Category Archives: My Books

WIP asks Elizabeth Noyes …

“How do you come up with such unusual ideas?”

Write Integrity Press takes a quick peek at the story behind the story of Imperfect Trust, the second book in The Imperfect Series.

 

Elizabeth Noyes (@Enoyes5246)

Elizabeth Noyes (@Enoyes4736)

I’ve often said I wouldn’t be a writer were it not for my very own techie support team—my husband, son, daughter, and son-in-law, all of whom eat, drink, breathe, sleep, groan, and yawn their way through the latest, greatest technology. Me? Not so much. With Imperfect Trust, the second book in the Imperfect Series, I wanted to do something different, something to acclaim the unique and creative way those in computer ‘geekdom’ think since their expertise keeps me up and running.

It was a short leap from burgeoning idea to a deep, suspenseful, technology-based plot. Add in a many-layered female lead who is not only gifted at ‘exploring’ computers (hacking), she’s also an accomplished ‘gamer’ (video game player extraordinaire). Throw her to the bad guys, make her vulnerable, and let her escape. Enter the hero, a hunky, supercilious ‘code monkey’ (programmer), let them butt heads, and then throw them together in a life or death tangle so they have to depend upon each other. The rest is pure action, drama, adventure, suspense, all spiced up with a dash of romance.

I ran into an unexpected problem early on. It’s tricky trying to balance the necessary technical jargon so true believers buy your spin without overwhelming those not-in-the-know with too much computerese. Heaven forbid they grow bored and start skimming!

In the immortal words of J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), “All the word is made of faith and trust … and pixie dust!”

I just hope and pray my readers will have faith and trust in my pixie dust!

Click here to get Imperfect Trust on Amazon – 99¢ sale this week!

Imperfect Trust and Pixie Dust

IMPERFECT TRUST will be on sale the last week of January 2018. 

I’ve often said I wouldn’t be a writer today were I not surrounded by my own in-house techie support team:
my husband, son, daughter, and son-in-law who eat, drink, breathe, sleep and yawn the latest, greatest technology.

Imperfect Trust presented an opportunity to leverage and acclaim their talents, though I soon realized there was a fine line between delivering too much and too little technical stuff. You see, I wanted my computer-savvy readers to buy into the story because, let’s face it, a work of fiction has to be somewhat believable. But I also didn’t want those who are not as knowledgeable about the computer world to cross their eyes and toss the book aside.

This quote from J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan sums up my thoughts: “All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.” I pray my readers will have faith and trust in the pixie dust I write.

Who Says You Can’t Go Home Again?

WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN?

I recently had the pleasure of visiting central (rural) Idaho, the setting for The Imperfect Series. We drove down through Montana to Salmon, Idaho, on to Challis, and past the fictional location of Hastings Bluff.

{Hastings Bluff is named not for a water feature, but for a savvy card shark. 😊)

Route 93 followed the Salmon River, sometimes a burbling brook, while other times it broached a Class III rapids river. Whatever form it took. The River was stunning as it wound through the wide valleys and canyons in sweeping “S” curves.

The pictures I took garnered tons of comments from my readers: “Wow, it looks exactly like I pictured it,” and “You nailed the description. I recognized the landscape right away!”

Words an author never tires of hearing.

As we drove through the Lost River Mountain Range, I relived scene after scene from each of my books. Even my honey got into the zone with questions and 

comments like, “Is this where Cassie hog tied Derek by the

side of the road?” and “This looks like it might be the entrance to the ranch, where Lucy had to make the crazy turn to escape the stalker shooting at her,” and “I can picture the little town square, the diner, and the sheriff’s office right there.”

Writers are the luckiest people in the world. We have extended families and can visit with them anytime, anywhere.

I thoroughly enjoyed my “family reunion.”

Get IMPERFECT WINGS here:

 

Imperfect Bonds – Finalist!

I am thrilled, proud, and so very honored to announce that Book 3 of The Imperfect Series – IMPERFECT BONDS – has been named a finalist in the Action-Adventure / Western / Epic Fiction category!

The Grace Awards 2016 is an annual reader-driven literary awards presentation of Christian fiction. This year’s nominations include works from major publishers, small publishers, and independent authors. Winners in each category will be announced on May 31, 2017.

And…the Grace Awards 2016 Finalists are… (click here)

 

 

Imagine …

Imperfect Bonds FRONT COVER smallBook Three in The Imperfect Series, IMPERFECT BONDS, is due to release on July 30, 2016. Light, funny, and a little bit sad, it also touches on the edgy topic of Human Trafficking.

https://www.amazon.com/Imperfect-Bonds-Book-3-ebook/dp/B01J6E0K5U

July 30th is also “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons“ (#wdatip), as declared  by the United Nations. 

Human trafficking. Slavery. Bondage. Servitude. Enslavement. Oppression. Loss of everything you know, everything you have, and everything you are. Whatever we call it, Human Trafficking represents identity theft in the worst, most heinous way possible, much to mankind’s everlasting shame.

I am reminded of the story in the Bible of when the Israelites were taken into bondage by the Babylonians, specifically the tales of four teens, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. I find it interesting that Daniel, who was given the Babylonian name, Belteshazzar, kept his “Daniel” identity all through history, while his three friends are better known by their Babylonian names—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Thousands of Jews were taken captive and transported far from their homeland in Judah. These affluent boys were reduced to no more than slaves with no civil rights and no say in anything that might affect their lives. They had to adapt to a new culture and learn a new language if they wanted to survive. 

helpSlavery continues in our world today, but without respect for life. In fact, this juggernaut industry profits more than $32 billion annually, and affects between 20-30 million victims – children and adults, male and female. (Authorities believe these numbers are low  with most of the criminal activities hidden.)

Take a walk with me for a moment. Exercise your imagination:

Imagine you’re a young woman working on a deadline. The project runs late and you leave your office well after everyone else. The walk to the parking garage seems longer in the semi-lit darkness. Every shadow is sinister, every sound amplified. You hurry your steps, knowing there is safety inside the locked doors of your car.

Imagine as you approach the driver’s side, a van comes around the corner. Nothing special about it. Just another work vehicle with scuff marks and a few dings. And yet, fear zips through your body. Do you turn around and race back to the building? Or hurry to unlock your car?

Imagine in the moment of hesitation as the van picks up speed. It draws near. Panic grips you when the sliding door flies open. A man jumps out and rushes toward you.  You scream and turn to run … but it’s too late.

Imagine rough hands grab you. A nasty rag is crammed in your mouth. You’re lifted and tossed bodily inside the van. The man scrambles in behind you and slams the door. Darkness envelops you as the vehicle speeds away. The panic becomes gut-wrenching terror.

Imagine having all your possessions taken away — purse, money, jewelry, phone, clothes, even your name.

chains-19176_640Imagine being tossed into a cold, dark cell with only a blanket on the floor. You’re dressed in the thinnest of rags with no one to hear your cries for help.

Imagine being ridiculed for your tears, beaten for your screams. You soon learn not to complain, but to beg instead for the meanest comfort —  a toilet, food, water, or perhaps a simple scrap of information.

Imagine being told you’ll never see your family, home, friends, or anything familiar again. That your life as you know it is gone forever. That now, you’re a commodity.

Imagine being forced to do terrible, shameful, demeaning things because that’s what your captor demands, and your performance determines if you’ll receive another beating or whether you get to eat or drink. Or possibly even live to see another day.

Imagine you’re forced to take addicting drugs that leave you fuzzy, delirious, incapable of clear thought or logical decisions, unable to control your body movements or speech. You can’t fight or deny your captor anything.

Imagine losing all hope.children-788782_640

This is but a single scenario that a victim of Human Trafficking might face. Everyday children are snatched from shopping malls and playgrounds while under the watchful eyes of parents. Young men are abducted from bars and nightclubs. Young women are lured away with promises of … whatever. Boys and girls are snatched from schools, sporting events, skating rinks, right off the street. And the list goes on. 

Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from falling prey to these monsters. Educate your children. Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s Website:  Human Trafficking 101  http://ow.ly/wW7O302Ayip

Support The Blue Campaign    https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaignBlue Campaign

Imperfect Bonds Releases on July 30, 2016!

IMPERFECT BONDS, Book 3 of The Imperfect Series, will be released on July 30, 2016!

Imperfect Bonds FRONT COVER small

 

She’s come home to mend fences with her twin sister.

He’s an ex-Navy SEAL just doing his job.

A serendipitous encounter on a deserted highway and a seemingly innocent cell phone picture plunges Cassie Cameron into the crosshairs of a shady organization with ties to organized crime, illegal arms sales, drug running, and the terrible world of human trafficking.

A daring rescue. A risky escape. Kidnapped children. A race up the mountain.

Published by Write Integrity Press

The Imperfect Series and Other Books by Elizabeth Noyes

 

 

Exciting news about a fantastic sale and a new release!

I have 3 very exciting announcements to share with you today!

*  The kindle edition of Imperfect Wings, the first book in my Imperfect Series, is on sale for a limited time for only 99¢!      What a steal!

* Book 2 of the series, Imperfect Trust, has also been discounted and is now available for only $2.99.

and ….. (can I get a drum roll please!!!”

* Book 3, Imperfect Bonds, is on schedule for an early August release! Yay!3-book collage

Bonus: Here’s a YouTube link to a short video trailer with a sneak peek for what to expect in the latest book: http://ow.ly/Xphw302kCEJ

Help me spread the word! Share this information with all your friends, neighbors, co-workers … all book lovers.

Better yet, help them complete their summer reading list by gifting a copy direct to their Kindle device. Amazon makes it so easy. (Here’s a link to my website explaining how: http://ow.ly/ttcU302kBMT)

Thanks so much for supporting me through this journey. Happy reading!

Love your neighbor as yourself. Really?

Have you seen some of my neighbors?

Worse, the word “neighbor” used in scripture includes anyone and everyone that touches your sphere of existence—neighborhood, workplace, community, grocery store—anybody you come in contact with, and maybe even some you don’t.

Impossible.

What if I’m standing in a check-out line behind a serial killer? Or a pedophile? I mean, we all know what these people look like. Right?

What if I go to enter a building and I’m jostled aside by a young thug in Saggin pantsbutt crack-revealing pants? Someone who roams the streets looking for an opportunity to intimidate? Looking to prove himself to his fellow butt-crackers? I mean, what if he has a gun? Or a knife?

Tattooed thugWhat about the burly dude with ink covering every visible scrap of skin? Or the depraved-looking punk who’s mutilated his face and body with terrible piercings? Or the young woman dressed in skimpy clothes with a cigarette dangling from her lips and a toddler dangling from her hip?

What about the unshaven, overgrown hick in the jacked up truck, with theRedneck truck sleeves torn out of his tee shirt, ball cap on backward, and sucking on a beer can? The customer service rep on the phone who speaks with an accent so thick I can’t understand a word he says? The man on the street corner in a North Face jacket who holds a sign up claiming homeless and hungry?

What about the group of young people who had a few too many–drinks/tokes/pills/sniffs? You know them, they’re noisy, obnoxious, beyond rude, and use profanity like it’s on sale. Or the obese woman in the motorized scooter who will run over you if you don’t get out of her way? Or the overly loud man who always has something to say, inane as it may be? Or the jerk who cuts you off in traffic?

Am I really supposed to love all these losers?

Wow, God. I don’t see how even You could love them. Or for that matter, why you care about me.

A character I created for one of my early (unpublished) books came to mind, one I haven’t thought of in a long time. Raymond Bessemer (totally fictional name) is a bad guy, the antagonist, the one everybody loves to hate, including Raymond himself. And I made him that way.

I knew the things Raymond suffered as a child, the terrible consequences Bad guyforced on him by the actions of others, and the impossible circumstances that led to impossible choices. I knew his innermost thoughts, felt his despair in the darkness, and understood his regrets and remorse. I also knew of the hope he protected from the world, that eternal spark of light that cries from the soul. You see, hope, like a weed, is impossible to completely extinguish.

I wrote Raymond into existence full of hurt, anger, and feelings of helplessness. I let him make his own choices, even when they were bad. And I still cherished him, despite all the reprehensible things he thought and said and did. I still love him. You see, he’s mine.

Writers call the characters we create “our darlings” and “our children.” Even though they represent evil, we hate when others hate them. That’s because we see past their flaws and terrible deeds, we know their innermost thoughts and dreams. In fact, I loved Raymond so much that I created another character who saw past his darkness and showed him a better way. I wrote a better future for him. All he had to do was choose it.

All he had to do was choose it. Wow.

Aren’t we all Raymonds? Just in a bigger theater? Look at me. Look at you. Look at the next person you see. There’s a soul inside each of us, a spirit that hopes and hungers for light, and waits for someone to reach out.

You don’t have to like someone to care about them. You just have to care.LoveIf Jesus could forgive his betrayers, love a thief on the cross, and give His life to save people who despised Him … why is it so difficult for us to follow his example? To at least try?

Authors – Check out this great opportunity to find new readers for free!

Find New Readers For Free #amwriting #amediting

Posted by on September 8, 2015  and copied here on September 23, 2015.

Blog: Rainy of the Dark

Recruiting for First Quarter 2016.

 Every few months, I run a “Winner Takes All” giveaway. Authors donate one ebook copy of their book, and the whole pool of donations is put up as a prize. To enter, readers have to perform tasks that include following the authors who donated to the giveaway.

Interested?

Donate A Copy

I’m gathering ebook contributions for FIRST quarter “winner takes all” giveaway for 2016. Here’s how it works:

1. If you want to include your book, fill out the form below. Note: You can donate more than one ebook but you must fill out the form for each ebook. Please note this will be for Kindle formats only.

2. I will organize the Rafflecopter and create the HTML code. Entries on this will include following you (if you provide your social network profiles on the form).

3. Before the giveaway goes live, I will email you the HTML code to share on your own blog.

4. The giveaway will run for three months. During that time, the giveaway is repeatedly tweeted to my 32,000+ followers, shared with my 3k+ Facebook friends, pinned to my 900+ Pinterest followers, and posted to my 13,000+ followers on Google Plus. It is also advertised on my blog sidebar. My blog receives around 120,000 page views per month. This is on top of all contributing authors sharing the giveaway with their audience as well.

5. At the end, I will close the Rafflecopter and choose a random winner. I will send the winner’s email address to all contributing authors, who are then responsible for delivering their participating ebook(s) to the winner.

Visit Rainy’s blog and Complete this form to enter.