In celebration of World Book Day 2023, for today only you can purchase Demon’s Blood for FREE on Amazon! Please do grab a copy if you don’t yet have one!
Category: novels
Shari’s Life: Writing and Sorting
So here we are, at the end of February already and I am still not entirely sure where January and February all went! However, I am looking forward to warmer weather and spring to come!
I haven’t written as much as I would have liked to this month. I managed 2 chapters of Demon’s Past in total, but I am taking the attitude that every word written is a step closer to finishing so I am not allowing myself to get too frustrated with this. I finished Chapter Twenty-Nine this morning, which is a pivotal chapter in Taku and Thane’s story! I post little snippets of Demon’s Past over on my Instagram account so do please check that out!
With the help from my sister, I was able to have the massive sort out in my flat that I wanted to do and have moved the furniture around in my lounge. It is amazing what a difference a layout change makes. It also feels much more spacious and I even have a slight echo to the room now! I also reorganised the squishmallow invasion so they all have new shelves to live in now. I also got this neat cake stand from Ebay to put the little squishvilles in!
My goal of keeping up with Social Media hasn’t gone much as planned so far but I am hopeful of changing this in the coming weeks! I want to get back to more regular posts on here too! So keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks too!
I hope everyone is having a great weekend!
New Look Website!
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I hosted in my flat for the first time. It was a very fun (and chaotic!) day. Yesterday I had a chilled out Boxing Day. I binged my way through the first season of House of the Dragon, which I loved! I also made a new Instagram for my mini toys and collecting. It’s called Riisan Collectibles!
Today I have been sorting out some bits around my flat and I also re-vamped my website and social media pages. I am pleased at how it turned out. It looks a lot cleaner and it will make it easier for me to inter-change things which is great. I’m hoping to be able to get in a writing day on Friday. Taku and Thane have been waiting for the continuation to their story for way too long! I also have the first scene from Perfect World 4 pictured in my head so I might get that started too!
How to keep writing during the holidays
How to keep writing during the holidays? If I’m honest I am probably one of the worst at actually keeping writing going during December. If it is a year that I have taken part in NaNoWriMo, I’m usually burnt out and put off looking at a 50,000 word manuscript until January. If I haven’t, then most of the time I just find the build up to Christmas means that I am too busy.
This year I really want it to be different and have resolved to at least write something every day. I plan to do this by using my lunch hour during the week and making designated writing time during the weekends. Structure to my day always helps me anyway, and I think this will be a really good way for me to plan to get something done at least during December.
What will I be writing? Most probably Demon’s Past as I am over the halfway mark with the most recent draft now and I really want to be able to publish it next year. I might be tempted to write a little seasonal short featuring Adam and Eric. I really put my boys through it this year, so I think they deserve a fluffy Christmas story together!
What are your tips for writing during the holidays? Let me know and what you plan on writing!
Demon’s Blood Excerpt
Today I am pleased to share with you an excerpt from my vampire novel Demon’s Blood.
Demon’s Blood is currently free on Amazon until Monday 31st October so please head over there and grab a copy!
Promotion: Read Demon’s Blood for Free this Halloween!
Broken World Excerpt
I have another excerpt from my upcoming novel Broken World to share with you today! Broken World will be release on Friday 8th July!
Broken World
Copyright © 2022 Shari Sakurai
All Rights Reserved.
Eric felt his shoulders slump as Adam’s pain-filled words once more echoed in his mind. Adam just seemed to be pulling further away and there was nothing that Eric could do. It was more than their relationship. Adam had unintentionally cut right to the heart of the self-doubt that Eric had tried desperately to keep hidden from everyone. Now he found it rising all the way to the surface and there was nothing that he could do to stop it.
“Eric,” Matheson immediately wrapped his arm around his son.
“It’s not just yesterday…” Eric murmured. “It is me. I don’t know who I am anymore. My whole life I have been told what to think, how to act…and suddenly I have all these choices and I don’t know what to do with any of them! I thought I had processed it all, but I haven’t. Events just overtook me and now I’m just left feeling so inadequate and lost. I look in the mirror and I see a stranger staring back at me.”
“Eric,” Matheson tightened his grip on Eric’s shoulders as he spoke. “I’ve always been so proud of you. Watching you growing up in the L.S.A was not easy for me, but what I always admired about you was the strength of your own mind. Despite their best efforts, you were never their political pawn. Your desire to protect people and do so much good in this world is one of your best qualities, and it is yours. It’s not the L.S.A’s or conditioning. It is a part of who you are as is your bravery, compassion and wanting to see the best in people who sometimes do not deserve it. You have taken on so much in these last few months and have not given yourself time to process your own feelings. What you are experiencing now is natural, but you don’t have to go through this alone. I’m not going to let you. I love you, Eric.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”
As Eric said these words, he realised that it was the first time he had said them to Matheson. His father’s eyes were slightly red now as he drew Eric into a fierce embrace.
“You don’t have to do anything if you feel that it’s because it is expected of you. Whatever you want to do, I will support you.”
Perfect World Promotions!
To celebrate the release of Broken World, I am excited to announce the following promotions that will run on Amazon from Broken World’s release day!
Kindle Countdown Deals
Perfect World (Perfect World 1) – 99c from 8th-15th July 2022!
New Era (Perfect World 2) – 99c from 8th-15th July 2022!
Free!
Adam (a companion novel to the Perfect World series) – from 8th-12th July 2022!
Broken World Excerpt
Today I have another excerpt to share from my upcoming novel Broken World, which releases on Friday 8th July!
Broken World
Copyright © 2022 Shari Sakurai
All Rights Reserved.
As soon as Eric dropped down into the corridor all hell broke loose. The guards who were firing at the ventilation shaft now aimed their weapons at him. One yelled for backup as he raised his gun. Eric did not hesitate in rushing them. Drawing his fist back, he slammed it into the first guard’s face with enough force to break his nose and hurl him back into the wall. Eric ripped the gun from the hand of the second and struck him a blow that rendered him unconscious. Eric could hear shouts on the guards’ radios as he broke into a run. Then his actions became almost automatic. Eric landed blows to the guards who confronted him, knocking them unconscious and moving forward. Even the shrill din from the alarm became little more than background noise. The confrontation with Neil had given him back a confidence that Eric had not realised was shaken. He briefly wondered why his half-brother had not retaliated, but the continuous onslaught of guards distracted him from this.
Two more stood between him and the main exit from the prison. One threw down his weapon and would have bolted had Eric given him a chance. The act was almost comical, and Eric felt certain that if Adam had been here then he would have laughed.
Eric slammed into the reinforced steel door. It buckled under the force he applied and within seconds he was outside.
Eric hesitated as he took in the fifty or so men with their weapons all drawn and aimed at him. Behind them was a tank and when Eric looked up, he saw aircraft circling.
Great…Gritting his teeth, Eric started to run. All around him bullets rained down, exploding against the concrete with a force that sent chunks of it up into the air. Dodging around several men and taking out a couple who were directly in his path, Eric vaulted across the tank before the occupants could even register that he was there. As he cleared the miniature army that Williams had sent against him, Eric was aware of the aircraft tracking him as he fled the compound. The guards in the lookout tower fired their guns almost half-heartedly as if they already knew that their efforts to stop him would be futile.
Eric kept up his pace as he ran back towards the river. Even though the aircraft was holding its fire now that he had entered a residential area, Eric knew that this would only put them off for so long. As Eric left the street behind and approached the riverbank, he could see New Vauxhall Bridge looming out of the darkness. Eric dashed out onto it. He heard the laser fire from the bridge defences as the concrete around him lit up in smoke. As Eric pushed on, the engine from the aircraft roared overhead as it flew in lower to cut him off. Eric turned to avoid the additional onslaught and felt a sharp pain across his back. He stumbled as he glanced frantically around him. There was only one option now. Without considering whether it was a good idea, Eric changed direction. His hands gripped the railing of the bridge as he used it to propel himself over the side and into the Thames.
Broken World Excerpt
I’m pleased to share today the second of my excerpts of Broken World for the run-up to its release date on Friday 8th July!
Broken World
Copyright © 2022 Shari Sakurai
All Rights Reserved.
“We need to go. Now!” Eric said urgently as he took a step towards Adam. As he did so a shot rang out. The bullet struck the ground between them. Immediately Eric drew his weapon and whirled round.
“Eric,” Neil said smugly. “You are as predictable as Dad said you would be, but I’m disappointed in you, Adam. I would have thought you might have guessed about our little set up.”
“How do you know I haven’t?” Adam replied evenly.
Neil sneered at this comment. He kept his gun trained on Eric as he opened the cell door.
“You’re alone?” Eric stated uneasily. “Isn’t that a bit too confident?”
“Not really. I’ve already beaten you to an inch of your life on two occasions now. But I’m not here for another fight. My orders are much simpler this time.”
“You’re going to kill us,” Adam guessed.
“Just Eric actually. Dad wants me to bring you in alive.”
“Why?” Eric asked.
Neil shrugged, “I would say he wants to kill him himself, but Dad’s always had conflicting emotions where Adam is concerned. I don’t agree with it so please do feel free to give me an excuse to shoot both of you.”
“So, this is an execution?” Was he fast enough to get the gun away from Neil before he could shoot? With it still pointed at his head, Eric was not sure. He was still weighing up the odds when Adam started speaking again.
“Doing it this way lets you off easily, don’t you think?”
“What do you mean by that?” Neil demanded suspiciously as he switched his position to point his gun at Adam instead. Eric’s heart began to beat faster in his chest as he realised what Adam was doing. Forcing down his first instinct to rush Neil, he made himself wait. It had to be at exactly the right moment.
Broken World will be released on Friday 8th July 2022.
Pre-Order: Amazon
Shari Sakurai 