Through These Eyes
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Blind Faith ~ New Covers, a Sale, and a Box Set
I first wrote Blind Faith back in 2012 and while I loved the old covers, it was time for a makeover. So I prettied up the covers to a new, fresh look and updated the book files though please note no new content has been added.
Here are the new covers… (made by me!)
I just love them!! And as you can see, I kept the cover model for Blindside because honestly that model is the perfect Mark Gattison. I had to upgrade that image of him because they’d changed the licensing but it was well worth it!
Here are some buy links for you:
Blind Faith
Through These Eyes
Blindside
Twelfth of Never
Blind Faith is just 99c and Twelfth of Never is FREEEEE!!
But wait… There’s more!
I’ve also done the Blind Faith Series ebooks as a Box Set! You can get all the ebooks in one handy book.
Box Set Buy Link
I’ll have more box sets coming soon as well! Turning Point Series, Thomas Elkin Series, Spencer Cohen Series, Red Dirt Heart Series, Cronin’s Key Series will be out soon.
THIS COMPETITION ENDS SOON!
HUGE FALL IN LOVE COMPETITION WITH OVER $300 WORTH OF PRIZES
FOUR CHANCES TO WIN BIG!
From today until Monday there are four competitions from four groups of authors and the prizes are awesome!
GIVEAWAY STARTS: SEPTEMBER 9, 2021 23.45 AM – New York
GIVEAWAY ENDS: SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 00.15 – New YorkPrizes are drawn – 14 Sept at 2am – New York
I’m taking part in GROUP THREE with these amazing authors.
AE Via
Annabelle Jacobs
Becca Seymour
Con Riley
Jodi Payne
Teodora Kostova
V.L. Locey
PRIZES INCLUDE:
$30 in Amazon GiftCards
Signed paperback (International Availability)
5 x eBooks from Backlists
ENTER HERE
CHECK OUT ALL FOUR COMPETITIONS HERE
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Good Morning Monday! What a Week…
What a week indeed. The release of Sir was fabulous, so a HUGE thank you to everyone who read and reviewed Sig, Levin, and Hunter’s story. Sir broke into the #1 in six or seven countries on release day, and is still doing really well. I’m so glad people are loving that little book! It was fun and very different, and I love using creative muscles I don’t get to use very often. Thank you guys, for supporting me and reading my books.
You can find Sir at Amazon
Be quick!
Upside Down is still on sale at all retailers, but only for another couple of days. If you haven’t grabbed it yet, I strongly urge you to do so today. It will also be leaving wide distribution and heading back into Kindle Unlimited.
You can find it at:
Amazon
B&N
Apple
Kobo
SmashwordsGoogle Play
Audio Releases
After a lifetime in purgatory, Audible has FINALLY released THROUGH THESE EYES!!
You can find it HERE!
The audio of Finders Keepers is OUT NOW!! You can find it HERE!
And the audio of Galaxies and Oceans is up for pre-order!!
You can find it HERE!
Audio update:
I know at the beginning of the year, I had said there would be a range of audios coming out in 2019. That has since changed, and all future audio productions are on hold for the moment. Thus far, this year alone, I’ve had 9 or 10 already, which is a LOT. The production of Sir has been scheduled for later in the year and that will be happening. I also believe Nova Praetorian will be out sometime soon as well, but apart from these two titles, audios will slow down for a while.
Thank you for understanding.
WIP UPDATE
Tallowwood is now with my editor (yay!) and I’ve started something new! It’s only very new – this week has been kinda stressful in dealing with some stuff and was not kind for productivity and words, but I have started it so that’s something I guess. I can’t say much more about this new book than that at this point because it’s secret squirrel stuff. But it will be a lot of fun and I’m certain my readers’ will love it!
Okies, that’s it for this week. Until then…
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Blind Faith is on Kindle Unlimited
If you haven’t read my Blind Faith series, it will be free for a short period through Kindle Unlimited.
Blind Faith will be free 30th September to 4th October
Starting a new job in a new town, veterinarian Carter Reece, makes a house call to a very special client.
Arrogant, moody and totally gorgeous, Isaac Brannigan has been blind since he was eight. After the death of his guide dog and best friend, Rosie, his partnership with his new guide dog, Brady, isn’t going well.
Carter tries to help both man and canine through this initiation phase, but just who is leading who?
Through These Eyes will be free 5th October to 9 October
Six months after we last met Carter Reece and Isaac Brannigan, they’re still very much in love. Moving in together, moving forward, life for these two is great until some life changing events occur. Isaac has a frightening setback and Carter’s world starts to unravel. Things become even more complicated and start to change for both men when Isaac’s new colleague enters the picture.
As Isaac struggles for what he really wants, it might just cost him what he needs the most.
Blindside will be free 10th October to 14th October
Mark Gattison has avoided love and commitment his entire adult life. Not interested in more than a one night stand or a brief encounter in a bathroom stall, he is the epitome of a good time.Will Parkinson is the guy who defends him, the guy who puts up with him, the guy Mark calls his best friend.
When Will becomes unsettled and a little distant, Mark takes it upon himself to find Will a boyfriend. Not familiar with the concept himself, Mark thinks Will needs someone to make him happy.
What Mark doesn’t know, is that he’s about to get blindsided. He’s about to get knocked off his feet by the one thing that’s been right in front of him the entire time.
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Can you see discrimination?
April 2nd is World Austism Awareness DayFact on Austism: People with autism may demonstrate above average levels of concentration, reliability and accuracy.~~~~~~So I’m taking part in RJ Scott’s April Blog Hop, aimed at discrimination and prejudice. When thinking about what form of discrimination I could write about, it seemed only fair that with my two recent releases, Blind Faith and Through These Eyes, that I approached the discrimination that blind people in our communities face on a daily basis.As a member of any community in the developed world, whether able sighted or not, we are entitled to basic human rights. So what are the rights of blind people? It is tempting to reply, no different from those of the sighted. We want a happy childhood; a good education; a satisfying job; a fulfilling family life; enjoyable leisure and social activities, and the chance to take a full part in public life. We want respect; esteem; affection; but above all recognition that we are citizens with full civil and human rights.More often than not, it’s not the perception of the blind person that they can’t do or perform certain tasks, but the opinions of able sighted people who think blind people aren’t capable.Many things able sighted people take for granted, are not a sure thing for those who are vision impaired. Things such as:Paid employment – probably the most trying. Some statistics I’ve read doing research for this blog post suggest anywhere between 80% – 95% of employers wouldn’t hire a blind person. Blind people have appropriate qualifications because they go to universities and colleges like anyone else, so why would a potential employer think their abilities to be any different? Is the fear of the unknown? Do they believe there will be extra needs? Extra cost?The answer to these questions is generally no.There are no other requirements or leniencies for blind people as there are for able sighted people, with one exception, which leads me to my next point.Technology – I think it’s safe to assume there are some jobs, for safety reasons for all involved, that blind people couldn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t do. Like being a driving instructor, or a pilot, or a brain surgeon. But most other jobs, are perfectly suitable. Office administrator, teacher, accountants, lawyers, social workers, counselors, academics… the list is long.The most critical component in making these professions vision-impaired-friendly, is technology.The aid of different technologies has progressed the ease and proficiency in which blind people can do almost anything. Such as screen readers, text-to-voice, audio text, computer integrated reading software and Braille note takers.So do employers have to provide such technologies for employees? Yes, they do. Not all are too expensive and many governments have funding to encourage such employments under the various Discrimination Acts.But there are still employers who won’t make the concession. Though in many instances, if the employer has less than a certain amount of staff and deemed a “small-business owner”, s/he is exempt from this legal obligation. This makes it difficult for blind people living in smaller towns.Renting an apartment – Many blind people have reported discrimination in this regard, particularly if they have a guide dog. There was one instance where a ‘control caller’ phoned some 100 real estate agents and asked about availability of apartments. Then the same agents were phoned again, citing the applicant had a guide-dog, and the differences were alarming.Two landlords said guide dogs weren’t allowed at all. Three said only little dogs were allowed. (Ever seen a Chihuahua seeing eye dog?) Six said there was an extra fee for tenants with a guide dog. Two said guide dogs were allowed, but only in ground-floor units.
Using public transport – This is a big one, and one encountered frequently. Thankfully, times and perceptions are changing. In the 1960’s blind people – even professional, self-sufficient adults – weren’t allowed to travel unaccompanied, insinuating they were child-like and not mentally capable.But still, there are issues and regarding safety and accessibility that still exist today. Whether using a cane, or a guide dog, blind people encounter issues pertaining to ignorance and discrimination on a daily basis.In my two books, Blind Faith and Through These Eyes, the public transport issue is something Isaac encounters. He works at a school for the blind, so his employment is strictly catered to his needs and there are very limited discrimination issues there.Throughout the course of the two books, Carter realizes just how much discrimination Isaac, as a blind man, encounters. Issues with taking a guide dog in public, into restaurants, onto public transport, even shopping. When Isaac needs a new laptop, the sales assistant first ignores Isaac, and then speaks to him slowly and loudly, like he was mentally inept or deaf.As ridiculous as this sounds, this is something the blind community encounters often. If you see or encounter a blind person, on the street or in a shopping center who looks a little lost or unsure, introduce yourself politely and ask if you can help. They are, above everything else, just a person.If, god forbid, you see a blind person who is encountering a form of discrimination, again introduce yourself politely and ask if you can help. Because it’s our right as human beings to speak up for those who are being discriminated against.So, enough with the serious, and on to the fun stuff.I’m giving away a copy of BLIND FAITH and THROUGH THESE EYES. Yep, two books!!First, we have Blind Faith…
BlurbStarting a new job in a new town, veterinarian Carter Reece, makes a house call to a very special client.Arrogant, moody and totally gorgeous, Isaac Brannigan has been blind since he was eight. After the death of his guide dog and best friend, Rosie, his partnership with his new guide dog, Brady, isn’t going well.Carter tries to help both man and canine through this initiation phase, but just who is leading whom?Then Through These Eyes
BlurbSix months after we last met Carter Reece and Isaac Brannigan, they’re still very much in love. Moving in together, moving forward, life for these two is great until some life changing events occur. Isaac has a frightening setback and Carter’s world starts to unravel. Things become even more complicated and start to change for both men when Isaac’s new colleague enters the picture.As Isaac struggles for what he really wants, it might just cost him what he needs the most.~~~~~~Now, something on a little more personal note from me…I’ve received a fair amount of harsh criticism for Isaac. Apparently many readers think he’s too obnoxious, too bratty, too rude and too cold. Apparently Carter deserves someone who’s nicer and deserves someone who’s capable of love, because apparently Isaac is not. I believe the term “most despised character ever written” has been used a few times.I don’t mind criticism (if it’s constructive and fair) and to be honest, if someone says they hate the character then that’s more of a compliment than an insult because the reader felt something. Making a reader feel something, in any form of emotional response, is the aim of every writer – it means I’ve done my job.But to outweigh that, I’ve also had two reviews and an email, from people who have lived with, loved, married someone who lost their sight, and said the descriptions of Isaac’s anger, resentment and frustrations, and his defensive walls, were spot on. Absolutely 100% correct.It’s reviews from people who have lived through what Isaac and Carter were living through, and applauded the not-so-pleasant reality that I created, that makes me love Isaac that little bit more.
For your chance to win a copy of Blind Faith and Through These Eyes, please leave a comment stating if you had to lose one of your senses, which would you choose, and why? I’ll be choosing a winner at the end of April (yep, the contest will be up for all of April).The link back to RJ’s site, and so you can continue the blog hop, is RJ’s April Blog Hop! -
Through These Eyes and Other News
I have news!!First of all, I have Through These Eyes cover art!!
By the amazing Sara York! Isn’t it just beautiful?And to celebrate the soon-to-be-released sequel to Blind Faith, I thought I’d post an excerpt straight from how the story starts.CHAPTER 1“Carter, for God’s sake, would you hurry up?”
I smiled into the bathroom mirror as I pulled on one of his shirts. “Keep your pants on.”
“If you don’t hurry the fuck up, I’ll be keeping them on,” Isaac called back to me from down the hall. “Permanently.”
I snorted. “Well, if I had my own clothes here…” I trailed off, waiting for him to bite back, knowing this conversation – one we’d had many times – annoyed him.
“I’ll go start the car,” I heard him mumble, and I laughed. Then the front door closed.
Shit.
“Isaac!” I stumbled out of the bathroom door, hopping on one foot, trying to put on my shoe, trying to stop him from getting in behind the steering wheel and starting my car. I almost fell down the hall, with my shoe half on and my jeans undone, to find Isaac still standing inside at the front door.
Looking gorgeous in his pricey jeans, expensive shirt and tight-fitted, designer sunglasses, the self-righteous bastard smiled. “Thought that might get your attention.”
Standing up straight, wedging my foot into my shoe and doing up the fly on my jeans, I looked at my boyfriend. My blind boyfriend. Then I looked at the golden Labradorat his feet, his guide dog. “Well, Brady,” I said to the dog. “It seems Isaac thinks he’s funny.”
Isaac grinned, smugly. “Are you finally ready?” he asked, again. He held out my wallet and keys. “You know my sister doesn’t have a baby every day, Carter. I’d like to get to the hospital some time before my niece starts middle school.”
Instead of taking my wallet and keys, I took his face in my hands and kissed him. “Shut up and get in the car.”
By the time we had Brady harnessed into the backseat and were on our way to Carney Hospital, he was still complaining. “Seriously, Carter. How long should it take?”
“I was at work,” I said, again. “I had to get changed! I could hardly turn up in my work clothes.” Spending my days as a vet, tending to an array of animals, didn’t make for clean work clothes. I changed gears and weaved through some traffic, looking from the cars in front of me to Isaac. “You know, if I had my own clothes at your place, it wouldn’t take so long. I wouldn’t have to go through your wardrobe to find clothes that fit me.”
Isaac sighed dramatically. “Haven’t we had this conversation?”
Yes. Yes, we had. But he didn’t want me to move in with him. At all. It had stung when he’d first told me he didn’t want me to live with him. I’d brought it up, considering we’d been together for a year, thinking it was the next step for us, thinking it was what he’d want. But he didn’t. He liked his independence, he’d said. He liked things just the way they were. He didn’t want us to be in each other’s pockets, he’d said. It hurt to know he didn’t want me to move in, but since then, the subject had now become a bit of a joke between us.
Usually, I’d make a joke of it and he’d sigh or change the subject. Or tickle me. Or throw something at me.“Yes, we have had this conversation before.”
“And how long are we going to continue to have it?”
“Until you agree for me to move in.”
“So a long while, then?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “Apparently.” I reached over the console and took his hand. “What time did you get the call about Hannah?”
“Carlos phoned me at work this morning to say she’d gone into labor, but not to hurry, because they thought it’d be hours,” he said. “But then he called me again after lunch to tell me it was all over.”
I looked at the clock on the dash, and like he could see what I’d just done, he added, “That was over an hour ago.”
I knew he was anxious. His sister meant the world to him, and the new addition to the Brannigan clan was the best news they’d had in a long time. I lifted our joined hands and kissed his knuckles.
“I did leave work four hours early. I got to your place as fast as I could.”
He sighed again, and squeezed my hand. “It’s okay. The bus took forever anyway.”
“Why won’t you let me drive you to work?”
“Because you don’t need to be driving out of your way for me, when you live five minutes from your work,” he said. “And I’m a big boy. I can catch the bus to work if I want to.”
I looked at the man in the passenger seat beside me, at his dark brown hair, his chiseled jaw and trademark Armani sunglasses. The beautiful, stubborn, completely infuriating man. “It’s hardly out of my way. It’d take me twenty minutes tops,” I started, but he cut me off.
“Carter,” he said sternly, in that I-can’t-believe-I-have-to-say-this-out-loud tone he gets when he thinks he’s stating the obvious. “Brady and I are just fine on the bus, thank you.”
I held in a sigh and bit back the exasperated comment that threatened to snap at him. You’d think after being together for over twelve months I’d be used to it by now. But no, I wasn’t really. I wasn’t often offended by his snide comments anymore, but the frustration still weighed in.
Dropping any conversation pertaining to how independent he was, I asked, “So did Carlos tell you what they called the baby?”
“No,” he shook his head and smiled softly. “Just that mother and daughter were doing well.”
When I pulled the car over and to a stop, Isaac turned his face toward to me. “Why did we stop? We haven’t been driving for long enough to be at the hospital. Carter, what the hell are you doing? We’re late enough!”
I waited for his little tirade to be over. “I’m aware of that, Isaac,” I said slowly. “I stopped at a florist so we could bring Hannah some flowers. Is that okay?”
Isaac sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I just saw it and decided it was a good idea.”
He sighed. “Just don’t take long.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I rolled my eyes dramatically, though that silent trait was lost on him. Two minutes later, I opened the passenger door of the Jeep and handed Isaac the ridiculously overpriced teddy bear and bouquet of pink flowers with matching balloon. He pulled his face back in surprise, so I kissed his cheek. “Now you can’t say I’ve never given you flowers.”
I got back in behind the wheel and Isaac was smelling the flowers. After I’d pulled the Jeep out into traffic and we were nearly at the hospital, he said, “You haven’t, you know.”
“I haven’t what?”
“Given me flowers.”
I looked from him to the traffic in front of us, back to him, trying to decide if he was serious… I mean, no, I’d never brought him flowers, but I was trying to decide if he cared. “Would you like me to? Bring you flowers?”
“Not if I have to ask you for them.”
“Then I shall bring you flowers.” I chuckled, and shook my head. “When you don’t expect it.”
“Well now you’ve mentioned it, I’ll be expecting it.”
I sighed out a laugh. “Will I ever win an argument?”
Isaac smiled. “Not if I’m the one you’re arguing with.”
I laughed as I drove my Jeep into the parking lot of the hospital. Pulling into a spot, I turned the ignition off. “Well, come on. Let’s go meet the newest Brannigan.”
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In other news, Total e-Bound has said they’d love to have my other books!!!!
Yes!! So that means Taxes and TARDIS, Three’s Company and Point of No Return will have a new home soon!!
AND
Breaking Point (Point of No Return 2) and Starting Point (Point of No Return 3) as well!!!!
I will be adding about another 10K to PoNR 1, so the new release will be a little longer, but essentially not different.
I’ve been waiting for months for this very good news, so I’m very excited to share it with you all!!
I can’t wait to move forward and start my writing career over with a new (to me), exciting publisher such as TEB.
Thanks for all staying with me, and I hope to have some more news on release dates soon.
Oh, and speaking of which, Through These Eyes (Blind Faith 2) should be up in a few days!!THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!
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