A Tragic Heart Is Free!

Well, here's some good news for you readers out there! A Tragic Heart is completely free for any and all Kindle users from today, March 31st-April 4th. All you have to do is download it from Amazon and you're good to go! All I ask is for you to leave a review on Amazon. My goal is to reach 25 reviews by the end of the year (that's the amount an author needs in order for Amazon to start suggesting it to readers). I'm at 12 as of now and while 25 may not seem like a big number, it's much harder to reach than you think. Reviews help out a lot, so just take some time and write a quick one. Thank you for the support and grab your free copy here:FREE Copy of A Tragic Heart

 If you don't own a Kindle you can simply download the app on your smartphone or tablet for free! See, today is all about taking advantage of the free things in life!

Adalyn: Whirlwind (Short Story #10)

See, I told you I would post something at least once a week! I know the week is really over but it doesn't truly start a new week until Monday, right?! Right! Besides, I gave you two posts last week! Anyway, here's a new short story for you guys to enjoy. It's from Adalyn's point of view and if you read Turn It Off you'll know that she mentioned her dad had a history of drug abuse while she was trying to help Peyton with his problem. This is about one of those moments.

Read the short story from last week here: Ronan: It's Always Her (Cont.)

Listen to "Shouldn't Come Back" by Demi Lovato on repeat while reading for the full experience: 

Adalyn: Whirlwind 

                They’re arguing again. I love my dad but I think he’s lost his mind. I know any moment now my brother will come into the room to have someone to escape the madness with. This is an ongoing thing now. He’s always had a history with drug abuse but it seems the addiction is back and all I want is for him to go away. He doesn’t understand the pain he causes when he lets his demon get the best of him. He’s not the same person. 

                My father’s a very successful business man. He owns a chain of “do it yourself” hardware stores across the country. He’s won many awards for his achievements yet he’s a drug addict. No one ever thinks an addict can look as clean cut and intelligent as he is but then again most people don’t know the truth. They only go by what they see in the media and on TV. He’s not the poster child for drug abuse when it comes to looks but his behavior…

                It hurts so much. My mom tries so hard to keep the family together and pretend that it’s all normal but both Mike and I knew. We can hear them through the thin walls. We’ve seen the evidence around the house. The thing about drug addicts is they get sloppy. They can hide it for a while but soon nothing else matters to them but their drugs. It’s the same thing that started to happen to Peyton. It’s how I knew before anyone else. 

                Speaking of Peyton, I wish I could talk to him about it but he’s busy trying to get himself clean in rehab. I can’t tell him that my dad fell off the wagon again while he’s trying so hard to get on. It’s almost like I can’t win. No one else knows about my dad’s problem outside of the family except for Peyton. He’s not only my boyfriend but my best friend. I’ve never felt so alone before. 

                My brother knocks on my door before I yell for him to come in. I already knew who it was. He closes the door behind him and sits on my bed. 

                “They’re going at it again,” he says staring down at the floor.

                “What happened this time?” I ask sitting next to him.

                “Mom found a needle on the floor in the bathroom.” He looked so disgusted when he said it. I felt the same way on the inside. 

                “Oh. I figured it was something like that when mom yelled something about rehab.”

                “Adalyn, is it ever going to get better? Will he ever just quit or is this just going to be a sick cycle?” he asks finally looking up at me.

                I remained quiet for a while before answering. “I don’t know. I hope he just quits and be done with it for good.” I pause before saying what I really wanted. “Sometimes I think we’d be better off without him.”

                Mike looks at me like he wants to disagree but I know he can’t. “I know what you mean,” he says quietly. “But he’s our dad so we have to find a way to help him. I don’t want to lose him to this.”

                “We just might though…”

                I couldn’t be optimistic about anything. My boyfriend was in rehab for the summer while my dad should be in a rehab. Why is this my life at 15? Why is this my brother’s life at 14? We’re too young for these kinds of problems. It’s slowly ruining us. My father is ruining us. That pains me. 

                Maybe he should go away for a while…and maybe he shouldn’t come back. Him being here is just a whirlwind of chaos.

Don't forget to pick up your copy of Turn It Off and the rest of the series here: A Tragic Heart Series

               

 

Ronan: It's Always Her... (Continued)(Short Story #9)

It's been since October that I've written a short story (remember those?!). I missed writing short stories on my characters from the A Tragic Heart series. I believe this series will always be my favorite and the characters will always be the most real to me which is why I write little blurbs about them...so I never have to let them go.

As promised, this one is a continuation to the last one and it's from Ronan's point of view. Clearly it would belong with the second novel, RED and jumps eight years into the future (from where RED left off). You can check out the first part to the story here: Ronan: It's Always Her...

Listen to "Close To You" by Rihanna on repeat while reading to get the full experience:

Ronan: It’s Always Her (Continued)

                There she was. Sitting across from me in an expensive restaurant in Los Angeles just talking away. She had a smile painted across her face as she spoke and her red hair was now dyed blonde; a new look is what she called it. She looked beautiful…even more beautiful than I could remember. Adulthood looked good on her and it was clear that she was far from that high school girl who broke my heart way back when. 

                She went on about her idea for the photoshoot she wanted to collaborate with me on. For the most part it sounded like a good idea but I couldn’t really tell you because I wasn’t listening much. I just kept thinking about how she was the most beautiful girl in the room…in the world. Just a few days ago I was with a gorgeous model in my bedroom and now here I am with my high school lover and thinking about just how unattractive that model was compared to her. She has no idea. 

                “Enough about work,” I interrupted her as I reached across the table and grabbed her hands. Her nails were painted black and her skin was smooth. “How have you been, Peyton?”

                She gave me a smirk before answering, it was almost a blush. “I’ve been great, actually. I’m in a really good place and things just keep getting better. I never thought I’d say that but…here I am,” she replied.

                “That’s good. You seem really happy,” I responded with a little disappointment in my tone. I was happy that she was happy but there was a part of me that wanted her to confess that she missed me. I wanted her to say that she still needed me even though we’ve been apart for eight years. 

                “Before coming here I got to spend time with Mason and the rest of the family. The kids are getting so big…they’re not even kids anymore. Can you believe that?!” she asked. “Lila’s going to be starting college soon!”

                Lila’s her baby cousin. Mason is her dad’s first cousin who took her in after both her parents died while she was still a baby. For her, his kids are basically her little sister and brothers. 

                “That’s crazy. Time really does fly. Who would’ve thought we’d be here? A lot has happened,” I said taking on a slightly tighter grip onto her hands. 

                “It really has. I can’t even keep up anymore,” she basically mumbled. 

                Before I could say another word the waiter came and interrupted us asking if we were ready to order. She wasn’t sure what she wanted so I ordered for the both of us. I told her not to worry she’ll love it and she responded with a “you always knew me so well.” 

                We talked more over dinner, mostly about work and how I would make her vision come to life. She loved my input and told me this is why I’m her go to person for things like this. We make a great team. If only she knew what that truly means to me. It’s crazy how she was the one to hurt me so I let her go but I’m the one longing for her again. Most people will say I’m insane but they’re obviously the ones who never met Peyton Hayley Giordano. 

                She suggested we go back to my condo where I have an in house studio. She wanted to get a visual of how things will be set up. Of course I wouldn’t object to it. She’s always welcomed in my home. Aside from being my ex she’s also one of my oldest friends. Nothing will ever change that. 

                We walked inside together and I offered her a drink. She declined. All she wanted was for me to show her to the studio so I did. 

                “I have an idea,” she announced. 

                I lifted my head to look at her, letting her know she had my attention. “What is it?” I asked. 

                “Let’s do things a little differently. I want a photoshoot tonight. Just on a whim kind of thing. All natural,” she replied.

                “Okay. Let me get my camera set up,” I said about to walk out of the room before she stopped me.

                “Here’s the catch!” she said staring at me biting her bottom lip. 

                “Go on,” I urged curiously.

                “I want to be nude. Nothing covered. All natural, like I said. No retouches, nothing but my natural self.”

                I was speechless. “Peyton-“

                “I wanted a shoot like this for a while and I could’ve asked anyone but I wanted you to do it. I mean, who better than you? You’ve already seen the package.”

                “That was years ago,” I replied. “It’s different now.”

                “Are you seeing someone?” she asked.

                “No. Not really,” I responded quickly.

                “Then what’s the problem?”

                The problem was I was still in love with her and seeing her that naked will definitely send me over the edge. I couldn’t tell her that though.

                “I’ll go get my camera.”

                When I came back she started to undress slowly. I watched her take off every piece of clothing and I wanted to forget about the photoshoot. I just wanted her. 

                “Ready?” I asked not able to take my eyes off of her.

                “As ready as I can be,” she said pushing her newly blonde hair out of her face. 

                We took shots on the bed, the shower, my balcony…almost everywhere. Not once did she feel uncomfortable. The photos came out beautiful. She was just about to start putting her clothes back on when I said something to get her attention.

                “What if I didn’t want you to put those back on just yet?” I asked boldly.

                She stopped and stared for a bit so I walked closer to her. She didn’t make a move. She seemed shocked. 

                “Roe, what are you saying?” she asked as I ran my fingers up and down her arm. I always loved the softness of her skin. 

                “I’m saying that I still have feelings for you and I can’t let you leave me tonight…not like this.”

                “Roe-I don’t think-“

                I cut her off with a kiss. She pulled back but before she could interrupt I kissed her again. This time she let it happen. She let her panties drop out of her hands and wrapped her arms around my waist. I guess this was happening on my balcony in the middle of the night. Let’s just hope paparazzi didn’t follow us here…

Don't forget to pick up your copy of RED and the rest of the series here: A Tragic Heart Series

 

 

Turn It Off Available For Order!

Although the official release date is December 13th (this Sunday), Turn It Off is now available to order (Paperback version at least). The link is below and I hope you all enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1940938678

"Life is funny. One minute you're trying to find something to live for, and the next, it comes walking through your door in the middle of the night."
 
Turn It Off follows the life of Peyton Giordano (from A Tragic Heart) as he struggles to find strength to live following the tragic loss of his mother all while falling victim to the lures of drug addiction, mental illness, reckless romances, and countless other internal and external demons. Tormented by his mother's death, and both the absence of his father and the physical abuse he experienced by his step-father, Peyton embarks on a journey to find balance in his life.
 
After starting a new life under his aunt and uncle's care, Peyton finds himself yielding to the evils inside of him more than ever before. Terrified of exposing his true feelings, he learns new ways to turn off his pain. Peyton quickly comes to realize that just because it doesn't hurt for a moment, doesn't mean the pain is really gone.
 
The more he tries to shut everything out, the more he indulges in his dirty habits thrusting his life into a vicious cycle of chaos. As life always has a way of revealing, however, there are but so many times we can go around before we decide to jump off the ride.
 
Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and is the third installment to the RED Tragedies series.
 

Sophia-Runaway (Short Story)

Finally a new short story! It's been weeks since I've written one of these so I think you guys more than deserve it. This short story introduces a new character to the RED Tragedies series. She actually has a chapter named after her in Turn It Off (coming this Fall!) and is known for being one of Peyton's many girlfriends. Her name is also mentioned in A Tragic Heart when Peyton gives Taylor his "list".

Anyway, you'll learn while reading Turn It Off that Sophia and Peyton had a very complicated relationship. She introduced him to new drugs and a new lifestyle and in the book he compares her to tooth decay. This short story shows that Sophia isn't all bad and that she had a troubled past herself. Peyton mentions in Turn It Off that Sophia confessed to him that she was molested by her stepdad (which is probably what got her into her troubled lifestyle) while he told her that his stepdad used to abuse him physically.

You can check out the intro & first chapter to Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=la_B00FNI34X4_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1436746837&sr=1-4

Introducing to you all: Sophia!

Listen to "Runaway" by Pink on repeat while reading:

https://soundcloud.com/ahmed-hamed7/pink-runaway?in=musik1313-1/sets/pink-runaway

 

Sophia-Runaway

            He did it again. It’s not the second, third, or fourth time he’s put me through this pain. I try to like it but there’s nothing desirable about this. I keep trying to get into it so I won’t have to admit to myself that my own stepfather is taking advantage of me. 

            My mother’s too blind and in love to notice it. He gives us everything we could ever want. His business is doing better than ever which means that my mother isn’t going anywhere. This is her fourth marriage and the worst…at least for me. 

            Every day I wish my biological father was around but my mother ran him off long ago. He moved to Florida and started a new family. We keep in touch but my mother doesn’t like it when I say things like I want to live with him or suggest going for the entire summer. I’d do anything just to get out of this place. 

            I rushed to the bathroom and started the shower. I had to take the dirt off of me. I scrub until I bleed sometimes. It’s like I can never get clean. I take my washcloth and rub my skin over and over as the tears fall from my eyes. I feel sick; but this is nothing new. 

            I picture him kissing me, placing his hand over my mouth so I won’t make any noise, telling me how great it all feels. As the last thought rushed through my mind I ball my fists and bang them on the wall of the shower. I let out a sharp painful scream followed by more tears. The pain from my hands was minimal compared to the pain inside of me.

            There’s a knock on the door. I ignore it. I don’t want anyone to exist right now. I just need myself to be the only one on earth.

            “Sophia, sweetheart are you okay?” I can hear my mother say from the other side of the door. Her voice sounded worried. I only wished she was more concerned with what her current husband was doing to her fourteen year old daughter. “Sophia, answer me or else I’m coming in!”

            “I-I’m fine mom. I just hit my hand. I’m okay,” I answered with a trembling voice.

            “Sweetie, you don’t sound like you’re okay. Let me in so I can take a look at your hand,” she says.

            I quickly clear my throat to speak again. “No, no, it’s okay. I swear!” I insisted. The last thing I wanted was for her to see me like this…completely naked. 

            “Okay, just be careful,” she replies before walking away. 

            After a few more minutes I turn off the water. I grab my towel and step out. The bathroom mirror is foggy and I think about how I wish it could stay that way. I never want to look at myself after one of me and my stepdad’s sessions. I slowly open the bathroom door. It’s like having to step out into the real world after a two year vacation. 

            The air outside the bathroom is much cooler and for a second I feel like I can breathe again; that is, until my stepfather walks past me. He gives me a sly smirk and I could feel chills shoot throughout my body. I hurry and rush into my room making sure to lock the door behind me. 

            Everything in me tells me that this is all his fault and he’s the sick one but something else inside of me blames myself. Somehow I feel like I’m wrong in this situation. I feel like I’m the one hurting my mother and if I tell her what’s been going on I’ll be the one to ruin her marriage. I want to cry but I can’t. I cried the first few times it happened but after that I had nothing left inside of me. 

            I stood in front of my mirror and threw my towel off. My skin was bright red from all of the scrubbing I did in the shower. There were marks on my body from washing yet somehow I still feel dirty. I feel like actual filth not just a metaphor for it. 

            I put on a pair of underwear and lie across my bed in fetal position. There has to be a better way. There has to be a way out of here. I can’t stay in this house for another year. I can’t keep acting like everything is okay when it’s far from it. Nothing makes any sense anymore but I know if I stay here I’ll be the victim to a sociopath for the foreseeable future.

            Part of me tells me that I should tell someone…anyone but I’m not ready for the judgement that follows. I don’t want to be looked at differently. I never been with any other guy and I don’t want to have to say out loud that I lost everything to my stepfather. That my first lover was a man I never wanted to even touch me. No girl wants that.

            There has to be somewhere I can go…someone that’ll take me in. I pick up my cell phone that was next to me on the bed. I go to my contacts and call one of my friends, Hannah. She’s always there for me when I need her. She answers on the third ring. 

            “Hey Sophia!” she says happily into the phone.

            I can’t ruin the mood so I try to reply the same way. We talk for a little before I ask her what I really called for. 

            “Hey, Hannah, do you think I could stay at your place for the weekend? My mom and stepdad aren’t exactly getting along right now and I don’t want to get caught in the middle of it,” I lie. “Besides, maybe they could use the alone time.”

            “Of course! Come by whenever you’re ready. You already know my mom doesn’t mind at all. You’re like a daughter to her!” she says excitedly.

            For the first time all day I crack a smile…a real one. I don’t care if it’s just for the weekend, I get to run away and not think about this place…not think about him…

Find out more about Sophia in the RED Tragedies Series here. Sophia appears in Turn It Off.

 

 

Turn It Off Coming This Fall!

Now that the book shower is over and RED has been released and met with great reviews it's time for Turn It Off to shine. I will say that this is probably my favorite book from the series as it focuses exclusively on Peyton and his trials while coming of age. He was a very different person before Taylor came into his life and his life was a bit tragic to say the least.

Turn It Off is told from Peyton's point of view only and is structured as the average novel. As of now the intro and first chapter of the book is available on Amazon for purchase. It's $2.99 for Kindle users and $4.65 for paperback. It's the first 42 pages of the book unedited just so you can have a taste of what's to come. There is also an important message from me in the beginning letting you all know where I gained the inspiration to write the novel (thank you Paramore!).

Turn It Off acts as a prequel to A Tragic Heart and you will see a lot of references and moments from the first book but most of it is what led up to A Tragic Heart. In my opinion, this book is just as important as A Tragic Heart because without Turn It Off, A Tragic Heart would've never happened.

I'll start a giveaway on Amazon for Turn It Off (Intro & 1st Chapter) and will embark on a blog tour to support the novel. I'm hoping for an October/November release for the novel. I will keep you all updated but for now check out the first 42 pages of Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Back to editing Turn It Off...next/last stop What Could've Been!

Something New Is Brewing...

Hey all! Very recently I posted onto my social media accounts that I was thinking about creating VERY short stories based on the characters from the RED Tragedies series. I wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not but I've decided to give it a go.

Every so often I will post a new story equivalent to 1-2 pages based on one or more of my characters. These very short scenes will be based on various times of their lives and will not be written in any specific order. For example, you can read about 15 year old Peyton or 25 year old Peyton. You can read about Taylor's life with Peyton after A Tragic Heart (if it existed) and you can read about Taylor's life without Peyton. Basically, it's all for fun and games while giving you all an occasional dosage of the characters you've come to know and love.

Most of it will be a day in the life of ___________. I will also provide a song to listen to while reading (more than likely the song that inspired me to write the scene) so it can put you in the mood. I'm actually very excited about this new project and I can't wait to see what I will come up with. These stories will be written from the characters' POV in some cases and in others it'll be written as if a narrator is telling a story.

I will post each story on my blog as well as my Wattpad account. Hope you all are ready!

Characters who will be included are as follows along with the books they are present in (but more will be added as stories progress):

1. Taylor (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
2. Peyton (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
3. Mason (A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
4. Jackson(A Tragic Heart, RED, What Could've Been)
5. Adalyn (A Tragic Heart, RED, Turn It Off, What Could've Been)
6. Alex (RED)
7. Peyton Hayley (A Tragic Heart, RED, What Could've Been)
8. Ronan (RED)
9. Lauren (A Tragic Heart, Turn It Off)

A Tragic Heart & RED are available now while the intro and first chapter of Turn It Off is available. What Could've Been is coming soon!

Pick up your copies here available in both paperback and kindle: http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

RED (The Mini Book) Now Available!

It seems as if I'm releasing book after book but I promise this is the last one for a while...maybe. I decided to release RED (The Mini Book) so you all can add the character profiles, poems, and lessons/themes to your RED Tragedies collection. It's a compilation of the things I've posted on my blog but this time you can have it in one neatly packed (mini) book for only $6.00 for the paperback and $2.99 for the Kindle version.

If you're unsure about purchasing RED, you can check out the mini book for scenes from the full length novel and to get to know the characters better. The links are posted below:

A Tragic Heart (Volume 1)(Paperback & Kindle):  http://www.amazon.com/Tragic-Heart-S-Elle-Cameron/dp/1489591060/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1424986685&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=A+Tragic+Heart+paperback

RED (A Tragic Heart Volume 2)(Paperback. ): http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tragic-Heart-Elle-Cameron/dp/1940938503/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

RED (A Tragic Heart Volume 2)(Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Red-Tragic-Heart-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00U2OSYCA/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

RED (The Mini Book)(Paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Red-Mini-S-Elle-Cameron/dp/1508595240/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424986820&sr=1-5&keywords=S.+Elle+Cameron

RED (The Mini Book)(Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Red-Mini-Book-S-Cameron-ebook/dp/B00U1TO3M6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Turn It Off (Intro & First Chapter)(A Tragic Heart Volume 3(Paperback & Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

The Entire Series (So Far): http://www.amazon.com/S.-Elle-Cameron/e/B00FNI34X4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Turn It Off Available Now!

I know, I know! I just released RED but I thought it would be a great idea to release Turn It Off...well the intro and first chapter of the book at least. Turn It Off still has a while before it comes out (I still don't have a specific month or date) but it's never too early to give people a solid taste of what's to come. It's now available on Amazon for only $6.00 for paperback and $2.99 on Kindle. It's the unedited version of the book so pick up a copy and let me know what you think so far by leaving a review!

Turn It Off is the third installment to the RED Tragedies series (also known as A Tragic Heart series) so if you haven't yet, pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart (that's now only $2.99 on Kindle) and RED. Always remember to leave a review!

You can pick up a copy of Turn It Off here: http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Intro-Chapter-Tragic/dp/1508591970/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424730528&sr=8-1&keywords=Turn+It+Off+S.+Elle+Cameron

The Kindle edition should go live shortly (give it a day or two). I'll keep you updated.

RED IS NOW AVAILABLE!

After all of the blogging and promoting for RED it's finally here! The second part to A Tragic Heart is now on Amazon and here is the link: http://amzn.to/17xvcPy . I hope you all enjoy it and don't forget to leave a review! 

Every Character Profile & Poem From RED!

Since RED is set to come out on Valentine's Day (5 MORE DAYS!), I've decided to make finding each character profile and poem from the character's POV easy. Remember that RED is the 2nd part to A Tragic Heart so catch up before the big release! Here is the pre-book to RED!

Full Name: Peyton Hayley Giordano

Birth Date: April 4, 2010

Gender: Female

Age During RED: 16-18 years old

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Red

Height: 5'6

Weight: 130 lbs

Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (Mother-Deceased). Peyton Giordano (Father-Deceased), Mason Taylor (Cousin), Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor (Cousin-in-law), Jackson Caldwell (Uncle), Nick Taylor (cousin), Ryan Taylor (cousin), Lila Taylor (cousin)

Relationship Status: It's complicated....don't ask! 

Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Songwriting

Positive Character Traits: She's compassionate although she rarely shows it. She has a strong attitude and stands up for herself. Peyton tends to lead her own life without caring what others think. She's extremely talented and smart.

Negative Character Traits: She self-sabotages frequently, she can be quick to anger, and she's a bit of a martyr at times. She's also impulsive.

Choice Quote from RED: "When we want something bad enough we tend to only look at the positive side of things. We ignore the negative because we don't want to go there."

That's all for now! If you want to learn more about Peyton, you can pick up your copy of RED when it is released in the Winter of 2015. For now, you can learn about some of the other characters in RED by reading part one to the novel, A Tragic Heart.

By the way, if Peyton were a song she would be The (After) Life of The Party by Fall Out Boy.

Battered and Shattered (A Poem From Peyton's POV + New Scene From RED)

Sitting on the hard, cold ground alone

Scared, battered and shattered

I don't know who I am

I have no one to call

And the night is black

I'm just scared, battered and shattered

They're asking me questions

That I don't have the answers to

Alone, battered and shattered

My tears do the talking for me

Words won't come out my throat

I'm alone, battered and shattered

I've made my mistakes

But do I deserve this?

 Confused, battered and shattered

My blood runs red

And my mind is running wild

I'm confused, battered and shattered 

"Tell me your name"

"Do you have any family?"

Just leave me battered and shattered

I've come this far on my own

No one to guide me

He left me battered and shattered

Here's the scene from RED, Battered and Shattered was inspired by. Hope you enjoy it and remember RED will be released this Valentine's Day!

I don’t recognize myself. It’s more than that bad. It’s horrific. I become speechless and let my tears do the talking for me. I want to let something out. I want words to come out of my mouth. Suddenly, I hear screaming, a female’s voice that echoes through the night. It takes me a while to figure out that it’s my own. I can’t believe he did this to me.

The police and ambulance arrive as Robyn tries her best to console me. This can’t be happening. This can’t be real. I must be dreaming. An officer and a paramedic run up to me and bombard me with questions that I can’t answer right then. The paramedic walks me over to the ambulance and sits me in the back of the truck. He shines a light on my face and gently touches it.

“The most we can do is treat these wounds. You have a contusion on the upper left corner of your face but you’ll heal. Let’s get you to the hospital. You’ll need X-rays and the police can take your report there. Do you have anyone we can call?”

I nod my head yes and he calls the police officer over to the truck. They all look so sympathetic. I wonder if they all have daughters and are imagining what if this happened to them. I’m afraid to witness what Mason would do.

“I’m going to need a phone number, your mom or dad?” the officer says trying not to look too concerned.

“I don’t have a mom or a dad, just cousins.” I speak lowly in a monotone voice.

“I’m going to need someone’s number,” he replies.

“I tried to call Adalyn. She’s my cousin’s wife but she didn’t pick up.”

“What about your cousin?” he asks now seeming concerned.

“He’s in California on business.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what. Give me both of their numbers and I’ll try my best to contact them.”

I give the officer all of my information and he says he’ll follow me to the hospital to get the report after I’ve been fully examined. I lie back on the stretcher as the ambulance drives away from the dark and lonely street that has drops of my soul scattered on it.

I try to close my eyes but every time I do I see the image of Marcus. I’m not a crier but lately my emotions seem to be taking control of me. The ride is silent and I’ve never felt so alone in my life. How do I fix this? How do I walk into school? What will Mason and Adalyn think? God, I don’t want all of these answers at one time because that means there will be problems to go along with it.

*************************************************

Young Mason 
Mason as he would appear in RED 

Full Name: Mason Dale Taylor

Birth Date: May 4, 1992

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 34-36 years old

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Black 

Height: 6'1 

Weight: 202 lbs

Relatives: Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor (Wife), Jean Taylor (Mother), Brian Taylor (Father), Peyton Hale Giordano (Cousin-Deceased), Cathleen Taylor-Giordano (Aunt-Deceased), Peyton Hayley Giordano (Cousin/Adopted Daughter), Taylor Caldwell (Ex-Wife-Deceased), Jackson Caldwell (Ex-Brother-in-law), Lila Taylor (Daughter), Nick Taylor (Son), Ryan Taylor (Son)

Relationship Status: Married 

Interests/Hobbies: Writing & Basketball

Positive Character Traits: Mason is very loving and accepting. He doesn't like to give up on people he truly cares about and he would die for the ones he love. He is full of compassion and protects his family at all costs.

Negative Character Traits: He can be stubborn at times and he has a bit of a short fuse. There are times he is quick to anger and he can be sarcastic at times. 

Choice Quote from RED: "In reality, I had no idea what I was waiting for but I just knew that the time wasn't right."

And that's the end of Mason's character profile. I hope you all feel a little closer to him but if not make sure you check out RED when it is released this Winter. For those of you who have no idea who Mason is, you can still check out A Tragic Heart before RED is released to get to know about him and his past. Until next time...

By the way, if Mason was a song he would be "Dare You To Move" by Switchfoot.

Dreaming Alive (A Poem From Mason's POV)-New Scene From RED Included!

Last night I dreamed of you while I was awake

And I prayed to the Lord my soul He'll take

Just so I can be back with you

Do you know what it's like to dream while alive?

To see the damning images deep inside your mind?

But it was worth it because I was with you 

The sparks in your eyes, they were still there

But the fire spread and you disappeared

I'll burn all over again just for you

My eyes are wide open and my heart has been closed

I can't love another because you're all that I know

And I wouldn't have it any other way because of you

I tasted your mouth and you tasted mine

I think we forgot all about the time

But life always worked that way with you

Last night I dreamed while I was alive

But in reality you were on the other side

What I would give for you!

Because last night that dream brought me alive...

Here is the scene from RED, Dreaming Alive was inspired from. It's a scene where Mason dreams of his lost love Taylor (from A Tragic Heart).

 ***

Every time I try to close my eyes, I see her. I keep trying to think of something new, but she won’t get out of my head. Sixteen years and she still haunts me.

I wake up to the smell of breakfast so I quickly get up and brush my teeth. I practically rush down the stairs before something stops me in my tracks.

“Hey, make sure your dad is up. I know how much he hates having to heat up food,” I hear her voice say from the kitchen.

I’m afraid to walk in and be disappointed. It couldn’t be. Is it all a dream? Did it never happen? For a second I feel relieved but then realize that when I open the kitchen door it wouldn’t be her.

I stand in front of the kitchen door for a while before pushing it open. I close my eyes and say a short prayer before viewing what’s in front of me.

“Never mind!” she calls out. “You’re right on time,” she says with a beautiful smile. The smile that’s been imprinted in my mind since the first day we met.

“The smell woke me up,” I say relieved that she’s standing there in front of me again. “Is this real?” I ask her a little confused.

“Last time I checked,” she sounds just as confused as I feel.

“Don’t ever leave me again,” I say touching her beautiful face.

“I won’t. We were young before, it’s different now. I love you.”

“I love you too. I always have and always will.”

She leans in and kisses me passionately. We almost get carried away but the smoke that fills the air reminds us that she’s cooking.

“SHIT!” I yell opening the kitchen window and turning the fan above the stove on.

She laughs a little and tells me to watch my mouth. I stare at her for a long time before she acknowledges it.

“What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?” she asks never wiping that smile off of her face.

“I just had this terrible dream,” I say unable to take my eyes off of her.

“What was it about?”

“I don’t want to bring it up again, but I dreamed that after Peyton died you fell into this deep depression and…” it’s hard for me to say it even though I know that it never happened, “you asked me to watch Peyton for a while, and you never came back. You left me in the worst way possible. I found you on your apartment floor covered in blood. It was the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

She doesn’t say a word. She just looks at me with glossy eyes as if she’s trying to hold back tears.

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to bring it up again,” I say before reaching out to touch her.

She moves away from me and tears fall from her eyes.

“If I knew you loved me this much I would’ve never done it. I regret it every day,” she says through her tears.

I don’t understand.

“I’m confused, what are you talking about?” I ask still trying to move closer to her.

“I would have given you a second chance. You deserved it. I ruined her. I ruined everything! You’re doing such a great job, Mason. It’s not your fault. You’re not the reason why she’s so angry. It’s all my fault! I just wanted to see him again but now I’m stuck!”

She moves back towards the stove and I yell for her to move out of the way. The stove catches fire without good explanation and quickly spreads across the kitchen forming a barrier between us. I try grabbing her to pull her with me but I can’t get to her.

“Don’t leave me!” I yell back at her while reaching for her hand. “Please! Don’t leave me again!”

I jump out of my sleep more startled than I’ve ever been. I look over at the clock and see it reads 5:45 am. I quickly get up and walk to Peyton’s room. She still isn’t home. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end and I can’t relax. I walk into the den on the top floor and try to relax by watching some TV. I can’t get that dream out of my head. I say a short prayer and whisper to myself, “Baby, wherever you are, I hope you’re safe and happy.”

*************************************************************

 

Full Name: Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor

Birth Date: November 23, 1992

Gender: Female

Age During RED: 34-36 years old 

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Blonde

Height: 5'7

Weight: 130 lbs

Relatives: Mason Taylor (Husband), Lynn Voyvodich (Mother), Michael Voyvodich Sr. (Father), Michael Voyvodich Jr. (Brother), Lila Taylor (Daughter), Ryan Taylor (Son), Nick Taylor (Son), Peyton Giordano (Adopted Daughter), Jean Taylor (Mother-in-law), Brian Taylor (Father-in-law)

Relationship Status: Married

Interests/Hobbies: Bass Guitar (Any guitar, really), Piano, Songwriting, Singing, Producing Music

Positive Character Traits: Adalyn is caring and helpful. She's the person who is by your side through whatever you go through. She's the exact opposite of judgmental and she's easy to talk to. Adalyn can also be outspoken when needed. She's the friend everyone wants.

Negative Character Traits: She can hold feelings/emotions inside for far too long causing her to react in questionable ways. 

Choice Quote from RED: "I guess that's the difference between men and women. No matter whether we're wrong or right, we're willing to fight for what we have."

Welp! That's it for now. I hope you all feel like you know Adalyn just a little better than before. I look forward to all of you getting to know her more when RED comes out this Winter. The editing process is going great and I can't wait to share it all with you guys! To learn more about Adalyn in the meantime you can pick up your copy of A Tragic Heart by clicking the link. You still have time to catch up before RED is released. 

By the way, if Adalyn was a song she would be "Break Free" by Ariana Grande.

Mistakes (A Poem From Adalyn's POV + New Scene From RED)

Mistakes are lessons

Mistakes are certain

But it's always ugly revealing what's behind the curtain

He wasn't ready for it

Neither was I

But I caused it and left us to die

Mistakes are normal

Mistakes cause heartache

But I didn't mean for his heart to break

He was never there

And I was lonely

In my heart, he's my one and only

I did something that I can't take back

 There's no way of erasing the facts

But where's forgiveness when you need it?

I wait by the phone and I sit and sit

Mistakes are things we all must make

Mistakes are the things that raises the stakes

They test you when things are low

They make sure things are never the same

Mistakes cause you to remember you're the one to blame

I'm tired of pointing fingers

I just want us to be us again

But the trials from my mistake won't ever end

You left me all alone

And I may deserve it

But let's not act like you were perfect

You dreamed about her while you were awake

I was second best and that's what I can't take

You put me last when I should've been first

You buried me with her in the dirt

Now I'm done with pointing fingers

I just want to make you see

That I wasn't the only one who did something ugly

You raised her from the dead

While I was alive

So I made a mistake...that I can't deny

Here's the scene from RED that inspired Mistakes. Remember RED will be out this Valentine's Day.

“Adalyn, what’s going on?” he says frantically.

“I don’t know what happened but Lila said-”  I began to speak in my weak voice before he interrupts.

“Where were you when this happened? Why don’t you know what happened?” He raises his voice.

“Um, Mason I know you’re upset but you may want to tone it down a little,” Peyton warns as she touches his shoulder.

He takes a deep breath and I decide it’s a safe time to speak.

“Look Mason, I know that you’re upset and you have so many reasons to be right now. It was a lapse in judgment on my part and-”

“Yeah, Adalyn you’ve been having a lot of those lately, haven’t you?” he snaps at me.

I look at Peyton whose face tells me how sorry she is for everything. I don’t know what to say to him. Everything I say to him is going to be wrong.

“I’ll stay here just in case someone comes out with news on Ryan. I’ll let the nurse know that I’m here with you guys. You two should head outside and talk this out,” she offers in the kindest way possible.

Mason seems hesitant about her suggestion but eventually obliges. I follow behind him like a lost puppy and can’t help but think how much I’ve missed him.

“Now will you let me explain?” I ask the moment we reached outside the hospital’s entrance.

“Go ahead,” he responds coldly.

“I let the kids play outside for a while so I could get a few things together around the house. I had no one there to watch them so I told Lila to look out for her brothers being that she’s the oldest. Everything was fine. After I finished cleaning up and making sure everything was in order I looked at the time and saw that it was time for them to eat lunch. Before I went to the kitchen I went to the backyard to check on them and told them that it was time for them to come inside. I only left for a few minutes. I honestly don’t know what happened in that short time span but I heard screaming from the kitchen so I ran as fast as I could and-” I try to hold back my tears but I’m not strong enough.

My words strangle me causing my voice to become inaudible. I swallow harshly and struggle to finish my sentence. Mason shows no signs of sympathy.

“That’s when I saw it. Ryan was floating face down in the pool. I immediately pulled him out and started CPR. Lila said she wasn’t paying attention and he and Nick were running around the pool. Nick said they wanted to see who could make the biggest splash by diving in and Ryan went first. Nick said it took him a while to come up and when he did he wasn’t moving. They know they can’t swim, I just don’t understand why they would do something like this,” I finish while wiping my tears away from my eyes.

“I know why. Because they’re kids Adalyn! That’s why you should be watching them at all times! Why would you let them play outside by themselves? Especially the backyard! You know we never let them back there alone! How could you be so God damn stupid and careless?”

“You know what, Mason? Maybe if I had some help this wouldn’t have happened! Maybe if you’d come home sometime I wouldn’t have to deal with things like this! I made a mistake and I’m so sorry! It won’t happen again!” I shout back.

“You’re damn right it won’t happen again Adalyn because I’m getting custody of my children! I didn’t want life to change for them too drastically but this stunt that you pulled leaves me no choice at all. I’m calling my lawyer first thing in the morning!”

Something comes over me. I’m not sure what it is but it takes over my entire body. I’ve never felt anger rise inside of me so quickly. He wants to challenge me for my children. This is what we’ve come to.

I draw my hand back and smack him harder than I thought I could. The left side of his face turns red in an instant. For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel sorry.

“What the fuck?!” he shouts loud enough for the entire parking lot to hear.

“If you think that you’re going to take my children away from me and I won’t fight you, you have another thing coming to you, Mason! I made one mistake by cheating on you but you don’t get to take it out on them! What happened today could have happened if either one of us was watching them. Don’t try to make me sound like a bad parent when I was the one who practically raised them while you were always away working somewhere or obsessing over your dead ex-wife!” I state pointing my index finger at him as if I’m reprimanding a child.

“You have no right to talk to me this way, Adalyn,” he says in a much deeper tone.

Mason can be scary when he’s angry but I don’t let it bother me. I have to show him that I’m capable of being stronger than him.

“You’re an asshole, Mason! You want to know why I’ve been so side tracked lately? It’s because of you. It’s because you won’t talk to me or even look at me! It’s because you’re not even man enough to confront what happened between us. Instead you want to run away as if that’s going to fix things. Well it’s not! You ran away from Taylor, you ran away from Peyton, and now you’re running away from your family. Stop running and learn to deal with the cards given to you! Whether you like it or not you need to come back home so we can settle things like adults. You can keep your new fancy condo just in case you decide we can’t make it. I really don’t give a damn about the decisions you make anymore, Mason, but at least respect your family enough to decide together. You may not want me right now and it’s completely okay with me because at this moment I’m not sure if I want to be with you either!”

Before he can speak another word Peyton comes out to tell us that the doctor would like to see us. I don’t wait for Mason to make a move. Instead I quickly walk back into the entrance of the hospital ignoring everything else around me. Mason can rot in hell for all I care. He’s not going to get away with trying to take my babies away from me. They are all I have left.

********************************************************************

Full Name: Jackson Gabriel Caldwell

Birth Date: January 19, 1990

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 36-38 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Black/Dark Brown

Height: 5'11

Weight: 168 lbs

Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (sister-deceased), Henry Caldwell (Father), Eva Caldwell (Mother), Kristen Caldwell (sister), Tyler Caldwell (brother-deceased), Mason Taylor (ex-brother in law), Peyton Hale Giordano (brother in law-deceased), Peyton Hayley Giordano (niece), Grayson Caldwell (son), Charli Caldwell (daughter)

Relationship Status: Single/Divorced

Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Playing on stage with his band, Songwriting, Spending time with his family, Women, Recreational use of herbs (occasionally) 

Positive Character Traits: He's loving and would go to new heights to protect the ones he love. Jackson is the cool uncle/brother that everyone wants. He's very laid back and hates confrontation but he will fight if it comes to that. Jackson is/was Taylor's guardian angel on earth. 

Negative Character Traits: Sometimes he can be "too cool" and not make the right decisions. For example, there are times he was/is too lenient on his sister and niece. 

Choice Quote From RED: "Stop crying, forget your mistakes, and move on!"

So that's it for Jackson! For those of you who are familiar with him I hope this got you a little more excited to read about him in RED. For those of you who didn't know him until now, I hope you feel like you just met Jack for the first time. RED will be out this Winter (I get the edited manuscript back this week! Yay!) which means there is still time to catch up with A Tragic Heart. It's the first part to the RED Tragedies series, with RED being the second. Thanks for stopping by and getting to know the characters in my head. :-)

By the way, if Jackson was a song he'd be "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons!

Reminisce (A Poem From Jackson's POV + New Scene From RED)

In my mind I can see your face so clearly

The years went by but it all still feels the same

I can live an eternity & I'll still miss you severely 

Nothing can replace you, none of my fortune and fame

I gasp for air because you're not here

It's like your memory chokes me until I can't breathe

Losing you was always my biggest fear

Your memory haunts me, I can barely speak

I never thought it would all end like this

You, untouchable, while I suffer in silence

Living everyday is a hit or miss

There's an inner battle, I suffer the violence

Now I sit back and reminisce

Nostalgia sends me into a dark place

I'm so sorry you felt you had to go out like this 

I would give it all just to see your face

And she's dying here without you

But I don't want to place blame

But there's nothing I can do

Nothing was ever the same

I can't breathe without you but I have no choice...

Here's the scene from RED that inspired Reminisce. It's Jackson's inner monologue after he holds a conversation with Peyton. RED is set to be released this Valentine's Day (February 14, 2015)! Any Peyton that is in bold letters refers to the Peyton from A Tragic Heart.

My time with Peyton results in me needing some alone time anyway. My stomach is in knots and there is a huge lump in my throat. I head to my room and lock the door. I close my eyes and exhale trying to make the pain go away but it’s stubborn. It wants to hang around for a little while longer.

Almost seventeen years later and the pain is still as arresting as it was the day I found out. That day when Mason called me to tell me that he found Taylor in a pool of her own blood with a giant knife sticking out of her chest. I didn’t want to believe that she took her own life, as it would have been easier to know that someone else was to blame. I hated blaming my own sister for her death.

I remember it so clearly. I couldn’t speak, my mouth was dry and the lump in my throat prevented me from forming words. This feeling that I am feeling right now is all too familiar.

My brain shut down on me. Taylor was my best friend and to hear Mason tell me that she was no longer with me was my biggest fear. I never imagined a world without Taylor. I’ve tried to several times before but the thoughts were in flashes. I never took the time to ponder how I would go on without her because I knew it would hurt too much.

I was angry. Why wouldn’t she call me like she normally did? Why didn’t she think of me? If she wasn’t going to stay for her baby girl, why not stay for me?

Matt, my bass guitarist had to pull me together. I had a show that night and it was too late to cancel. I had to go on stage in front of thousands of people and try my best to smile. I broke down during every break throughout the set. I guess that moment made me a stronger person because nothing could stop me from performing now. Performing through that circumstance taught me how to play through anything with a smile on my face.

Taylor was too young to take on the responsibilities she placed before herself. She should have enjoyed life as a teenager but I could understand why it was so difficult for her. So many unfortunate things happened to her before she reached her fifteenth birthday. I was her only confidant and when I left to tour after high school, she felt alone. Part of me blamed myself for her problems but I knew I had to live my life too. I just wished that there was something else I could have done. I did my best to stay in contact with her but some days were harder than others. She never understood just how much I loved her. Words weren’t enough.

I would take my own life just to save hers if I had a choice. At the funeral I could barely stand to look at her lying there. I wanted to believe that she was only sleeping and it was some sort of sick joke but my gut reminded me that it was all real. The truth is I almost didn’t show up. Mason forced me to come. I called him the day of the service to tell him that I wasn’t going. Ten minutes later he was at my doorstep forcing me to get ready. He told me that I’d regret it later.

I told him that the thought alone was killing me and I wouldn’t be able to take seeing her in that state. It didn’t make sense to me that I’d never see my little sister again. It didn’t make sense that I’d never hear her voice calling me ever again or that she no longer existed. It didn’t make sense to me that she would take her own life…although it made perfect sense to me.

She loved Peyton more than her own life. She loved him so much that she would choose selfishness over thinking about the ones who still loved her that were here on earth. She couldn’t have thought about what it would have done to me. She mentioned me in her suicide note but it wasn’t enough. She couldn’t tell me to stay strong and that she loved me if she was going to do something so drastic. She didn’t understand and every day I ask God to show her mercy because she didn’t know what she was doing. She wasn’t in her right mind. I ask Him every day to punish me rather than her. I deserve it more than she does. She was good throughout her lifetime. She made one irreversible mistake…just one. I plead all the time for Him to go easy on her. She needed grace more than anyone else I’ve ever come in contact with.

Peyton died in a tragic way. No one could have predicted it and everyone asked “why him?” He was only seventeen and had so much life ahead of him. He was supposed to be right next to me selling out arenas. The kid had undeniable talent that was out of this world. He obviously passed it onto his daughter. I think she’s more like him than Taylor. She has his hair and eyes…it’s almost scary. Anyone who knew Peyton could tell that she was all him. She has some of Taylor’s attitude and slight traits in her personality but her nature was every bit of her dad’s.

Her rebellious temperament, her musical ability, her wild ways are all Peyton. He slowed down a lot after meeting Taylor. In many ways she saved him too. Taylor always credited Peyton for her happiness but he claimed that he was a changed man because of her. He gave up his heavy drinking, drug use, partying and women just for her. He told me all about his past life before Taylor while we were on tour. In fact, his past life was eerily similar to his daughter’s present life.

We became really good friends and I looked forward to having him as a brother-in-law. I already saw him as the brother I never had. Damn, Peyton if you never left, Taylor would still be here and if Taylor was still here your daughter would be okay.

There’s no time to play the blaming game. All is how it is and there’s no changing that. We have to learn how to deal with the present without falling down…and if we fall we need to learn how to pick ourselves up. If not for ourselves, for someone who cares about us. I wish Taylor would have known that. I wish I would have told her that the day I visited her a little after Peyton was born. Maybe those words could have saved her life. She always thought highly of my opinions and advice.

The pain that I’m feeling isn’t showing any signs of letting up anytime soon. My thoughts race a 

million miles per hour leaving me sitting at the edge of my bed with tears falling from my eyes. And the pain never goes away...

 

********************************************************************

Ronan Connolly

Full Name: Ronan James Connolly

Birth Date: February 26, 2010

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 16-19 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Dirty Blonde

Height: 6'0

Weight: 185 lbs

Relatives: Jane Connolly (Mother) & Paul Connolly (Father)

Relationship Status: Completely in love and devoted to Peyton Hayley Giordano (in other words, TAKEN)

Interests/Hobbies: Photography & Art

Positive Character Traits: Ronan is an extremely compassionate and forgiving person. He doesn't hold grudges and he's probably one of the sweetest guys you'll ever come to meet. He has a great swagger about him and seems a little tough on the outside but he's completely soft and loving on the inside. He's a fantastic boyfriend/partner and believes in honesty. Basically, his parents did a great job raising him. Not to mention, he was born and raised in Ireland giving him a hot Irish accent to go with all of these things. 

Negative Character Traits: When it comes to his girlfriend he can be a bit of a pushover but that's probably because he's completely mesmerized by her. He can be blind to her actions at times. 

Choice Quote from RED: "She was temptation itself but nothing about her seemed sinful. It was all heavenly."

That's all for this month! Next month I'll have another character to introduce to you all. He's a bit of a rebel who shakes things up in the story. Without him, RED wouldn't be complete. I can't wait for you all to meet him, but for now I hope you all feel a little closer to Ronan. There will be a lot more of him in RED.  Remember, RED is the second part to A Tragic Heart and the second book in my RED TRAGEDIES series. You still have time to catch up before the release of RED!

By the way, if Ronan was a song he'd be "Simonize" by Pete Yorn.

  

My Defeat (A Poem From Ronan's POV + New Scene From RED)

New week, new poem! This one is coming from Ronan's POV and it's a bit of a love poem. Ronan is Peyton's love interest in the novel but their relationship is nothing short of rocky and passionate. There's so much love there but there's also a lot to worry about. RED will be out on Valentine's Day and you can check out the final cover for it here (just click on the word "here"). For now check out My Defeat and if you missed last week's you can view it here.

Today I saw the clearest view

The best part of it was looking at you

You're someone I could love forever

But that's only if you give us a chance to be together

We can take it slow if you'd like

Because I know how much you love to put up a fight

That's one of the many things I love about you

It's never easy, no matter what I do

And you're my favorite song on repeat

You're my demise, my defeat

There was just something about the way you smile

The way your green eyes made it all worth while

There's so much love yet so much doubt

Your eyes wander and I can't figure you out

Yet I want to love you for an eternity

I say that with all certainty 

You're the photograph I stare at all day

No matter what you do I won't have it any other way

I can be so much more than the others

I want to be so much more than your lover

The way you hurt me feels so good

I guess I wouldn't change it if I could

So I'll let you be my defeat, my demise

Just say you love me while looking me in the eyes

Here's the scene from RED that inspired My Defeat. I hope you all enjoy it and remember to pick up your copy of RED on Valentine's Day!

I laugh to myself when Peyton purposely interrupts mine and Tara’s conversation. She can pretend she doesn’t have feelings for me but it’s so obvious that she does. I’ve never been a guy with a huge ego but I have enough confidence to know that I can have almost any girl in this school. They’ve been trying since day one and I have been successfully ignoring them all just for her.

The moment I see the girl with hair as red as communism, and eyes greener than the most well-watered grass, I know what I want. I’ve heard all of the rumors and know about all of the guys but her past doesn’t mean a thing to me. She’s beautiful and confident and I just want her to share it all with me.

It amazes me how she can pretend that I’m invisible to her. She’s been my best friend for the past few weeks and every day I fall more in love with her.

He doesn’t deserve her. Marcus is an asshole and I know that she knows this. She says he treats her well but I know she notices how he talks about other girls and how he stares at them while she’s with him. She deserves so much better.

I wish she’d just let me want her and love her the way I do in my mind. It breaks my heart slowly every day that I have to wait for her, but if waiting is what it takes, then that’s what I’ll do. I wish I could tell her how beautiful I think she is and how no photograph I’ve ever taken can measure up to her beauty. What I would give to photograph her every day for the rest of my life.

“What are you doing tonight?” I whisper, leaning closer to her.

I love the view that’s right next to me. It’s more beautiful than any landscape in the rural parts of Ireland. I swear a window’s frame or glass has never seen anything so flawless.

“Date with Marcus,” she answers after taking a quick glance at me.

“What about tomorrow?”

“I don’t know.”

“Movies at my place? It’s awfully lonely in that big house by myself. I know you’d hate yourself if I got so depressed I drove myself insane.”

She smiles and my heart shatters inside of my chest.

“Sure, tomorrow at your place is fine. Now let me pay attention, at least one of us would have to know what we’re doing,” she whispers while looking at me from the corner of her eyes.

If only she knew.

*******************************************************

Alex Kinsley

Full Name: Alex Kinsley

Birth Date: June 28, 2002

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 24-26

Eye Color: Blue

Hair Color: Jet Black

Height: 5'10

Weight: 165 lbs

Relatives: Unknown as a result of Alex being disowned by his family.

Relationship Status: Kind of single, always ready to mingle!

Interests/Hobbies: Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll! He's also the drummer in a famous band

Positive Character Traits: He's a great lover and an amazing drummer/songwriter. 

Negative Character Traits: He's not a one woman kind of guy. He doesn't know how to love even when he feels it. Alex isn't known for making the best decisions and he's pretty stubborn. He likes to party and his reputation isn't the greatest in the tabloids...yet women love him!

Choice Quote From RED: "We have opened Pandora's Box and all of the sin of the world exploded within us...I've never felt so alive."

That's all for this month! Alex is a really interesting character that you will both love and really hate. He brings the book on a lot of roller coaster rides and I can't wait for you all to get to know him better. For now, I hope you all have a better idea of who he is. Remember, RED is the second part to A Tragic Heart and the second book in my RED TRAGEDIES series. You still have time to catch up before the release of RED!

By the way, if Alex was a song he'd be "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" by Marilyn Manson. 

Lust You (A Poem From Alex's POV + New Scene From RED)

I'm one second away from tearing off your clothes

Even though I know much better than this

It's the way your eyes look, the way your hair flows

I want to add you to my list

Isn't it okay if you act older than your age?

I mean, who would know if you don't tell?

Let's give a performance in my room, my bed will be the stage

 I'll buy whatever it is you're willing to sell

And I know this is supposed to be wrong

But I bite my lip and stare anyway

And to think it all started with a simple song

I think today just may be the day

That you forget about him

And let me win

I can't wait to hear the noise you make when I go in

God, this feels too good to be a sin

But you're more to me than just a body and lips

Although, I will admit I love the feel of your hips

When I'm holding you while you tighten your grip

I swear to God you take me on the best trip

I might've gone insane

Because this isn't right

But it's all pleasure, no pain

So I won't even fight

Well, well, well, there's your first taste of Alex Kinsley! Hope you enjoyed what you read. Here's the scene from RED that inspired this little piece. Only a few more weeks until RED's Valentine's Day release!

Alex: Control

It was a stupid decision but I make it anyway. Lust took over and I did something that I thought I could never do. I keep telling myself we’re not even a full eight years apart but it doesn’t make me feel any better. She’s not even eighteen. I knew we’d go this far I just pictured it happening a year from now. She tried so hard to ignore me the entire time we were together and that only made me want her more.

It was the song. Hearing her voice sing lyrics that hit so close to home didn’t help. It’s not just lust, I actually like her but I won’t be able to show it to anyone. I’m not worried too much about her boyfriend because they’re still young. They’re bound to break up eventually, right?

We didn’t speak for the entire car ride. She didn’t even say that she’ll see me later. I sit in my studio alone and roll a joint. God knows I need one. I play her track again and close my eyes as I inhale. I picture everything that happened in full detail from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see her again.

*********************************************************

Full Name: Robyn Victoria West

Birth Date: July 20, 2010

Gender: Female

Age During RED: 16-18 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5'8

Weight: 125 lbs

Relatives: Marsha West (Mother), Garrett West (Father), Jeffrey West (Brother)

Relationship Status: Single/Too busy having a good time to be tied down

Interest/Hobbies: Partying, Hanging out with friends, Modeling

Positive Character Traits: Robyn is as loyal as loyal can get. She sticks by her friends and loved ones through any circumstance and never judges anyone. She's easy to talk to and would drop whatever she's doing at the drop of a dime for someone she cares about. Not only is she loyal but she's also giving.

Negative Character Traits: Sometimes she parties too hard but she's sure to grow out of it. She's young, let her have her fun!

Choice Quote From RED:  "Things may not go back to the way they were immediately, but I think eventually they will. It's just going to take some time..."

That's all I have for Robyn! Although she's a very minor character I feel she still deserves a character profile. Robyn is a beautiful person inside and out and I think we all can learn a thing or two from her. Forget her partying ways; she's someone we all should strive to be more like. As a reminder, RED comes out this Valentine's Day (February 14th) and is the second part to A Tragic Heart (which by the way will have a new cover for its re-release) so I strongly urge you all to catch up. Until next time...

By the way, if Robyn was a song she'd be Right Here by Jhene Aiko!

*************************************************************

Full Name: David Gregory Adams

Birthdate: April 8, 2002

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 24-26 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5'9

Weight: 154 lbs

Relatives: Mary Adams (Mother), Benjamin Adams (Father), Christina Adams (Sister), Jimi Adams (Brother)

Relationship Status: Single and free to roam

Interests/Hobbies: Music, Singing, Songwriting, Guitar. He's the lead singer of the band he's in with Alex Kinsley.

Positive Character Traits: He's caring and protective, especially when it comes to Alex. Alex is like a brother to him so he's willing to go the distance for him. He looks out for the ones he love and is a pretty loyal person.

Negative Character Traits: He can jump to conclusions often and sometimes may be quick to walk away. 

Choice Quote From RED: "Maybe someday there'll be some miracle and this will all be forgiven but for now it's too heavy and new."

...And that's all folks! Remember that RED will be available on Valentine's Day and that it is the second part to A Tragic Heart. It's pretty important you know the basis of the story before you begin to read it. With that said, you can find A Tragic Heart by clicking on the link. It's available on both Kindle and paperback. Hope you all enjoyed these character profiles and poems from their POVs. Hopefully you all feel like you know them a little better. 

By the way, if David was a song he'd be "Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix

 

 

 

 

 

Character Profile From RED: David Nelson

It's February which means this is my LAST character profile for RED. It's crazy how time flies, isn't it? I started this whole thing in July and now it's finally ending. RED will be available on Valentine's Day and I couldn't be any more excited/nervous. Anyway,this character profile is for another minor character in the novel. He's Alex's best friend and band mate. Here's David Nelson:

Full Name: David Gregory Nelson

Birthdate: April 8, 2002

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 24-26 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Brown

Height: 5'9

Weight: 154 lbs

Relatives: Mary Nelson (Mother), Benjamin Nelson (Father), Christina Nelson (Sister), Jimi Nelson (Brother)

Relationship Status: Single and free to roam

Interests/Hobbies: Music, Singing, Songwriting, Guitar. He's the lead singer of the band he's in with Alex Kinsley.

Positive Character Traits: He's caring and protective, especially when it comes to Alex. Alex is like a brother to him so he's willing to go the distance for him. He looks out for the ones he love and is a pretty loyal person.

Negative Character Traits: He can jump to conclusions often and sometimes may be quick to walk away. 

Choice Quote From RED: "Maybe someday there'll be some miracle and this will all be forgiven but for now it's too heavy and new."

...And that's all folks! Remember that RED will be available on Valentine's Day and that it is the second part to A Tragic Heart. It's pretty important you know the basis of the story before you begin to read it. With that said, you can find A Tragic Heart by clicking on the link. It's available on both Kindle and paperback. Hope you all enjoyed these character profiles and poems from their POVs. Hopefully you all feel like you know them a little better. 

By the way, if David was a song he'd be "Bold As Love" by Jimi Hendrix

 

Character Profile From RED: Jackson Caldwell

December is finally here which means that I have a new character profile for you all! This character is far from a stranger and although he's not one of the main three characters, he's just as important to the RED Tragedies series. Anyone who read A Tragic Heart knows him as Taylor Caldwell's big brother but in RED he's so much more than that. Not only is he Peyton's (Hayley) uncle but he plays a major role in RED. He's another character who gets his own POV at times. He's a rockstar, a confidant, brother, uncle, extremely hot...he's Jackson Caldwell!

Full Name: Jackson Gabriel Caldwell

Birth Date: January 19, 1990

Gender: Male

Age During RED: 36-38 years old

Eye Color: Brown

Hair Color: Black/Dark Brown

Height: 5'11

Weight: 168 lbs

Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (sister-deceased), Henry Caldwell (Father), Eva Caldwell (Mother), Kristen Caldwell (sister), Tyler Caldwell (brother-deceased), Mason Taylor (ex-brother in law), Peyton Hale Giordano (brother in law-deceased), Peyton Hayley Giordano (niece), Grayson Caldwell (son), Charli Caldwell (daughter)

Relationship Status: Single/Divorced

Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Playing on stage with his band, Songwriting, Spending time with his family, Women, Recreational use of herbs (occasionally) 

Positive Character Traits: He's loving and would go to new heights to protect the ones he love. Jackson is the cool uncle/brother that everyone wants. He's very laid back and hates confrontation but he will fight if it comes to that. Jackson is/was Taylor's guardian angel on earth. 

Negative Character Traits: Sometimes he can be "too cool" and not make the right decisions. For example, there are times he was/is too lenient on his sister and niece. 

Choice Quote From RED: "Stop crying, forget your mistakes, and move on!"

So that's it for Jackson! For those of you who are familiar with him I hope this got you a little more excited to read about him in RED. For those of you who didn't know him until now, I hope you feel like you just met Jack for the first time. RED will be out this Winter (I get the edited manuscript back this week! Yay!) which means there is still time to catch up with A Tragic Heart. It's the first part to the RED Tragedies series, with RED being the second. Thanks for stopping by and getting to know the characters in my head. :-)

By the way, if Jackson was a song he'd be Radioactive by Imagine Dragons!

Sneak Peek of RED!

Today I am feeling very generous so I'm going to give you all a sneak peek on my upcoming novel, RED. It's the intro along with the first few pages. It's unedited so some things may change but I think it's a nice introduction to the novel. For those of you who read A Tragic Heart, you'll completely understand where this is taking off from. The rest you still have time to catch up, but for now I hope you enjoy it. So, here it is:

Intro

Red hair. Green eyes. Perfect Smile. Curves in the right places. I’m a knockout, but not only in the physical department. I’m a knockout at home, in school…in every aspect of my life. Poor Mason. I don’t mean to be so cruel but he’s not my dad…and Adalyn, she’s not my mother…and they never will be. My parents left me before I could even figure out who they were to me. My dad didn’t have much of a choice but my mother…she chose…she had a choice and I think that’s what hurts the most. The selfish bitch didn’t even love me enough to stay…who does that?

            Mason’s struggling through it all even after all of these years. I guess some things just leave a mark that can never heal. I feel bad for him, I really do, but it’s not enough. Adalyn tries to pretend she doesn’t notice but she sees it…she sees it every day       

            They try so hard to include me in everything…to make me part of the “family.” Mason spends more time on me than he does on his own children. Maybe because I need the attention more than they do?

            Lila’s their oldest. She’s nine and an honor student. In other words, she’s perfect and beautiful. Her eyes are just like Mason’s…captivating and piercing green. Ryan and Nick are fraternal twins. They’re two years younger than Lila and I don’t know how Mason and Adalyn did it, but they’re just as perfect as Lila…in school at least. Maybe I would’ve been perfect too if my parents were still here…or at least if my mom tried. But how can I be perfect when my parents were who they were?

            I’m far from black and white and I’m never shaded gray. I’m never blue and I can never be a pure white…I’m all red…always red.

 Peyton: Darkness

I walk into a dark, quiet house and slowly close the door behind me. I hear Marcus’s car pull off and I almost made it in without anyone noticing; or so I thought. Mason must’ve been waiting up for me because as soon as I turned around he was standing at the bottom of the staircase. I jumped a little since I was expecting to get away with it, but it’s not like it was the first time.

            “Oh, it’s you, you scared the hell out of me,” I said unfazed by him standing in front of me clearly unhappy.

            “I should, but evidently not enough,” he stated in a dry tone. “So you’re just gonna walk right past me and act like this didn’t just happen?”

“We can do that. It’s better than having the ‘talk’,” I said walking up the stairs. I’m surprised he let me get that far. This is a new record.

He follows me up and by the time he gets to the top of the stairs he roughly grabs me by the arm, forcing me to face him and look him in the eyes.

“You’re hurting me!” I say with a slightly raised voice.

“What is wrong with you? Why can’t you just listen? Where did I go wrong with you?” Mason asked. It was question after question.

He shook me a little after every sentence. I felt scared on the inside but on the outside I was ice.

“Mason, you’re hurting me! Get off!” I yelled loudly enough to cause Adalyn to get out of bed.

“What’s going on? Mason what are you doing?” she asked slightly awake and panicked.

“He’s hurting me!” I shout as I struggle to get away from his grasp.

“Mason let go of her! Calm down!” Adalyn softly yelled.

I was able to see the frustration in his eyes. It hurt me a little but I can’t let him see it.

“I try with you! I TRIED SO HARD!” he shouted with fury.

“Mason…Mason, calm down. Let her go and calm down!” Adalyn practically begged.

After a few seconds he did as she said. I wanted to say something but I was at a loss for words. I’ve seen Mason angry a number of times but I never thought he could be that way towards me. We argue and it’s frequent but I’ve never seen him so…tired.

“It’s alright, you need rest,” Adalyn said to Mason as she rubbed his shoulder.

She loved him, more than anything. She loves him the way I hope to love someone someday…the way I want someone to love me.

            I looked to my right to see Lila rubbing her eyes and slowly walking towards us. The commotion must have woken her up out of her sleep.

“Hey, Lila, what’s wrong?” I asked softly.

“I heard yelling and I thought I was having a bad dream,” she said quietly.

“No, sweetie, your daddy and Peyton was just talking loud, that’s all. Go back to bed,” Adalyn intervened. She took Lila’s hand and led her down the hall. “Come on, let’s go back to bed.”

As Adalyn walked Lila back to her room, Mason and I stood in the hallway by the top of the staircase in silence for a few seconds.

“No more late nights. No more going out without permission. This has to stop Peyton,” he said in a low and calm voice.

“I’ll try,” I replied back coldly.

“No, don’t try, do it. Besides, you’re not setting a good example for your cousins,” he said more stern.

“They’re not my kids so what do you care…and I don’t need you to tell me what’s good and what’s not. I know right from wrong.”

I could tell it hurt him and I know he wants to give up on me…he might as well, everyone else has.  I honestly don’t understand why he tries so hard with me. I’m not that important. I feel like part of him believes that by saving me, he’s saving my mother and father. I wish he’d understand that they’re gone and can never come back. I’m not them and never will be.

            I walked to my room, it’s big and spacious, and…me. The walls are red and it’s always dark. There’s a guitar and keyboard in one corner and drums in the other. I even have my own bathroom, so I never have to wait for anyone else. Mason always made sure I had the best of everything and he always went above and beyond. There are times I believe he cares for me more than he cares for his own children. I think he forgets that I’m not his daughter but I always remember that he’s not my father.

            Mid thoughts I undress and walk to my bathroom turning on the shower water. I hated who I was but I don’t know how to be someone else. I hate to see myself in the mirror because I only see the face of a person I never met. I already have his name but God didn’t think that was enough. He decided to give me something extra, so he gave me his same eyes, hair, and facial features. I place my hands over my face trying to block out the thought. Daddy, how come you couldn’t stay long enough for me to at least touch you? Its torture to hear the stories about how great he was and how I’m so much like him and he never even got the chance to touch me. He never knew I existed…or was going to exist.

            A tear fell from my eye and I quickly wiped it away. I’m not a crier and I wasn’t going to become one now. No sense in crying over a man I never even met before.

            I kept my shower short and got ready for bed. I hated the feeling of wet hair against my skin but I was too tired to dry it tonight. I changed into a tank top and some shorts. As soon as I lied in the bed my phone began to vibrate. The name Marcus appeared across my screen and I rolled my eyes before answering it. What could he possibly want at 4:17 on a Saturday morning; besides I was just with him.

“Hello,” I answered sounding completely unenthused.

“I thought you’d be happier to hear from me considering our night,” he said sounding like a complete jerk.

Marcus is an attractive guy but he doesn’t really understand the concept of respect. He lacks everything that a girl really wants but he’s good enough for me at the moment. We’re not dating or in an exclusive relationship and I like it that way. He’s just one of a few. He’s not my first and he won’t be my last.

“Our night wasn’t that great,” I said dryly into the phone.

“That’s not what you were saying while you were--,” I cut him off before he could finish. I don’t know why I continue this with him.

“What do you want? Why did you call me?” I asked abruptly.

“I just wanted to hear your voice before going to bed.”

“Well, you heard it. Goodnight,” I said ready to hang up.

“Wait! So that’s it? This is what you do? You give a guy a great night and then walk away?”

Honestly, it was all that I was used to since I was fifteen. It’s only been a year but a lot can happen in a year.

“It’s not like you want anything more from me,” I said in a ‘matter of fact’ tone.

“How do you know that?”

“Because boys never want anything more.”

I think the worst part is that I believed this.

“Not all boys,” he informed me.

“Just all the ones that I’ve known…and you’re one of them.”

The line was silent for a few seconds. I wondered what he was thinking.

“Maybe I want more,” he said lowly.

I thought about it for a while and within a few seconds I saw how miserable I could be in a relationship with him. On the other hand, I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. It was too late…or maybe too early to think about such heavy concepts.

“I don’t know Marcus,” I said honestly.

As I turned over on my side, I winced when my arm touched the cold sheets. I sat up a bit and touched my arm. Mason must have bruised it when he grabbed me. My skin bruises easily and he held his grip for a long time. I can’t believe I made him that angry. He never touched me like that before. Mason always refused to lay a hand on me or even yell at me. He was more of a talker…at least when it came to me. He always acted as if I was this precious jewel that needs to be kept safe. When I was a kid he used to act as if I was a rare porcelain doll that may break into a million pieces if I fell or accidentally hurt myself. I smile at the thought of being young and carefree. Back then, Mason was the highlight of my day and mommy and daddy was happy in heaven. How was I more content with such a haunting thought when I was much younger? I thought the older we get the better we handle our problems.

It was too much to think about for now and I really just wanted to sleep. If my mind started to race, I would never be able to close my eyes.

$2.99 Is The Right Price!

Today is the day A Tragic Heart is on sale for only $2.99 on Kindle! You can pick up a copy of the book before the release of the second novel to the series, RED. You should hurry because the sale ends on September 28th at 12:00 am PST and will resume to its original price of $5.99.

Here's a quick synopsis of the novel and you can find the link to the novel below:

Sixteen year old high school student Taylor Caldwell has been through the wringer of life. The love triangles, heartbreak, and stress of being a teenager is all crashing down and it's slowly igniting a fire that's bound to destroy her. It would take a miracle for her parents to remember her existence and the same goes for the only guy she has eyes for. But sometimes miracles happen...just not in the form that we want them to. All she ever wanted was an option; a way out of her turmoil...a reason to fight. She never thought that life would give her two.
With more options and decisions to make than ever before, Taylor is left with her own conscience and personal journal entries to keep her on track. Her older brother, who is also her only friend, is busy touring with his band while Taylor is battling the confusing life of coming of age. She finds solace in her boyfriend's closest cousin, causing animosity to build a bridge between two boys who were once like brothers. As if her life couldn't get any more interesting, more chilling secrets and curve balls are thrown into the mix leaving Taylor to make the ultimate choice...a choice that almost every teenager has thought about at least once in their life.

If A Tragic Heart had to be described in one phrase it would be: growing up is hard to do. You remember what it was like juggling school, a significant other(s), and trying to find yourself before you turned eighteen, don't you? Readers' responses prove that A Tragic Heart is loved by many for different reasons. One of the several themes is bound to tug on your heart's strings and take you back to a time where things weren't so simple but realizing you made it through makes all of the difference. Many people are blind to the struggles of teenagers and those beginning early adulthood to the point that it is fatal. A Tragic Heart can and will bring awareness to certain issues and give us all a better understanding of why we should be grateful that we are still here.

Click here for A Tragic Heart

A Tragic Heart's First Anniversary! (Let's Celebrate!)

Wow! Time really flew by fast! On September 27th, my debut novel, A Tragic Heart will celebrate it's first birthday. I wanted to do something special for my baby's first year so I decided to discount the price of the novel for 48 hours. That's right! Starting September 26th at 12:00 am, A Tragic Heart will only be $2.99 on Kindle. The sale ends on September 28th at 12:00 am. It's a pre-birthday/birthday celebration!

The novel has seen a decent amount of success, moving over 400 units (not bad for an indie author of no primary status) since it's release almost a year ago. More importantly, the novel has been met with critical acclaim by both readers and book reviewers. In fact, I just found out that my novel has been illegally downloaded 815 times this week and it's only Tuesday! While that may not seem like something to be proud of, the fact that the average star rating is 9.4 out of 10 makes me proud. More than anything I'm happy that people actually enjoy something I created during one of the worst times of my life. At the end of the day, it's not all about sales, it's about knowing that I created something people thoroughly enjoy. So, thank you to anyone who bothered to read the novel whether it was illegally or not.

As a lot of you know already, A Tragic Heart is part of a 4 part series entitled RED Tragedies.Basically, there's a lot more to come and I hope you all follow me into the last book and beyond.

Welp! That's all for now. Remember on September 26th starting at 12:00 am, download your copy of A Tragic Heart for only $2.99 on Kindle! Here's the link: A Tragic Heart-Kindle Edition.

In the meantime, A Tragic Heart has also just been released on Kobo for only $4.99! Link here: A Tragic Heart-Kobo

Character Profile for RED: Peyton Giordano

Remember last week when I said I was going to write up a character profile for each character for RED, until the release? Well, here is the first one and it's for the main character, Peyton Giordano. I'll release a new character profile every month up until the release of the novel. That's enough time to catch up on the action that led to RED by picking up or downloading A Tragic Heart. Here we go:

Full Name: Peyton Hayley Giordano

Birth Date: April 4, 2010

Gender: Female

Age During RED: 16-18 years old

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Red

Height: 5'6

Weight: 130 lbs

Relatives: Taylor Caldwell (Mother-Deceased). Peyton Giordano (Father-Deceased), Mason Taylor (Cousin), Adalyn Voyvodich-Taylor (Cousin-in-law), Jackson Caldwell (Uncle), Nick Taylor (cousin), Ryan Taylor (cousin), Lila Taylor (cousin)

Relationship Status: It's complicated....don't ask! 

Interests/Hobbies: Singing, Guitar, Piano, Songwriting

Positive Character Traits: She's compassionate although she rarely shows it. She has a strong attitude and stands up for herself. Peyton tends to lead her own life without caring what others think. She's extremely talented and smart.

Negative Character Traits: She self-sabotages frequently, she can be quick to anger, and she's a bit of a martyr at times. She's also impulsive.

Choice Quote from RED: "When we want something bad enough we tend to only look at the positive side of things. We ignore the negative because we don't want to go there."

That's all for now! If you want to learn more about Peyton, you can pick up your copy of RED when it is released in the Winter of 2015. For now, you can learn about some of the other characters in RED by reading part one to the novel, A Tragic Heart.

By the way, if Peyton were a song she would be The (After) Life of The Party by Fall Out Boy.

 

RED Is Gearing Up!!!!!!!!

"Ego. Our ego is who we are. It’s the part of our functioning mind that is stuck between the id and the superego. My ego is who I am. It balances out my subconscious mind bringing me back to reality whenever I fall victim to my id or superego. My ego is nervous. Anxious. Guilty. My ego is red."-RED

 I'm happy to say that RED is going to go through the editing process starting July 1st! The novel is pretty long so it'll take a while to edit but I was told the latest I will have the manuscript back in my possession will be December 1st. This means that RED won't be able to come out in the Fall as I originally planned but it will be available by the Winter of 2015. 

As I mentioned before, the novel may not be as emotional as A Tragic Heart but it does have a lot of twists and turns. The plot is a little riskier and it continues to touch on major issues during teenage years.

SPOILERS! PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU HAVEN'T READ A TRAGIC HEART! SKIP TO NEXT SECTION!

For those of you who read the first novel, A Tragic Heart, you all know that part of the ending resulted in Taylor having Peyton's baby long after he's gone. RED follows the life of Taylor's daughter who is named after her father. Peyton (the daughter) is all grown up (the novel starts when she's 16, just like her mom) and she's being raised by Mason and Adayln (you all should remember them). Peyton has a lot in common with both her mother and father and the novel follows her struggle to grow up without them in her life. She's carefree and loves to take risks but many of her choices can seem less than desirable to others. 

Spoilers Ended! 

 

A lot like A Tragic Heart, RED is told from multiple point of views which means that everyone has a story and everyone has their own drama going on. I believe that it can be hard to tell a complete story from one point of view because realistically there is always more than one side to a story. People constantly make the same mistakes and it usually takes us more than one time to learn from them. RED is all about making mistakes, learning from your past, and moving on with life the best way you could. Sometimes we're ashamed of who we used to be but the important thing is to remember that we are not those people. We are who we think we can be and that's a very important theme in RED.

I'll start revealing character names soon. Maybe a write up on each character until the release of the novel...that sounds tempting enough!

 -S. Elle Cameron

Red City Review of A Tragic Heart!

Here is a review from Red City Review on A Tragic Heart. I'm really grateful and excited about all of the positive feedback my first novel has been receiving. It makes me proud to know that I wrote something good when I was only 18 years old and it only took me one month to do so. I believed in this book for years now (and I still have some convincing to do) so it really means a lot. Reviews like these gives me a reason to continue writing and dealing with the stress of trying to become known. I just really want to share my stories with the world...plain and simple.

My favorite line from the review is, "The characters created in this book are the kinds that will be remembered, as they are realistic and raw, the kind you will either love or hate." This is just what I wanted when I created the book and hopefully someday we can see these characters play out on a big screen. That just takes a few more people to believe in this book the way I do. Thanks to everyone who read and also took the time to review A Tragic Heart.

A Tragic Heart by S. Elle Cameron

A Tragic Heart by S. Elle Cameron tells the story of Taylor Caldwell, a sixteen year old girl who has been struggling with depression. Her unfortunate hardships change and evolve when she starts a relationship with her high school crush, Mason, and they eventually decide to get married, even though Taylor’s family strong disapproves. For a short time, her life dramatically gets better and she finds happiness with the man of her dreams at her side. Unfortunately, the good times do not last for long, as unforeseen dramatic events cause her world to crumble all around her.

This novel follows a young girl trying to find meaning in life, while she tries to understand her true self and conquer her inner demons which often seem far too much for her to overcome. Cameron explores the usual themes that are so often present in a teenager’s life, and also adds in the typical elements of love triangles and the struggles of growing up. Switching back and forth between good times and bad, the author takes the reader on a roller coaster of emotion, as she crafts this tale of a troubled teenager coming of age, offering twists and turns on many pages to keep the story fresh and engaging. The characters created in this book are the kinds that will be remembered, as they are realistic and raw, the kind you will either love or hate. For a young adult novel, the subject material is rather dark, and is not to be taken lightly; especially as the ending itself is rather tragic. Nevertheless, this is the kind of tale that will stay with you after the book comes to its conclusion.

To purchase a copy of the book, click here to find it on Amazon.

Take Advantage of the Next Two Days!

A Tragic Heart is still free for all Kindle users and owners of the Kindle app. I am pleased and grateful to say that the novel has been downloaded over 300 times in the past 3 days. Everyone has until Saturday, May 17th to take advantage of this limited offer. It is available to everyone WORLDWIDE!

I only ask anyone who reads A Tragic Heart to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. I hope you all take advantage and enjoy the novel. A Tragic Heart is part one to a three part book series. The next installment is entitled, RED.

The link is below to download your copy for free.

A Tragic Heart-Free Download