Screenshot from Amazon USA. Five-star review by Rosemary. Could someone please pass the kleenex? July 18, 2022. I’m not sure what to say about this book and the two that preceded it. These books are complex, beautifully written, and pack an emotional punch that I feel all the way down to my pink-painted toenails. Read these books. You need to.
I’m sharing Rosemary’s review of Unleashing Echoes (Reconstructionist 3) because I know I focus too much on the vitriol I’m often deluged in about the Reconstructionist trilogy and I want to remind myself that not everyone tries to twist a book into what they want to see/read instead of trying to enjoy the story the author wanted (dare I say, needed?) to write.
It took a year and a half of my life to write this trilogy (after the first book sat partially written on my ‘shelf’ for two years*). I blubbered through each draft of each book (I do five). I knew how it ended when I put the first words on the page. I carefully, but intentionally, crafted the story around Wisteria and what she needed, what she so desperately needed, to heal, to move forward, to LIVE. And whether some readers believe me or not, I did exactly the same thing for Kett (and the other two major characters).
I put my heart and soul into this trilogy and way, way too much of my own childhood. And, I admit, it hurts when I get hate mail, even after all these years of getting nasty DMs, hateful reviews, and even snide remarks from my readers.
So thank you, Rosemary, for reminding me that I wrote Wisteria and Kett and Declan and Jasmine for a reason. Because I needed to heal even just a little section of my own battered soul.
💗💗💗
*note: for those interested: the Reconstructionist trilogy was originally intended to start/fall after Dowser 4 in the timeline. Eagle-eyed readers will note that Kett was in Seattle at the beginning of Dowser 4. But I lost my stepmother that spring and found I just couldn’t pick up the book and write through the grief. At least, not write Wisteria and the story I needed to tell.
Updated April 17, 2022: I have been informed *by Michael* that I made the Reconstructionist quiz WAY TOO HARD. So I have swapped out two questions and rephrased one other in an attempt to make it more accessible. Link below.
I’m really trying to find the line that is interesting but not too hard, yet I’m still worried I’m making these Adept Universe quizzes too easy! Nonetheless, here is the quiz for the Reconstructionist Series! Ten random questions in total. If you haven’t read the Reconstructionist Series yet, the first book is Catching Echoes and it comes after Oracle 3 (or Dowser 6) in the reading order.
Reconstructionist Series book covers – by Damonza!
Continuing the celebration of the audiobook release for the Reconstructionist Series, here is the mass download code giveaway for Unleashing Echoes!
If you have previously won an audiobook from me, please consider letting others have a chance to win this one. Thank you – MCD.
This is a first-come, first-win deal. The giveaway remains open until all the download codes have been claimed.
If you listen to books via Audible USA (or a country other than the UK, such as Canada), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment on the blog post below (not Facebook) and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
If you listen to books via AUDIBLE UK (or a country other than the US), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment below and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
Continuing the celebration of the audiobook release for the Reconstructionist Series here is the mass download code giveaway for Tangled Echoes!
If you have previously won an audiobook from me, please consider letting others have a chance to win this one. Thank you – MCD.
This is a first-come, first-win deal. The giveaway remains open until all the download codes have been claimed.
If you listen to books via Audible USA (or a country other than the UK, such as Canada), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment on the blog post below (not Facebook) and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
If you listen to books via AUDIBLE UK (or a country other than the US), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment below and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
All the audiobooks for the Reconstructionist Series are finally available in audiobook format – YAY! Let’s celebrate with a mass giveaway, starting with Catching Echoes!
If you have previously won an audiobook from me, please consider letting others have a chance to win this one. Thank you – MCD.
This is a first-come, first-win deal. The giveaway remains open until all the download codes have been claimed.
If you listen to books via Audible USA (or a country other than the UK, such as Canada), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment below and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
If you listen to books via AUDIBLE UK (or a country other than the US), then claim one of the codes below, click the link, and paste the code into the box that appears. You might need to sign in to your account, or create an account if you are new to Audible.
Please comment below and let everyone know which code you took (by number and country).
Narrated by the epically talented Whitney Dykhouse, Tangled Echoes(Reconstructionist 2) is now available as an audiobook – YAY!! Whitney absolutely nailed Wisteria’s inner turmoil (and inner strength) in this book. The interactions with Declan, the fierceness of Jasmine, I loved every minute!!
Would you like to win an audiobook of Tangled Echoes (Reconstructionist 2)?
Yes? Yes!
Comment below and let me know why you’re interested in listening to book 2 of the Reconstructionist trilogy. For example, a fav character or fav scene or fav situation that you are looking forward to hearing. Or …? Any other reason you like audiobooks! I’ll select THREE winners by random number generator.
Likes and shares are always welcomed and appreciated.
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. But you must be able to download the audiobook from Audible.com or Audible.co.uk. One entry per person. Three winners will be selected by random number generator. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary.
Giveaway closes SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2020 at 8pm PST.
Narrated by the epically talented, Whitney Dykhouse, Catching Echoes (Reconstructionist 1) is now available as an audiobook – YAY!! I absolutely adored every moment of listening to Whitney bring the first book in Wisteria’s trilogy to audio.
Would you like to win an audiobook of Catching Echoes (Reconstructionist 1)?
Yes? Yes!
Comment below and let me know why you’re interested in listening to book 1 of the Reconstructionist trilogy. For example, a fav character or fav scene or fav situation that you are looking forward to hearing. Or …? Any other reason you like audiobooks! I’ll select THREE winners by random number generator.
Likes and shares are always welcomed and appreciated.
Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. But you must be able to download the audiobook from Audible.com or Audible.co.uk. One entry per person. Three winners will be selected by random number generator. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than to contact the winner. No purchase necessary.
Giveaway closes SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020 at 8pm PST.
On my desk today. Dahlias from Hey Day Farm and a notebook devoted to Archivist Series world building.
Idols and Enemies (Amplifier 4) releases in eight days. I’m trying to not freak out because I really thought I had MORE TIME. In fact, I’d somehow convinced myself that I actually had everything under control. But I have no marketing banners (Gene Mollica is working on those for me right now), I haven’t remembered to type up the granola recipe and put it in the Adept Universe cookbook (that needs to happen this week) (ugh, and I need photos!!), and I haven’t even shared a nice, long excerpt of Chapter 1 (that will happen tomorrow)!
Amplifier 4 will release in eBook form on September 29. Rob from 52novels is currently formatting the paperback and Tia Rider is already recording the audiobook, so hopefully, those will follow in October.
There is a bonus short story in the back of Amplifier 4, The Music Box (Amplifier 4.5) from Opal’s POV. It’s just a fun piece with a tiny crossover. But, since it needs to be read AFTER Amplifier 4, it didn’t make sense to use it as a preorder giveaway, so I tucked it in the back of the book. I’ll mention this a few times in a few places over the next week or so because I don’t want you to miss it!!
In nonAmplifier news: Whitney Dykhouse just dropped her audio files for Catching Echoes (Reconstructionist 1) in my inbox so I get to start listening through the audiobook tonight – YAY!
Currently writing: a short prequel (maybe 25k?) for a new series called The Archivist. Set in the Adept Universe with a twenty-five-year-old dragon as the main character. I already have scenes rolling around in my head for book two and three so the muse is obviously excited. The sibling relationship with Dusk’s much younger brother is really lovely (and something I haven’t explored yet). Also toying with a slow, slow burn, hot, hot romance with an ‘alpha.’ I’m not usually into the ‘alpha’ character trope but it might work for the character/the story. We shall see …
Something shifted in the air around me, stirring the strands of hair that had loosened from my French twist. It wasn’t magic. Or, rather, it wasn’t magic I’d ever felt before.
I straightened, following Kett’s gaze back toward the main path. “What do you mean?”
“Apparently, Garrick blood runs true.”
The grass to my immediate right heaved upward, dirt churning and wooden shards thrust to the surface as the occupant of the grave wrenched itself free of its earthy confines.
I stumbled back, slamming against Kett and bruising my left shoulder.
The corpse pulling itself free of the grave was fresh enough that it still had hair and sinew attached to its graying skeleton. Then the sod and soil churned to our left. A thick-boned arm thrust free of the ground, clawing forward as it dragged a head and upper body into the night air.
Both zombies homed in on us. With the crypt behind us, our only clear route was back toward the main path.
“Oh, Jesus,” I whispered. “Oh, mother of God. Please, Lord.”
Nothing like a zombie rising to convert a witch to Christianity.
“Don’t fret,” Kett said, patting my shoulder awkwardly. “I doubt she can raise more than two or three at a time.”
Jesus Christ. I was cowering against a vampire like some damsel in bloody distress.
I pushed away from Kett. He let me go.
I was a witch. Witches didn’t cower in the face of magic. I was a Fairchild — whether I wanted to be or not. Fairchilds didn’t hide from the darkness —
The earth churned above four more graves. And those were only the ones I could see in the intermittent moonlight.
I sidestepped the nearest zombie to my right, zigzagging through the corpses freeing themselves from their graves all around us as I ran for the main path.
Kett moved with me.
We were past the last row of headstones, four or so feet from the pavement, when something grabbed my ankle.
I shrieked despite my resolve as I almost went down. Kett caught me. I twisted to look behind me. I was held fast by a rotting arm. A zombie had grabbed me even before wrenching itself free from its grave.
Looking back was a mistake. Dozens of zombies had freed themselves from the earth and were shuffling their way toward us. Still more corpses in various stages of decay were pulling themselves from their final resting places.
Kett snapped the arm holding my ankle in two, then flicked the severed limb back behind us. It slammed into the bony forehead of the walking corpse nearest us. The zombie’s head snapped back with the force of the blow, bone splintered. The vampire had broken its neck with a flick of his wrist.
The zombie stumbled, but it kept moving in our direction.
Kett was smiling. Actually smiling. Not smirking, not curling his lip, but a full-on, joyful, thrilled smile.
“Stop smiling!” I shouted.
He laughed. A breathy, rushed, eager laugh. He sounded human. Specifically, he sounded like a human who was about to do something incredibly stupid.
The sound chilled me through. “Smiling and laughing isn’t appropriate in this situation!” I yelled, completely losing my own connection to what was appropriate.
Kett picked up a headstone as if it weighed nothing to him. He tossed it up in the air.
I cranked my head up, unable to do anything but watch as the vampire went mad in a graveyard teeming with zombies.
The stone flew straight up, appeared to hang in the air above us, then spiraled down straight for my head.
“Hang on,” Kett murmured against my craned neck.
I threw my arms around his shoulders. He spun, taking me with him. Outstretched bony fingers brushed my cheek.
We stopped spinning.
The headstone crushed the zombie that had been about to grab me.
Kett threw his head back and laughed again.
Jesus. It was a game. The vampire was … playing.
I was going to die.
I had fought, then bargained for my life at the tender age of sixteen. I’d earned my emancipation, protecting myself from anything or anyone who could possibly have hurt me in any way since then.
And now I was going to die in the arms of a deranged centuries-old vampire, eaten alive by zombies.
Last night I sent this scene to the narrators I’ve called back for the Reconstructionist audiobook auditions. And, listening to these exceptionally talented narrators reading it reminded me just how much I love this moment between Kett and Wisteria!!
Coming soon to a pair of headphones (earbuds?) near you. I mean, they have to be near you … otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to hear anything through them. Never mind. You know what I mean!
