The Second Editions Are Here!!!

Hello everyone!

It's been a long time since coming, and finally I'm happy to announce the second editions of my Shinobi 7 Series.

The first three books were published by 2014. I went to multiple conventions and book signings and I saw some success in my endeavor to get the book out into the world. The amount of promoting and marketing that I did with my book series online was minimal, but now with the second editions out, I'm ready to share and promote to my full capacity!

When I first published, I was a kid, and in the time that passed my writing has grown stronger, improved. Therefore, I've come out with second editions for Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior, the first full-length book in my series, and Clash of the Clans, the companion novel to accompany it. The final book I've published, Poisoned Battleground will soon be released with a second edition; updates will follow!

The new editions are available on Amazon and Kindle. Trials of a Warrior has a 4.5/5 rating on Amazon and a 4.28 rating on Goodreads. Clash of the Clans has a 4.9/5 rating on Amazon and a 4.88 rating on Goodreads. For readers who enjoy adventure/fantasy, the Shinobi 7 Series is a recommended read. The books have been read and reviewed by all ages, and would make a great stocking stuffer!

To read an excerpt of the first book Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior click here

Anyhoo, thank you for reading! I'm looking forward to many more posts :) Here are links for you to follow to my book!

Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior Excerpt: Click here
Amazon link: Click here
Goodreads: Click here

Clash of the Clans links:

Amazon: Click here
Goodreads: Click here

Like me on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/shinobi7series/

Thank you!!!

Ninja at the CoastCon38!!!

O-HEYO! 

Wow, I'm still fired up from my weekend. On Friday March 20th and Saturday March 21st, I was a regional guest at Coast Con 38 in Biloxi, MS. It was my second convention and I attended to sell my books in the Shinobi 7 Series. In a sea of Naruto, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, and other big name shows/animes, I was the minority with my unknown series. That's part of the challenge for writers/artists who are still establishing their name and popularity. I have to make people want to walk over to my table to look at my books. I have to be charismatic, genuine, and friendly. I have to NOT assume a fetal position in the corner of the room and go, "I don't wanna talk to people!" xD 

You'd be surprised how much I used to be a turtle. Not an awesome ninja turtle, a hide-in-my-shell turtle. Anyway, this is off subject. Today's blog post is about my Coast Con adventure! 

First things first: My outfit. Whahaha! I dressed up as a Martial Artist. Just a random one. That black belt tied around my waist? That's real! I wish I could have cosplayed an actual character, someone like Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls or even Robin from Batman. I've got the whole "messy short black hair" thing going for me. But I was happy to go as a ninja because my best friend Ethale Lynn helped sew it and basically did all of the work.

Alright, now I'll talk about the actual convention! Friday wasn't a very crowded day. There were a lot of Attack on Titan cosplayers, Batman enthusiasts, and Homestuck. An old man even donned an Attack on Titan outfit! He looked to be around 65-70ish and he was dressed up just like the kids and teens! That was pretty cool :D 

Well, there's really not much to say about Friday. I mean, I was with my boyfriend and we spent almost an hour buying gifts for other people XD It was pretty cool because as soon as we showed up to the entrance of the con, I told the person behind the table that I was Lily Benitez, the lady said "Ah, we've been waiting for you." Then she pulls this out: 

Ya know what that is? That's a swag badge, ma'am/sir. I will be keeping that forever.
  Saturday, the big day! 

Okay, so from 1:00 to 2:00 I was selling books. Yes, I was only selling books in a one hour time frame. I was a guest at the con, not a vendor, so I couldn't have the benefits of selling all day without paying for it. As a guest, I was only allowed an hour to sell books. You know how frightening/exciting that was? When I have signings at bookstores I usually sell 1-2 books in an hour time frame. I was in Business-Lily-Mode. More like Business-Black-Belt-Lily-Mode. I was like, "In this hour, I will smile and sell my heart out! For Spartaaaaaa!" 

Seven books sold in one hour. Boom. XD 

That still blows my mind. Still, to this day, to this minute, to this second. It was brilliant how I did it. Wow, okay, I'm about to sound like a big brag but stay with me, please.  

♪ ♫Oh won't you STAAAAAAY with me, cause you're AAAAALLLLL I need. This ain't love it's clear to see.... ♪ ♫

Reader: Lily, focus. 


Right, right. Okay. So I had an hour time frame and I didn't show up early enough to talk up my signing. You know, go around and tell people that I was signing from 1-2 and they could get a book. Rookie mistake. Noob move. Like, why didn't I think about that sooner?

I had no hook. Only the people who walked by my table would see me and they didn't walk over because books didn't catch their attention.I wasn't placed inside the vendor room where people are prepared to buy things, I was in a separate section of the con and most of the attendants were going to be part of panels or play in the video game. Certainly a conundrum!

Well, the first hook I had was that I was giving away three free copies of my short story Clash of the Clans. It was free to put your name in and people who were interested in getting a free book were also able to see the other full length books I had for sale. I also had close to thirty bookmarks that I had made two signings ago. These bookmarks were cut in the shape of a kunai weapon and gave my author name and facebook page. Picture example:

So what did I do?

I gave my bookmarks to my friends and told them to go around the con and hand them out for free, also to tell them that there's a book raffle going on. Boom. There were several people who came to my table for the raffle, saw my books on display, and bought some. It really was a cool experience because I didn't plan any of this! Really! None was planned! People don't believe me when I tell them that I swag my way through my problems. Well, that was a prime example. Hahahaha!

Then, in the last minute of my signing, Patrick and I were packing up my books and this random guy walks to the table. More like a strut, actually, he was a pretty chillax guy. He's like, "Are those books in there?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," I say, "I wrote all of them!"

He already had his wallet out. "I'd like one!" 

I hurry and get the first Shinobi 7 book out. Patrick is like, "You know, they're a fast read and she's already written a sequel."  ((A/N quick thinking Patrick is quick thinking ;w; )

"Great," says the guy, "I'll get them both."

It was so fantastic. The guy bought the first two books and I gave him Clash of the Clans for free because he was genuinely excited to read them. I signed all three of them and he told me to sign his name...

Gino "The Dragon" Phoenix.

Thank you, Gino. You are the best, Gino. Super swag, Gino. Please notice me senpai, Gino  xD

So that concludes my con adventure! I'm looking forward to going to a lot more in the future and having fun! Here are three more pictures for the blog post. A thank you to Patrick, who took the pictures xD Ethale Lynn dressed up as humanized Monokuma from Dangan Ronpa. It was a huge hit! And that Lego Guy! SO BRILLIANT! And then there's me in the Doctor Who tardis. Yuss. 

Thank you for reading! 

~L.

Buried— Shinobi 7 Series Fiction #2

Author's Note: 

Heyo everyone! Here's another exclusive Shinobi 7 fiction.This blog is where readers and fans of the S7 Series can read more in-depth stories and behind-the-scenes fictions that happen in the universe of my books. You'll get to know the characters more and find out certain events that happen in the book series that wasn't told or gone into detail. These fictions are like the missing puzzle pieces, like a cherry on top. 

This prompt once again returns to the characters Master Kitsune and Akira Miyamoto. There is a strong bond that these characters share, both good and bad. The books introduce the kinetic between them, and this prompt will give a little more thought to them. 

As the readers have discovered in the series, Master Kitsune disappeared from the world for twenty-three long years, all without a trace. This was after the vicious battle with Blackthorn. Everything was chaotic. When Master Kitsune disappeared, the weight of running the clan fell on Akira's shoulders. 

How did it feel for Akira to suddenly take charge after her master went missing? Especially after suffering the loss of many other students from Blackthorn's attack. What toll did this responsibility take on Akira, even though Master Kitsune returned to her?

The fiction below explores this. Please enjoy.
...
...
...

She wanted nothing more than to be with him.

For twenty-three long years, Master Kitsune was out of her world and disappeared without a trace. Akira couldn't show how much she was affected by his absence to Shinichi and Zuko. They were her teammates, yes, and they too felt the same pang of loss. But Master Kitsune's disappearance brought on more than just sadness.

It brought deeply embedded abandonment.

Like a father leaving his child, Akira felt like Master Kitsune abandoned her to fend for herself. She needed him. Didn't he know that? She needed his presence, his approval, and his watchful eye. She needed him. Most of all, she needed him to tell her right from wrong, because there were times when Akira felt those lines blur.

She buried these harsh feelings inside of herself. This was done for two reasons.

One, because she didn't want to be associated with the little girl she used to be. She was not the fourteen year old child who joined the Kitsune Clan completely untrained. The little girl who used to be afraid and cry when things didn't go her way. That image was long tarnished, as far as Akira was concerned.

Two, because telling Master Kitsune that he abandoned her wouldn't help anything. The damage had already been done, he left and now he has returned.

Akira felt like she needed answers from him. She felt like he owed her answers, actually, as if she had some sort of entitlement to know where he had been and why. Master Kitsune owed her some sort of answer, didn't he?

No. The answer was no.

Because Master Kitsune was not her father. She was not his daughter. They shared no blood between them. Her role never changed from when he left or when he returned— she was his student. Akira may have been given the position of second-in-command of the Kitsune Clan, but she would always be Master Kitsune's student.

 

As his student, it was not her place to ask where he had been, what he had been doing, anything at all. Her job was to follow his orders and give orders of her own. That was that.

 

So, Akira sunk down against her red-colored couch inside of the privacy of her home. She willed her heart to slow its beating, but it would not listen. In her moments alone, Akira was able to be weak. She could wonder about the “what ifs.” She could complain, whine, scream, shout... anything.

 

But at some point she would have to get off her couch, tighten her hair's bun, and get back out there. Master Kitsune, her teammates, and her students were waiting for her. It wasn't the weak woman they were waiting on, either. It was the strong soldier who was always in control of herself.

 

With that said, Akira made quick work of burying her feelings even deeper. 

 

Thank you for reading! I'm also very excited to announce that I will be a guest at the upcoming 38th annual Coast Convention, being held in Biloxi MS on March 20-22nd! I'll be selling my Shinobi 7 Series books. 

Read all about the convention HERE and if you wanna see my picture and bio, scroll to the veeeeeery bottom of the page. Check out the whole site!

To gear up for this event, I'll post updates on my con preparations, more S7 fictions, and a buncha random stuff that I don't even know about. We'll all find out together, I guess XD

~Arigato!  

My Review: Looking Over Your Shoulder by P.D. Workman

Hello there! I'm happy to have another book review ready for you readers. This is review is Looking Over Your Shoulder, the suspense novel by P.D. Workman.

Book Synopsis:

Just because you're paranoid, that doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you.

Things were going well for Abe. Despite all of his past struggles with mental illness, he was happily married, had three wonderful children, a nice home, and a fantastic consulting business that satisfied his creativity and brought in a good income.

But you can never get too comfortable. When Abe becomes a prime suspect in a jewel heist - one of the largest successful jewel heists in history - his schizophrenia becomes unmanageable and everything begins to spiral out of control. Abe's own investigation into the heist has the jewel thieves hot on his tail... but are they really, or is he just losing the battle against his inner demons?

My Review:

I enjoyed this book very much. It was a short read for me, only 215 pages from the PDF file's length, but the book had a great pace to it. Everything flowed smoothly. The best thing about this book was the family kinetic between Abe, his wife Ursula, their daughter Jeanu, and the other two children. Clearly there's a crisis going on in the family, Abe is being accused of being a part of a jewel heist! 

One unique thing I found about this book was that the whole family was involved in this struggle. Now, I have not read many suspense novels, I'm sure there are others out there where the whole family is has to fight. But that doesn't change that Workman did a great job with the family relationships and how it wove into the suspense. 

Another great thing about this book was the main character, Abe. He was a likeable star, at least in my opinion. He has playful banters with his children, and the schizophrenia part of his character was done very well. I would say that is the strongest suit of Workman's book: Abe's schizophrenia. There was no part of the book where it felt ridiculous or unbelievable. Kudos to the author!

All in all, this novel is a fun read and I enjoyed it very much. 

For more information on P.D. Workman and her novels, here's some awesome links for you to follow. Also, she recently won a book award for her novel, "Ruby, Between the Cracks" that is being featured in Wattpad. I'll link you there, too.  

Ruby, Between the Cracks: HERE
P.D. Workman's Amazon Profile: HERE
Looking Over Your Shoulder's Goodreads page: HERE

Thank you for reading :) And thank you to the author, who gave me a free copy of the book in exchange for a review!

Things I fail at: Updating My Blog

OHAIIIIIIIIII! 

Well, it's certainly been awhile since I've blogged. I've been "getting around to it" for about a week now, and I've finally felt so guilty that I've updated. 

Reader: So in other words, you're just posting out of guilt, you don't actually have anything to say. 

Me: No! No, no, no! I have plenty to say!

Reader: I meant anything of significant importance...

Me: Oh. Yeah, none of that...

Haha :D Just having fun there, just having fun. I do have some news, and since this is a blog about me and my writings, it's very appropriate for me to go on about my life. I have nearly a whole month to update you guys on! 

January 24th: I went to the Mississippi Karate Association's banquet and was awarded with a triple state championship and competitor of the year.

Reader: WOW, so right off the bat you're going to brag about yourself, good job. 

Me: I'm sorry! It's true though, all that did happen...

Anyway, it was a really fun event. It was my first year in the black belt women's division and I'm very honored with what I received. I worked hard all tournament season of 2014 and it was a really big deal for me. I went with two very dear friends/classmates of mine. The only thing that was better than the banquet was the friends that I enjoyed it with :D PLUS they served banana split pudding and AAAAMMMGGG it was so good. 

Reader: Incredible. 

Moving on! 

January 25th: Literally the day after the banquet was my one year anniversary for being a black belt. I don't remember what I actually did on this day, but that was a big deal for me. The day I had my black belt rank test is not one I'll forget anytime soon. It's definitely a memory I'll have for the rest of my life. So, here's a throwback picture of me when I just got through with my test and had my black belt on for the first time! Remember, I just endured like 4-5 hours of testing and I was extremely tired. My hair, though. 

February 5th: That day was a fantastic day! I had a book signing at my local library! It was my first book event of the new year and also the very first event where I sold Poisoned Battleground. It felt like a much bigger deal than it actually was because it was held locally. The idea that I'm like a local superstar is extremely intimidating to me, yet at the same time, why not me? I wrote some books, I'm putting myself out there. I'm here at a signing and if people are curious about my work, I'm here to answer questions! 

Well, I ended up selling a record number of books. There were people who came to the event just to say hi to me. I felt very lucky and lurved. The library was extremely accommodating and even put my event in the local paper. It really was a great signing. Here's a picture! The one next to me is my wonderfully swag cousin, Summer. She got some of her friends to come along and one of them bought us milkshakes. Like, who does that? Who just randomly shows up like "I got milkshakes!" There are no words XD

Quick note: I really do love my cousin Summer. She's like a shaken up can of soda and when you open her up she's like "HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" and there's happiness all up in your face.

Okay. Well, I think I'm all up to date on all of the things that I've been up to. This feels good. Think of this blog post as a little filler, a quick up-to-date that serves as an excuse of why I fail at so many things. Haha :D 

I will be updating regularly! I have more news the Shinobi 7 Series and book reviews coming soon! Thank you for reading, dear reader. I hope you actually enjoyed reading about my life. 

Reader: I just wasted five minutes I'll never get back.

Me: Well, that's just life, isn't it?

Arigato!

~Lily

Shinobi 7 Character Insight: Hanran Nigaru

Heyo, readers! I hope you're all doing fantastic. The first month of the new year is almost at its end and hopefully you have gotten one step closer to your resolution. Or you can be like me, who was like "My resolution is to do nothing" and then you went off and did nothing, thus completing your resolution. 

Lol. 

Actually my resolution was to be a better me. A better daughter, sister, student, author, and ninja. So there are some feels for ya. Revel in them feels. 

I'm pleased to present my first character insight in the Shinobi 7 Series. Fans of the S7 Series, get ready, because I'm starting off with one of my most popular characters. The silent, skilled, and apathetic Hanran Nigaru! 

The feedback on Hanran's character is really amazing to hear. Thank you to every fan who has gone out of their way to tell me your favorite characters and give me feedback, it's truly appreciated.

In the initial conception of Hanran, I wanted to create a character that emulated the stereotype ninja. A character that was quiet, observant, and very deadly with a weapon. Hanran is the ninja with the mental focus and heightened senses, even if he's still considered a student and not yet acknowledged as a full shinobi. Although, Hanran is the type of guy who wouldn't care if he were recognized as a full shinobi or a fresh meat student. So long as he is stronger than his enemies, he is content. He is a character that is not easily distracted with details. He always focuses on the bottom line.

Hanran (反乱) means "rebellion", "revolt". Nigaru means (苦る) "to feel bitter", "to scowl".

As skilled as he is, it was also important for me to emphasize the void that he has emotionally. Why is he so guarded? Why does he always feel like he must have his weapon on him? What is the true reason he trains as hard as he does?

Most importantly, who is he training to fight? 

I've never really felt safe, I've never really felt at ease. I know that we're in a time of war, and I've immersed myself as a soldier in battle. There is no safety, there is no peace. There's just war.

Chaos.

~Hanran's POV, Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior (book #1) 

One important note about him is that he absolutely-positively-undeniably-without-question wants to be alone. Which is great, yeah, except for the fact that Hanran Nigaru is on Sector 7 with five other teammates, three of them being younger children, the team leader a complete ego-maniac, and a girl who's bound and determined to talk to him, no matter how awkward she is. The disgruntled lone wolf now has a pack. Whether he likes it or not, he must learn how to work with his new teammates. 

“H-hi I’m Teruko Cassie."

“I never asked for an introduction."

~Cassie and Hanran, their first meeting 

The reader will get to know more of Hanran's character as the Shinobi 7 Series goes on. They'll understand his struggles and motivations. His character will grow with his teammates as he learns that he is a vital part of the Sector 7 team. They rely on him as much as he relies on them. 

And yes, Hanran will have to learn how to deal with his teammate, Luna. 

Get Shinobi 7: Trials of a Warrior (Book #1) on paperback and on Kindle for $2.99. If you've read the first book, the sequel Poisoned Battleground is also available in print and Kindle editions HERE 

My Review-- The Mayonnaise Murders Part One by Keith A. Owens

Hello readers! I'm happy to share my review of The Mayonnaise Murders by Keith A. Owens. 

Synopsis:

Whoever killed Johnny Beardy ruined a perfectly good sandwich in the process. I was hungry when I found him, so that's the first thing came to my mind. For the record, my name is Vid. It's short for a name you don't wanna bother trying to pronounce if you're from Earth. Anyway, I solve problems. It's not what I always did, but things change and here I am. Stuck up to my gills in other critters' problems on good ole Planet 10. Once again, if you're an Earthling reading this, I meant that literally. You folks have a habit of making up cute little sayings and whatnot. Working your tail off. Sweatin’ like a pig. Up to your neck in. This ain't one of those. I have gills. Deal with it. On Planet 10, pork is fine but mayonnaise is illegal. Used as an essential ingredient in the highly addictive drug MayoMadd, mayonnaise has long been banned for the safety of the colonies which has been free of the MayoMadd craze for years. So then where did the mayonnaise come from? And who has enough pull to get it delivered to Planet 10? Or is somebody manufacturing it, and if so where are they getting the ingredients? Is sandwich spread really that important to a critter, and where does a dead rock star fit into all this? That’s what Vid has to find out, with more than a little help from Vee, a shapely news reporter with no shortage of attitude and an arsenal of quick comebacks wrapped in as much barbed wire as humor. What they eventually uncover is the biggest story of Vee’s career, but it could also pose one of the biggest threats to Earth’s teenagers – especially those with a taste for chemical thrills. The whole twisted affair could turn both Vid and Vee into wanted criminals just for playing too close to the fire.

My review:

This sci-fi adventure was a fun ride to strap on for. It was insane, filled with great quotes, wacky characters, and a plotline that kept getting better and better. 
 
The author Owens has his own voice and writing style that is very definable and enjoyable for me. He wrote to entertain and he succeeded.The book is fast-paced and the main character, Vid, was a well-developed lead to guide the reader through the plot. I saw some similarities in Owens writing as I did my own. To me, it seems that Mr. Owens writes to the beat of his own drum. This book may not be for everyone, but whoever wants to be entertained by a sci-fi novel should definitely have this book on their bookshelf.

Oh, and it's a detective/crime novel too. There's also that element of mystery. The character kinetics are great. 

All in all, this was a fantastically zany book and I look forward to reading more. 

Follow these links so you can get a copy of the Mayonnaise Murders for yourself! 

Goodreads 
Amazon 
Author's Goodreads Profile