I just finished reading Killshot by Aria Michaels, and it was fantastic! You can read my review HERE. And here's a teaser quote from the book (just try to resist that)!
When I am not writing, I spend the vast majority of my time swirling about in what I lovingly refer to as "the blender." You see, in addition to being an indie author, an artist, and an entrepreneur I am also a busy mother of six...six BOYS, ages 14, 12, 8, 8, 7, and 5, to be more specific. Add to the mix two with special needs and our blended family is a potent mix if his, mine, and ours that always keeps us on our toes and leaves others wondering, "how do you do it?"
My days begin in a rush as we scramble for meds, missing shoes, and last-minute "I forgots," before we race out to the car for another epic battle for the front seat. Once I deposit the children to their respective schools, the real fun begins. By three, I will have coordinated with my staff, run three miles, spent hours on promotion and marketing, kissed my husband goodbye, made my appearances on social media, and written at least a thousand words. Then, it's off to brave the dangers of the school pick-up line. Once the kids are home, we turn that blender on high while I master the art of juggling. Homework and chores, therapy appointments, football practice and Taekwando, reading time and baths, and how about dinner? Sure! I got this. Okay, who am I kidding? I'm not Superwoman; sometimes dinner is toaster waffles and yogurt and reading time is four boys huddled around a Lego catalog while the other two read The Walking Dead compendium, but we manage and everyone gets through the day mostly in one piece. The second their little heads hit the pillow, I start my second job...or is it my third? I lose track (laughs).
In 2012, I opened up a shop on Etsy called The Alternate Ending (www.etsy.com/shop/thealternateending). I have always been artistic but over the years, I have found great joy in the art of upcycling and re-imagining. I visit estate sales, thrift shops and clearance racks scouring the shelves for that certain something that is begging for a new story and I happily give it one. Some of the items in my shop are fun creations that pop into my head demanding to be seen and others are special requests from my clients, but each and every one of them is quirky and unique. It is truly satisfying to look at a piece and not only appreciate what it was, but envision what it could be and make it happen. In addition to helping me support my family and my writing career, my shop provides me with an additional outlet for my creativity and, often times, inspiration for a new story. Before I know it, I am back at the computer, typing away.
More often than not, my poor husband will come home to find my projects slung from one end of the house to the other like an arts-and-crafts crime scene. Just past the trail of glue guns, fabric scraps, and discarded paint brushes, he will find me smiling over a glass of wine and click furiously on the keys trying to get that idea out of my head before it goes away. I'm covered in paint and the remnants of whatever I threw together for dinner, my hair is a mess and hanging in my face but I'm happy. Eventually, he'll pry me away and we'll snuggle in to catch up on the day's events, watch an episode of The Walking Dead, and surrender to a good read. Without fail, I fall asleep with my glasses on and my kindle cracking me across the face every night. A few hours later, I wake up to the sounds of giggling and shuffling feet and we start the process all over again.
"How do you do it?" I hear it so often, it's become second nature to simply respond with a shrug and say, "I just do," but the truth is there is so much more to it than that. Yes, it's difficult living in a blended family. Yes, it is challenging managing children with special needs. Honestly, I have no idea how I have enough time to write five-hundred page novels while running an Etsy shop full time. I still can't work out the math as to how I fit it all into my day, but I do know one thing without question. I wouldn't trade my chaotic life in the blender for the world. That chaos is part of who I am, and it feeds my creativity. It energizes and inspires me and even on the longest, most trying of days there are a half a dozen smiles, hugs, and I love you's waiting for me.
Here's hoping you have a little frappe in your life, too.
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Aria Michaels is the author of the Best-Selling young adult dystopian novel Killshot (Icarus Series, Book One) as well as its companion novella, Before the Sky Fell. In addition to her career as an author, Aria Michaels is an avid reader, die-hard zombie fan and enthusiastic lover of bonfires and red wine. When she is not glued to her computer pouring out the voices in her head, Aria can be found playing in the dirt with her boys, painting, or binge-watching The Walking Dead with her husband. Don't let her mild-mannered smile fool you…this woman has lofty ambitions that include complete global domination. She is determined to live in a world where every pair of yoga pants comes with a free book, an iced caramel macchiatto and a magic force-field that repels the sound of screaming children (of which she has six). In the meantime, Aria is hard at work on the next installment of the Icarus Series, reveling in her role as instigator of literary mayhem and stealth assassin of fictional characters.
For more information about Aria Michaels and the Icarus Series, be sure to check out her website at www.ariamichaels.com
"You are never more than one choice away from a different future." --Aria Michaels
Thanks so much for visiting us, Aria! For more about Aria and her books, check out the following links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
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Here's the scoop on Killshot:
When 17 year old Liv Larson and her brother are sent to separate foster homes, she dedicates her every breath to getting him back. After months of solitude and anti-social behavior, her best friend Riley ropes her into a Rooftop Solar Flare Party. Despite the fascinating lights in the sky, Liv finds herself drawn, instead, to Zander- the boy with the crooked smile.For a few hours, Liv’s troubles finally feel a bit less overwhelming—that is until what should have been a small flare erupts into a massive solar storm forcing them all to seek shelter in the school’s basement. Cut off from the rest of the world and with no signs of rescue, fear and paranoia set in and battle lines are drawn, dividing their ranks. What is left the group must embark on a perilous journey to save one of their own and find their families…but, something sinister awaits them in the shadows and it’s undeniably connected to Liv.
Can Liv keep her promise to reunite with her brother? What are she and her friends willing to do to survive? Will their bravery and determination be enough to save them all from a rogue government, a terrifying virus, and the things that go bump in the night…Or was Icarus, indeed, The Killshot?Read an excerpt
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
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Authors, would you like to visit us? Please email me at marie (at) gmail (dot) com and we’ll set it up!
Sounds like an awesome book! Thanks for the post.
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