Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles receives Siren Books Best Stone Review

I am blown away, yet again, at such an amazing review of Shadow of Death.

Here's a snippet:

This is a fabulous story, well conceived and illustrated in such a way that the reader will not put it down until they’ve completed it...You cannot miss with Karen’s book. You will love it. If you haven’t read the first one yet, start there and then you too will be waiting impatiently for book number three. This is the kind of story that leaves you both begging for more...

To read the whole review:
http://sirenbookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/04/karen-dales-shadow-of-death-book-two-of.html

Karen Dales
Award Winning Author
http://www.karendales.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenDales
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/karendales

Facebook Group: http://tinyurl.com/cn27xa
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/karendalesauthor

Wait patiently and the Universe WILL provide.

I wasn't planning on posting today, but after what happened I just had too.

I first thought I should twitter or facebook this as a status, but again, too many words.

My husband has his computer in our living room. The desk it sits on is old and it's the wrong height. It's also a bit of an eyesore for me. For several years we've wanted to replace the desk, but whenever we went looking the desks we saw were either had the wrong dimensions, the wrong set up or just too expensive. We've decided to be patient.

The other factor to his desk and how his computer sits on it is that I can't work on it at all. This means whenever I want to quickly check email, etc, when he's not on it, I have to go into my office. It's no big deal, but hey. I like to spend time with my family.

This has been going on for a long time.

Today, on the way home from picking up our son from school, my husband and I drove. (Thank you rain storm.) On the way there we didn't notice anything. On the way back we saw what appeared to be this brand new computer desk. In fact, it was the one that my husband had/has been wanting for quite some time. It was just sitting there on the curb of a neighbour amidst their other garbage.

We stopped. Hit the hazards. Hubby jumped out of the car to take a look at it.

He couldn't put it into the car, but we were close enough, and it had wheels, that he was able to walk home with it.

Once home we dried it off and looked at it. There was no doubt. It was the desk that went for $200 from Staples and it worked perfectly! My husband has his new desk and my son (who is outgrowing the kids desk we have for his computer in the living room too) is going to get the one my husband didn't like, but will work perfectly for the Bug.

It was yet another clear lesson, and proof, that if one is patient the Universe will provide.

By the way, today's my husband's birthday:)

Karen Dales
Award Winning Author
http://www.karendales.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenDales
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/karendales

Facebook Group: http://tinyurl.com/cn27xa
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/karendalesauthor

Awesome review for Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles

I just heard today that the review of my book Changeling: Prelude to the Chosen Chronicles from Sizzling Hot Books is now up!

Here's a snippet:

"Changeling by Karen Dales was an amazing read...(it)kept me on the edge of my seat. I cant’ wait to read the next one to see where his path will lead."

Please feel free to read the whole review here! http://www.sizzlinghotbooks.net/2011/04/changeling-prelude-to-chosen-chronicles.html

Ad Astra and the Shadow of Death

This past weekend I was at Ad Astra http://www.ad-astra.org for their 30th anniversary.

For those of you who don't know what Ad Astra is, it is one of Canada's premier Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror literary convention that takes place in Toronto, Ontario. Because it was the 30th Anniversary there were many, many, past Guests of Honour, such as Ben Bova, Julie Czerneda,Eric Flint, Ed Greenwood, David G. Hartwell, Tanya Huff, Guy Gavriel Kay, Todd McCaffrey, Tamora Pierce, and Peter Watts. Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon made their first Canadian convention appearance too, though I didn’t get a chance to meet them.

There were other wonderful authors there as well such as Stephanie Bedwell-Grime, Marie Bilodeau, Robert Boyczuk, Erik Buchanan, JM Frey, James Alan Gardner, Nancy Kilpatrick, Adrienne Kress, Lesley Livingston, Derwin Mak, Stephen B. Pearl, Douglas Smith, Rob St. Martin, and of course, myself, just to name a few.

It was a fantastic weekend, for me the highlight was the Friday night where I launched my newest book in The Chosen Chronicles – Shadow of Death: Book Two of the Chosen Chronicles. I want to say thank you to the folks of Ad Astra for allowing me to take over the Con Suite to throw the party. It was a wonderful success. Lots of friends and family showed up and many others from the convention did as well. I did two readings from Shadow of Death and the little Chibi Chosen that I made were a complete success. Thanks to everyone who came out to make the launch so wonderful!

The rest of the weekend was great. On Saturday, my friend, Derek, helped out at my table, so I wave a thank you at him. People who couldn’t make it to the launch came by and bought books. I got to moderate a panel on “Writers and Relationships.” The panel went extremely well. It was nice to discuss these sorts of issues, but when we took a poll of the panelists as to relationship experience we found that all of us were part of long term committed relationships with creative folk. It would explain why we tended to agree with each other.:) We did remark that it would have been nice had someone who was an author and who was single on the panel to get their take on things.

I also participated in the large group signing that afternoon. It was fun. I got to sit with Adrienne Kress and Lesley Livingston. The place was packed with authors and artists signing for so many people.

Later that evening I was on the Vampires of the Future panel. By that point I was so punch drunk tired I don’t recall if I made any sense or not. I do remember it was a great panel moderated by Nancy Kilpatrick. After that I went home and crashed.

Sunday, the last day of the convention, was wonderful. Despite everyone being so tired I think many of us would have liked the convention to continue longer. I know I would have.:)