Brandon Ax's ELEMENTAL release and an award nomination!

I'd like to take a moment to announce an exciting event for a fellow blogger, writer, artist: Brandon Ax!

April 20th marked the release of his debut novel: 

Elemental

(brilliant cover art, if I may say so!)

 Blurb of book: 
Sophia's mother disappeared when she was six, leaving behind a broken father and sleep disturbed by silent terrors. Now twelve years later, the nightmares that plagued her youth have suddenly returned. With dark creatures occupying her nights and a sense of restlessness consuming her days, all she wants is to finish school and get out of her small town as fast as possible. Everything changes when she is confronted with the realization that the shadowy beings from her dreams are real. The truth of this reality hits hard when someone she loves is killed. It would seem that anyone in their way is disposable. A mysterious boy named Aiden enters her life bringing with him all sorts of complications. They're drawn to each other, but their connection brings Aiden right into the path of her half-demon nightmares. With her father and several new friends put in the cross-hairs, Sophia must decide whether to let the shadows take her or stand her ground and fight. As the school year steadily moves closer to an end her decision may come with the cost of her life or worse—the lives of those she cares about.

If you are also excited for Brandon and interested to see more, have a look:

Here's a link to purchase the book from Amazon OR from CreateSpace.

Here's a link to the GoodReads page!  Throw this book up on your "To-Read" shelf!

Finally, get to know Brandon HERE on his blog!  I met him right here in the blogo-sphero, where we discovered our similar tastes in video games, music and stories of the fantastic sort!  

Award Nomination

As it turns out, I've been nomitated for the "Very Inspiring Blogger" award, by none other than *gasp* Brandon Ax!

 Now, I'm new to award nominations and such so I'll do my best not to disappoint.  So far I believe my obligations include answering the following.   

Here goes...

1. What inspires you to be creative?

Upon careful thought, I realized that (as corny as this sounds) a good mood is my inspiration.  If I'm in a good mood - which doesn't require much - inspiration hits my face several times daily in the form of ideas.  Upon realizing this, I began carrying a small pen and journal with me everywhere I went.  It wasn't unusual to catch me jotting in it at the most inopportune moments (my wife couldn't be happier that it's gone).  Now I've learned the value of the notepad feature on my phone and it simply looks like I'm texting.

2. What is your version of the perfect dinner?

My fancies tend to be as fickle as a summer breeze.  As of this moment?  Anything cooked on an open fire in the forest alongside a heavy canteen of water.  I honestly am not too picky beyond that.  Ask me late August and my answer probably will have changed.

3. What are three of your favorite bands?

Hmm... This would be easier if my fancies weren't as fickle as a summer breeze and all that nonsense. 
...  ...   Ok, I'm hijacking the question.
3. What are three of your favorite composers?
Currently:  Motoi Sakuraba, Hitoshi Sakimoto and Nobuo Uematsu

4. If you could have one superpower what would it be?

Flight.
This has been my answer to this question for as long as I can remember.

For you interested readers, I pose to you the same questions I answered above!  Especially - What inspires you to be creative?