Do you believe in ESP and Angels? I do. There’s a reason I write paranormal romance books. This is the story of how I became an author.

I love to write almost as much as I love to read. I had always wanted to write a book and put it out into the world until a college professor told me I’d never be good enough. So, I put that dream away even though I continued to write while following my husband who was in the Air Force around the world.

In late 2010, I joined a writing group who met once a month at the county library. I took workshops on writing and psychic healing modalities while working on my psychic gifts. I was recovering from an illness and financial difficulty and couldn’t work. Writing a novel became a “Bucket List” item, the fulfillment of a life-long dream. I worked on visualizing my success and believing in myself.

In early January 2011, I went to one of the healing workshops I liked to attend and announced that I was going to manifest the e-publishing of my book. I felt the energy come in and happily went on my way knowing that somehow I would bring this into the world.

I continued to write, and started volunteering with the Arts Foundation that sponsored the writing group, but I didn’t work on revising “Alpha’s Mate” (my first novel) much at all. I knew it was too short, but I wasn’t feeling anything coming in. I often get a dream or ‘get inspired’ by something that leads me to write.

In June, while serving on the board of the Arts Foundation, I met a woman who was also writing a book, a civil war historical fiction. We hit it off right away.

As we got to know each other, It came out that she was also psychic and a ghost hunter. I was excited to find someone who shared that other world and similar experiences. She mentioned that she was going to the Universal Light Expo in October. I hinted around that I would like to go, but she said “no” as it was to be a special trip for her and a girlfriend. I really felt like I was supposed to go with her, but I put it out of my mind. From attending workshops and learning more about the metaphysical world, I had realized that my number one spiritual gift is: knowing. However, I also feel you can’t push the Universe. Things will come when they come.

I got really busy with my volunteering. Suddenly, the holidays were looming and October was here. I received a call from my friend, who asked me if I wanted to go with her tomorrow to the Universal Light Expo. Her other friend became ill and had to cancel. Everything was already paid for I just needed money for food and souvenirs. My husband said he didn’t mind and we laughed when I said, “see I knew I was supposed to go.”

My friend suggested I get on-line to see the list of vendors and who offered readings. Once I choose someone I’d need to go to his or her location at the Expo and get on his or her list first thing when we arrived to get an appointment or miss my chance at one.

I agreed and went online. I found someone who looked interesting, checked out her website, took a chance, and emailed her for an appointment. She wrote me into her calendar and gave me a time in the afternoon. I had just saved myself from running around when we first arrived at the Expo and took the ease of scheduling to be a sign from the divine.

I packed my bags to have a grand adventure. I’d never been to Columbus, Ohio. But I love to travel and was excited about the opportunity. My friend and I drove through beautiful fall foliage and checked into a lovely suite downtown.

We went to the Expo the next day and had a great time. Afternoon came along and it was time for my reading with Judee. She used tarot cards to help focus her energy and asked me why I was getting a reading when I should be giving them. I explained that she was my ‘back up,’ so I’d know I was getting a clear message that wasn’t my ego talking.

She understood and pulled the first card.

“You have a book in your future, in fact, I see three books. But you are way behind. You should have the first one out already. I see you on roller-skates, so get ready things are going to happen quickly. The third book will make you famous. It’s supposed to be a self-help kind of book.”

My first reaction to her words was guilt. I’d been really lazy about getting “Alpha’s Mate” completed. The Universe had already given me the clue which book to publish first when, at a healing workshop, a lady told me she picked up the name “Violet,” the heroine in “Alpha’s Mate.” I decided right then I needed to get to work and publish my book like I’d said I would.

Then I thought about the non-fiction book comment. I’d never written non-fiction before except for term papers in college. How was I supposed to know what to write? I decided that Judee misinterpreted the message. I was focused on “Alpha’s Mate.”

When we returned home I pulled up “Alpha’s Mate” and set to writing. I added some foreshadowing, wrote a new scene, and reworked others, and finally the word count was up to 41,000. The book was done and I gave it to friends to read. Everyone loved it.

I joined an author’s support group called “Selling Your Novel Idea.” I started researching different e-publishing sites. I asked my friends in the writer’s group for advice and I asked the authors in the support group for advice. I was in high gear and flying.

I started researching how to format the book and how to convert it into the different E-publishing files. My friend and mentor told me which sites she used. I researched the fine print. Did they charge a fee up front? Did they charge you an annual fee? Remember, I didn’t have a lot of money I could use to pay someone else to do this for me. It took me hours to get through all the small print.

I consulted my friends about the energies of the New Year. I was really feeling led to release the book on New Year’s Day 2012. They talked about the energy of Capricorn and stuff I really didn’t know much about. But these were my friends and I knew they would steer me in the right direction. So, it looked like New Year’s Day was the day to publish.

The morning dawns brightly. Here we were at the beginning of 2012. I went to Amazon to upload the book and their site was having technical work done. I started to panic. Was I doing something wrong? Nope, it was just that Amazon thought people had better things to do than upload books on New Year’s Day.

So I went to Smashwords and uploaded there. Everything went through smoothly. No errors were found. I uploaded my picture and bio to the site and gave a sigh of relief that at least my book was up on one site.

We drove to my son’s apartment to celebrate New Years and watch the Rose Parade on TV. I took my little HP mini and the flash drive with my book files. I really didn’t want to miss this release day. I knew I needed to get this book out today. I had this sense of urgency that I was behind and I needed to get this done.

I tried Amazon and the site was still down. So, I watched the Rose Parade and visited with my daughter-in-law. She’d received a Kindle for Christmas and wanted to be the first to download my book.

Finally, after the parade was over, I was able to get the book to upload on Amazon without a problem. I’d priced it at ninety-nine cents since I was an unknown author.

I’d never thought past that point. I was so proud of myself for getting it done. I realized how the Universe had helped me and pushed me to get it out there. I sent emails to all my friends and family. Then I put a notification on Facebook with the links. One of my beta readers put notices on her Facebook page and on her reader’s group page. I was in business.

I gave a huge sigh of happiness and release. I accomplished my goal, which I had been working on for two years. I gave myself a pat on the back and did a happy dance. Two hours later my daughter-in-law downloaded the book onto her Kindle. It was official I was an author.

The rest of January I researched and learned how to put a website up on WordPress and started a blog, which I titled “Moon-Kissed.” I watched the other authors in my genre and I knew that marketing meant getting your name out there and making a connection with your readers.

My husband and I celebrated when I broke into Amazon’s top 5000. I wasn’t expecting anything, so each new step forward was a reason to celebrate. I kept reading online about how to market a book. My author’s support group gave me ideas. My writers group celebrated my success. The book moved to 1028 on the Amazon list and then 125.

All the messages I kept getting from my angels were “Yes, you’re on the right track. Good things are coming. You’re going to get your heart’s desire.”

Now, I write three different paranormal romance series and I am just about to release my second book for psychic kids. I probably wouldn’t have done it at all if my Angels and the universe hadn’t pushed me.

For information please visit CarynMoyaBlock.com

Coming April 25, 2016

 

Trapped In Shadow

Book Four in the Shadow Walker Tribe Romance Series

Stacey Johnson is all about secrets. She’s an operative for the government and kills people on command. Love has no place in her life. Even when she dreams about Hugh Thunder Hoof, the one man who makes her wish for a different lifestyle. With him she can believe that happy endings are possible.

Hugh Thunder Hoof, Shadow Walker, left the service after being injured. Now he walks with a slight limp. The one thing he still craves from that crazy lifestyle is his last partner, Stacey Johnson. When she shows up in his life five years later, he thinks he’ll finally get his wish. But Stacey isn’t going to make it easy on him and once again when the mission is finished she disappears. Only this time, he’s going after her.

Excerpt:

“Target is entering the building. Mission is a go, Stinger.”

Stinger readied the poison ring and nonchalantly walked across the lobby of the five star hotel. The marble floors bounced the light of the crystal chandeliers illuminating the room in a warm glow. Her stiletto heels clicked out a message of death with each step. The noise blended with the conversations of the movers and shakers of Washington D.C. who mingled with upper class tourists and visiting international dignitaries.

Tonight, she went by the name of Linda Howell. Her cover being a starlet that just had her big break. A bright red wig covered her normally blond hair and her outfit dripped trè chic.

Her target, a South American arms dealer selling to America’s enemies, walked in the door. With a jolt, Stinger was surprised to see a small girl holding the man’s hand. She skipped to keep up with the large stride of the adult, her dark curls bouncing with every step. Nobody mentioned a child in the mission briefing, only a spouse the target had eliminated. The little girl looked to be around six, the same age Stinger was when covert agents murdered her mother.

“What’s with the little girl?” she whispered through the two-way radio piece in her ear, signaling her partner waiting outside.

Amazon Link:  http://amzn.com/B01D6NA95S

BIO:

Caryn Moya Block burst onto the paranormal romance scene with her debut e-book Alpha’s Mate in January of 2012, which won the “Global Ebook Award for 2012” in contemporary romance. She was also named one of the “Top 50 Indie Authors for April 2012” from E-Reader Reviews. A Siberian Werewolf in Paris was chosen as a finalist in the 2014 RomCon.com Readers’ Choice Awards in the paranormal category.

Caryn has continued to write, giving her readers three different series to choose from,  The Shadow Walkers Romance Series, The Witch Guardian Romance Series, and the very popular, Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series.

She also has two children’s books published under the pen name Caryn Block and has her new adult non-fiction book, “Joy, My Journey of Awakening.”

Caryn loves romantic movies and stories that end “Happily Ever After.” She is an avid reader and writer who lives in the Virginia Piedmont. Her pack consists of her husband of more than thirty years, two grown sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and two granddaughters, as well as a cat, a turtle, and three Shetland sheepdogs. She suffers from “Multiple Sheltie Syndrome,” because one is never enough. After seeing her first ghost when she was three, she has been intrigued with the paranormal. She would love to hear from you at: CarynMoyaBlock@gmail.com

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