Better Nature Release
It's finally here! It's been a year and half, but I'm so happy to finally share Better Nature with you.
Everything in Amelia Hoffman's life has led to this. An evil plot threatens to destroy humanity and the future of the human race lies in Amelia's hands. Working through the tensions between Otherworld species, torn between two men and squabbling with her siblings—all while trying to get a college degree. The pressure is a killer—literally. Does she have what it takes to save the world?
Author Bio:
Elizabeth Sharp is a self-proclaimed techno geek, I live in a quiet subdivision with my husband, one-year-old son, and far too many cats. My addiction to Facebook is dwarfed only by my addiction to Dr. Pepper. She learned to read by the time she was three, thanks to her sister Theresa. Since she was always a storyteller, Elizabeth started writing as soon as she learned how.
A naturally crafty person, Elizabeth makes jewelry, sews, crochets, and crates digital art, when hse isn't chasing after a toddler. Her favorite holiday is Halloween, because it's the only day of the year you can be whatever you want to be.
You connect with Elizabeth through
Facebook,
Twitter or
Goodreads.
Now for ways to win. check out
Elizabeth's blog, where she has a Rafflecopter to win several amazing prize packs. Or follow this list of link to find and unscramble a nature quote by Albert Einstein.
If you want to learn more about The Forces of Nature, you can find all three books on Amazon.
Natural Selection ~ Book One
What do you do when you find out your family isn't your family, death is knocking at your door, and that guy you can't stop thinking about knows more about who you are than you do?
Amelia Hoffman was just a normal 15 year old until she found out the truth. Now ancient myths, supernatural beings, and murder have changed everything. Tests and school dances are no longer the biggest worry in her life-- she has to figure out how to save everyone she loves and accept the future in front of her before its too late.
Second Nature ~ Book Two
Amelia Hoffman always knew she would be with Nathaniel Peplow forever, but after they bonded everything started to go wrong. Nate treats her like the enemy, her siblings are in danger, and an old threat grows closer. As Nate pulls away and Amelia’s burgeoning friendship with a handsome stranger blossoms, she worries she made the biggest mistake of her life. If sorting out her love life wasn’t enough, a new drug emerges that not only threatens the ones she loves, but seems to be part of something larger than she could ever imagine. Amelia’s new and old friends must work together to not only save themselves, but the whole world.
Better Nature ~ Book Three
Everything in Amelia Hoffman's life has led to this. An evil plot threatens to destroy humanity and the future of the human race lies in Amelia's hands. Working through the tensions between Otherworld species, torn between two men and squabbling with her siblings—all while trying to get a college degree. The pressure is a killer—literally. Does she have what it takes to save the world?
Available in paperback,
Kindle,
Nook, and other formats to come.
I'm so proud to share my new release with the world. If you are intrigued but want a peek into the book, here's the first chapter for you.
Chapter One
I shoved my books into my backpack as the other students stampeded for the exits. School had only been back in session for about a week, but my fellow classmates seemed to be sick of it already. As I swung the bag on my shoulder and stood, a voice calling my name made me stop. I turned to find the teaching assistant beckoning me from the front.
I didn’t know too much about her. Her name was Molly Flannigan, and she was one of the fringe elements, a class of Otherworlders who lived and worked on the fringes of human society. I couldn’t be more specific because I didn’t want to get close enough. If I could sense her, she could sense me as well. My life had taught me the importance of caution. Some very powerful people had spent a lot of time and energy trying to kill me.
With a sigh I walked to the front of the room, trying not to show the reluctance I truly felt. I tucked behind my ear a strand of copper hair that had escaped my ponytail and bit my lip as I came to stop in front of her.
“I wanted to talk to you about your paper, Miss Hoffman.” She studied me with her strange vibrantly aqua eyes. I was starting to wonder if all Otherworlders had strange eyes, or if it was just the ones in my life.
“Was there something wrong with it? I included a thorough bibliography.”
She adamantly shook her head, holding up a hand to stop the tumble of words escaping me. “That’s not it at all, Miss Hoffman, I am intrigued by your topic.”
“Witchcraft through the ages? What’s wrong with that? This is religious history.”
“Oh, nothing. You just seem to know an awful lot about the subject, and it made me curious. Are you a practitioner?”
I glanced around the room, but the only people I saw were two girls giggling over a flier on the bulletin at the back of the room. I lowered my voice anyway. “Look, Molly, let’s be honest about this. You know as well as I do the truth about witches. Do you have any idea how impossible it is to sort out the facts from the stories humans believe? I am simultaneously studying human history and Otherworld history. If I crossed my facts, please correct me, but I feel certain everything in that paper is backed up with regular books from regular libraries.”
“Otherworld? I have no idea what you’re talking about, Miss Hoffman.”
I did a double take, convinced the girl was messing with me, but all I saw on her face was confusion and a little worry, probably because now she thought she was alone with a mad woman. Had I been wrong? I concentrated on her, but only confirmed what I already knew, adding a bit to it. She was a banshee, but she had no idea about herself, it seemed.
“Do you… know you’re different?” I asked her hesitantly.
“Everyone’s different.” She waved her hand dismissively.
“Not like that. Do you know what you can do?”
Molly jumped and glanced around, her eyes darting to the exits as if looking for an escape route. She lowered her voice so I had to strain to hear it. “You mean the shadows, and the screaming?”
I closed my eyes, relieved that she had an idea something about her was different. I suddenly appreciated the difficult task of explaining this crazy world hidden in myths and legends. “I don’t know how to break it to you gently, Molly, but you’re a banshee.”
“A banshee? I think you must be mistaken, Miss Hoffman.”
“Lia.”
“Lia. I am a normal girl from the sticks, trying to get my degree so I can go on a dig in Ireland this summer. I am most definitely not a banshee.”
“Oh, really? So you don’t get an unexplainably sad feeling when you see a person with a dark shadow. That sadness doesn’t build inside you until you can no longer fight the urge to scream. But when you do, the world gets hazy, with the colors all washed out, with one vibrant light, so bright you can’t even look at it. Sound about right?”
Molly nodded silently, her eyes wide and her jaw hanging open. I could tell she had no words, so I continued. “You obviously don’t know who you are, which is a little remarkable. But you are a banshee, Molly. And if you want to know more…” I pulled a pen out of my backpack and wrote on her hand. “… Call me. I can help.”
She nodded silently and watched my every move as I backed away a couple of steps before turning and heading out the door. I had met a few Otherworlders who had grown up without knowing what they were, but I’d never met one who stayed in the dark about it as long as Molly had. Most of us came into our powers during puberty. I couldn’t imagine struggling with something that long without any idea what was happening. And I thought I’d had it rough dealing with my family’s protective silence.
I made my way to the cafeteria, where I found Nate sitting at a table near the windows. His empty bowl sat forgotten beside him and his chin rested in his hand as he morosely watched the cold February wind beating at students as they hurried across the quad. Even though he’d changed drastically from the boy who had run out on me, I hadn’t gotten over the pain he’d caused. And until I did there was no chance of me being able to move past it. In the meantime, he was wallowing in his own misery and giving me puppy dog looks when he thought I couldn’t see. It’s not like I wanted to string him along, but some hurts can’t be fixed with just an I’m sorry.
I pulled out the chair across from him and dropped into it. Letting my bag slide off my shoulder to the floor, I fished out the twin to his ceramic dish, filled with Sariah’s homemade grilled chicken salad. I had never fully appreciated the ability to eat the greasy junk that passed for food in cafeterias across the country. Now if I tried to eat the mystery meat, my stomach cramped and I would feel ill for hours. And that didn’t take into account that it tasted even worse to me now than it ever had before. I maintained an extensive garden and got fresh meat from a friend in Vermont when I needed it, since even organic food isn’t always all natural. Spearing a piece a chicken, I nibbled on it as Nate finally noticed me and smiled.
“How goes the college experience?”
I shrugged. “Overrated. Do you have any idea how difficult even the simplest history assignment becomes, knowing what I do?”
Nate gave me the lopsided grin that still made my heart speed up a bit. “Try biology sometime.” He barked a laugh.
“So what do you have left for the day?” Nate and I car pooled to school each day since he didn’t have a car. My family and I were more than willing to buy him one, but he insisted on paying for everything himself. While my parents had squirreled away enough money that my siblings and I could live a lavish life without ever having to work, Nate’s parents hadn’t left him anything. Since we technically didn’t even have a full high school education, finding a decent paying job was next to impossible. And that’s not mentioning all the times we had to leave abruptly to deal with Otherworld matters.
“I have psych and sociology. You?”
I grimaced. “I’m done for the day as far as class goes, but I need to go to the library and research a Western Civilization paper.”
Nate frowned. Everyone around me was so over protective, despite the fact that I had never actually gotten into any trouble while on my own. It was so bad when I had first started college I caught my brother sitting in the back of one of my classes a few times, and ran into my sister in the bookstore. There had been quite a few arguments between us, but when Nate enrolled this semester things had calmed down. How his presence made a difference I don’t know. I’d never been captured and tortured. I suppose we were stronger when we were together. Still, I couldn’t imagine what kind of trouble I could get into in the on-campus library.
“You can’t be going off on your own, Lia.”
“Why not? I’m not leaving campus and I’ll just be sitting in the library looking at books.” I shrugged. “I don’t think I can get into any trouble there. I’ll let you walk me there and I’ll stay until you come get me.”
“I don’t think you should go off on your own.” I glared at him. He raised a brow and met my eyes challengingly. He leaned back in his chair with a lazy shrug. “Xander made me promise not to let you wander off by yourself. I’m lucky he didn’t make me enroll in all your classes.”
I threw my hands up with an exasperated huff. When would my family learn to trust me on my own? I gave Nate a long look before I grimaced and slid my phone out. If Nate wanted to be stubborn, I could play this game too. Before I could even put my phone back in my pocket, I noticed Dylan striding confidently into the cafeteria. I gave Nate a smug look.
“Now I won’t be alone.”
Nate groaned as his eyes landed on the angel. “Tell me you were at least smart enough to make sure you weren’t seen.”
“I’m not an idiot. I traveled to the bathroom that’s out of order.” He pointed over his shoulder and I flashed Nate a saccharin smile. Ok, maybe I was being petty, but I was capable of taking care of myself, despite what my entire family seemed to think.
Nate grumbled something as Dylan sat. The grumpy gaia gathered his dishes and shoved them in his bag before giving me a long look. I fought the urge to squirm in guilt before he stood and turned to Dylan.
“Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”
As my brows shot up in indignation, he gave me one last firm look before walking out. I wasn’t sure the satisfied feeling I’d gotten when he saw Dylan was worth it anymore.
