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I hear many peeps say it is hard to balance family life, work, writing, and sometimes more.
Would I call it a struggle? Hmm, that is always the million-dollar question.
Personally, it’s about discipline and dedication to achieve your goals and happiness.
DISCIPLINE, YOU SAY?! I work in IT Management, and sometimes that can be demanding, based on the schedule of releases, the government changes, and more. I am blessed with two children – luckily, one is graduating college, and the other is a senior in High School. Based on that alone, it takes discipline to keep my sanity with those items. How do I do that? The same way. Discipline! I set up certain parts of my schedule to accommodate both kids’ work and activities. Even though they are older and can entertain themselves, certain activities still require me to participate in – my daughter’s presentations at college (which involves traveling), my son’s senior high activities, and more.
While my writing does not take on the concept of plotting or scheduling out my novel’s chapters, my work and family life do. Dinner is the important meal we get together as a family to eat and talk (provided people are home). Now, to balance in writing. I set aside two hours a day at a minimum to write. I never set a word limit to reach because sometimes that puts extra pressure that I don’t need while being creative.
I have two different series that I am working on, along with standalone books. Having over EIGHT books out is quite an accomplishment, including one of the books becoming a movie. That’s another area I must balance in my life without going insane. As the author, I work closely with the filmmaker and the production manager to ensure they fully understand the novel and the characters created to be brought to life.
At the end of the day, it is trial and error in maintaining that balance between all the activities you have going on simultaneously. As I say in panels that I participate in – find what works for you and make it your own! Everything else falls into place quickly.
Heaven and Hell Series
Book One
Barb Jones
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
Publisher: Barb Jones
Date of Publication: Nov 30, 2022
ISBN: 9798218103446
ASIN: B0BLXMTCXC
Number of pages: 228
Word Count: 53,000 approx
Cover Artist: Brandie Kae
Tagline: Birthright, Protector, Heaven and Hell
Book Description: Birthright. Protector. Heaven. Hell.
A lone demon hunter, his true birthright unknown, roams the streets of Los Angeles, killing demons to prevent atrocities against the world. As the son of Asmodeus, Sully is a hunter feared by both demons and angels. His world was not the same once he walked into a bar and offered to help Mick, a gothic bartender.
Mick worried about her missing friend until the day she met Sully. The minute he walked into her bar and offered to help, her world changed. Secrets of her destiny unlocked, and he was at her side everywhere she turned. Friend. Protector.
Can they live with the secrets that are revealed to them? Will they survive the chase for the truth between Heaven and Hell?
Excerpt:
“Demon hunter, switch with me. She
is coming and your father can’t know what we’ve done.”
Sully was now in control and didn’t
have time to gather his wits before she ran her hands up and down his torso. He
was uncomfortable but didn’t respond to show it. He needed to figure out what
had happened, but first fend her off. She was a demon, but beautiful as well.
“Demon hunter, you finally came down
here,” she said in a raspy voice as her fingers twirled her hair. Her tongue
gave him a little flick in the most sensual way.
He looked at her. Those lips, her
eyes, her voice. Intoxicating. She ran her hands all over him, and was quite
forceful in her grip, just tight enough to arouse him. Sully tried to stop her,
but she threw him against the wall and pushed him onto the floor. She crawled
her way on top of him with her face stopping right at his belt. Her hands were
toying with his belt while she was breathing slightly heavy.
“Who the hell are you?”
“I’m whomever you want me to be. Do
you want me to be her? Or do you want me to be him?” Slowly, her hands moved to
undo his belt buckle, while her tongue moved around her lips in the most
tempting of ways. Her eyes never left his. Her body shifted slowly to the left
and right, enticing him even more.
“Why do I feel that you’re toying
with me, demon?”
“Would you prefer me to be your
nightmare or your fantasy?”
She lifted his shirt, exposing his
abs. She kissed his stomach in so many places and in the sexiest of ways. He
could feel her fingernails lightly scratch against his skin. His mind did not
recall the vows he made before, nor did he recall the thought of Mick or the
bartender. He was enjoying the moment. His body was responding to her. He tried
to pull her face close to his to kiss her.
Finally, his lips met hers.
“Why are you doing this? I’m… I’m
the son of Asmodeus.”
“Oh, demon hunter, you are much more
than that, and you know it. I know who you really are. I am so curious about
you.”
Before she could finish, Sully was
lost in her trance. But the soul eater was not. The soul eater fought f11or
control and won over him. Through his eyes, the soul eater stared at the demon.
His eyes pierced into her, and she must’ve recognized him because she
whispered, “Soul eater.”
He just laughed at her and pulled her closer to
him, kissing her back with such intensity that she wiggled out of his grasp.
She couldn’t break free. But his hands only tightened their grasp and as he
held onto her tightly, his body still was responding to her. He was aroused.
She tried to hold the soul eater down with her legs and he felt the power in
her ankles, but he took his legs and spread them, causing her legs to separate
while she remained on top of him.
Barb Jones is a best-selling supernatural thriller/horror/paranormal romance author, living her best life in Florida. While she is an accomplished IT Professional by day, she fulfills her passion for creating relatable worlds and characters in her supernatural novels. Having grown up in Hawaii, where legends of the supernatural are a normal part of life, Barb has always loved telling supernatural stories while experiencing living in haunted houses, dealing with paranormal occurrences and more. Her Hawaiian heritage plays a major factor in a lot of her writing. Before writing, she received her master’s degree in Information Systems as well as in Accounting and Finance.
Through her writing, Barb has developed a friendship with her readers unlike any other. She has been known to send birthday cards, travel to meet them in person and more.
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3 comments:
Congratulations on your recent release of Son of Asmodeus, Barb, I enjoyed the guest post, the excerpt and your book sounds like a thrilling read for me! Good luck with your book and the tour!
Thanks for sharing it with me and have a fabulous week!
creepy cover
Great excerpt.
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