Showing posts with label jane austen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jane austen. Show all posts

Audio books of the Fateful Trilogy are now in production!

Friday, March 7, 2014

Soon to be released!!! The audio book of Fateful, narrated by Tristan Hunt!

And Fractured is now in the works, and then Forever will follow.

I'm extremely happy with how it turned out. The voice of Tristan Hunt is the perfect fit for this series. He did a fabulous job bringing my characters to life.

Of course I will post a link as soon as it is available!
ACX has been wonderful to work with, and I'm grateful to Audible for awarding Fateful a stipend.




Why not pick up the eBook of Fateful for FREE, and then listen to the audio!

Happy reading! And then when the audio is done, happy listening!
And thanks for visiting my blog!

Win a signed copy...

Monday, March 11, 2013

Win a signed copy of Fair Maiden or Fateful from Goodreads!!!

And while you're there, vote for me in Listopia. :)

http://www.goodreads.com/list/book/11048116



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt

Fair Maiden

by Cheri Schmidt

Giveaway ends May 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win



Goodreads Book Giveaway

Fateful by Cheri Schmidt

Fateful

by Cheri Schmidt

Giveaway ends May 28, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win

Follower Love Giveaway Hop ~Win a signed copy of Fateful!

Monday, February 4, 2013


Welcome to an awesome Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Reader's AntidotePlease click on either one of those links for MANY more chances to win free stuff.

This giveaway just ended. Thanks to everyone who entered!

The Prize:
I love, love, love my followers, so I'm going to do something I don't usually do... One winner will receive a signed copy of Fateful with a handmade beaded bookmark! USA only please.

To Enter:
Simply follow my blog via GFC or email subscription and fill out the form at the bottom of this post so I know who to contact if you win.

Note: Winners are chosen via Virtual Hat. Winner will be contacted via email. Please allow 1-3 weeks for shipping. :)


~XOXO~


Synopsis:
A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux.

While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.

Review by The Library Mouse one of my favorite UK readers:

(This review is of the entire series and does contain spoilers...Read on if you're just too curious to mind...)


The Fateful series was what I can only describe as a beautifully sweet vampire tale narrated using the style of Jane Austen.

Set in the present day, Danielle isn't your usual main female character. She's not a tomboy trying to act tough, she's not an antisocial creature because she's peculiar in some unexpected way and she hasn't got a personality that sets her apart from the usual crowd. Danielle is a regular girly girl. She doesn't do blood, gore, violence, injuries or dead bodies (undead or otherwise). It almost felt like she had been literature-transplanted out of a Jane Auste novel and into modern day time with a couple of upgrades. With a penchant for wearing skirts and dresses, a fondness for pastel colours and a rather strong artistic streak for painting scenery; Danielle was a typical girl and not what most recent heroines are like. Her parents were so concerned with her fragility and female defenselessness that they insisted she have karate lessons, to the extent that when we meet her she is a lethal-when-necessary black belt. The good this will do her, in the paranormal world she is rudely awakened to, I'm not sure of.

The combination of strength and weakness in this character was complex and forever changing depending on the perceived angle, forcing me to stop and reflect several times. The fact that she was able to defend herself in our reality, but that when put into the context of a paranormal one she was weak and harmless made her all the more real to me.
Through all her trials, adventures, fortunes and misfortunes, unlike most characters who adapt quickly to the knew knowledge, Danielle remained faithful to her beliefs, ideals and female squirmishness.

From what would appear a very simple and easy to understand character, I would not have expected the depth and incredible number of facets that I found. Danielle's simplicity was endearing and eye opening, making me dwell and appreciate aspects of a paranormal romance and situations I had not previously considered.

Of course this series would not be complete unless our Austen-like fan, found her corresponding Mr Darcy.

Ethan was a worthy Mr Darcy alter-ego for this paranormal romance. Forever a gentleman despite the course of centuries having passed him by, he held fast to his upbringing, ideals and traditions. The only modern thing about him were his clothes (which he had no choice in unless he wanted to arouse suspicion and generate medical mental health interest) and his love for his cars. I found his jealous and slightly possessive streak surprisingly sweet and funny, considering he had nothing to fear as Danielle had eyes for no other.

He was a Mr Darcy attempting to adapt to the current century whilst desperately trying to cling to his ways of life, and I loved every second I read of it. He was a knight in regular clothing but who knew how to wield a sword, treat a girl like a lady and get any parents' blessing. What can I say, he was without a doubt too good to be true.

True to his century he was looking for someone special, a girl and not a tomboy; someone to whom he'd be willing to give the world and his life.

Unlike most romances, Ethan and Danielle didn't fight what they felt for each other. They knew it to be true and real, which is all that mattered to them. What they did have to fight was everyone else, to preserve what they had and their future.

Cheri Schmidt narrated their sweetly moving story, that revealed itself to be more than I expected. Confronting present day issues and morals, the more I read the more I enjoyed it.
I particularly appreciated Cheri Schmidt's ability to describe beautifully romantic scenes that made me feel at peace whilst sitting alongside the characters.

Everything about this series screamed Jane Austen, from the setting, the manner of speaking, down to the behavioural quirks. Being an admirer of Jane Austen's work, narrative style and storyline I very much enjoyed this series. Unlike most paranormal romances which are described as forever but feel more like an immediate lightning passion, The Fateful series spoke of a steady strong burn that would last forever where it counts the most: heart and mind.

The Fateful series was a sweet and tender paranormal romance that I would recommend to anyone in search for a tale of modern nights in shining armour with a hint of magic.



Thanks for visiting my blog and good luck!

I love comments as much as I love reviews.... Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post either for me. I'm very grateful.

Jane Austen Giveaway Hop

Thursday, October 18, 2012


Welcome to another awesome giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and vvb32reads.


This month has been the month of giveaways on my blog, so don't miss out because I plan on taking a break from them during November and December. There are only two more left for this month so stay tuned!


As I wrote Fateful, I felt like my vampire would be somewhat like Mr. Darcy plucked from the past and dropped into our modern day.  The charming hero would probably be considered a bit cheesy in our time, but to me, that would simply make him more interesting. This reviewer, The Library Mouse, really caught onto what I was trying to accomplish with these characters. I absolutely love her review and must share it with you...Thanks again Library Mouse!

"The Fateful series was what I can only describe as a beautifully sweet vampire tale narrated using the style of Jane Austen.

Set in the present day, Danielle isn't your usual main female character. She's not a tomboy trying to act tough, she's not an antisocial creature because she's peculiar in some unexpected way and she hasn't got a personality that sets her apart from the usual crowd. Danielle is a regular girly girl. She doesn't do blood, gore, violence, injuries or dead bodies (undead or otherwise). It almost felt like she had been literature-transplanted out of a Jane Auste novel and into modern day time with a couple of upgrades. With a penchant for wearing skirts and dresses, a fondness for pastel colours and a rather strong artistic streak for painting scenery; Danielle was a typical girl and not what most recent heroines are like. Her parents were so concerned with her fragility and female defenselessness that they insisted she have karate lessons, to the extent that when we meet her she is a lethal-when-necessary black belt. The good this will do her, in the paranormal world she is rudely awakened to, I'm not sure of.

The combination of strength and weakness in this character was complex and forever changing depending on the perceived angle, forcing me to stop and reflect several times. The fact that she was able to defend herself in our reality, but that when put into the context of a paranormal one she was weak and harmless made her all the more real to me.

Through all her trials, adventures, fortunes and misfortunes, unlike most characters who adapt quickly to the knew knowledge, Danielle remained faithful to her beliefs, ideals and female squirmishness.
From what would appear a very simple and easy to understand character, I would not have expected the depth and incredible number of facets that I found. Danielle's simplicity was endearing and eye opening, making me dwell and appreciate aspects of a paranormal romance and situations I had not previously considered.

Ofcourse this series would not be complete unless our Austen-like fan, found her corresponding Mr Darcy.

Ethan was a worthy Mr Darcy alter-ego for this paranormal romance. Forever a gentleman despite the course of centuries having passed him by, he held fast to his upbringing, ideals and traditions. The only modern thing about him were his clothes (which he had no choice in unless he wanted to arouse suspicion and generate medical mental health interest) and his love for his  cars. I found his jealous and slightly possessive streak surprisingly sweet and funny, considering he had nothing to fear as Danielle had eyes for no other.
He was a Mr Darcy attempting to adapt to the current century whilst desperately trying to cling to his ways of life, and I loved every second I read of it. He was a night in regular clothing but who knew how to wield a sword, treat a girl like a lady and get any parents' blessing. What can I say, he was without a doubt too good to be true.
True to his century he was looking for someone special, a girl and not a tomboy; someone to whom he'd be willing to give the world and his life.

Unlike most romances, Ethan and Danielle didn't fight what they felt for each other. They knew it to be true and real, which is all that mattered to them. What they did have to fight was everyone else, to preserve what they had and their future.


Cheri Schmidt narrated their sweetly moving story, that revealed itself to be more than I expected. Confronting present day issues and morals, the more I read the more I enjoyed it.

I particularly appreciated Cheri Schmidt's ability to describe beautifully romantic scenes that made me feel at peace whilst sitting alongside the characters.

Everything about this series screamed Jane Austen, from the setting, the manner of speaking, down to the behavioural quirks. Being an admirer of Jane Austen's work, narrative style and storyline I very much enjoyed this series. Unlike most paranormal romances which are described as forever but feel more like an immediate lightning passion, The Fateful series spoke of a steady strong burn that would last forever where it counts the most: heart and mind.

The Fateful series was a sweet and tender paranormal romance that I would recommend to anyone in search for a tale of modern nights in shining armour with a hint of magic."


Synopsis for Fateful:
A huge fan of Jane Austen, Danielle hopes to find her own Mr. Darcy when she leaves Colorado to attend art school in London. Of course she knows it's silly to wish for that, naive even. But she's met enough males who lacked respect for women, a growing trend it seemed. And at nineteen...well.... However, on only her second night there she gets lost and is threatened by a stalker who proves to be immune to her martial arts training. Before she is completely overpowered, she is then saved by Ethan Deveroux.

While Danielle does find the romance she seeks in Ethan, he's no Mr. Darcy. Her hero is held by a spell which fractures their chance at a happy ending. During the day Ethan is closer to mortal than immortal and can date her like any other man. Yet, as the sun sets, the powerful magic of an ancient curse returns and the evil of that spell is revealed. When that magic begins, Danielle's fairytale romance ends because Ethan Deveroux is a vampire.

...Note: This series is not suitable for anyone who doesn't like glittering fairies, vicious pixies, hot vampires, the dashing Mr. Darcy, arachnids, or large amounts of snogging...

If you've already read and loved The Fateful Trilogy, then enter the giveaway only for my readers that is posted on my Fateful Facebook fan page and win a signed copy!!!

And now for the giveaway!!!


The Prize:
The Nook, or Kobo, or Kindle eBook copy of either Fateful, Fractured, or Forever. (You must have an account with either Barnes & Noble, Kobo, or Amazon to accept this prize. USA only UNLESS you have an account with those US sites, then you may enter. Kobo can go to Canadian or US readers.)

To Enter:
(This giveaway just closed. Thanks to all who entered. I'll contact the winner soon!)
Simply follow my blog via GFC or email subscription and fill out the form below so I know who to contact if you win.

Preview Sample of Forever, Book 3, in the Fateful Series.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Welcome to Sweet Saturday Samples! I have a treat for you if you've already read Fateful and Fractured. Please enjoy this preview of Forever, Book 3 in the Fateful series.
Told from Ethan's point of view. Hope this wets your appetite... :D

Chapter One
Full Moon

I’ll do anything to wipe that pout off her face, Ethan thought to himself as he watched Danielle wash the paint out of her paintbrush while he leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded over his chest.

Her shoulders lifted and then drooped with the troubled sigh she expelled. Moonlight filtered in through the skylight above her art studio and bathed her in silver. The lamp painted the rest of the room in gold. With her eyebrows drawn together, her thick lashes shadowing her cheeks with her downcast gaze, her soft hair caught up in a messy bun at the back of her head, and the earrings he’d given her dangling from her earlobes, she presented a portrait for Ethan that was prettier to him then the painting she’d just finished. And it was one of her better pieces. In shades of brown, cream and pale blue she’d captured another fairy in a soft wash of watercolors.

When Danielle was finished cleaning up her work, he gathered her under his arm. A little pressure on her shoulder and he had her facing him. Catching her chin on the edge of his finger, he said, “I like the fairy trapped in a jar, but she doesn’t look very happy.”

Those lashes swept up along with her chin when she looked at him. “Would you be happy if you were confined like that?”

Ethan noted the guards in his peripheral, knowing Danielle was talking about herself with that query and not the displeased little sprite in her painting. “I see your point.” He brushed the hair from her forehead. “Let’s watch that picture we rented,” he offered, hoping to distract her from the guards posted at each door and window inside their home as he steered her toward the sofa.

The pout deepened and those pretty brown eyes of hers darted to the guard near the window where the full moon was just visible beyond the sheer curtain and the man’s hulking shoulder. A twinge of jealously jabbed him in the gut even though he was fairly certain she was looking at the moon and not the handsome French bodyguard who said his name was Casanova ... Casanova, really?

Forget them, he mentally commanded and refocused on the lines of distress on Danielle’s face. He really needed to fix that. Drawing her down onto the seat next to him, he lowered his voice and muttered right next to her ear, “Forget we live in a fishbowl for an hour and a half and I’ll make popcorn.” Leaning out to make eye contact with her, he wagged his eyebrows and a shout of triumph echoed through his thoughts when she giggled at him. Her whole face lit up with the sound and he decided he’d not only do anything to wipe the pout off her face, he’d do even more to hear her laugh again, to hear her laugh more often.

Things had gone back to normal after they’d returned to being mortal. Sort of ... mostly.... Secretly he missed her need to feed from only him. The way she clung to him when she sank her little fangs into his flesh, the way she needed him, the way she still feared insects even being as dangerous as she was then. It was back to mortality for both of them, however, and he didn’t, no he couldn’t regret that. He still planned to care for her despite that modern streak of independence she had. Danielle was an intriguing bundle of contradictions. He found her fascination with all things Jane Austen charming. It was part of what drew him to her because she reminded him of his Victorian past, even in a modern world. But the fact that she could sweep his feet right out from under him in one smooth move ... well, that brought a smirk to his mouth when he thought about it. That violent side of her also drew him. Of course more than any of that was what he saw when he looked into her eyes. Their forgotten past together and the personality quirks she tried to hide from everyone else.

(If you haven't read the Fateful series yet, get them by clicking on the pictures below.)







For more Sweet Saturday Samples go here or click on one of the links below. (Please note that all of these samples are copyrighted by the authors and can't be copied or distributed without the author's written permission.)


Fictional people, real places - Van Kampen Gardens

Monday, May 2, 2011


Guest post by Cheri's husband....


So Cheri is very busy trying to get the 2nd book of the Fateful series, Fractured, released as well as finish the cover for both Fractured and Fair Maiden. As such, I'm going to take this opportunity to give you a bit of background on some of the factual places in Cheri's fictional book Fateful.


Like most books the people in Cheri's books are fictional but they are placed in real places, or at least environments based on real places, though probably tweaked by her imagination. In Chapter 4 of Fateful we are introduced to a place called Van Kampen Gardens.

To tell this story we'll go back to April of 2009. It was our 20th Anniversary and Cheri dreamed of going to England. With a large collection of frequent flyer miles and hotel credits from my business travels we cashed them in and spent two wonderful weeks travelling all over England.


Cheri was finished with Fateful, which was written some time in 07-08, and was looking for an agent or publisher. She had studied this garden remotely over the internet and we purposely picked this as a stop on our trip. This is a beautiful Garden. Unfortunately for us spring had not yet sprung so while the garden was beautiful, it had not fully bloomed.


Just as there is in the book there is a huge wisteria arch that runs through the gardens. Yet as you can see below there were no blooms or green on it yet.




And of course there was a maze. This is the archway and door that lead to the start of the maze.





And of course there is a tower in the middle of the maze.






The area of the gardens is very flat. And from the tower you can see the entire garden and of course the entire maze.





The tower has a secret exit that runs under the maze and deposits you into a garden that is hidden and secluded.



We sort of wished that we could have seen the garden at it's peak. I'm sure we'll try to get back here some day.




We visited the gardens twice in as many days. We took over 400 pictures. For a final bit of trivia it is very probable that many of Cheri's ancestors knew of this place. And even a bit strange, Cheri didn't know she had so many ancestors who lived near here when she chose the location for her book. She only discovered the connection afterward.

Cheri's Great Grandfather was born near here in 1824. For over 180 years prior to that her ancestors called the surrounding area just west of this garden home. In fact, her 2nd Great Grandfather is buried only about 4 miles from this garden. As we visited the area we had to wonder what those ancestors knew of this place and wondered if they had any interaction with it.

If you haven't already picked up a copy of Fateful go get it while it's on sale for .99 cents. It will not be at the price forever....


In closing I just want to say thank you to all of you who have purchased Cheri's book. Keep an eye out for some new books within the next week or sooner. - Drew

Fateful for 99 Cents

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Fateful is on sale in celebration of Fair Maiden's release in the next couple of days.


Fair Maiden is the first book in my second series. It's a historical fantasy romance. Here is the description:



It's the Victorian era in England, but Contessa is from the medieval past. She awakens within a castle she has never seen before. Knowledge of her name also evades her. However, even worse than not knowing who or where she is, she cannot recall how she died or why she is dressed as a bride.



Check back Tuesday (or perhaps sooner) to get your copy of Fair Maiden!!!!