Nine Lives By: Shari Richardson *Guest Blog & Giveaway*

Nine Lives: The Fifth Highland Home Novel

Shari Richardson

Highland Home, Book 5

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Publisher: Astral Plane Publishing

Date of Publication:  September 2012

ISBN: 978-1461070092

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/5vjPdfSuy0I

Guest Blog By: Shari Richardson

The Words 

One of the perks of my "day job" is that I am able to see any movie I like. In fact, the studios expect me to preview new movies to check the quality of the digital print on screen. I had the opportunity to preview "The Words" on Thursday and I was...stunned I think is the word I was unable to articulate after watching the film.

As a writer I was able to empathize with the writers in the film. I saw in each of them the horrible things we do to ourselves in the name of our writing. Who among us has not forgotten something important, missed a date, or failed to sleep because the words had a hold of us and would not let go? And who among us has not come back from the worlds we create and sought out the first "real" person we could find in order to reconnect to the world in which we live? Who among us has not made sacrifices to our writing, be they financial, emotional, or otherwise?
I won't give away the movie because I believe it is one worth seeing for yourself. I will, however, say that as a writer, expect to see both the best and worst of yourself in this film. Expect to ride the roller coaster of a writer's life. The ups when we are writing and it is going well. The downs when we are writing and we know its crap. The bottoming out when we can't write at all until that one spark--that one tiny light in the distance--makes us plunge into the abyss yet again and hold on for the next swoop in the tracks.

Expect, too, to ask yourself this question. "Would I do it?" Because ultimately, this is the question the movie asks you. Would you do what this author does? Would you sacrifice everything you are from the depths of your soul for the one chance to be a critically acclaimed author? Or would you rather struggle along, piecing worlds together out of snatches of dreams, and maybe never be anything more than a name that sounds vaguely familiar to someone years from now? You may think the answer is an easy one. I certainly did before seeing the film. But this movie made me think. What if there were a way? What if the one person who could give you permission to do this thing did so? Would you do it?

I'd like to think I wouldn't, but I'm far too honest with myself to ever say that I wouldn't consider the path this author took. The lure of fame and fortune is seductive. Look at the authors who have recently been caught pumping up their own books by writing bogus reviews on Amazon.com. Do you truly believe any one of them woke up one morning and thought, "I'm going to put one over on every reader in the world, hehehe."? I'm sure it was more a thought of, "Who am I hurting? I'm only promoting my own work." But in essence, they hurt every other writer in the genre who works hard to create and accepts both good and bad reviews with grace.

The film, "The Words," will touch you if you write and startle you if you read. I hope you will check it out sometime. I hope that you will carefully consider the moral dilemma provided in the film and come to some conclusion as to where you might find your place within the continuum of total honesty and things done for the greater good. 

Book Description

I felt a familiar ripple and knew it was too late for me. I saw her, so tiny, so perfect and I knew that I could die content. When Xavier admitted his love for me, I was complete.

Kerry Cote's story may sound familiar, but it's not. Sure there are a lot of unmarried, pregnant teenagers in the world, but how many of them know the child they carry is a miracle? How many have a vampire body guard? How many are alone because the mother of us all and the father of all vampires has a jealous daughter who covets the baby's father? Kerry must survive to bring her child into the world, for if she fails, humanity may not survive. 

 

Books 1-4 Highland Home Series

Mourning Sun

I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.

Mairin Cote is a magnet for weird. Her dreams come true, she can see auras and her mother is in love with an angel. Now the monsters are finding her too. Vampires, demigods and werepanthers have flocked to this small town girl who must find a way to keep her family safe, love the man of her dreams, and navigate the shark-infested waters of Highland Home High School. 

Captured Sun

My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.

Mairin Cote thought loving a vampire was hard, but losing him to others of his kind was worse. When the death toll in East Hampton points to a rampaging vampire, the vampires and werepanthers must form an uneasy alliance to stop the destruction. To save the love of her life, Mairin must decide if living life without Mathias is worth risking an eternity with him. 

Seven Days

The pain was sharp and deep, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in Xavier's eyes. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but the words wouldn't come. The pain kept them at bay and even if I could have spoken, I knew the words would be a lie.

Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days. 

Banished Sun

Eternity. How many times since Mathias came into my life had I considered it? Had I not taken risks that would have left us together for eternity? What I hadn't expected was to have the choice taken from us. Vampires are independent creatures and the old ones definitely don't like being bound to a human. When an ancient vampire comes to Highland Home bent on Mairin's destruction so he can free himself from his bond to her, Mathias is forced to choose between what he is and who he wishes to be. 

About The Author

Shari Richardson holds a master's degree in English Education and has spent much of her life teaching students the joy of reading and writing. Her love of writing began when she was in elementary school and has carried through her entire adult life. Shari lives in Pennsylvania with her two Chihuahuas.

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