My thoughts on #theWalkingDead Season 7 Premiere #TWD #AMC

YN_logo_Whitetwd-comic-con-2016-picThe premiere was hard to digest.

Two days later and I’m still recovering. I’m sure 80% of the TWD fans are still recovering as well. I feel your pain.

**WARNING: Spoilers below**

This will come out as somewhat of a rant. Bear with me, please.

The season 6 finale left us with a chilling cliffhanger—the sounds of a cranium being smashed and Lucille (Negan’s “vampire” bat) covered in blood and brain matter. I had a feeling it was Abraham. I didn’t want any of them to be killed, but I figured Negan would eliminate the one who seemed to be Rick’s right-hand man, which in all rights is Abraham. I don’t think it was a toss of a coin. Negan knew who he was going to kill before the beating began.

Observation: Did you notice Abraham gave Sasha the peace sign before Negan hit him? It was their thing, their way to say goodbye to each other, which makes his brutal death sting even more. *sigh*

My hubby warned me there would be another death, and it will most likely be Glenn, because that’s the way it happened in the graphic novel. He said this after the season 6 finale. I told him he was wrong.

Of course the writers had to go and prove him right. Ugh…

Glenn… *welp*

My heart hurts as I type this. Yes, in the graphic novel, Negan kills Glenn IN THE SAME HORRIFIC WAY IT HAPPENED ON SCREEN, but the show hasn’t been following the exact path of the GN’s storyline. They only took bits and pieces from it. I had hoped they would spare him. Especially considering the outrage fans displayed when they thought Glenn was dead last season. The writers threw us for a loop.

WHY?

I could’ve done without all the gore, the repeated smashing, his twitching fingers… God, it was hard to watch! *sob* I was shocked at first, staring at the screen with my mouth agape, then I was horrified and utterly heartbroken. When he said, “Maggie, I’ll find you.” I almost couldn’t stand it. I cried like a baby, then I went to our bar and poured myself a drink, ‘cause goddammit I needed it. *sigh*

However, the shining beacon in my opinion was Carl. Even in the eyes of death, he stared Negan down like a predator staring down a prey. He wasn’t scared, not even a little bit. When Negan told Rick to cut his arm off, I almost lost it when Carl said, “Do it.” I literally ran out the room! It was too much, too much suspense, too much death.

Why the hell do I watch this show? It’s torture to my eyes and emotions.

Damn you, TWD writers! I almost gave up on you last night. I was prepared to throw my hands in the air and say, “That is it! You will no longer rile my emotions with your gore and death. Assholes!”

But I’m going to give you another chance. Show me there was a purpose to killing our beloved Glenn and Abraham. I hope the remaining characters become stronger as a result, especially Maggie. She has lost everyone. She deserves a “bitch mode” episode. I want to see her GO HAM! And I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Abraham and Glenn, 2 characters who touched my heart. I will miss you both.

 

“Suck my nuts.” ~ Last words of Abraham Ford

“Maggie, I’ll find you.” ~ Last words of Glenn Rhee

Just in case you’ve missed the first 6 seasons of the Walking Dead, below is a recap voiced by John Cleese.

British accents make EVERYTHING sound awesome!

http://nerdist.com/john-cleese-recapping-the-walking-dead-is-simply-delightful/

Saturday Teaser 1 #ScatteredFlames #ASMSG #ComingSoon #TDQS #YNWrites

dqbanner3Saturday Snippet!

Scattered Flames ~ The Dragon Queen Series

Sacrifice

Lost in a sea of pleasure, Imrie cried out, never wanting the sensation to end. Whatever he desires of me, I will do it. She turned her head, allowing him to drink freely.

Ukemi appeared in the doorway.

Imrie went rigid.

Thankfully, the vision and blood lust had Lord Lucius distracted, or for lack of a better word, occupied. Had he seen Ukemi, he would’ve reacted.

“Ukemi, you shouldn’t be here! If he sees you…”

With her sweet face bunched in disappointment, she shook her head. “You’re no better than your husband. You sold your soul and body to the devil just to trap the dragon queen, and now he owns you.”

“No my dear girl, I sold my soul and body to the devil so you wouldn’t have to. Now please, return to your quarters before he senses you.”

Yvonne Nicolas © 2016 │ All Right Reserved

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“She is torn between the darkness and the light” #TouchTheDark #99Cents #ASMSG

TOUCH THE DARK

Silent Screams ~ Yvonne Nicolas

“Torn between darkness and light, can Rayne save mankind?”

Touch The Dark

Silent Screams Excerpt

The erratic pounding beneath her chest had her pulse racing. Her body felt strange. A static charge started at her head and worked its way down to her toes. In waves, it rolled back up her body and left the center of her back pulsating. “What the hell…?”

SilentScreams_ebook_final_smallBewildered, Rayne reached back under her shirt, and brushed her fingers over her dragon tattoo. She vividly remembered when she got it. It was years ago in Hong Kong. On that day, she was a little tipsy, and feeling mighty damn adventurous.

As she stroked her tatted flesh, it thumped against her fingers like a heartbeat. Weird!

In the thick of her confusion, something really freaky happened. Time slowed down. Rayne turned in a circle watching everything in motion drag to a sluggish pace. After that, everything went mute. She couldn’t hear the sounds of cars driving by, or the chatter of the people walking along the strip, who literally moved in slow motion as they sauntered by.

It was like being caught up in some bizarre dream.

A presence… She felt a presence that made her insides flutter. She’d felt this presence before, in her mind. Could it be him? Demetri? Had he actually found her?

Nervously, she clutched the end of her shirt and scanned the area for just a glimpse of him. No one stood out. No one even looked her way. Was he teasing her, or was her mind truly playing tricks on her? “That’s it, make me even crazier than I already am,” she muttered.

Along the side of the street, a cab pulled up next to her. The driver, a middle aged man with a cropped haircut and a broad smile, stepped out of the car. He trotted around the vehicle to where she stood and opened the back door. Sweeping his hand through the air, he gestured for her to enter.

Without asking any questions, she slid into the cab.

It was a quiet ten minute ride to the beach. Still smiling, the driver helped her out, and then waved for her to follow him.

Her Adidas’ rubber soles dug into the sand as they trudged along the deserted beach.

Off in the horizon, a pale pink tint from the moon beamed over the small waves in the ocean and highlighted the grains of sand. They sparkled under her appraisal like a trillion tiny diamonds in the spotlight.

The driver led her to a small gazebo near the shore. Sheer red curtains covered the openings. Through the transparent fabric a chaise lounge sat in the center of it. On the side, was a tall bucket filled with ice, chilling a large bottle. Probably wine. Long metal torches on either side of the shelter added to the glow already cast from the moon above.

“This is lovely, but why’d you bring me out…?” She turned to find the driver gone. “Ohh-kay, Houdini, where’d ya’ go?”

A gentle breeze blew ripples over the water and pushed the curtains back, as if to welcome her into the cozy enclosure.

Swallowing hard, she moved toward it.

A deep croon brushed the side of her neck. “Do you approve?”

Startled, she whirled around and tumbled backwards. The heel of her shoe dipped into a patch of soft sand and she lost her balance.

A pair of hands caught her by the arms. She was jerked upright and drawn against a hard masculine body. Her breath came out in shorts spurts as his arms circled her waist. “Oh God,” was all she could whimper.

Deathly afraid to look up into his face, she clutched the lapels of his jacket and squeezed her eyes shut. Panic picked at her nerves. Suddenly, she realized she was holding her breath.

Breathe, Rayne, breathe.

This was no dream, or vision. This was actually happening. He’s here! He’s really here!

The enticing scent that made her horny as all hell swirled around her in teasing ribbons of ecstasy. She couldn’t help but breathe him in with every inhale.

His long fingers slipped beneath her chin and tilted her face up to his. “At your request, I am here.”

She opened her eyes and her next breath got caught in her throat. Whoa!

Jet black, wavy hair draped his broad shoulders, and framed his porcelain face. Mid-high cheekbones and a narrow-bridged nose added to the perfection of his features. Accented by a fan of thick black lashes, bright, exotic eyes that shimmered like the ocean were fixed on her.

Plainly put, this man was crazy hawt, a real stunner. Never in her life had she seen a man, or woman, so incredibly beautiful. He was unreal. Just looking at him made every muscle in her body tingle, every nerve quiver and her lady needs increase. “Demetri?” she whispered, giving into the shudders darting up and down her spine.

His plush lips curved up into a sexy smirk, enhancing his beauty as he slowly removed her shades. “Hello, Angel.”

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Touch the Dark, available at your favorite ebook vendor!

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The Devil is in All of Us #PennyDreadful #Showtime

This is by far the coolest ad I have ever seen! It’s darkly beautiful an extremely artistic. It builds my excitement for season 2 of Penny Dreadful, which in my opinion is long overdue.

This ad embodies everything the show represents. When you bind the demon within, you may find yourself consumed by what you fear most.

“The light and darkness lives within us all. Which one dominates your soul?” ~ Yvonne Nicolas

Thanks for swinging by! 😉

What will you watch during this #Halloween week? #ASMSG #HorrorMovies #HorrorShows #anime

While I perfect my special Halloween martini for my drunken Halloween night with my neighbors, I have several movies and shows that are a must-see every year.

ALIENS:

This movie hypes me up every time I watch it and it never gets old. Private Hudson’s epic melt down will forever be one of my favorite scenes. I don’t know how many of you watch Phineas and Ferb on the Disney channel, (Sue me, I have kids) but during their recent Halloween special, one of the characters—Buford—reenacted Private Hudson’s melt down. I could not stop laughing. 😀

I AM LEGEND:

How could you not love the realistic freakiness of this film? A deadly pathogen created while scientists sought out a cure for cancer turns the test subjects into vampire/zombie-like hybrids. And that’s not all. The pathogen becomes airborne and turns the majority of the population into those creatures. One man, who is immune to the disease, (Will Smith) takes on the task of finding a cure, and he has to do it before the creatures get to him. This film will always be one of my faves.

GOTHIKA:

This is considered a thriller, but it falls in the category of horror for me. This story is wrapped around one spirit’s need for old fashion revenge. Of course, the big mystery in the tale shrouds that underlying vengeance in a brilliant way. This story was well told, and at the end, it leaves you with the satisfying feeling for the one who sought the revenge, because they got it.

WHAT LIES BENEATH:

This one leaves me with chills. It’s yet another story about revenge, where the mystery in the plot clouds “what lies beneath.” << Hahaa, see what I did there? 😉 I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve seen this movie. The storyline was enthralling, but the last 30 minutes were gripping. I have an intense moment during those last 30 minutes every time I watch it. *shudders*

RESIDENT EVIL:

For some reason I’mma sucker for this film. It’s not a “Great” movie, per se, but I find myself watching it every time it airs on the movie stations. The gore, the zombies, the psychotic security system that takes the form of a little girl, and the kickass heroine… It’s an entertaining flick.

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE:

I was instantly drawn to this movie when it came out. First of all, the cast was phenomenal, which is one of the main reasons why this flick was so successful. ‘Til this day, Tom Cruise IS Lestat. He was so convincing in that role. In my opinion, it was one of his best performances. When I read the book, I saw his face as Lestat. That aside, this story was excellent. I thank Anne Rice for that.

WORLD WAR Z:

This movie freaked me the hell out, yet I keep watching it. Not only because it stars the handsome Brad Pitt, but because this film introduced a new kind of walking dead—zombies that could move fast as hell. They were leaping on people like frogs and creating huge zombie mountains to scale over incredibly high walls. It was crazy! If you got bit by one of these things, you would transform into a zeek within seconds. I admit, the ending was a little soft, but it’s still a really good film.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY (TV Show):

This is one of my binge watch shows. I used to watch it when it aired, but there are so many shows on my view list that I just don’t have the time watch them all. As twisted as this show is, it keeps you entertained. I couldn’t get enough of Angela Bassett last season. Aww man… She was flawless and dominated every time she was on the screen. She portrayed the deadly voodoo witch, Marie Laveau, like no other. I can’t believe she hasn’t gotten an award for that role. Honestly, she’s the reason I watch AHS. And she’ll be the reason I continue to watch.

THE WALKING DEAD (TV Show):

Oh my goodness, where do I start?! This show is easily one of my guilty pleasures. Though, I must admit I can’t binge on it like I do other shows. My heart can’t take the pressure. I have to watch one episode at a time. And at the end, I have to catch my breath, wait until my heart rate normalizes and then have a drink. I have invested my emotions in most of the characters on the show. It’s difficult not to because some of them are so loveable, like Daryl. Because my emotions are involved, I’m afraid for their lives. It shows the actors are doing a damn good job.

ATTACK ON TITAN (anime):

Another guilty pleasure for me! I’ve watched AOT Season 1 more times than I’d like to admit. This anime is so unique, gory and highly entertaining. What I like most about it is, it’s unpredictable and you never know who’s going to die. It’s like the Walking Dead in many ways, but in some cases you find yourself rooting for the giant zombie titan. Not all of them are mindless, and not all of them are slow. You just never know what you’re going to get. That’s what keeps me locked in.

Here are a few other shows and movies I like to watch in the spirit of Halloween. These are in no particular order.

  • Knights of Sidonia (anime)

  • Final Destination

  • Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (anime movie)

  • Carrie

  • Queen of the Damned

  • Hellsing (anime)

  • Penny Dreadful (TV Show)

  • Blue Exorcist (anime)

  • Death Note (anime)

  • Christine

  • Sleepy Hollow (TV Show)

  • Sleepy Hollow

  • Constantine

  • Blade

  • Warm Bodies

  • Wolf

  • Underworld

  • War of the Worlds

  • The Wolfman

What movies and/or shows do you find yourself watching for Halloween?

For those of you who are following my Halloween free read, I’ll post another chapter this week. I was supposed to post one this weekend, but my youngest samurai came down with a cold, so I didn’t get to do any writing. Never fear though, I promise not to leave you hanging for long. 😉

**Click on the image below to begin reading CRIMSON DAYS**

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SHIFTING DARKNESS in print! #DarkFantasy #Multicultural #Shifters #Zombies #ian1 #asmsg

Shifting Darkness is Now Available in Print! Yey!

It will be available to order through Amazon in about a week. 😀

“I’ve often asked myself, could I have you without hurting you; rouse your body in ways you never knew possible without tripping over to the dark side of my nature and taking my desire for you too far? How can I resist, when I want you more than my next breath?” ~ Tajaé Zhang

An unseen war is brewing in the shadowy underworld of London. Dr. Faith Miller, a local pathologist, is exposed to the horrific reality when she stumbles upon her brother consuming the flesh of his lover.

Tajaé Zhang, the second in command of the UK based black panther pack of the Chalvaiz clan, and his fellow shifters have been systematically exterminating the walking corpses—zombies, in an attempt to control the rapidly spreading demon virus.

Secretly, he has observed Faith from afar for months. His attraction for her has grown into an untamable love. After she’s bitten and infected with the virus, Tajaé defies the laws of the shifter packs and puts his life on the line to save hers.

CLICK image to order your copy today!

 

COMING SOON from The Dragon Queen Series, SCATTERED FLAMES.

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Inspired By A Character. #Sketch by @KiaPeya #DragonQueen Series #ian1 #asmsg #art

Happy Hump Day, people!

I have a stellar sketch to share with you today! This wonderful piece was created by the very talented artist, Takeia Marie.

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For those of you who have read The Dragon Queen Series, you know this sassy chick is Sharayna “Rayne” Piers, the all-powerful Dragon Queen. Takeia managed to expose Rayne’s saucy demeanor and hidden strength in this sketch.

Isn’t this beautiful?

This feeds my desire to see the Dragon Queen series as a graphic novel, or manga. 😉

Stay tuned! I have an absolutely wicked drawing of Maurisio Bithanos, also created by Takeia Marie, to share with you later. 😉

Bare your throat, my lovelies.

This dark fantasy series will suck your passions and leave you anxious for more.

(Click on the image to score your kindle copy)

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“Evil has the habit of nesting in the most unlikely places.” ~ Demetri Bithanos

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Shifting Darkness Is Now Available at B&N, Kobo and ARE #asmsg #ian1 #shifters #zombies #interracialromance

Great news! Shifting Darkness is available for purchase at other ebook vendors for your reading pleasure!

Can the light of love bleed through the darkness?

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“I’ve often asked myself, could I have you without hurting you; rouse your body in ways you never knew possible without tripping over to the dark side of my nature and taking my desire for you too far? How can I resist, when I want you more than my next breath?” ~ Tajaé Zhang

An unseen war is brewing in the shadowy underworld of London. Dr. Faith Miller, a local pathologist, is exposed to the horrific reality when she stumbles upon her brother consuming the flesh of his lover.

Tajaé Zhang, the second in command of the UK based black panther pack of the Chalvaiz clan, and his fellow shifters have been systematically exterminating the walking corpses—zombies, in an attempt to control the rapidly spreading demon virus.

Secretly, he has observed Faith from afar for months. His attraction for her has grown into an untamable love. After she’s bitten and infected with the virus, Tajaé defies the laws of the shifter packs and puts his life on the line to save hers.

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Get your first taste of the Dragon Queen Series

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Character Haiku ~ Ukemi Hyori aka Blaze #IAN1 #ASMSG #DragonQueen #UrbanFantasy

A couple years ago, I promised you guys I would post a character haiku at least every week. Well, my writing schedule got tight, and my blog suffered for it. Haikus are very few words, but they are not easy to create. At least not for me. 🙂 My goal was to embody the soul of a character through this beautiful poetry form and today I’m going to give it another go. Except, I’ll try to post one every month. I have a lot of characters to introduce so there will be many haikus coming your way.

Today’s Haiku is about Blaze. If you’ve read the Dragon Queen Series, then you’ve already met her. Blaze is an earthly bound battle angel, Andausian, and a member of special ops team in the military. Her real name is Ukemi Hyori. She was born in Korea and raised in Japan. Like many of the guardians ordained to protect the Dragon Queen, she had to suffer death and loss to come closer to her faith and her destiny.

Battle angels born in human form are gifted with a special ability, sometimes more than one. Blaze has the ability to manipulate and brandish fire as a weapon. And not just any fire. The Flames of Heaven. She’s a lovable sweetheart, but she’s deadly when crossed.

Her cousin, Tajaé, who happens to be a black panther shifter, was introduced in the Dragon Queen novelette, Shifting Darkness.

Hopefully, I’ll have a drawing of her to share with you soon. 😉 Now, onto the good stuff.

Haiku is a Japanese poetry form. A haiku uses just a few words to capture a moment and create a picture in the reader’s mind. It’s like a tiny window into a scene much larger than itself.

Traditionally, haiku is written in three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line. Haikus are usually based on nature, or the scenery around you, but this Haiku is using a character as the focal point.

I posted this one some years back, and since it describes this character so well, I’d like to post it again.

Character Haiku ~ Blaze from the Dragon Queen Series

A blaze awakens

Heat cascades through her body

Flames engulf the night

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Transparent Soul ~ Rayne’s Song #Poetry #DarkRomance #ASMSG #IAN1 #Vampires #DragonQueen

Cheers of excitement followed Rayne backstage. She grabbed the towel offered to her and mopped up the sweat at the nape of her neck and shoulders.

This had to be the hardest performance of her career. This time it wasn’t the horrid visions that had her on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. It wasn’t the voices of the murdered souls either. Blood. It was the scent of human blood all around her.

Somehow, she managed to deliver a show worthy of a roaring applause and a standing ovation. Little did they know, her fangs burned her gums, her body throbbed viciously and her head spun out of control. Even with all of that going on, she danced with extra passion, sung her heart out, and hopefully gave her fans a performance to remember.

Transparent. The words of the song still lingered on her mind.

The bass and electric guitar fell in tune with her piano solo, as did the rest of the band. The groove shook her to the core. The memory of the performance and the words she sung stirred her emotions. She wiped away tears. She’d delivered this song on the whim, without practice, without warning her band, or the show coordinator, something she’d never done at a live concert. Her band came through though.

As an encore, Transparent was her melodious message to her demon-vamp lover. Her heart, her soul, she poured everything into the concluding song. Even though her link with Demetri remained severed, she could only hope he heard every word.

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CLICK HERE OR THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SINK YOUR FANGS INTO THE DRAGON QUEEN SERIES

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