REALITY | After Dark Rendezvous

BLURB:

I am Arie Belle and up until my mother’s unexpected and mysterious death my life had been pretty simple, but then things became dark and, at times, hopeless. Even my uncanny ability to communicate with nature had turned its back on me. My only saving grace is my lifetime friendship with the boy next door, River, whom I had always thought of as my soul mate up until my eighteenth birthday when everything seemed to change. My body tingles with heightened sensations and my emotions veer out of control. They are further tested when Ashe, a beautiful stranger with a powerful draw, enters my life and challenges my heart and soul. Amidst the rush of feelings after years of numbness, my true destiny slowly unravels and my journey to find out what I am, to find my mother’s killer, and stop my own death becomes a frantic rush before the next full moon.

This powerful story encaptures the true meaning of love and the dark corners of life that can either suck you in or save you.

MY REVIEW:

This was a great quick read for me, the story flowed very well and plot was very intriguing. A lot of the story deals with Arie’s grief from the death of her mother, her unrelenting visions, and Arie learning she is not who she thought she was or quite sure what she is. I can’t say too much because there is a big reveal at the end of the book. The story is full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing and wondering about Arie and her family until the very end. And even then there’s a lot left to learn. Let us not forget about her best and life long friend, River, who is completely committed to Arie. Then there is Ashe, another possible love interest, I’m looking forward to learning more about him, hopefully in the next book; I can’t say I’m a fan of him yet. You could say I’m Team River at this point. There is some sexual content in Reality. There is a good versus bad vibe to Reality which reminded me of Lauren Kate’s Fallen series. I have to add that I love the artwork on the cover of Reality. It’s beautiful and mysterious. I’m really looking forward to the next installment in this series.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

What was your inspiration for writing Reality?
I love fiction and especially creating unique stories and worlds. I adore mythical fairy tales, so I knew I wanted Arie’s world to revolve around that feel.
What are you currently reading and can you share a few favorite authors?
Unfortunately, I don’t have any time for reading anymore, but my favorite most recent reads (which was a while ago) were the Twilight series, Hunger Games series, The Sookie Stackhouse series, and The Mageri series.
What actors/actresses could you envision playing Arie, Ashe, River, and Star?
Oh goodness! I rarely watch TV and I don’t follow the modeling world, so I am actually going to be running a fun contest in November for my fans to vote on who they think the character cast should be.
Can you tell us any projects you are currently working on?
Book 2 in The Life of Arie series and a dark romance called A Firefighter’s Flame.
Do you have any advice for newbie writers?
LOL! I am a “newbie” writer in the sense that this is my first attempt at publishing, so that’s a tough question. I would say that if you love writing then practice and research your craft! I was fortunate that I always knew I wanted to write, so I got my degree in Theatre with an emphasis on creative and screenwriting at USC. I didn’t stop there, though. I went to UCLA extension for more writing courses. The one thing that I held onto the most is that the more organically you let a story flow through you the more naturally it will develop. And to always write even if you think you’re stuck! Just write anything, even if it’s just about what you did that day and how it made you feel. Your mind works in mysterious ways and the smallest things can get your imagination flowing again.
It was a pleasure to read Reality and thank you so much for the interview Dani. The contest for the fans sounds like a great idea and should be very interesting! I know I have some opinions for the actor/actresses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I love reading and have my sister-in-law to thank for all the great finds! She’s deep into romance and supernatural and always sends the good stuff my way. I guess you can say she’s my reviewer/filter! Why supernatural for me? I don’t do reality. Let’s face it, we are surrounded by reality every day and I don’t need to immerse myself into it while reading too! I want the suspension of disbelief! I want to be taken somewhere else and know that it’s not real and is all in fun!

I received my bachelor’s at USC in theatre with an unofficial minor in writing and I am currently in a post-graduate program at CSUCI working on my Math credential. And, yes, I did just say Math! Crazy, I know! Exhausting too! Only 1 more year until I can officially teach!

My passions include reading and especially writing. Growing up I was the child in the corner reading alone like a little hermit. I guess they label it as anti-social these days. I also grew up writing in diaries, then poetry, then short stories. While at USC I wrote my first screenplay and post-graduation I was hired to write another screenplay, which I did successfully. I have since started several books, but have never had the courage or time to finish. That’s changing as of now! I missed it, but I had convinced myself I was too busy and it would be a waste of time. Really, I was just discouraged from my years in the industry and I was scared to go back. Then I started reading again and it sparked my passion and true calling. I started writing a story that had been brewing inside of me over the years. The characters were slowly developing and itching to break out onto paper. In the summer of 2011 I wrote the first chapter and started the second chapter. Then life got busy again and my passion was pushed aside. Sad right? Then I met an amazing person who loved my story and encouraged me to start writing again. With that said, I am in a happier place now. I am fulfilling my inner desire and passion to write while raising a family and living life. Thank you so much for your support! And I hope to keep the stories coming!!!

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