaded tourist from Tennessee, it seems fate is determined to bring Lily into George’s life. So he decides to take a chance for the first time in over twenty years.

Both have had heartache in their pasts. Both have loved and lost. Can they open up their hearts and risk the hurt again? Will they listen when the heart whispers?

Excerpt and buy links.

The Demise of the Cliff House, San Francisco, September '07

My New Year's Resolutions for 2018

Last year I wrote and published 13 books, mostly novellas and novels. Good Lord willing, I hope to get close to that during this new year.

I also followed one mostly unspoken 3-point goal, and that was to 1) start a new series, 2) continue a series, and 3) complete a series. As a result, I started the Deities series with Sky Titans. I continued a series with Subwoofers #4, Predator of the Pines. And I concluded the Neverwylde series with book #6.

Due to that success, I've decided to make that goal my resolution for this year. Which series will begin, continue, and end? Well, you'll just have to hang around to see.

In addition, my contract with Harlequin/Carina Press is up in 2018. I hope to receive my rights back to Captive Surrender. When I do, I will revert the book back to its full content state, including the 7K+ words that were omitted during editing, and give it back its original title, Beauty's Alien Beast. The cover will also reflect what the hero, Safan, was intended to look like. So be on the lookout for that to happen, hopefully around the last part of the year.

To all my readers and fans, I want to thank you all for continuing to follow me, and for reading my books. You are the reason I keep writing. God bless you all.

YOUR HEART, MY HOME is My 99c Special For the Month of January

From January 1st through the 31st, you can get the ebook for only 99 cents!
(Available at this price only on Amazon and my website. Note: Click BUY EBOOK to get the Nook or PDF version.)

YOUR HEART, MY HOME
Book 1
Urban Fantasy Romance
Word Count: 53.9K
$0.99 e / $9.99 p / $17.95 a

They were deadly enemies, until a greater threat made them unwilling allies...and lovers.

Sherandar is the most cunning adversary Quazar has ever faced. He never knows when or where his worst nightmare will strike, but when she does, it's with the single-minded purpose to taunt him. Ridicule him. And to make his life a living hell. Regular cuffs and jail cells can't hold her, yet somehow, someway, Quazar has to bring her reign to a screeching halt.

But when a new enemy makes himself known, and tries to kill both Quazar and Sherandar, the two combatants realize the only way to defeat this deadly threat is to call a temporary truce and join forces.

It isn't until she lies broken, bloodied, and dying in his arms that Quazar realizes she has become more to him than his temporary ally. He has fallen in love with her.

Warning! Contains deadly necklaces, delectable desserts, a skintight costume, an antique stove, dining table sex, and a bored megalomaniac who has no qualms about killing because he just wants to watch the world burn.

Excerpt and buy links.

Happy New Year!