MESSAGE FROM LINDA POHRING

Hi guys. It's me...Linda. It's been a long six months but life is slowly returning to normal. It's not the normal my family once had, but it's good. With that said, I want to take this moment to thank you all  for your support. I can't help but believe that your prayers helped in my husbands recovery. He is now cancer free and I pray he stays that way.
Now for some more good news:
Fish Eyes is on sale for $0.99 on Amazon. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. So enjoy the savings until I can solve the mystery. Who knows, maybe I'll just keep it that price.
Also, thoughts of Held in Secrecy has been popping up in my mind again. In fact, I've been getting reacquainted with the storyline these past two weeks. That's a major step for me seeing how I've been feeling dim-witted ever since the diagnosis. But the fog is starting to clear now and I plan to be back on track soon. Sorry, I'm not able to commit to a date yet.
I guess that's it for now my friends. Bye...

TEASER FOR HELD IN SECRECY

   

Before you read the teaser there is some personal news that I'm reluctant to share on the internet, but I will anyway. I'm doing this in hopes that you will understand the reasons for what I'm about to say.
Two months ago, life as I've known it changed in a heartbeat. My husband came home from a doctor's appointment and announced that he had cancer.
He is now finished with the chemo and radiation treatments and is waiting for December 11th to get his first surgery date. It's supposed to be between December 20th and January 15th.
Please don't abandon me when I say I'm not going to be able to make the 2013 deadline for Held in Secrecy. I'd tried to concentrate on the storyline since my husbands diagnoses, but my thoughts kept returning to him.
I sincerely apologize for this unfortunate delay. Seeing how I'm a people pleaser, I feel terrible for letting you guys down ... BUT IT IS COMING!!!



ENJOY THE EXCERPT:

“Nexa, I’ve done something terrible!”
“Where are you?” Nexa’s tone was suddenly demanding and high.
T-t-the school parking lot. My car, it’s…gone!
While Oddily continued to speak with her mouth to her cellphone, it took her a moment to realize that her fair-haired friend had materialized right in front of her.
Still, Oddily used her phone to communicate. “You’re here!” she said.
Nexa grabbed Oddily’s arm and with her free hand, she lowered the phone from Oddily’s mouth. “Now tell me, what have you done?”
“I forgot my math assignment and…and…”
Nexa interrupted when she noticed the empty parking lot. “How’d you get here?”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Nexa! I took my car, and I parked it in our usual spot, but then someone came along and stole it while I was at my locker.
“Did you see or hear anything out of the ordinary?”
Oddily paused with a vague recollection of something but she couldn’t seem to put her thoughts together. “No. Not that I can remember.”
Nexa’s head jerked up and snapped to attention. “Well, I’m hearing something now and it’s heading this way.
“I know.” Oddily shuddered. “It’s the police and they’re coming here.”
Nexa zeroed in on Oddily’s trembling body. “How would you know that?”
“Because I called them.”
“You what?!”
Oddily didn’t need to be told what to do. Because of the expression on Nexa’s face, she bolted for the forest.
“Faster!” Nexa growled as she ran with her typical grace and beauty. “We need to make it to the woods before they show up.”
Oddily knew Nexa didn’t have to run from anyone, especially when all she had to do was shimmer and fade. But Nexa stayed by her side like a loyal friend.
Finally, they entered the safety of the woods and none too soon. Two patrol cars pulled into the parking lot and then flashed beams of light that rotated in circles atop their vehicles. Oddily wanted to stop and watch from afar, if for no other reason than to catch her breath, but Nexa nudged her on. It took another two hundred yards or so of them silently walking through the forest of trees before they stumbled upon the unexplainable.

WILLA IS AVAILABLE

WILLA in now live on Amazon. I'll publish on it on B&N next.

Happy reading.

SURPRISE! A COMPANION BOOK FOR THE ODDILY SERIES

AVAILABLE BY THE END OF FEB. 2013

Willa is a companion book to the *ODDILY SERIES* Approx. 6,000 words.

 

Intended to be read after Maxim: A New Type of Human (Book #2) and before the exciting sequel, Held in Secrecy ( Book #3), Willa is a short story (Book #2.5) about what happened to Willa after the device containing her memories was taken.

SPOILER ALERT if you haven't read the first two books of the series. 

In Book #1, Maxim and Nexa traveled back in time to solve the mystery of Oddily’s mother. They viewed firsthand the accident that left Oddily an orphan and at the same time, they solved the mysterious disappearance of the dying body that drove the vehicle into a tree. They also witnessed the bizarre circumstance that saved the driver’s life. Oddily’s mother was given a second chance at life but unfortunately it was in a very unconventional way.

 

As the story unfolds in Book #2, fate brings Willa and Oddily together again but not without problems. No longer an infant, Oddily had difficulty accepting Willa’s intimidating appearance. But despite her fear, Oddily allowed their friendship to unfold. The truth of Willa’s identity was kept a secret though, for her daughter’s sake. The shock would have been too great.

 

In Book #2.5 Willa should no longer exist. But she does. Read Willa’s account of what happened to her after her disappearance.

 

Complete Oddily Series:

1. Oddily

2. Maxim: A New Type of Human

2.5 Willa (Companion book)

3. Held in Secrecy (coming 2013)

ODDILY IS FREE!!!

Holy _ _ _ _! I just discovered Oddily is free on Amazon. I asked them months ago to put it up free, but they wouldn't do it.

Enjoy, my friends...Let me know what you think...

TEASER FOR HELD IN SECRECY

HELLO FRIENDS. I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT YOU GUYS SO I'VE POSTED AN EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK. ENJOY!

Oddily was full of anticipation as she waited in the meadow for her surprise. She didn't wait long because Maxim soon appeared on a white horse.

At first, Oddily backed away, fearing the size of the animal. However, once Maxim joined her, she put on a brave face and stepped forward until she was beside the glorious beast.

"I want you to meet Wind Chaser," he smiled patting the horse.

"Hi…Wind Chaser." Oddily waved at it, but then felt silly." May I touch her?"

Maxim dismounted, and then held Wind Chaser by her mane." Listen to me, baby. Using slow strokes, I want you to gently rub her muzzle, okay?"

"You mean her nose?" she asked.

"Yes…her nose."

Oddily extended her arm, and when the horse remained calm, she touched the area Maxim had indicated and began to stroke Wind Chaser.

"Wow, you are so beautiful!" She spoke to the beast.

When Maxim saw the look of fascination on Oddily's face, he couldn't help but laugh." I take it you’re pleased with my surprise."

"Yes… Very!"

"Would you like to ride with me?" He asked sheepishly.

Oddily’s eyes widened. "You want us to ride the horse…together?"

Maxim's face spread into in enraptured, gleaming smile as his flashing blue eyes looked into hers. Both humor and passion were in his face as he mimicked her startled look.

"Please say you will!"

Maxim was startled when Oddily reached up and kissed him quickly and firmly on the mouth.

"Okay," she grinned.

After Maxim remounted Wind Chaser, he used his unusual strength to scoop Oddily up on the horse with him, settling her carefully between his legs.

"Lean back against me and enjoy the ride."

Lean back and relax? Sure. Oddily sat stiff and unyielding when the horse began to walk through the meadow. Maxim was holding her securely, but a shiver of apprehension went through her. There was nothing to fear, she assured herself. She was in Maxim's care, who was protective, kind, and all that was knightly.

Slowly, tentatively, she leaned back against Maxim’s chest and forced herself to relax until he urged the horse into a trot.

Oddily should have enjoyed the landscape and the feel of the horse beneath her, but she was distracted be the change in the horse’s gait. Her awareness turned solely on Maxim, his body pressing against hers. A jolt flashed through her by his closeness. They were tightly pressed together and every movement of the horse jarred them even closer causing her to squirm a bit.

Maxim too, became sensitive to more than the luscious landscape. He could feel Oddily’s small back pressing against him, her thighs molding to his, and the scent of her hair so fresh and clean. Her closeness was causing his body to react and it was a reaction he had no control over.

Finally, he could stand it no longer. He was forced to stop the horse and jump off.

Oddily’s body stiffened more after his sudden dismount. Did I do something wrong? She wondered.

"I…I have a cramp in my leg." His voice was strained as he fumbled for an excuse. Look how you've encouraged me, is what he wanted to say; knowing his desire for her was ridiculously evident. But Oddily wasn’t paying attention to what was below his waist. Instead, her mind seemed to be somewhere else. Then without warning, a strange light came into her eyes and she grabbed hold of the horse's mane moments before the horse took off in a full gallop.

"Oddily!" Maxim became panic stricken. However, there was no need. Apparently, she had full control over the horse, and her long red hair flowing in the wind was a spectacle to be remembered.

FISH EYES IS AVAILABLE

GOOD NEWS MY FRIENDS!

I PUBLISHED FISH EYES TODAY! IT IS ALREADY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON AND SMASHWORDS. I'M JUST WAITING TO SEE IT ON BARNES AND NOBLE NOW.

HAPPY THANKGIVING...LINDA

FISH EYES AVAILABLE THIS MONTH

Hello guys...

The manuscript for Fish Eyes is with the editor.

I know Fish Eyes was supposed to be published by now but the story just kept on going. My plans to write a novella went out the window when the word count reached 40,000, making it the size of a novel.

Also, I have Oddily for free on Smashwords. If you would like to see it free on Amazon, please help me by asking Amazon to price match. On the facepage for Oddily , there is a place where Amazon asks you if you have seen the book cheaper. Click there...enter Smashwords url for my book...fill in free price....click again. That's it!

Love you all. Linda...

UPDATE ON ODDILY SERIES

I'm writing this post to answer another comment so please bare with me. I know my answer should be right under the original comment, but this is the best I can do for now. The previous blog will explain why I can't do this right.

The third book of Oddily, Held in Secrecy, have been rewritten along with many more chapters.  For those who didn't know, I pushed the wrong button on the computer and lost four months of writing on book #3 of Oddily. I had a backup system installed so it won't happen again, but I am now several months behind for my 2012 release date. Now, I shooting for the first part of 2013.

UPDATE ON FISH EYES

I am so sorry (to you know who) for not posting on this blogger page for four months. When Blogger improved their site, I didn't understand the new format. Typically, I avoid the things I don't understand, especially computer stuff.  I tried though. I even tried to answer the most recent comment but I couldn't figure out how. The truth is, I am so computer stupid it's embarrasssing. In fact, someone is helping me right now so I can answer the question, Where's the update on Fish Eyes?

I had been updating Fish Eyes all along but I've been doing it on Goodreads until I can figure out how the inproved Blogger works. I'll hire someone to teach me if I have to.

Anyway, Fish Eyes should be out sometime between the end of Sept. and the end of Nov. It really depends on the editor. I had planned to release Fish Eyes for a summer read but the story just kept on going! With that said, I'm at the last stages of clean up before I send it off.

Thanks for your patience....Linda

FIRST CHAPTER OF FISH EYES

Hey, guess what? I am in the process of rewriting book #3 of the Oddily Series. That's right...I lost my original manuscript on the computer. A window came up giving me the option of yes or no if I wanted to replace an already existing Held in Secrecy document. I tried to cancel without making a choice. That didn't work, so I chose and pushed yes. I ended up with a blank page with the Held in Secrecy title. I had a professional come out and try to retrieve the story, but with no luck. It was gone! Since then, I have started over making good progress. And yes, I had a backup hard drive installed so this will never happen again! I say this because with Oddily, I had lost the first twenty-two chapters of the edited version. Anyway, moving on...Fish Eyes is a project I've been writing on weekends. I know very little about mermaids, so the story is written from a fresh approach. I hope you enjoy the first chapter.
(UNEDITED)
FISH EYES
Swimming close to the ocean floor where there’s thick leafy seaweed and mossy rocks, I’m provided with a welcome cover for predatory fish. I have to think of these things because, being a mermaid, I grow slowly and can live a very long time…if I’m careful.
Crabs and lobsters scuttle around on the ocean floor. Tiny bubbles come up from the sand. There are clams under there.
Something long, flat, and wide wiggles its way free of the sand and swims off. It is an angel shark. Its flat body and sandy colored skin allows it to bury itself in the sand and blend right in.
A solitary Manta Ray slides along the ground, flapping its fins like a cape.
The strength of my tail produces rhythmic pulses streaming behind me, as I glide over the swaying plants, the tips of the kelp brushing against my underside. Beautiful pink coral with glowing peddles stretch out over the mountainous rocks.
I’m almost home. Vivid colors erupt around the rocks as I fan my tail to create a disturbance in the water. Tiny fish, in various shades of yellow are startled by my presence and vacate their hiding places. Spiny caudal fish, with their wing-like fins, dart away.
My sensors warn me that I have company moments before my guest comes into view. A whale shark is moving its massive body from side to side, as it glides past me. Thankfully, it never bothers mermaids, but that doesn’t explain why it would be swimming in this part of the ocean. Curious by the rare sighting, I make a detour from home and follow the gentle giant at a comfortable pace heading into an area of the sea that isn’t so…inviting. The water is becoming cold and black until suddenly, without warning, I begin to spin in circles.
Something strange is happening.
The water is churning wildly, tossing me around as if I were a small, insignificant fish.
The current is strong.
I dive deeper into the sea, trying to free myself from its grip, but I can’t. The thrust of my tail isn’t strong enough. I’m locked in a battle, a tug of war between me and – and what? As the strong current forces me towards a massive black hole, something collides with my head.
Did a shadow just fall across the ocean floor, or am I imagining things?
Total darkness comes and with it, the absence of water—gone in a flash.
I am lost—lost in a fragment of nothingness.
What happened to my body?
I try to move in my panic, but I have nothing to move. My tail is gone, and so am I. My body ceases to exist.
Am I dead?
My life flashes before my eyes. I’m sure this is the end. But wait! I feel a tingling sensation. And my heart! My heartbeat is returning, and it’s thumping unusually fast.
My brain searches for an explanation, as the uncomfortable tingling throughout my body grows stronger.
Then I feel the beginnings of some movement.
I’m alive! I know I am because I can feel sand beneath my body…cold and gritty against my hot clammy skin.
While lying sprawled out on my back, I try to remember what happened. Something about churning water. Strong currents. Darkness.
When my eyes flutter open, I see the sky full of gulls. They soar in huge, lazy circles. There are scores of them, their call, high and shrill as they dip and twirl.
The sun pokes out from behind a cloud and I quickly look away. The sunlight is too bright.
I sit up so fast my head gets dizzy. Still, I manage to gaze at the shoreline and the glimmer of breaking waves. I glance behind me and stare in silence. A low line of rocks twists out from the shore, stretching out into a long thin body. At the tip, it narrows into a sharp point, dented and creased along the middle, as if it were a jaw line filled with sharp teeth. Jagged rocks stand along the top like fangs. Dark and menacing, it looks as though it could easily come to life with a snarling twist of its body. A cold shiver creeps up my spine to my neck.
I’ve been cast ashore! I blink hard in disbelief. What if I’m discovered before I have a chance to return to the sea?
The thought is terrifying! With my arms, I begin to drag the weight of my naked body to the water’s edge. Then I stop.
With a sinking heart, I gawk at two skinny legs—human legs where my shiny, turquoise tail used to be. Then I look at my hands. What happened to the translucent webbing between each finger?
I cry out in shock and horror at the sight, but instead of hearing my lovely enchanted voice, a hideous gargled noise escapes my lips.
I begin to choke on grains of sand and something else that is lodged in my mouth.
Reaching inside to grab hold of the moving lump of flesh, I try to remove it. It won’t budge.
My eyes begin to leak—droplets of water sliding down my face.
How did this happen? One moment, I was swimming home after a fun time exploring the shipwreck Sea Witch, and the next—I’m not sure. Something catastrophic happened. The sea turned into a violent and deadly mass of turbulent, whirling water, and it sucked me into the vortex. There was no escape and that is all I can remember.
Now, here I am, not knowing if the others of my kind are dead or alive.
As I moan with grief over the possible loss, my eyes leak worse than ever.
Suddenly, I hear a loud noise and catch a glimpse of something charging up the beach dodging scraps of wood and other debris. My eyes are too blurry to see clearly, but whatever is heading my way, is moving fast.
Then someone starts to shout. “Tank…you get back here!”
Now, there are three heading my way.
Fearful of the approaching attackers, I attempt to stand, using my human legs to escape into the vast, deep, murky water.
If I am the sole survivor of my people, I will not go down without a fight!
 As hard as I try, I can’t stand properly. The stumpy looking fingers at the tip of my legs won’t allow me to stay upright. Fortunately, I’m able to stumble a fair distance into the water before the first assailant arrives.
The upper lip of the hairy creature curls up into a snarl, a rumbling noise coming from deep in his chest. The threatening sound starts to grow louder…more menacing. With his teeth showing, he begins to bark!
When the female human and her offspring arrive, the adult has a hard time quieting the animal.
“I’m so sorry about Tank!” She repeats apologetically. “I don’t know what got into him!”
Suddenly, Tank begins to scratch and sniff at the spot in the sand where I had been resting. The human takes advantage of the moment and grabs hold of the object around Tank’s neck. She drags the beast away while leaving one last comment. “By the way, wear a bathing suit. There are kids around here!”
After they leave, a mournful sigh erupts from my throat.
I know what got into him. It was my scent!
“Whoa, that was a close call!” The sound of a soft deep voice penetrates the air—air that is thin and light compared to the thick heaviness of water.
I quickly spin around and there, poking out of the water, is a seal with a human face. Or is it a human with a seal’s body?
Either way, I am so limp with fear, the weird knobs halfway down my legs knock together.
Does he have a knife? Will he gut me like a fish?
No. I must kill him first!
My pulse, usually regulated with the rhythm of my tail…is beating rapidly—much faster than the normal twenty beats a minute.
I open my mouth to sing the deadly song of the Sirens, to lure my victim to a watery grave, but there’s a problem. I sound more like a screeching banshee!
Grimacing, the human plugs his ears. His large, dark, dewy eyes with curly lashes, stares at me curiously.
I try it again, only this time, the enemy ducks underwater. Common sense tells me to kick and punch beneath the waves—to make it difficult for him to approach.
But it doesn’t work. When he reappears, he is closer—too close! I lunge forward and sink my teeth into his flesh…tough, rubbery flesh.
At first, he yowls in surprise.
“Hey, what are you doing? Let go!” When I don’t, he grabs my nose and squeezes hard. I have no choice but to release him.
I am left with a strange unnatural taste in my mouth while I catch my breath.
The look he gives me is of shock and anger, but I don’t care. I won! I scared him away. The human stranger swims toward shore, strong arms cutting through the waves with little effort. The only question is…why couldn’t I penetrate the black covering on his body and tear the flesh from his bone?
Using my finger, I feel around inside my mouth, but what I discover comes as another shock. My beautiful double row of serrated teeth have been replaced by…I don’t know. They feel like one row of tiny square pearls.
My attention goes back to the shoreline just in time to watch the male as he climbs up a hill.
After he disappears inside a large structure, I remain where I am—scared and lonely. Why I linger in the water, I’m not sure. I suppose it’s because there’s nowhere for me to go. I glance up at the sky and wonder what I will do when the sun grows sleepy and slides into the ocean.
As I tread water, my long lavender hued blonde hair floats in a cloud around my face.
I can’t ignore the pain. My skin—it is sore to the touch. Who was to know that human beings suffered such a fate? I will share this tidbit of information with my people when I see them again. I mean…if.
I want to distract myself from my watering eyes, so I concentrate on nourishment.
I need to feed on Plankton. It is the basic food source for species like me—a mixture of tiny plants and animals.
Suddenly, exhaustion overwhelms me. If survival means living outside the realm of the ocean, I would rather die. I glance up at the sun, and like the yellow orb, I allow myself to slip beneath the water. My body instinctively wants to hold its breath. I don’t resist, but I continue to struggle with the need to resurface! The will to live is powerful, so when panic grips me by the throat, I begin to squirm.
Can I truly drown?
No, of course not! I am Zazzle…100% mermaid! Beautiful. Fearless. Dangerous.
With pride and confidence, I stop struggling and inhale the water.
The world slips away.

A SPECIAL GIVEAWAY

The winner will receive autographed copies of both Oddily and Maxim. To enter, just post a review for Oddily or Maxim on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and/or Goodreads. Review whatever book you want, but each posting counts as one entry, so if you review both books you'll be entered twice. After you post your review/reviews, email me a copy of it/them. Good Luck my friends!
I will randomly select a winner on June 2.
My email address is:
oddilyseries@hotmail.com    

A SNEAK PEEK AT THE POPPY SERIES

SURPRISE!
Take a sneak peek at the forthcoming Poppy Series. You will find the link  near the top of my blog page. It is my next project after the Oddily series is complete. I have uploaded an excerpt from the first chapter on another page of my blog. So far, I have written it in first person style. I've never attempted it before, so let me know what you think. Should I keep it that way, or stay with third person writing?...Linda

http://lindapohringwrites.blogspot.com/

PAPERBACK ANNOUNCEMENT

Holiday greetings. Here is a footnote to the previous blog. When I posted the new giveaways, I forgot to mention that MAXIM: A New Type of Human is now available in paperback...

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!

THE NEW SCOOP CONCERNING ODDILY SERIES

Blessing my friends...Oh my gosh, I can hardly believe what I'm about to say but here I go! I recieved an offer to transform the Oddily Series into a screen play after the series is finished. Isn't that the coolest news!? Anyway, now that I shared this tidbit of news with you, I'm putting it on the back burner and focus on the task at hand...book #3.
Happy Holidays! You guys are the best! Linda

HOORAY!

MAXIM IS HERE!  I JUST PUBLISHED MAXIM ON AMAZON AND B&N, AND IT'S ALREADY AVAILABLE ON AMAZON. ALSO, CHECK OUT THE COVER FOR BOOK#3 OF THE ODDILY SERIES TITLED, "HELD IN SECRECY"
ENJOY...

RELEASE DATE FOR: MAXIM, A New Type of Human

Hi friends. I am planning to release Book #2 of the Oddily Series on November 30, 2011. Depending on the editor, it should be available on or around that date. I am excited about where the storyline has taken me and can hardly wait to see how Book #3 will evolve. I already have the design for the third cover, but I'm still playing with last minute decissions for the title...Linda

SURPRISE 0.99 CENT SALE!!!

HELLO FRIENDS...
With 5 days left for the free givaway, I have decided to put ODDILY on sale for only 0.99 cents. This is my gift for all of you who don't win.

The November launch date for BOOK #2 is in it's final stages, and I can't wait to share it with you. All I can say about MAXIM, a New Type of Human is that Oddily's tormented life becomes a distant memory!

BARNES AND NOBLE HAS ALREADY MADE THE PRICE CHANGE.
AMAZON TAKES A LITTLE LONGER...PROBABLY LATER TODAY.
HAPPY READING...LINDA

TEASER FOR BOOK #2 MAXIM

Maxim felt the tenderness of her lips on his and savored the sweet taste of her kiss. She was stirring up physical responses in him—an intense sensation that rippled through his body. He drew back slowly, gazing into her eyes. He brushed his hand against her cheek with a touch so light she scarcely felt it. He had a desire to protect her from harm— to defend her from anyone who threatened her happiness; and above all else, he needed to keep his physical urges under control.

THERE IS STILL TIME!

Hello friends. This is a reminder that the week long $0.99 sale to purchase Oddily is coming to end tomorrow, but there is still time to take advantage of this offer!
Keep checking in for the next surprise that will be posted this week. Oh, and guess what? The first part of book #2 is in the final editing stages. Have a nice day...Linda