Introducing: Valerie Ormond

Valerie and Chance

This week's featured author is Valerie Ormond, and if you couldn't guess by her beautiful picture, Valerie loves horses. Her passion for these beautiful animals goes beyond the occasion ride. Read on to find out more about Valerie and her work with horses. 

"Valerie Ormond spent the majority of her adult life as a Naval Intelligence Officer. The daughter of two English majors, and an English major herself, she always had a great interest in books and writing. She now combines her life experiences, love of horses, and interest in writing in her second career. Her first novel, Believing In Horses (March 2011, J.B. Max Publishing), tells the story of a young girl saving unwanted horses. Believing In Horses was a selection for the National Education Association’s Read Across America program, the nation’s largest annual reading event; earned the Parent Tested Parent Approved Official Winners Seal of Approval; and won the Gold Medal in the Stars and Flags Book Awards program.

Valerie writes freelance for a variety of publications and organizations and contributed to the recently-published best seller, 5 Must-Know Secrets for Today’s College Girl (Lauren Salamone, June 2011, Frederick Fell Publishers, Inc). Ormond holds memberships in American Horse Publications, the Military Writers Society of America, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She believes in the healing power of horses and participates in numerous equine-related organizations including the Maryland Horse Council, Certified Horsemanship Association, National Capital Adult Equestrian League, and the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. She serves on the Board of Directors for Desire Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated to adopting rescued and unwanted horses for use as partners with in educating, mentoring, and counseling individuals, children, and families through various equine assisted activities.

Her education includes a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn.; a Master of Strategic Intelligence, Defense Intelligence College, Washington, DC, and two Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Mass Communication from Towson University, Towson, Md. She is a lifetime member of the Naval Intelligence Professionals and Disabled American Veterans and a strong supporter of the military and veterans.

She lives with her husband Jaime Navarro, also a Navy veteran and horseman, in, Maryland, where they enjoy the company of their wonderful families, friends, horses, and dogs." 

You can connect with Valerie by email at Valerie@BelievingInHorses.com, through her Website, Facebook, Blog, or Twitter. 

Believing in Horses is available now through Valerie's website as well as Amazon. 

You can also enter to win a paperback copy of Believing in Horses by leaving a comment this week or following Valerie Ormond on Facebook or Twitter. Don't forget to click on the Rafflecopter button to make sure your entry is counted. 


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New Book: Believing in Horses

It's the last day of a long weekend, but you still have time to get in one more book! This week we'll be inviting Valerie Ormond to the blog to talk about her middle grade novel, Believing in Horses. This is the first middle grade novel we've had on the blog, but teens and adults shouldn't pass it by too quickly. 

"After her family moves to Maryland and her dad deploys to Afghanistan, Sadie gets a new young horse named Lucky who proves to be a handful—but all of that is just the beginning of the trouble in this young adult novel. Together, Sadie and Lucky encounter horse thieves, Maryland storms, and unwanted horses destined for auction and uncertain futures. Sadie makes it her personal mission to save these animals, meeting fellow people dedicated to rescuing horses along the way, while learning that others are driven only by greed." 

Believing in Horses is available now through Valerie's website as well as Amazon. 

You can also enter to win a paperback copy of Believing in Horses by leaving a comment this week or following Valerie Ormond on Facebook or Twitter. Don't forget to click on the Rafflecopter button to make sure your entry is counted.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Labor Day Book Fair is Live!

Melynda's Labor Day Book Fair is now live. Thanks to Wayman Publishing, you can download their top ten novels free today through the 5th. Click on the links below to start downloading free books. 

And don't forget to enter for your chance to win a premade design from Mommy Blogs Designs, more free books, and $200 paypal cash! Click here to enter. 

FREE books from Wayman Publishing!

Excelsior (Geore Sirois)

Put down the pen. Pick up the sword. Unleash the hero within.

Matthew spent years creating the ultimate comic hero. He never dreamed the true hero would be within himself.

More Nonsense (Melynda Fleury)

A hilarious anthology from a very witty writer.

The Sashbuckle Chuckle (Pat Hatt, Caleb Wallace)

Join One Shoe Kangaroo as he tracks down the evil Captain Frown Clown and his crew. They have stolen the magic from his town. Will One Shoe Kangaroo be able to track Captain Frown Clown down?

Just Nonsense (Meylnda Fluery)

Whimsical blog posts from a very witty writer. 

From Mr. P (a wild little boy who loves animals) to Meaghan (a driving teenager) and Kyle (a young man who wants to visit Italy), Melynda's year starts with a bang. 
Phil, her husband, is a riotous addition, but Melynda herself is the one who keeps the laughs coming. 

Twelve Habits of Highly Successful Cats and their Humans (Dulcy and Dee Ready)


Do you yearn for joy? Do you dream of a welcoming lap and gentle words? Do you wish to know the deep delight of a life filled with tangy tuna and abiding love? Then follow my twelve habits for highly effective cats and their humans.

Middle Damned (Shane Stilson)

Life after death proved much different than what the Stillwater family expected. Two go into the light, another into darkness, while Blake Stillwater fights for survival somewhere between, in the Realm of the Middle Damned. He will receive gifts from the members of his family he unwittingly killed, but even as those who love the light will be just, the Forces of Evil groom the one now dwelling in darkness to ruin it all. Caught in a crosswind between the dimensions of life and death, a new thought distracts Blake when he can least afford it. Is what he works toward real or is he lost in a coma-induced dream? In an attempt to get back to those of his family who survived, Blake will be willing to risk it all, and the rest be damned.

Open Doors (Carrie Seymore, et al) 

An enticing collection of fantasy stories from previously published, as well as, debut authors.

Including stories by contest-winning authors: Joshua Carstens, Melynda Fleury, Pat Hatt, Carrie Seymour and Leetah East.

Additional stories by: Janie Goltz, Susan Kane, Siv Maria Ottem, Dee Ready, EC Stilson, Shane Stilson, and Shannon Williams

The Sword of Senack (EC Stilson)

Aliya Fisher knows nothing about her true heritage until a vindictive sorceress kidnaps her brother and sister. The young adventurer must take up her birthright, battle strange creatures, and find the Sword of Senack if she hopes to best the witch. But even if Aliya finds the famed weapon and survives the perilous oceanic journey, the enchantress is far more than she appears. How does one defeat an immortal who lusts for revenge?

The Golden Sky (EC Stilson)

The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. As his health waned, my own breath evaded me, like I was the one who needed the ventilator—the life support. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. When they tried closing his casket, I nearly fell on my face, not wanting them to shut the lid on my baby. 

We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and even grew out his damn hair. At the time, I was sick of “the oatmeal option” (the only food we had), so I kicked Cade out of the house, and started modeling and working as a diesel mechanic. That was how I met Earl, an old man and unlikely best friend; the “big sag,” a middle aged woman who still flashed folks, and "The Cowboy" a man who fell in love with me. 

It was slow at first, but Cade reverted to the man I’d busked with years before. It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son?

Bible Girl & the Bad Boy (EC Stilson)

The book practically cried for me to spare its life, and for a moment I thought I'd rather burn in Hell than lose something my brother had given me in love. The pastor nudged me, though, and my heart turned to ice.

I thought of all those hours my brother had read to me. I thought of all that time he'd invested.

I couldn't throw it into the fire; not the last book of the trilogy. That funny little dwarf stared at me from the cover. Then, I closed my eyes. I stepped so close to the flames they almost ate my skin. I tore the book in front of those kids. I put on quite a show throwing in a section at a time because I couldn't stand sending the whole thing in at once. When the last pages went up in flame, and the dwarf on the cover curled with death, I dropped to my knees and cried. The kids all hooted and screamed in ecstasy, thinking I'd been freed, when the ropes of religion had just twisted tighter.

Surrounded by hypocrites, Elisa's foundation starts crumbling. She doesn't know who to turn to. That's when she meets a mysterious man. But maybe she shouldn't trust him.

Will he help her, or make things even worse than they were before?

~These books are aviailable for FREEon Amazon 9/2-9/5~

Meylnda's Labor Day Blogfest and Book Fair!

Are you looking for a good book to read over the holiday weekend? Well, check out this giveaway and book fair. Wayman publishing is sponsoring the event and offering the top ten books FREE for 3 days starting tomorrow.

Click on this link and you can also find a whole list of great books to read.

And don't forget to enter to win one of dozens of great books, a prize package from Mommy Blog Designs, and $200 Paypal cash!
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Review: The Royal Assassin

Reis was promised the Heir of the Chalice as a companion, only to have her stolen away by another man. Frustrated and confused, Reis avoids the couple as long as possible, but is shocked when his promised gift comes in the form of his stolen lover's child. The question now, is whether or not Reis can protect his beloved Shadowen from not only her vicious father, but from a dangerous fate Reis never expected. 

One of the most compelling aspects of this book is the world the characters live in. Valantis is an underground society ruled by magic, but not your typical fantasy-style magic. Valantis is ruled by shadows. These shadows are everywhere. They can be used to travel, drawn from to gain power, and to a select few they can do even more. I enjoyed this unique style of magic for its creative slant as well as its somewhat dark quality. 

The relationship that develops between Shadowen and Reis was very good as well. Reis meets Shadowen when she is a small child and immediately knows she will be his. That may seem a little creepy on the surface, but Nemnich handles it well, keeping Reis focused on her protection through the early years, then easing the relationship into a more romantic stage. This was a very tortured relationship, and the tension between them made it quite compelling. Shadowen has had a very difficult life which causes her to fear Reis' love. Put that up against Reis' desire for Shadowen fighting against his need to guide and protect her, and you start to see what I mean. As a warning to younger readers, there were several sex scenes and adult topics, that while not terribly graphic, were descriptive. 

The overall storyline was also interesting. This book is a small glimpse into the arching plot of the Chalice, the effect corruption has on this world, and the fates of these two characters. Nemnich gives you good reason to keep reading further into the series. 

Aside from the interesting story and world, and good romantic relationship, there were a few areas that gave me some trouble. The beginning of the story was quite slow. There was a lot of explaining about the world as Reis went through day to day motions rather than letting the reader experience this world first hand. This was a show vs. tell issue that mainly held up the first several chapters, but was also an issue throughout the book. 

I also felt like the language used wasn't fantasy based and it took away from the reality of the story. This came through in the prose as well as the dialog. Straight up fantasy usually leans toward a more formal writing style, even when it comes to internal thoughts and dialog, and this felt to modern for me to really fall into the fantasy mindset. Serious fantasy readers may have the same issue. 

Another area that needed improvement was the editing. With indie publishing, it is hard for the author to catch all the mistakes on their own, but there were enough errors that it was distracting. Another pass at cleaning this up would help improve the overall experience. 

As a whole, the story and characters were interesting and entertaining. The modern language, editing errors, show vs. tell, and over-explaining gave the manuscript a less than polished feel. For some this won't be a problem, for others it will. The Royal Assassin has good potential as a series, but it did have shortcomings that will hopefully be addressed in future books.  

Would I recommend this book? I would because the story was good, but only selectively. Hard core fantasy readers may struggle with the writing style, the sex scenes and adult topics were enough that I wouldn't pass it on to my nieces, and the more technical issues will hold up picky readers. 

Who would I recommend this book to? Adult readers, mainly light fantasy readers who lean toward urban fantasy than strict fantasy and won't be bothered by the more modern style. Those readers looking for a good romance will enjoy Reis and Shadowen as well. 

The Royal Assassin is available now from Amazon.

You can also enter to win a Kindle ebook of The Royal Assassin below!


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Favorites: The Royal Assassin

Like Shireen, I find shadows both a little scary and fascinating at the same time. I think a lot of people feel that way about shadows. One of the most interesting aspects of The Royal Assassin was the way shadows were brought to life within the story. 

Shadows are not simply an absence of light in this story. They are alive, in a way, and an integral part of the world the characters live in. Reis is able to travel through shadows, stepping from on to another even though the may be quite a ways apart. I liked the idea that while the shadows were individual, they were also all connected.

It gave the impression that the world was constantly being watched by these shadows. Again, it was an idea that was slightly disturbing, yet also reassuring in some ways. The characters were never truly alone. At times, the shadows were even able to help and protect Shadowen. It was an interesting concept that added to the overall story. 

Read on to find out more about the next book in the Shadows of Myst Series ~ The Royal Seer


Scious the Royal Seer from the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow is not only the most celebrated Seer to date he is also the longest standing one. His visions are powerful and so is his magic. Yet such power comes secrets and with secrets come vulnerability. This keeps Scious on guard and prepared at all times. However nothing will prepare him for his encounter with a strong willed Nightelf by the name of Vestrial. He could see everything except her. Her future eludes him, which only intrigues him. He wants her for his lover but he settles for her as his seamstress.

Vestrial born part Nightelf and Mystic is truly gifted with her magic, yet she has no idea how gifted her talents are. She has no idea when she makes an errand for the Mystic Oracle that her life is about to suddenly change. That the Royal Seer, a single man, a Mystic, will introduce her to magic like she's never known before. There's something about the Royal Seer that touches her heart and her soul.

Although relationships between Mystics and Nightelves are forbidden there is something about Vestrial that he cannot let go of. There is something so pure and untouched inside her that never ceases to amaze and astound him. It's not until he's thrust into a vision he will never escape from that he fully understands why.

Myst's future lies in the balance and the Royal Seer has seen the outcome of two possibilities. He knows his actions will decide the future of not only Vestrial but of all of Myst. He prays he chooses wisely.

The Royal Assassin is available now from Amazon.


You can also enter to win a Kindle eBook of The Royal Assassin below!


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Interview: Shireen Nemnich

Yesterday we got to learn more about who Shireen Nemnich is, now let's get to know more about how her series, "Shadows of Myst." Today Shireen talks about her inspiration behind The Royal Assassin. 


1. What was your inspiration for "The Royal Assassin?" I have to say the character Reis. I began working on The Forgotten Assassin first. This is written in Shadowen’s POV, which takes place around 1,000 years after The Royal Assassin. I was half way through the book and it’s time to actually introduce Reis. The whole book up to this point has Reis in this bad light. I mean he’s really the bad guy… suddenly I hear his voice in my head just as plain and sexy saying, “Uh… I’m the good guy.” I was like “What?” and he just kept whispering in my head how wonderful he was and sexy and all he wants to do is love and protect Shadowen. It was only a matter of days when I had to just stop writing the Forgotten Assassin and Reis’s story had to be told first.

 2. Can you briefly describe the world this book is set in? Valantis is full of magic and since there is magic there really hasn’t been a need for technology as we have in our universe. There are horses, carriages and boats. Magic comes in many different forms as well such as light, dark, life and death. There is a lot about Valantis that is not in this book. Such as dragons, knights and so forth. Not to forget goblins and other such creatures. This is because I have other series that take place in Valantis but for the Shadows of Myst series it focuses more on Myst and some surrounding areas. However in my other series when released you will find that Mystics and Nightelves will pop into them upon occasion.

For the most part, though, the series of Shadows of Myst takes place in Myst. Myst was created by Mysteria and Her Consort Darkness… uhh not going to explain how they did that but I’m sure it was awesome! ;)

Myst itself has hollows under the surface and this is where Mystics live. There is no way to reach the hollows unless you are Mystic because they are so deep underground. The only way is through a shadow and only Mystics can travel through shadows.

3. Shadows are an important theme in this book. How did you decide to use shadows as a basis for magic? Shadows have always been beautiful and frightening to me, yet fascinating. When I was writing the Forgotten Assassin I already had decided to use the name Shadowen for the central character and originally her twin brother was Shadow. However I felt that was a bit too much, so by page two he became Shade. These are the two essential characters through the entire series and if you’ve read TRA you understand why. While writing, the images of shadows and magic just seemed to flow so perfectly together. It just seemed to make sense that to us a shadow is just an absence of light. But to a Mystic who lives under the surface in hollows, it’s real and a tangible object/spirit that they can touch and feel, which continued to grow as I wrote and still does.

4. Can you explain the importance of a young person coming into their magic having someone to help them? The day of reckoning – when magic first begins to flow through a Mystic it’s overwhelming. This usually takes place when a Mystic is at the age of sponsorship (an adult) and is ready to have sexual relations. (Not to be confused with our concept of human puberty.)

The day of reckoning usually is accompanied with burning and fever. Since they’ve never had magic or used it before they have no control. When magic is uncontrolled it’s violent and painful not only to themselves but to others. So they need a “Consort”. A Consort can be anyone who has mastered their own magic and is skilled enough to actually control and join their magic until they are able to control it themselves. Although the joining of bodies sexually is not required to ease the magic. The trust that is involved in joining bodies actually helps teach control on an intuitive level. The merging of magic is actually beautiful and powerful between two people. It gives both parties strength even though it can wear out the Consort who has the control.

 5. The two main characters share an interesting relationship that spans many years. can you describe how the relationship changes? Reis loves Shadowen the moment he meets her, but she is far too young to understand or comprehend. Reis has to practically raise her from a child to an adult as her Consort and yet never be able to bed her because she’s not old enough. When she finally is old enough she’s not ready and when she is ready… Reis is all freaked out. Hehe. Isn’t that so much like life. There are many changes as they evolve from adult/child to adult/adult however I hope that it’s obvious that Reis will always be her champion/protector.

6. There are some dark themes in this book. How did you balance the light and dark sides to keep the book from becoming too dark? I honestly did worry that the book was becoming too dark and yet some of those dark issues is what made them stronger. It’s what shaped who they were and who they are still yet to be. On retrospect I believe it’s the love between Reis and Shadowen that keeps the balance. There is strength of love, not just passion/lust, but purity of souls that I think pulls us back from the dark into the light.

 7. Can you tell us a little about the surface world and how it impacts the story? The surface can actually be deadly to Mystics. The sun is their enemy. Nightelves do not have this problem because they’re from the surface of Myst. I felt it important for them to have this vulnerability. A species that lives with shadows and moves in shadows will not like large amounts of light. It’s perhaps more apparent in Shadowen’s fear than in Reis, who is part Nightelf. Also the Royal House of Darkness and Shadow is actually corrupt and has been for some time but it’s not until we visit the surface and meet these other races that dwell on the surface does this begin to unfold. It’s not exactly explained how or why in TRA because that wasn’t actually needed to tell Reis’s story. But in the other books, more of the details are explain because it is needed in their story.

 8. Who are your favorite authors? Fiction - Christine Feehan and Lisa Kleypas are my two favorites. I have all their books. Non Fiction – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and Louise Hayes.

9. Do you have any interesting habits or rituals when you write? I listen to music when I write. It really helps set the tone of my writing when I’m at home. I have my iTunes set up with book titles or character names for my playlist. So for example while writing TRA I listened to – Falling Again by Lacuna Coil, Believe it or Not by Nickelback and Blow me Away by Breaking Benjamin.

10. Can you tell us about the other books in the series and any other projects you're working on? Of course! I’d love to!

The Shadows of Myst series –

The Royal Seer – Scious and Vestrial’s story. This actually takes place prior to TRA in the timeline. I’m almost finished with it. I have cover art all done, but I’m still editing and fleshing out a few details.

The Royal Warrior – Darken’s story. This actually starts during a very tragic moment of Shadowen’s and Reis’s that occurs during TRA. It then continues Darken’s journey that ends with the beginning of the Troll War.

The Royal Conjurer – Shade’s story. This is a very dark story as he has a very troubled and tragic life. This book takes place during the height of the Troll War.

The Royal Chalice – Reis and Shadowen again pick up the gauntlet and their story continues with the Troll War ending.

The Forgotten Assassin – Shadowen’s POV that takes place almost 1,000 years later. It brings all the previous stories to a full circle. Hopefully it also answers unanswered questions these other books hint at or brought up. This book is finished but I was advised to not release it until the others are done and released. (Also a small notation about the ending. It was around 0500 and I was listening to my iPod when the ending came to me in a rush. I actually started crying as the scene and dialogue flowed through me. It was so overwhelming and I thought, I better write this down! I’ve never been brought to tears before over writing anything. So I literally sat on my bed pulled out my laptop and wrote for the next two hours, crying and wiping my tears away as I typed until I was done. I still can’t read it without tears filling my eyes. I really hope that means it’s good.)

 I am also working on other books that have nothing to do with Valantis, but nothing quite ready for release. However I do have some vampire series in the works.


You can connect with Shireen on: Twitter, Facebook, The Royal Assassin on Facebook, and her Website. 

The Royal Assassin is available now from Amazon.

You can also enter to win a Kindle eBook of The Royal Assassin below!


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