DARK BEAUTY & DARK SEEKER Excerpt & SIGNED GIVEAWAY

Excerpt GIVEAWAY!!! You could win a signed copy of Dark Beauty and Dark Seeker by filling out the form below. Since Dark Seeker was released 10/11, I thought I'd include it in the giveaway. If you've already entered you are automatically in the running to win both books. You don't have to enter again. Giveaway ends 10/31/11, so make sure to enter and win 2 Signed Books (Dark Beauty & Dark Seeker). Good luck ;)

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the Dark Beauty excerpt...

Dark Beauty Description:

For fifteen-year-old Seeker, Isabelle Crowe, ridding the Houston streets of the undead is an inherited duty, passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. During her first night without her mentor, she encounters Abram, a more experienced Seeker from Chicago looking to avenge his cousin's death. Isabelle quickly learns she must work with Abram to protect her city. With one Seeker already dead, Isabelle's love of the hunt becomes a fight to survive.

Dark Beauty Excerpt: 

“Why are you here?” Isabelle said.

     “Mmm, now, you’re a Seeker I’d like to sink my teeth into.” Emanuel appraised her, cocking his head to the side. “I could find lots of fun stuff for us to do together.” He took small steps toward the exit.

     Vomit rose into Isabelle’s throat. She swallowed, doing her best not to take his words too seriously. He was a disgusting half-breed. Anything that came out of his mouth was either a lie or very twisted.

     “You’re delusional if you think you’re getting out of here alive.” Isabelle wedged the knife behind her back and somersaulted across the room, landing only feet from Emanuel. He threw a punch. She blocked it and administered a kick to his temple. He stumbled back, clearly disoriented. She shoved her knee into his groin. When he doubled over, she came down on him with an elbow. She chuckled, not knowing where she’d come up with that move. This was more like the WWF than martial arts. Pinned to the ground and writhing under her hold, Isabelle removed her dagger from her back and plunged it into his skull. Emanuel stared at her in horror, apparently shocked that the pretty young thing of his twisted fantasy had taken him out. 

Dark Seeker Description:

For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.

Want more of Dark Beauty now? Find it on Amazon and B&N. Add Dark Beauty to your Goodreads account here.

Dark Seeker is now available on Amazon and B&N. Watch the book trailer here. Add Dark Seeker to your Goodreads account here. 



Cheers ;)
Taryn

YA - A Universal Genre

It's no secret that I'm no longer a young adult. Now in my early 30's, I've surpassed those years by at least a decade. BUT I DON'T CARE!!! I love reading and writing YA, and I'm proud of it!

A friend of mine is writing an article about why people of all ages love YA and has asked me to give my two cents. On this subject she may get way more than two cents. I'm very passionate about the YA characters in my books, and the books I read. So let's get to it. Some of the many reasons "I" LOVE YA...

• YA can cross many genres within one book (for example - sci-fi, dystopian, mystery & romance are all intertwined within Across the Universe by Beth Revis).
• No matter how old you are, you were once a young adult and can relate to the issues/feelings the characters are going through because you've been there or know someone else who's been there.
• I really enjoy the writing style. It's easy to immerse yourself within the world the author is creating. Yes, the same goes for adult fiction, but I find that YA has its own unique voice. One that I happen to prefer reading, most of the time. There are exceptions like J.R. Ward (I love her Black Dagger Brotherhood adult series). Again, these are the reasons I read YA, not to say other genres aren't wonderful - I think they are.
• Haha, yes, I have to admit that many of the YA characters are swoon-worthy (kind of like those classic 80's movies - Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Say Anything, that we all love). My faves happen to be Jace, Dimitri, Four, etc...

I could probably go on forever. How about you? What do you think makes YA a universal genre for all ages? You never know, your comment could end up in the article, so be sure to respond :)

Cheers!

Taryn

Which Buffy the Vampire Slayer Character Are You Most Like?

Since my Dark Beauty short story and prequel to Dark Seeker, is based off my love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I thought it would be fun to take this quiz I found online. Then, I just had to share it with you (because I know you've wondered which character you were most like). Yes, I was hoping for Buffy, because she is just awesome and knows how to kick some a**. In my next life, I will come back spinning into roundhouse kicks and taking names (and seriously, I'm not a violent person). Anyway, Isabelle, Abram (Seekers and main characters in Dark Beauty) and I decided to take this quiz. Here are our results...

Taryn -- Rupert Giles (haha, seriously - this test is totally wrong)

Isabelle -- Buffy Summers (okay, maybe this test is kinda accurate)

Abram -- Buffy Summers (not shocking since he is also a Seeker, but Isabelle and Abram's personalities are also quite different)

Now it's your turn. Please leave a comment telling me which character you are most like. Was it who you expected?

http://quizfarm.com/quizzes/new/corporatecunt/which-buffy-the-vampire-slayer-character-are-you-most-like/

Cheers,

Taryn :)

On My Kindle

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, so readers can share what books they've gotten in the past week. Since I just bought a Kindle, I thought I'd share what I downloaded this week.

It is amazing to have so many books at my fingertips on my Kindle, but also quite dangerous -- with one click of a button, they just appear. This is an exciting week. Check them out...

 

Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer

I have been dying to read Wolfsbane since I finished Nightshade. Although I am proudly team Shay, I'm really excited to see what happens with Calla, Shay and Ren.

 

Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney

This book is the first in a series and has been #1 on Amazon for Fantasy and Time Travel. It is written by my friend and agent-mate. I started it the other night and couldn't put it down. If you are looking for a great read, check it out. Anita has earned phenomenal reviews for her debut series.

Remembrance by Michelle Madow

This book is dear to my heart because it is written by my friend, critique partner and agent-mate. Remembrance is beautifully written and the story is just as gorgeous as the cover. I highly recommend it.

Dark Beauty by Taryn Browning

Yes, I downloaded my own short story -- I had to see what it looked like on my Kindle. I would love it if you checked it out. It's available on Amazon, Smashwords & Barnes and Noble! Thanks :)

My Series Faves!

Hello and thanks for visiting! :)

I thought I'd write about my ultimate series favorites and why they've soared to the top of my omg-you've-got-to-read-it list. To name a few (in no particular order) -- Vampire Academy, The Hunger Games, The Mortal Instruments, Black Dagger Brotherhood and The Twilight Saga. I've certainly read other fantastic novels, but these books kept me wanting more from beginning to end and book to book. For example, I don't think I took a breath until I finished The Hunger Games trilogy. I was literally on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen next, sneaking around just so I could keep reading, and even exchanging sleep for reading because even if I tried to sleep I'd still be thinking about the book. I think I finished the trilogy in three days. Not only were all of the books mentioned well written, but I was intrigued by and invested in the storyline and genuinely cared about the characters. I think this is why I love every series listed above.

Currently, I'm reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan and really enjoying it! I wonder if I will add this series to my list of ultimate series faves.

I'm also anticipating the next books in these series:
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Across The Universe by Beth Revis
Matched by Ally Condie
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare
(I know I've forgotten some.)

What are some of your favorite series and why? I look forward to hearing from you. I'm always up for adding to my VERY long TBR list. Happy Reading! :)

Cheers!
T.H. Browning

My Gratitude Journal

The other day I got to thinking about the exercises I use to help me focus on the joys in my life -- things that remind me to think positive and remain happy. Along with my family and friends, reading and writing are a huge part of my life and make me extremely happy. So I'm continually grateful for this.

While thinking, I realized I hadn't written in my gratitude journal in SOOO long. First, let me start by telling you what a gratitude journal is. You may already know, or you might think I'm a total loon. If you're still reading maybe you think I'm only half crazy. Either way, here ya go...

A gratitude journal is a way to focus on the things you are grateful for. I believe that gratitude leads to happiness. If you can find joy in what you already have, anything else that comes your way is just a bonus. You also open yourself up to good fortune. Everyday I TRY to record some of the people, things, etc. that I'm grateful for in a journal. This starts the morning off on a positive note (along with butter toffee coffee) and hopefully shapes the direction my day will go. Does it always work out that way? -- NO! But I like to think I'm a half-glass-full kind of girl! :)

Today I thought I'd post my journal entry from this morning on my blog. So, here it is (I'm feeling kind of vulnerable right now).

The things I'm grateful for (in no particular order) are...

1. My two beautiful young boys & my very supportive husband
2. My family & friends (this includes my awesome writer & blogger friends)
3. My new little niece, Reece, who is due any day now! :)
4. Health
5. My wonderful agent -- Christine Witthohn and my very talented BC family, including my fabulous critique partner -- Michelle Madow 
6. My job -- it pays the bills and allows my family to live in a home/neighborhood that we adore (and, of course provides money to shop for cute shoes) Oh, come on, who doesn't like shopping? :)
7. The sister I'm sponsoring in the Congo who has been dealt a much more difficult journey as a woman than I have. I'm grateful for the rights I have as a woman in this country. I'm so fortunate to be able to help another woman follow her dreams. This brings me great joy.
8. I'm thankful to all of you who have taken the time to read this. It means so much :) XOXO

I could probably keep going, but this exercise isn't meant to last the whole day, just get me to focus on the positive.

I'm well aware that it's not Thanksgiving! I have no desire to go back to November. I'm ready for the warmth of spring and summer. But, what are you grateful for? Is there anything you do everyday/week/year to focus on the positive? Who knows, maybe you'll decide to do a gratitude journal, or unfollow my blog (but I hope not)!

Cheers!
T.H. Browning

Why We Love Characters With Flaws?

I just commented on a blog post by fellow BC writer, Tiffinie Helmer, about character flaws entitled, "Flawed and Fantastic" ~~> http://bit.ly/gLV51o. On her blog she discusses plotting character flaws before writing. I definitely recommend reading her fantastic post & will be taking her advice when writing future books.

While writing my comment, I thought about all of the characters I've read about and created in my own books. Particularly, the characters that stayed with me long after I finished the book.

This was my comment on the "Flawed and Fantastic" post...

In order for characters to be interesting and believable, they have to have flaws. No one is perfect. As a writer and reader, I believe the best characters are the ones that make you feel. You may not agree with the character's POV or actions, or even like the character, but this is what creates the most interest, evokes emotion, keeps you engaged, and thinking about the character long after you've finished the book.

I just finished reading Delirium and remember wanting to yell at the main character (Lena), even jump into the book, shake her and say, "What are you thinking?" I loved this book because it has a uniquely fantastic storyline with interesting characters. I'm really looking forward to reading more about Lena in the series.

Who are characters you've created, or read about, that made you angry, passionate, fall in love, etc., long after you finished reading the last page? Please share fantastic books with strong characters that you recommend reading.