With Gabriela Whitley: The Rise of the kingdom available online for both Amazon and Barnes and Noble, I find myself searching deeply for the answer that will break it open to all the retailers. That road is perilous yet achievable and requires much more devotion than I have given it. But I have found that opportunity is in my hands and I have found the confidence to push forward and make it happen. How, you ask?

I recently submitted this novel to receive the Kirkus Indie Review. When the review came in, a shock wave of fear and excitement shot through me as I picked up the sheet to read it. At first, it started off with their summary of the novel and my impatience to skip down to the bottom of the review tried to take over, yet my fear of their opinions kept me reading it with sweaty palms. After I read it, I was astonished (though I shouldn't be with the raves I had already received) and couldn't believe what I had read. So, I had to reread it. As I read it, slowly, I giggled and felt tears sting my eyes. This was exactly what I needed to get me motivated again.

My submissions have kept me busy as well as writing the second novel (and my family, of course), which is almost complete and makes it hard to keep up with blogging (especially when you can't break free from the romance and devastation within the second part of the story). With this review, I feel my chances have increased for notice-ability and hopefully will lead to my ultimate dream. 

A brief message from the review: Though this novel was described as a typical vampire story (which is true for this first book in it's series.), it also claims to be highly readable. I encourage you to visit my website and read the review in it's entirety.

lyanajo.wix.com/lyanajo

1st Marriage Anniversary Bliss

After an entire year of marriage, I am settled in and still very deeply, happily in love with this husband of mine. They always said that the first year would be the hardest and I admit there were some challenges to tackle, but some of the challenges weren't even in our hands and left to our lord above, yet they never interefered with our deep devotion to each other.

Every evening when we snuggle into bed, we hold each other tight and stare into each other's eyes and say something that we are feeling and leaving the other smiling before we drift off into dreamland. Every morning when we wake up, we remind each other how thankful we are to have crossed paths (three years ago), thank you to our Lord Father Above. My husband always reminds me, that because of me, it's so tough to get out of bed each morning and "go do that work thing." I giggle, not letting him go for just another minute, if only we had forever to stay here in this moment. But we do disentangle because we must provide for our family.
That moment when the clock says five p.m., I'm bustling in the kitchen cooking dinner for our family, which my husband should be home in fifteen or twenty minutes, I'm so ready to kiss him and tell him I love him, though most likely I will still be over the stove and he will walk in, smile, and after taking off his dirt-clogged, steel-toed boots, would walk behind me and wrap his arms around me, nibble on my ear and tell me he loves me, which then I find myself kissing him deeply, forgetting what I'm doing as we are lost in our passion. However, my boy or Tex, our pup, would find a way to break the moment not long after it had begun and we would resume our tasks at hand.


Finding love was the most amazing moment in my life, (next to the birth of my son) and I wish every relationship the same warm fuzzy feelings that I feel inside every day. In this lifetime, we will live happily ever after.