The Adventures Within: Wake Up! We're No Longer Dead by Mindy Larson Book Tour *Review*

Hadley and Dominic seem to have it all. Each other. A beautiful little girl named Piper. Endless amounts of time. Fulfilling assignments as spirit guides.

But Piper is not like the rest of them.

What would you risk? What would you give up to secure your loved ones safety?
Fear drives Dom and Hadley to give up everything when they leave Piper behind on the only place the Masters can't go. The Purple Planet.

Piper may look the part, gifted with the soothing tones of lavender, her eyes, hair, even her skin is kissed with a purpled glow, but she's different. She is special. She's alive. Fitting in, in the afterlife, proves to be more than difficult, even after she finds her soul mate, Aiden Hall. He is not only a resident but he runs the bar next door. Just when they reconnect and despite everything Hadley and Dominic gave up, Piper doesn't stay hidden long.

The Masters are back and Piper is taken where she belongs to Pre-Earth.
Attempting and failing at making contact with Piper from the other side, Aiden feels as if there's no other choice but to follow his heart. All the while knowing the risks are great.

Struggling with their reality neither Piper or Aiden remember a thing past waking up. Both feel as if they should remember something. Someone. But what? And who?

Will they end up together once more? Or will they choose to follow an easier path?

My Review and Thoughts

First off I wanted to say that I was super excited when I got asked by the author to review this book because I love this series and it holds a special place in my heart. So of course when they asked me to read and review the book I was like "HECK YES" how can I say no.

This book was fantastic The foundation of the book was just spot on, the characters were perfect just like they were in the first book... The idea of the book is so clever that it makes you as a reader want to find more books like these. It gives you a different look on life. Like to appreciate all the little things in life and embrace it. And no matter what don't give up when things get tough. But it also gives you a different perspective of things. Aiden took risks no other man who has never experienced or felt real true love would take. Yet he did, this guy deserves an award or something for everything he did. Oh my gosh the way the author describes everything is outstanding. Just using your imagination and seeing it all in your head makes you wish you were there! Also being with Aiden wouldn't be all that bad ;). *(kidding)* Aiden is just perfection.

Wake Up! Were No Longer Dead was so well written I was not disappointed whatsoever. Mindy knows how to hit her readers right in the "FEELS".I think I started crying maybe through half of the book. It was somewhat nerve wrecking because I didn't know what was going to happen. I was so pleased with the writing Mindy Larson sure knows how to keep people on the edge of their seat. I loved the book it deserves it's 5/5 stars. I feel so grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it so much. It was as good as the first one, I couldn't have asked for more. Also the book cover is BEAUTIFUL.

(Side note) I hadn't noticed you lived in Salt Lake before. That is where I currently live so that is super cool!!

Five steps to be a better writer

1-Read! Read first thing in the morning. Read right before bed. Read while in line at at grocery in the car, at the doctors office, in the tub, on the tred mil, or in the car. The only time you shouldn't be reading is on a date, in a meeting, while talking on the phone, or during most social situations. Why? Rumor has it you can learn a lot from other authors and without even realizing it! Sentence patterns. Sentence structures. New words. How long should you read for? I personally try to read an hour in the morning and an hour before bed. But as little as twenty minutes here or there can help. I can tell I'm in the zone when the rest of the world falls away and I feel as if I am walking around with the characters. Smelling the fresh flowers. Tasting the tea and cookies. When that kind of magic happens is when I learn the most.

2-Pay attention to things around you. Tune into conversations floating your way. Whether you're out and about getting groceries or a coffee, listen to what others are saying. Yeah, I know some might call this ease dropping, but I call it research! If I hear someone say something interesting or funny, I pull out my phone and make a memo to use it in dialogue for one of my characters later on.

3-Use your senses. This step goes more in depth about paying attention to things around you. It's best done in the outside but it can be done anywhere. Close your eyes and inhale. Concentrate on what you smell. Think of new ways to describe old scents. 'Inhaling, I take in the sultry scent of newly cut grass. Its earthy. Damp. And reminds me of summer of 2001.' Next, open your eyes and look around. What do you see? What does it remind you of? Today I saw a sunset. It was red, pink, orange, and blue. So, I might write something like, 'During my after dinner walk, I was greeted with a striking sunset. Red, pink and orange flames burst onto the sky as if ink spilling on a piece of paper.' Next step in this little exercise, is to listen. What do you hear? A lawn mower. A dog barking. Cars cruising by. And again, try to think of new words to use, instead of saying cars 'cruising by', try something more interesting such as, 'Cars growled by in raging fury.' By this point, you're probably on to me and can guess what's next! Touch. What does it feel like? Is it windy? Is the sun warming your face with its rays? Maybe its raining. The other day, my husband and I were caught in a rain/hail storm. If I were to write about it, I might write something like, 'Without warning we were assaulted with mothers natures shrapnel, icy bullet like hail showered our skin and left us hungry for shelter and our flesh bruised with the impact.' The last is taste. Describe the flavor and texture. Was it sweet? Sour. Meaty. Smoky. Bitter. And you need not only describe food in this manner! Maybe try something like, 'As the sour words began to pop off my tongue, a bitter, vinegar like taste remained in my mouth, leaving me no choice but to spit them out as quickly as possible.'

4. Practice. Set aside some time to write daily, or as much as you can. This is just like reading and for me and every single day I spend as little as an hour or up to eight hours writing, depending on my schedule or how I feel. Somedays I just can't write at al. If that happens to you, let that be ok! Go for a walk. Clear your head. Stop trying so hard. Usually, the ideas will come! But practice makes perfect and like anything you do a lot of you'll get better and better the more you do it.

5. Write only for you! Write as if you're the only one who will ever read your words and just go for it! Allow the characters to speak to you and through you.

Thanks for reading my steps to becoming a better writer! If I missed any of your tricks, let me know!

About The Author:

Mindy Rae Boyer Larson was born in 1977 in Provo, Utah. She is the eldest of four children and only daughter. The family moved to the salt lake county in the early eighties when her father got a job at the USPS.

With a very vivid imagination storytelling came only natural. Often she entertained her younger brothers with evening story tales. Her strong passion for reading and a desire to write her own fairy tales led her to write her first book at the tender age of seven. It remains locked up in a box for safe keeping.

At the age of fourteen she baffled her classmates when she looked forward to her honors English homework rather than heading off to the movies or to canyons with the rest. Mindy often completed twenty page book reports on the day they were assigned and rarely got less than A's on her writing assignments.

She has written dozens of kids’ books, short stories, and many other works “This Morning I Woke Up Dead” is her first published novel. Currently Mindy is working on the sequel and has plans to publish numerous more and to never stop writing.

When Mindy isn't writing she is looking after her four kids, cats, and dog. Being a passionate person her other favorite pastimes include; working out, playing disc golf, cooking, baking, traveling, and exploring.

After a long search, she has finally found her true love and lives happily ever after in South East Idaho with her four kids, two girls and two boys, and the love of her life.

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