H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS Audiobook Sample AND Status of Audiobook

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS ©2017 Natalie Wright
Audiobook Narration by Dylan White

The audiobook version of H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS (H.A.L.F. 3) is on the way. I promise!!

We’ve had some delays in production due to my broken foot, but the narrator has finished recording. The audiobook is now in editing and final production. Yay!!

I know some of you have been waiting for the final audiobook in the series and I sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm for H.A.L.F. I apologize for the delay, but there were unforeseen circumstances that delayed production. I’m thrilled that you look forward to this final book and I can't wait for you to hear it!

As I listen to Dylan’s narration, I’m on the edge of my seat at times —and I wrote it!!

To tide you over (and give those new to the series a preview), I’ve uploaded the first chapter of ORIGINS to Dropbox. You can click the link to have a listen while you wait for the final audiobook to hit stores this month.

Thank you to all who have inquired about the audiobook. It truly will be here soon!

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS — Chapter 1 Audio 

(narrated by Dylan White) (©Natalie Wright, 2017)

Later this week, check back to the blog for my review of Blade Runner 2049 and announcements about upcoming appearance dates.

Teaser Tuesday:

When writing a series, the story generally changes significantly from beginning to end. I began writing the H.A.L.F. series in 2010! That's seven year's worth of life, experiences and changes in my thinking!

One of the beautiful surprises was the strength of the friendship between Erika and Ian. Their friendship was sorely tested in book two, The Makers. Book 3, ORIGINS, is no walk in the park for them either.

Will their friendship survive the trials of an alien invasion?

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS (H.A.L.F. 3) arrives in stores August 24, 2017. If you haven’t yet read book 1 (The Deep Beneath), you can get a FREE copy by subscribing to my newsletter. You can purchase books one and two (The Makers) in the Kindle store. And you can Pre-Order ORIGINS here.

Teaser Tuesday: Are Girls Clueless about Guys?

It’s just a little more than three weeks until H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS launches! *squee*

I’m so excited for you all to read this one. Fifteen months in the works. Many pages written that didn't make the cut. Countless cups of coffee. And two romance sub-plots to play with!

Though I never considered a writer of romance, I found in this book that the most enjoyable part was developing the relationships.

My favorite part? Writing in Jack’s point of view. It was fun to channel my inner eighteen-year-old guy! ;-)

Here’s quote from Jack Wilson. You may be surprised when you read to the book to see where and in what context he says this. It may not be what you think!

Do you agree with Jack? Or is he just being clueless?!

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS by Natalie Wright ©2017

H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS (H.A.L.F. 3) releases August 24, 2017. You can pre-order here. 

YOU CHOOSE THE COVER - H.A.L.F.: ORIGINS

We all know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. But we also know that we totally do.

So judge away!

My cover designer gave me two great designs that are exactly the same except for the color of the band at the top. I like them both and can't decide which will work the best.

But the question is: Which do you like the best? Which cover draws your eye more? Which would you like to see gracing the cover of my next book?

There’s a poll at the bottom of the post. Please vote and share so I can hear from as many people as possible.

Thank you for helping me choose!

Cover #1

Cover #2

Which cover do you like best? Cover #1 or Cover #2?

Cover #1

Cover #2

Poll Maker

H.A.L.F.: The Makers Book Trailer

H.A.L.F.: The Makers launched May 10 and wow! It's like overnight people have found this series!

 

There are multiple aspects to The Makers. Readers will follow new adventures of characters they loved (and hated!) from book 1, The Deep Beneath. But there are also lots of new characters - and worlds - to discover.

 

In this trailer, I focus your attention on the aliens of The Makers. Think you know all there is to know about those bulbous-headed, little grey aliens?

 

Think again!

 

And alien abductions may be the least of our worries ...

 

Did you enjoy the trailer? Does it make you curious? You can learn more about The Makers on its dedicated web page here. And you can purchase the book in the format of your choice here.

H.A.L.F. is FREE on Amazon for a Limited Time Only!

BREAKING NEWS - FREE BOOK!!

H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath
by Natalie Wright

For the first time ever, and only for 5 days, my award-winning book H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath (H.A.L.F. #1), is FREE on Amazon!

If you haven't yet picked up a copy of H.A.L.F. (#1) but you've wanted to try it out, Now's the time!

H.A.L.F.: The Deep Beneath is free from 5/6-5/10/16, only on Amazon. Here are the links:

Amazon
Amazon U.K
Amazon CA

And if you want to pre-order H.A.L.F. #2 - The Makers - you can do that here.

And to learn more about the special pre-order offer that I've got going on (including an exclusive full-color book that you can't buy in stores), click here.

As seen in SyFy Magazine

Teaser Tuesday: Erika and Ian from The Makers + Preorder Giveaway Bonanza

Here's a tidbit of a teaser for my upcoming release, The Makers (H.A.L.F. #2). I'll let the meme speak for itself and (hopefully) pique your curiosity about what it means.

Do you love Giveaways, Swag & Bonus Content?

I have such a fun package of goodies for people who Preorder The Makers!

• The first 25 who Preorder will receive the audiobook version of The Deep Beneath, my award-winning first book in the H.A.L.F. series
• Everyone who preorders the eBook is automatically entered into a giveaway to win an AUTOGRAPHED Hardcover copy of The Makers + Exclusive swag. (NOTE: This part of the giveaway open ONLY TO U.S. mailing address.
• **For every 100 copies Preordered by release date (May 10), I'll add another signed hardcover + swag to the prize package :-D
• An exclusive and exciting bonus book that is only available to people who preorder
• A second exclusive book that includes lost chapters with the author's commentary 

But you have to play to win! In order to claim your exclusive preorder package, follow these instructions:

1. Preorder The Makers HERE
2. Forward your receipt or Email the Screenshot or otherwise send proof of your purchase to this email: TheMakersBook@gmail.com
3. BOOSH! That's it. You will receive an email with links to download your digital content.
4. NOTE: If you were one of the first 25 to order, you'll receive a gifted copy of The Deep Beneath directly from Audible to the email address you mailed the receipt from
5. NOTE: When the Preorder period is over, the giveaway ends and winner(s) of the signed hardcover will be notified by email & asked to provide their U.S. mailing address

You can learn more about the book including the description & early reader reviews by visiting this page.

Teaser Tuesday: Jack Wilson's Point of View

Meet Jack Wilson from The Makers (H.A.L.F. #2):

We met Jack Wilson in The Deep Beneath (Book 1 of the H.A.L.F. Series). He's a dirty blond, tousled hair guy that prefers flip-flops and T-shirts over dress shoes and button downs. In The Deep Beneath, readers met Jack through the eyes of Erika Holt, his on-again, off-again, on-again (sort of) girlfriend.

Some readers fell in love with Jack and rooted for "Team Jericka." Other readers didn't see the Jack attraction. One of the biggest fans of the book told me she hoped Jack would be killed off to make way for another character that's her fave!

I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't yet read The Deep Beneath, but suffice it to say that things didn't turn out they way Jack and Erika planned. Hell, things didn't turn out the way I'd planned either! The story took a turn at the end that I hadn't anticipated and it has made writing Book 2, The Makers, a lot more interesting!

Lo and behold, Jack has become a point of view character. And I'm determined to make Jack naysayers into Jack Wilson converts.

SECRET TIDBIT ABOUT JACK: Despite looking like he's just rolled out of bed, he actually uses product in his hair to get it to have that messed up look. He uses a sea salt spray and works it into his hair with his fingers to give his hair the beach look without going to the beach.

Not even Erika knows that one!

WHAT'S JACK UP TO IN THE MAKERS?

Without giving too much away, circumstances will bring Jack together with Anna Sturgis. Yep, you heard that name correctly. Anna Sturgis, as in the niece of Commander Lillian Sturgis. I'll give you more insight into Anna in another post, but for now just know that Commander Sturgis isn't the only brainy, beautiful Sturgis woman on our planet. Jack's a loyal guy and wants nothing more than to have Erika back in his arms. But will his heart remain true to Erika? Or will he find himself falling for the enemy?

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT JACK: Jack and his mom, Kathleen Wilson, share their home with a somewhat psycho cat named Tater.

JACK'S THOUGHTS ON CHIVALRY:

"I know it's old fashioned, but I hold doors open for women. My mom said, 'Girls want a knight, Jack, whether they admit it or not.' And she's my mom and a smart lady so I figured she'd never steer me wrong.

But then I met Erika. Maybe I fell for the girl who's the exception to the rule."

In my recent interview of Jack, I asked him, "What do you loathe about yourself?" Here's his answer:

"I wouldn't say I loathe anything. I don't think like that. I don't get flipped out enough about things to hate on it. So no, I don't hate myself. That's not to say I wouldn't change a few things if I could. Like being taller.

And I guess sometimes - like lately - I wish I was more … Well when that guy had Erika and was hurting her? I had a shot, but I froze. I should have been the one that pulled the trigger."

This memory haunts Jack. I wonder how it will affect him? And will he do things differently if he ever faces a similar situation?

What do you bet he'll have a chance soon to find out?! ;-)

The Makers launches May 10, 2016 on Amazon.

Preorder by May 9 and receive Exclusive bonus material only available to readers that preorder. 

• FIRST 25 Preorders receive Audiobook of H.A.L.F. #1, The Deep Beneath!!! 

• Exclusive Behind the Scenes Material including Natalie's drawings of characters and handwritten character details 

• Lost Chapters, including an adorable character that was cut from the final, only available to those who Preorder by May 9.

CLICK HERE for more details and to Preorder The Makers (H.A.L.F. #2). 

Cover Reveal: H.A.L.F.: The Makers

The other day I posted a video announcement of preorder for H.A.L.F.: The Makers (Book 2 of the H.A.L.F. Series). In that post I promised you a cover reveal. And - ta da - here it is!

H.A.L.F.: The Makers by Natalie Wright
Book 2 of the H.A.L.F. Series

In the weeks to come I'll be teasing you with updates about your favorite characters from H.A.L.F. and entice you with insider info about some enticing new characters. But in the meantime, I wonder what this image evokes for you? What do you think The Makers will be about? What do you HOPE you'll find inside its pages?

PREORDER the Kindle version here: http://bit.ly/HALFonAmazon

Sci Fi Friday: If Sigourney's In, I'm In

Movie Poster for original Alien, 1979

When I first heard that there was going to be a reboot of the movie Alien, I yawned. Reboots are always ... Well, reboots. If a remake is faithful to the original product that we love so much, then it is predictable because we've already been there, done that. If it's not faithful to the original, then we complain because it changes the thing we love so much.

And then there's the magic of a first. Some movies, like music, have a synergy that only exists the first time around. Any art that become phenomenon has this synergy. It's complex and is about more than the artists but also includes the audience.

When Alien appeared back in 1979, it came on the heels of the comparatively childlike Star Wars. Hans Solo, the bad boy of the film, is a cartoonish space pirate compared to Sigourney Weaver's Ripley. 

If the two were in a fight, I'd put my money on Ripley to kick Solo's ass.

Star Wars gave us R2D2, C3PO and Ewoks. Cute, sometimes cuddly characters.

Alien gave us this:

Alien art from Neill Blomkamp's Instagram

Alien ushered us, not so gently, into an age where all kinds of things come out of the sky, hellbent on destroying humankind (Thor, Transformers, Independence Day, Mars Attacks ... just a few that came to mind - please add to the list in the comments section). Star Wars was our age of innocence. Alien was our coming of age.

I saw the original Alien in the movie theatre when it first came out and can still remember yelling out with surprise (as did most in the theater) when that alien popped out of the guy's stomach. I've seen it several times since and I still jump at that moment - even though I know it's coming. The movie has a pervading dark tension that builds and builds up to that moment. You know bad shit's going to happen. You just don't know what or when.

And then there's Ripley. Smart, sassy, mother of all bad mother f***in women who will kick your sorry ass ... Ripley.

Sigourney Weaver on the set of the original Alien movie, 1979. Corbis

Sigourney Weaver pretty much invented the strong female lead for Sci Fi media. Sure, there are plenty of strong female characters in the world of story before Ripley. But I can't think of one in film prior to Alien that had a female character that could kick ass the way Ripley did.

Linda Hamilton (with cut arms to die for) in Terminator II:Judgment Day (19991) owes her bad assedness to Weaver paving the way for this type of character.

In fact, Weaver paved the way for a lot of us. Seeing Ripley on the screen back when I was a kid allowed me to see that a woman can save herself. Ripley looks that alien bitch with two sets of teeth in the face and says eat it.

So Neill Blomkamp wants to give us his take on Alien? And media touts it as from the director or Elysium and Chappie. Well, that made me snore. I wouldn't exactly call those two movies a great sci fi pedigree (some of you may disagree and if you do, feel free to tell me so in the comments).

But somehow or other, Neill convinced Sigourney to come along for the ride.

If Sigourney's in, I'm in. I look forward to seeing how she'll fit into the Alien world (re)created by Blomkamp nearly 40 years after the original (damn, that's a long time!).

Just please, Neill, don't try to make her more "feminine" - more likable - like they did in the second film, Aliens. So typical of Hollywood, they had to give her a kid to take care of (1986 Aliens, written and directed by James Cameron). So many Hollywood stories give us female characters that have a kid slung to their hip, even if they're toting a gun with the other hand (and typical of Hollywood too to put kids, dogs, and  yes, Ewoks, into movies to cuteify them, perhaps thinking it will make the franchise appeal to a larger audience).

So go forth, Neill Blomkamp, and revision Alien. But please, while your re-envisioning what Alien can be, don't take away from us the strong, self-reliant Ripley that we love.

Sci Fi Friday: A New Look at the Farside

Of all the strange things in the known universe, I find it truly odd that we see only one side of the moon. When I first heard that, I thought for sure it was some made-up BS.

But in fact it is true. While the moon orbits our beautiful blue, she never shows us her "dark side", keeping a part of herself forever secret (as all women of mystery do).

But thanks to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the lady's secrets are being revealed. We can now see the "far side" of the moon thanks to the lunar mapping.

While it is lovely of course, I must say I prefer the familiar face the moon we're used to. The far side, once revealed, lacks the pizazz of the "man in the moon" features.

Perhaps, as with a woman, the mystery was better before it was revealed …

What do you think?