Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Upcoming Sequel to the Unusuals Trilogy!

Greetings superhero fans!
I know it's been eons since I last posted...
Moving on!

Over the last several months things have been a bit chaotic, but have no fear! It wasn't anything I couldn't handle! In fact, I'm doing quite well now - at least that's what my imaginary doctors tell me... Anywho, the time is simply flying by, and I have been filling my time with project after project, including a journal made up of all my notes from my vault.
To recap on previous posts, my vault is what I call my file system containing all my notes, story ideas, writing projects, and WIP's. Currently I've been working to put them all together in a multi-edition hardcover books entitled "The Vault: SPOILER ALERT!" I'm very excited about it!

Other than my work with the vault, I have been focusing on my much-anticipated young adult paranormal romance, Johnny Darkling. However, Johnny's time is drawing to a close, and as I near the conclusion, my gaze begins to rest on the futurist dystopian sequel to the Unusuals trilogy, "The Unusuals and the Keeper of Time."
I've received several threats from people depicting what will happen if I don't hurry up and finish this forth Unusuals novel. To those people I grin widely, perhaps give them a brief view of me sticking out my tongue, and wiggle my fingers at them with my thumbs planted against my temples. You people have no idea how giddy you make me! I will taunt you as long as I can muster because your anxiousness fuels my heart! Still, I want to give you what you want, and of course what I want as well... I thought I'd need a break from the Unusuals, but as it turns out, I miss them more and more every day. The Unusuals and the Keeper of Time will be the springboard to my League of Hope series, which will also launch a spin off trilogy starring Brody Falcon (One of Falcon's long lost older brothers). After that, I have many MANY more ideas!

So, without further adieu, I'd like to present to you the basic concept behind my next book, The Unusuals and the Keeper of Time:


  It has been nearly thirty years since worldwide panic ensued at the realization Unusuals lived amongst the masses. The people weren’t ready for the cataclysmic change the Unusuals of Hope posed. In the chaos that followed, destruction and devastation became inevitable. When things looked most bleak, a small contingent of Hope was cryogenically frozen and hidden, preserving them until such a time where the world would be ready to start rebuilding.              
That time never came.         
Maggie Docker has never known peace. She was born into a world on the verge of war with itself. Her mother died of the Whalstrom plague, her father was murdered by Purgers when she was a kid, and her godparents vanished. She grew up a child of the cause—a soldier in the war for Unusual equality. Now she leads a small division of New Hope towards what will probably be their final battle.                  
Falcon and his friends are revived from their sleep mid-rescue, from the Purgers carrying out their death sentence. It’s hard to believe this dystopian world is the same one he left behind, and the harsh female captain from New Hope, is the daughter of his best friend. He doesn’t want to believe any of this is real—this horror was not supposed to happen.  Here, there are more enemies than allies. The worst of them being Tobin the Destroyer, son of none other than Scorpio’s malicious leader, Senator Aerodina Tobin.    
Maggie has little sympathy for her uncle Falcon, nor his troop. She saved their lives—her conscience is clear. She doesn’t care what they do now, as long as they don’t interfere with her mission.            
It is rumored a child was born from the Earth with the power to stop Tobin… this child controls time itself. Though many have claimed to see him, he never materialized in the same place twice, nor did he have the same appearance. It is hard to believe what is real and what is not, but Maggie thinks she’s figured it out. She remembers what her godmother told her—when the time is right, when the world is in most dire need, she must seek out the keeper of time.
Maggie doesn’t have a choice now. She must find this man if he exists, and stop Tobin before it’s too late. The world as they knew it was over, but the apocalypse is just on the horizon.
     
 
It hasn't been edited yet, and I'm sure I've made many grammatical errors - I never said grammar or spelling was my strong suit - but I'm sure you get the idea of what the story is about. I'd love to hear what you think, especially if you've read the first three Unusuals books! As always, feel free to message me, or send me an email at anwunderlinbooks@gmail.com.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

The Year Gone By

It's that time of year again, to think about what you want to change in your life. Frankly, I think about that concept quite frequently. As most of you know, this last year was a tough one. I did accomplish a few things I never thought I would, and overall I wouldn't EVER say I have a bad life. For those of you who don't know, here's a brief overview:
  • The Heroes of Edenville was picked up by Firefly and Wisp Publishing in January, which I retracted the book from later in the summer.
  • The first guy I ever fell in love with (who broke my heart when I was 20) contacted me after no contact for more than 6 years. He apologized to me for everything he'd done, and mended a place in my heart I hadn't known still harbored a wound. Though we don't speak anymore, I feel quite good about the whole thing, and know that it did my health some good as well.
  • Nick and I were engaged on the 4th of July (though I guess it was unofficially since he didn't have ring), and then we also broke up twice. The first time lasted 3 days, the second was permanent. I do not feel any ill will towards him, and the two of us remain good friends.
  • My adopted sister, Dimple passed away on March 30th, in her sleep. This is the one thing that still gets me crying at random times, because I miss her more and more all the time. She would have celebrated her 27th birthday only four days ago.
  • At the end of September I hit the road with my belongings and moved to West Virginia. I'm loving it here! Only problem is I haven't found a job yet. I thought the job with my auntie's work was going to be a sure thing, but it turns out it wasn't, and I've been too stubborn to try to get back into retail.
Needless to say I've had to make a few changes!

I've decided to live in the moment, and make the changes I've always said I would someday. I now live with my parents, which has been awesome. It's been really good to be around them so much. Mom and I have started doing crafts, and cooking odds and ends (which, if you know me, you know that I don't cook because I used to burn everything), and we've made some great stuff! I started making jewelry out of metal washers, and they have turned out beautifully! I'm actually going to start selling them as well as other crafts.

Dad and I have been collaborating on the blueprints for my dream home, and designs for my furniture. We've decided to build most of the furniture that will go inside, and I'm so excited about it! I've been exploring and experimenting with Pinterest DIY projects, so I've got more ideas and things to do than ever! Dad and I will be building a PVC paddle car (which he says he's been thinking about putting a motor on; Might be a good thing, if we put one on, just because of all the hills around here!), and I've been designing patterns for my own clothes! I'm starting my weight-loss process, so I figure I'm going to refashion a lot of the clothes I have already as I shrink, so they'll fit.

Anyway, the gist of it is, I'm doing everything for myself now. I'm starting to make my own clothes, jewelry and even beauty products! I've been looking into different career fields I could go into, and into different publishing companies and agents. I'm taking control of my body, and ridding myself of the flaws I've always been bugged by. Don't get me wrong, I do not have low self-esteem! There are simply some things I would rather change about how I look. My weight has always been disturbing to me. I don't feel fat at all, but when I look in a mirror I see that my feelings are a bit contradictory, and I'm trying to make them coincide.

I have big BIG plans for the future, and I have the strength to see them through! Once I get a job--and I'm determined to get a good one soon!-- I'll start saving up as much mullah as I can, and start making the furniture Dad and I have been working on! I'm going to build my dream home (which I've redesigned to cost less, and better suite my needs, plus it's a lot cheaper here to do things like that!), I'm going to get my books published, and on my 29th birthday (in 602 days) I'm going to start thinking about having a baby. I don't need a man to make me happy, as I am content to be myself, but I have always wanted a child. I've had so many people tell me what a wonderful mother I would make, and it's the one thing that makes me depressed at all, because children are the one thing I've always wanted more than anything. So, I'll be looking into artificial insemination, and so on, at that point. I've told myself that now is not the time to be looking into it, because I've just gone through a big change by moving across country, and I'm still trying to put things together financially, etc. Still, I have a countdown app on my phone that tells me how many days till I turn 29! LOL

In the meantime, my dear, dear friend, Amber, has made me godmother of her two boys, Matt and Abel. I love those kids so much! I'm so grateful for all three in that family! You may have noticed a lot of Amber on my FB page, so I thought I'd give you the story:

Before I moved here, my mom said she had friends lined up for me, and I had laughed. However, when I arrived in West Virginia, my mom introduced a worker from the local 7-Eleven to me. Amber was very energetic and I found her personality and smile contagious. We really did become friends quickly. The second time we spoke she invited me to a haunted cornfield with a group of people (it was near Halloween), and I accepted automatically. We had a blast! The dude from Jeepers Creepers smiled at me and I was so excited! His mask looked so real, it was like being in the movie! Plus, the guys from the group I was in kept asking the characters to marry them, and I even joined in by asking a dude in a gas mask to marry me as he breathed down my neck! He actually lifted his mask up and asked "really?" like he was so excited! I couldn't stop laughing! Then Jason from Friday the 13th nearly ran me over, and a zombie nearly bit my leg! It was a night to remember! I became friends with Amanda and Justin from that group, and shortly thereafter we added Brian, and the five of us became "the group." I love being around them!

So honestly I have been blessed! I've moved to a great place, get to see my parents as often as I want, and I've made a bunch of real good friends whom I'm ecstatic to have! Then of course I also have been talking to someone else on the phone via text whom I didn't think would keep in touch, nor share my feeling of not wanting to lose touch ever, which makes me excited each time my phone goes off! Life is good!

So what is my New Year's Resolution? To continue doing what I have been doing these last couple months, but with more intensity: To be self-motivated, self-sufficient, an initiative taker, a fierce friend and daughter, and to take all measures possible to fulfill my dreams and goals.

As a suggestion, here is something else I'm doing which would be neat for a lot of you. I have a jar that I will keep handy throughout the 2013 year, and every time something good happens, something funny, or memorable, I'm going to write them down on a small piece of paper and put it in the jar. On New Years Eve 2013, I'm going to open the jar and read what I've written for the year. This is the first year I'm doing this, and I think I'll keep doing it every year from now on! It's definitely something that will keep you thankful! Mom is doing one she wants to open every year on Thanksgiving. :)

Well that's it for right now, my friends. I'm glad we had this chat! I hope 2013 brings you all prosperity, happiness, and lots of love! I know I'm sending you all as much as I can! :) Love you! TTFN!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Well hello there! Long time, no see! Did you miss me???
Yeah, me too...
I took a long break from my precious blog, and I guess you could say I'm back now... sort of. I want to rearrange my blog posts to make them more interesting... you know--spice things up a bit! I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to go about doing it, but I thought I should let you know that I am thinking about it!
I'm all right, too, in case you were wondering.
At the beginning of April, I found out one of my sisters died, and it hit me pretty hard. For a while I didn't blog because I couldn't focus on anything, and then I just didn't do it because I had no more motivation. It has been really tough, and I still burst into tears at random times, but I know that she wouldn't want me to just sit back and sulk; My sister would want me to live. It took me a while to get to that point in my thought patterns, but now I'm finally getting back on track.
I abandoned the notion that I should only write one story at a time; I'm currently writing three different novels, with a fourth playing in the back of my mind. Reaper is outlined fully and ready to go. I'm finishing up the first chapter of The Tattooed Bride, on the second chapter of Johnny Darkling, and toying with the outline of The Keeper of Time. It's all very exciting! Of course I'm still keeping The Dead Half, Kiss of the Phoenix, Night Owls, Falconswatch, and my other stories in my peripheral, so they don't get left behind, but the three previously mentioned novels are my current focus.
I've also been keeping myself busy, putting together my Unusuals tome, bookmarks, soundtracks, and jewelry... I'm making "Team Falcon" and "Team Davis" beaded bracelets, lol. I'll post pictures soon :)
The Heroes of Edenville is either being finished up by the proofreaders, or is already in the hands of my editor, I'm not sure which. The scheduled release date is still sometime in June, but I'm not sure of the exact day. I'll let you all know more as I find out.
Well, I'll be sure to post more later; I simply wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive, and thinking of you! Much love, my friends!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The Unusuals Playlist, Vol. 3

Here's some more weekly music to entertain you! I bring you volume three of forty-one of the Unusuals soundtrack! Hope this inspires you!

1. N.W.O. - Ministry
2. Paddy's Lament - Flogging Molly
3. Rag Doll - Aerosmith
4. T.N.T. - AC/DC
5. Vampires - Godsmack
6. Yellow - Coldplay
7. You Got to Fight for Your Right to Party - The Beastie Boys
8. B.B.K. - Korn
9. Dance With The Devil - Breaking Benjamin
10. Face Pollution - Soundgarden
11. Half Jack - The Dresden Dolls
12. Jamies Got a Gun - Aerosmith
13. A Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie
14. Naked as We Came - Iron & Wine
15. Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine
16. The Rain Must Fall - Yanni
17. Take It All Away - Ryan Cabrera
18. Dance the Night Away - Van Halen
19. Shake it Like a Salt Shaker - Ying Yang Twins & Lil Jon

Daily Dose of Randomness: AC/DC, Antithetic, BBQ and The Tattooed Bride

Good afternoon my lovelies! I have to tell you something... I am no longer a math major! I used to be really good at math; it was my best subject, but now I think I'm nearly in over my head! Last quarter I had a professor who did everything but really teach! I learned more from the book than I did from him, and I barely passed the class... now I'm in my second math class and it's entirely online. I really loathe it! I don't get their video demonstrations, and the system totally sucks! So I've fallen a bit behind, but guess what? I'm gonna rock them today! I totally decided I'm going to do everything I can to make up what I haven't completed yet, today! I've got my math book at the ready, my Internet all hooked up, and some quiet time where Nick is going over to a friends' house! Hooray! So today's song of the day is "For Those About to Rock!" by AC/DC! I know, totally apropos!

The only thing that sucks about this day is that it's back to raining... yesterday was wonderful! I walked around without a jacket all day! It was glorious, and the air was laced with the scent of people on the grill! I miss those good ol' BBQ days! Where have they gone? I so love the scent of a good BBQ; mean cooking over charcoal briquettes... mmmmm... seems the only way I'm gong to get it today is to walk by Famous Dave's! LOL, I know the BBQ's time will come back soon... keep your fingers crossed from some delicious summer weather to float our way!

Today's word of the day is "Antithetic" which is an adj. meaning "sharply contrasted in character or purpose." I read the definition and I could immediately think of one scene from The Heroes of Edenville where Falcon demonstrated that he could be antithetic. In the car with Wynnie the afternoon after their fight, Wynnie expected Falcon to push her buttons a little, or put his two cents in when she left herself a little vulnerable, but he didn't. THAT shocked Wynnie and Docker to no end! Normally Falcon would have taunted; would have teased, and yet he kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything!

I can't wait until The Heroes of Edenville comes out! Hurry up, November!

Today however, I'm going to continue to also work on The Tattooed Bride. I know I was fighting between which story I wanted to write: Reaper, Johnny Darkling, or The Keeper of Time. So I chose one! The Tattooed Bride! LOL. I wrote a couple pages of chapter one yesterday, and I'm very excited! Maybe I'll post a bit of it on Friday...

Peace, love and chicken grease!

Monday, April 2, 2012

Daily Dose of Randomness: Frank Sinatra, Amorphous, Moraccan Mint and The Tattoed Bride

Today I'm in a pretty good mood! I slept well last night, and today I think I'm going to get some work done! I'm in a Frank Sinatra type mood - you could say "I've Got You Under My Skin"! I feel like blaring some old blue eyes, and cleaning up my library! It would be a really good thing to do considering I haven't been resident in my library for a few weeks! I'm going to need it so I can sip on my Moroccan Mint Tea and work on The Tattooed Bride!

For those of you who don't know, Moroccan Mint is my favorite type of Stash Tea, and I take it with three splendas! It's smell is also Divine, and I can't believe I haven't had a cup since last year!

As for the Tattooed Bride - have I told you about her? Her name is Eve.

Eve woke up one day and didn't know who she was. She didn't have any records, no ID, but she appeared to be a young teenage girl in the eyes of her foster parents. Eve alone could see that her ears were sharply pointed, and vibrant colorful shifting tattoos covered her body... only mirrors could reveal them, and only to her.

Eve gets adopted by an aristocratic family, who really only wanted a cheap nanny for their own two bratty children. Eve feels like a freak and is grateful to her new family, obeying their every whim despite the warnings from her best friend, and the fact that she's treated much like a slave. She's meek and ready to jump when her vicious mother says to, that is until the family funds start to dwindle down. Her parents are terrified of losing their social standing, and they fight to hide the disappearance of their wealth. In an effort to amend their damages, they agree to marry Eve off to a filthy rich newcomer in the neighborhood. Eve is stunned, considering she's never even met the man, and for the first time that she can remember, she thinks about rebelling. She knows she won't go through with running away, but her heart starts breaking as she realizes she's giving up her very freedom for the sake of her unappreciative aristocratic guardians!

On the day of her wedding, she sits in her dressing room alone, freaking out, and there's a light knock on the door. Her fiancee comes in to have a private word with her. He's young and handsome, though Eve has trouble even looking at him, lest her heart break even more. He tells her that he doesn't want to make her do anything she doesn't want to do, and he never actually thought she would agree to this. He says he would love to marry her, but not against her will. He offers her her freedom... and she declines. This guy is the first person beside her best friend who's ever been nice to her. How bad could it be for someone who didn't have any dreams of her own, to marry a man who would appreciate her? Maybe even love her?

With a new found courage, Eve goes towards the isle with her arrogant father on her arm, and just when she's about to get to the alter, a giant grotesque, winged creature erupts from the mirror at the head of the room and steals away her fiancee, disappearing once more behind reflective glass.

Amidst the panic, Eve's maid reveals the truth... Eve is from another realm; another dimension beyond the mirror. She can chose to go through the mirror since she alone has the power to travel between worlds - the only problem is that whenever someone travels through the mirror, their memories get erased... She can go back to where she came from to save her reluctant fiancee, but when she gets there she won't know who he is, let alone why she's there, or even her own name!

I'm so happy with this story! It becomes so much more! Eve's tattoos show up when she crosses over, and she finds she can use their magic to help her - a sword solidifying from her flesh, lightening zapping from her fingertips, and a fiercely protective wolf jumps from her calf to save her. She's labeled an assassin and hunted for the way she looks because of the tattoos, and she teams up with a thief named Lucky to search out her fiancee, ignoring the prophecy that states that she will bring an end to the reign of terror across the kingdoms! Yay! :)

What do you think?


Hahahahahahahahahahaha! I can't believe it, but I forgot to put in the word of the day!

Amorphous is an adj., meaning "having no definite form or distinct shape'" like the "ghosts" or "Red Vapor/Sun People" from my Unusuals trilogy! They are amorphous and red, like a gas, and they attack the parasites that reside in the bodies of the Unusuals, slowly killing them! :)

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Daily Dose of Randomness: Breaking Benjamin, Agrestic, Skunk Stink and Reaper

I nearly finished reading "13 to Life" yesterday, and if it hadn't been so late I would have finished the last fifty pages... Today I shall change that! I am SO into the story! Pietr is awesome! His song is "How Wants to Live Forever?" by Queen, and I think that is great because my third favorite song is the remake by Breaking Benjamin! I absolutely adore that song, so it's perfect for today's song of the day!

Yesterday wasn't such a great day for me... I felt like a schmuck (excuse my unruly mouth, there isn't a better term for how I felt). It seemed that I couldn't do anything right, so today I'm not in the best of moods. I was thinking about how I could switch that around and I keep thinking that yesterday stunk... even blurted that it stunk like skunk! Truth is, I'm an extremely weird person, and I actually like the smell of diluted skunk spray... I'll admit it! I know there are a tremendous amount of people out there who are like me, but won't be caught dead admitting they like the stench! I drive down the highway and I smell the skunk on the side of the road, and while others plug their noses and roll up their windows, I take a good whiff before I join them (just to hide that I like it, lol). So it's perfect for today you see, because I'm taking something that's considered a bad thing, and turning it into something I can handle. I can handle skunk... I can handle skunk like no other! Love it! LOL.

The word of the day is "Agrestic." It's a adj meaning "characteristic of the fields or country". Very interesting! I've never heard this word, but it's something I can get used to! I can say that the Davis's and Baker grew up in agrestic surroundings! I love my farm boys!

As for the project of the day... gonna work on Reaper some more! Got my nose stuck in a book yesterday, so I didn't write really. Today I shall give it attention! And wouldn't you know it? The sun is shining outside! Yay! I think today is going to be great! Happy April, everyone!