Tag: C.C. Wiley

Coffee Time Romance & More gives 4 CUPS to Knight Dreams

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This review comes at a great time in my life. It comes when I really need it. Thank you Cherokee! And thank you Coffee Time Romance & More!

“Knight Dreams is a tale that pulls you immediately into the plot, intrigue, and action-packed adventure. There were many times I thought I was right in the middle of the scenes. The dynamite characters are awesome. I could almost visualize Terrwyn as she shot her arrows when duty called. This story keeps the reader eagerly anticipating what the outcome will be, especially with James and Terrwyn. I found their love, sweet, and enjoyed the way their relationship developed. C.C. Wiley wrote a well researched, convincing story with great secondary characters that added just the right amount of gusto to the tale.” Cherokee ~  Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More       http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/knightdreamsccwiley.html

Knight Dreams receives 4 STARS ~ HOT from RT Book Reviews

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I recently received my May, 2010 edition of RT Book Reviews and in it was an amazing review for my novel, KNIGHT DREAMS! FOUR Stars! HOT! And I have to tell you, what the reviewer said about my book actually brought tears of joy. Yes, I admit it, I wept. 

I won’t give away all the information. Yet. I’ll have to  check out what the timeline is for the whole review. It’s there in the magazine, but not on their website. 

How did I get this juicy, uplifting information already? I subscribe to their magazine. If you love reading romance fiction and don’t subscribe to RT Book Reviews you really need to take a look at their website and their magazine. http://www.romantictimes.com/

I’ve been a fan of their magazine for several years. I have to tell you, subscribing to RT Book Reviews is the way to go. There have been too many times that the bookstore ran out before I could get there. Having the magazine delivered early gives me extra time to look at all the yummy books to buy and read. 

Now, every time I see the title of my first book, KNIGHT DREAMS, listed by all those other amazing pieces of work, I’m thrilled and inspired. I’m going to keep reaching for my wildest dreams.

While I find out it I can post a snippet of the review, why don’t you head over to my publisher, Samhain Publishing, and read more reviews for Knight Dreams.  Let me know what you think. ~ C.C. Wiley

I’ve Been Thinking…

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Where was I when I got THE E-MAIL for the sale of KNIGHT DREAMS? Hmmm…

Actually, I have two points of celebration. In the fall of 2008, a little over a year ago, I was in Indiana visiting my parents when I received the first e-mail from Samhain Publishing editor, Deborah Nemeth. That message was a blessing and brought joy into a rough, rollercoaster year. 

Reports of tumors, cancer, surgeries, and damaged relationships had arrived back to back in 2008. In fact, cancer was what brought me from California and to my mom’s side. The preliminary report said the surgeons had removed all of the cancer from my mom. This allowed us to break from the deep valleys, catch our breath, and wonder if chemotherapy and radiation was needed. While we waited, we remembered to add laughter to our tears and faith to our prayers.

It was during this valley that Deborah’s e-mail came. She loved my story! I squealed as I read those few words and did a happy dance. Breathless, I ran down the stairs to share the news with my parents. They knew how long I’d been writing. This was the third manuscript I had completed. They wanted their little girl to succeed and live her dream.

Then I read the rest of Deborah’s email. There was a BUT… ‘Would you be willing to make some changes?’ My stomach twisted. This story holds a special place in my heart. I wrote it while I was in the midst of my own personal heartache. It carried me away from my grief and brought me hope. It helped me dig my heels in and not give up.

Would I make some changes? I looked at Deborah’s edit notes and gulped. The first few pages were a sea of red! Are you kidding me? With some trepidation, I said, “Of course!” The next e-mails came with rapid fire and the task was set. I turned to my parents. Hope and pride burned in their gaze. It was time to celebrate!

This joy was just the beginning of my stay in Indiana. Word soon came that my mom did not need to have chemotherapy or radiation. And that celebration continues.

The second celebration came in the spring of 2009. After a few rewrite requests, I finally received the contract offer! This time, I was home…alone…when I saw THE E-MAIL in my Inbox. SQUEE! I dropped to my knees. I read the e-mail again and again and again! I laughed and cried and danced around the house. I called my husband, tearing him away from a meeting, and sobbed my news into the phone. I called my parents. Once again, their pride and love filled my heart. I called my writing friend and left an indiscernible message on her answering machine. (She soon returned my call, worried I had had an emergency and needed help.) I sent out e-mails to my children and friends. It was my writing group night and as I drove to the meeting, I cried and laughed. The joyful energy brought shivers through my body. I swear, if had been stopped by the police they would have thought I was high. And I was. I was high on persevering.

In October, 2009, KNIGHT DREAMS was released as an eBook by Samhain Publishing. Before I know it, August 2010 will arrive and KNIGHT DREAMS will be printed as a trade paperback. The view is beautiful from here. It’s also inspiring and intimidating at the same time. There is so much to do and learn. Although setbacks might come, it’s an exhilarating ride and I’m grateful I didn’t give up.

Look out 2010! I’m just getting started.

The Pen and Muse awards Knight Dreams 5 STARS!

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Oh Happy, Happy Day! I’m doing the dance of joy!

This reviewer brightened my week, my month, my year, my life. Each sweet word brought tears to my eyes and fire to my soul!  

A bit of what Denisse Alicea, from The Pen and Muse, had to say:

“What I liked: What didn’t I like about Knight Dreams? C.C. Wiley surely knows how to write historical romance. I found myself not wanting to leave Terrwyn’s world. The dialogue, scenery, and the plot are just amazing. I really loved how her character was written, she’s skilled yet she is cursed with a gift to see the future. Terrwyn’s such an honorable character and I loved the way she was just so hell-bent on getting her brother home no matter what the cost… This is a must read for those who love historical romances.” 5 STARS~ AMAZING!

Then to make it all that much sweeter, Denisse Alicea has an interview with Samhain’s Director of Public Relations, Lucia Carr. Be sure to click on the following link to read the book review for KNIGHT DREAMS and the whole interview. http://www.thepenmuse.com/2009/11/pen-interview-review-samhain-publishing.html

Please excuse me while I go into my happy dance.

God Bless!

More Reasons to Give Thanks!

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Great News!

This just in from All Romance Ebooks and Omnilit! This Thanksgiving Season From November 10-November 24 readers will be receiving a 25% eBook Bucks rebate on all Samhain titles.

What are you waiting for? Hop on over to http://www.allromanceebooks.com/index.html  http://www.omnilit.com/index.html  and receive your bucks back today.

Okay, now I have to add this, because if you’re new to digital publishing, and let’s face it, most of us are, you may be wondering who is All Romance eBooks. Or what is OmniLit?

Well, think of OmniLit as “The Bookstore on the corner of your digital neighborhood.” They distribute all types of books. Not just romance. Fiction and nonfiction eBooks are available several formats.

And according to All Romance eBooks’ website, they were voted the Best Book Store of 2007 & 2008 by the Preditors and Editors readers poll! All Romance eBooks states, “We’re proud to bring you all the romance you need from all the publishers you love. All sub-genres and categories, all sensuality levels, all your favorite authors…All Romance!” Now that is quite a statement! One you can hang your hat on, or your eReader.

So go on over, peek at what they have to offer. I know for a fact that they carry that great novel, KNIGHT DREAMS by C.C. Wiley. Oooh, that’s me! Hee-hee!

Are you ready to step into the realm of digital possibilities? Let me know what you think.

LASR Gives KNIGHT DREAMS Its First Review!

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Review by LASROh, Happy Day! My first review! Gulp! I wrestled with wanting to know what a book reviewer wrote about my book. It’s exciting, thrilling, and very scary.   Do I want to know what they thought?  Will I have this crazy need to crawl into a cave and never come outI bring myself to push the keys on the laptop. And scroll down the screen. There it is. The beautiful cover of my book. KnightDreams300And then…the review.

An excerpt from LASR’s Book Review: 

“C. C. Wiley enchants with admirable imagery and a compelling writing style. All the characters of significance are satisfactorily accounted for before the story ends. Even though traumatic times have been endured along the way, the promise of living happily-ever-after looks bright…This is a wonderful 15th century romance with a touch of history and imagery that thrills the senses…”  Camellia  awards FOUR BOOKS

Four Books out of Five! Not to bad for a new author! Not to bad at all! The the thoughts come in. Why didn’t it get the top score? My mind spins. Next time, I want my stories to get the Five Books Award. I need to get cracking on learning all I can about my craft. I almost forget to enjoy the moment. Almost. I take a deep breath and realize that for right now, this very minute, I’m going to enjoy the glow of the first review of my first novel.

Can you see the smile on my face? I’m grinning from ear-to-ear and looking like the cat who drank a whole bowl of cream. I think I’m going to plaster my office walls with all the great reviews. When I’m down or fighting to pull a single word out of my head, I’ll read those kind words and all doubt will wash away.

How do you conquer the doubt that sneaks its ugly mug into your thoughts? What do you do to keep yourself motivated? For me, I’m going to keep smiling and take another peak at that review.

If you want, you can read the whole review by following this link. http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/10/knight-dreams-by-c-c-wiley.html 

 samhein_link2                     

The Dog Daze of Summer

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Harley (Smaller) (2)The summer of ’09 will live in infamy as the summer where lives were held on a razor’s edge. Jobs were lost, savings and lives were altered. Then hopes and dreams began to rise from the ashes and in the midst of it all, I sold my first book KNIGHT DREAMS to Samhain Publishing. I had a deadline to meet.  I vowed no one would keep me from my appointed mission.

Then our daughter and her fiancé came home from college and brought two dogs to add to our already thriving four-dog-pack. Okay, I’ll back up here. Yes, we have four permanent dogs that reside in our home. All but one is a rescue. Our daughter has taken up the charge with fervor and both of her companions are rescue dogs. Of course, she had to bring them with her. 

As I struggled to fit editing into an already teeming schedule, I came to enjoy the many different characteristics portrayed in each dog. I began to study them as I would characters in a medieval story. 

Mercedes, the matriarch and once beautiful queen, still tries to rule over her inner circle, if not her world. Though nearly blind and deaf, she sits and dreams of the power she once held in her paws and wonders where it went.

Ben, the jester, grows old and feeble. His antics, once funny, no longer works for one so toothless. Yet, his sweet demeanor cannot be ignored. He balances on arthritic hind legs. His chocolate eyes reveal secrets, tales untold.

Harley, the knight, is strong, powerful and has a heart of gold. Though nearly beaten by the dragon-beast cancer, he rises from the battle, a zenith in each day, soaring higher than the day before. He stands down for no one but his master king.

Pepper, the impish princess, flits, bounces, swoops and pounces. Adoration enfolds her character. She, who turns not from confrontation, stands her ground until called down. Then she sleeps, her power exhausted.

Life was peaceful in their little castle. It was a canine Camelot. Then the dogs from another land arrived, challenging their gate. Woof! Outsiders threaten to overthrow the castle hierarchy. All stood guard as one by one the strangers came. Peace would reign or blood would be spent. 

Roscoe, the medieval sheriff of the land, brought sanity in his lengthy body and short stride. Never deterred by his long ears and drooping eyes, he kept close watch on his young charge. Then he ate and slept, belly content. 

Dexter, the young squire, filled with passion, energy and fire, trotted out. This land was his! He brought battles over balls and grass. Certain each shoe and bit of leather his, he soon discovered he was wrong and earned his place as dog in training within the castle walls.

Then peace did reign that long hot summer, The Pack of Six, for evermore.

E-Readers…the next best thing since sliced bread?

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The release of my first novel, Knight Dreams, came out last week. What a grand day! It was almost…almost as exciting as the birth of my two children. Granted, having my first book published is cause for celebration.   My children, however, take the award for the celebration of life changing events.

E-ReaderAs the week went on I found myself explaining what an E-Book or even an E-Reader was and how it worked. And why would I ever choose to have my book published that way? Some of my darling family, friends, and even strangers can only imagine holding a book made of paper. I had indeed traveled to the dark side. Ah. I wonder if that is what we thought when manufacturers brought out those other silly inventions.

 

Do you like your car? Do you remember your very first vehicle? Heck, I was impressed with my first car that came with power steering. The cars of yesterday didn’t have the bells and whistles that they do now.   Where would some of us be without power steering and brakes, the radio, the CD-Player, GPS, and Lo-Jack? Tired, tuneless and lost.

Do you love your laptop? Do you remember your first computer? Can you imagine life without it? Or can you imagine hauling the larger versions around on your back?

How about your cell phone? Can you recall the first cell phones? They came in a bag and you plugged it into the car. Or better yet, remember the first cordless phone?  It was like holding a brick to your head.

How about your IPOD? Before it,  came the 45’s, 33’s, the 8-tracks, the cassettes, and the CD’s. And should I bring the memory of the boombox back to mind? 

Each improvement didn’t really negate the one that came before it. (Okay, I admit, I’m thankful the tangle of 8-tracks are gone.)  The inventors enhanced the product and brought more choices to the table.

 Rest assured, I don’t plan to give up my tree-books forever. They are marvelous for research and there is something wonderful about holding them in my hands. But when I’m traveling and don’t want to pay the airlines another surcharge for the weight of my many books, the E-Reader is the way to go. If I’m at the gym and I want to workout both of my arms instead of using one to hold the book and the other to move the machine, I’m going to use my E-Reader.  If I’m sitting beside my darling man and he wants the lights off to enhance the movie and I want to read, I’m going to sit beside him and read with my Sony E-Reader’s little light on.  

Ah…life is enhanced! And life is enjoyed!

 So come on over, discover the E-Reader that fits your lifestyle. I’ve attached a link to help you on your new adventure. Be sure to check out the latest Digital Book Readers.  AKA / E-Readers.  

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1929387,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner&imw=Y

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1929384,00.html

You know you’re gonna want one!

KNIGHT DREAMS: Knights of the Swan, Book 1 releases TODAY!

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KNIGHT DREAMS, October 6, 2009

Knight Dreams by C.C. Wiley

ISBN: 978-1-60504-674-7
Length: Novel
Price: 5.50
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Cover art by Angela Waters

For king and country…or the love of one woman?

Knights of the Swan, Book 1

Wales, 1415

Terrwyn, the daughter of a dispossessed Welsh lord, is blessed with unusual talents. Her skill with a bow and cursed ability to dream the future, however, didn’t save her younger brother from conscription into the English army.

To honor a deathbed promise, she sets out to bring him home—and discovers that one of the king’s knights holds the key to locating her brother. Now she must stay close to her sworn enemy…and try to ignore the growing heat between them. A difficult task, when they wind up manacled together.

Sir James Frost, confidante to King Henry V, can trust no one, particularly the young Welsh maiden impersonating an archer within the ranks. With treason brewing, the last thing he needs is the secretive beauty chained to his side. The connection between them, though, becomes stronger than any links of metal.

When an assassination plot places their lives in jeopardy, James is torn between duty and the woman he loves. He must choose where his fealty lies…and Terrwyn must decide if changing Fate is worth the price.

READ MORE at  samhein_link2http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/knight-dreams