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Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2017
I have so much to tell you guys! In November, I went to Miami for Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Ceremony. Both, Fate’s Cry and Fate’s Roar, won Honorable Mention in Romance-Paranormal category. I am grateful to Readers’ Favorite for awarding the books such a prestigious recognition.
I am excited, yet humbled, that all six books I’ve entered so far for awards are now award-winning novels.
Miami was a blast! I swear meeting up with other award-winning authors is the greatest feeling. These guys are talented, inspiring, and are full of amazing wisdom. Here are some pictures from the Meet and Greet and the ceremony itself.
I have more good news! My Perfect Imperfections was a featured book for a university’s book club! Yes, a university! Holy Family University in Pennsylvania discussed My Perfect Imperfections in November. Man, I’m so excited because when I wrote My Perfect Imperfections, I hoped to inspire and raise awareness. To say I was honored that this story was chosen, is an understatement. Here are some pics from the book club at the library from the university.
If anybody wants to purchase an autographed copy of any of my books, please contact me. Christmas is coming, so this may be a fantastic gift for somebody. 🙂
Lastly, I absolutely love photography. I’m really not that great at it, but I did take this pic while hiking in California one day. I liked it, so I decided to use it. I leave you with this final thought. Until next time, lovelies.
Fate’s Roar Earns the Five Star Seal from Readers’ Favorite!
I am so excited to share that Fate’s Roar just earned the five star seal from Readers’ Favorite! I just got three professional reviews back and all are five star reviews! Here’s what they had to say:
Review #1:
Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite
“Fate’s Roar by Jalpa Williby is the next novel in the Fate Series and I am irrevocably in love with Williby and her writing style. If you had told me that I would be this immersed in the story of gargoyles, I would have never believed you. However, there is something about the way Jalpa Williby writes so that you cannot help but like it, love it and adore it.
This time, the story is about Shane and Samantha and how they overcome their problems to be together forever. The moment Shane laid eyes on little Samantha, he knew that he needed to keep her safe. Throughout her life, Shane was her one protector and he did everything in his considerable power to help her and keep her safe. Now that she is no longer a little child, but a very beautiful woman, Shane has feelings for her. Samantha loves him back, but the Gargoyles are not happy with them and their friendship. Now Samantha is in trouble; she has to pay for something that she had no control over and Shane will not let that happen. He will protect Samantha, even if it means that he has to take drastic measures. She is his to protect and he will do it at any cost.
What can I say about this amazingly thrilling and fascinating novel? It is remarkable, the character development is stupendous, and I absolutely love the way that Jalpa Williby writes. She has a way with words that cannot be described but only experienced. I love the way she built this absurd world of Gargoyles and made it this interesting for a person like me who does not like paranormal fiction that much. I wish I could give this novel more than 5 stars because it deserves a lot more. Absolutely brilliant!”
Wow! She says, “irrevocably in love with Williby and her writing style…absolutely brilliant…more than 5 stars.” Hell yeah! Thank you, kind reviewer!
Review #2:
Reviewed By Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite
“Fate’s Roar by Jalpa Williby is the second stunning entry in the Fate Series, a work that seems to efficiently combine romance and the paranormal to create the kind of entertainment that will appeal to a wide audience. Readers are introduced to two powerful characters whose romantic journey will take them by surprise. Shane is the kind of attractive man who’d turn any woman’s head, but he has an arrogance that matches his sexiness. He is the kind of guy who doesn’t have any plans of settling down and, although he leaves many broken hearts in his wake, he has a protective attitude towards Samantha, a girl he’d never want to suffer the kind of cruelty he metes out to women. But everything changes when she suddenly disappears.
Jalpa Williby has a rare gift for character and knows how to explore human emotions, making the characters come alive, vividly. There is a lot the author did right, a lot that I loved about this romance. The book starts with action, a fire incident, and the reader gets to meet the protagonist very early in the story. The discovery that Shane cares about Samantha more than offering her protection doesn’t come abruptly and readers will love how the author does the showing, building the tension slowly until it reaches the climax. The plot in Fate’s Roar moves very fast and, with the interesting characters and the powerful conflict, it will be hard for readers to put the book down. Jalpa Williby offers her signature for writing, the crisp prose that sings like music in the ears of readers, all sprinkled with vivid descriptions and interesting dialogues. Romance has never been my thing, but this author has succeeded in creating a strong interest in me for this genre. The plot is irresistible and the compelling cast of characters will leave readers trapped in the world of this book until they read the satisfying end.”
This reviewer states, ” rare gift for character and knows how to explore human emotions…her signature for writing, the crisp prose that sings like music in the ears of readers, all sprinkled with vivid descriptions and interesting dialogues.” I honestly can’t express how much reviews like these mean to me.
Review #3:
Reviewed By Lex Allen for Readers’ Favorite
With Fate’s Roar, the second novel in this series, Jalpa Williby has firmly established another great group of characters and, for me, a new paranormal concept—gargoyles. In Williby’s words, lead character Shane is “sexy, arrogant and ruthless. He is used to women falling at his feet. Settling down has never been an option.” The author doesn’t mention that these attributes apply only to his human side, nor the fact that this monster, this gargoyle—yes, one of those ugly statues most commonly found on Catholic churches—has a few paranormal abilities with which he can manipulate the human mind. In Fate’s Roar, Shane rescues his gargoyle brother (Damien) and human wife (Kelsey) from a fire and meets Kelsey’s ten-year-old niece Samantha for the first time… naked. He tries to use his abilities to cause the girl and her mother to forget they saw him and discovers that little Sammy is not susceptible to his power. If that’s not the start of a great story, I don’t know what is!
It’s been two years since I last read a novel by Jalpa Williby, but I recognized her name when it popped up on Reader’s Favorite review list and snatched it up without bothering to read what the book was about. That already tells a lot about my opinion of this author’s writing prowess. Her talent at weaving romance into a thrilling, paranormal scenario is truly second to none, including the now household names of Bella Forest or Stephenie Meyer. Fate’s Roar is a roller coaster ride that combines deep emotional ups and downs with impossible to foresee twists and turns in the exciting storyline. I predict another bestseller for Jalpa Williby — deservedly so!
Lastly, this reviewer compares me to Bella Forest and Stephenie Meyer. Can I smile any wider?? “Her talent at weaving romance into a thriller, paranormal scenario is truly second to none…deep emotional ups and downs…exciting storyline.”
See why this story is getting such great reviews! You can get it on Amazon (Free on Kindle Unlimited)
Fate’s Roar (Prologue)
On Feb 16th, my seventh novel, Fate’s Roar, will be released! Yikes!
Special introductory price of only 99cents on Kindle. (Limited time)
Here’s the prologue:
They were in that burning house. He could feel it. As he dove down, hoping he wasn’t too late, Shane felt the hot, crackling wind, accompanied by thick, black smoke, whipping around him. The flames rose high, daring him to come closer, hissing and roaring.
He had no time to worry about the raging inferno. Without a second thought, he crashed through the roof of the house and plunged downward to where his brother’s ring was calling out to him. Shane wasn’t worried about his flesh being burned because he knew he would heal quickly. On the other hand, Damien and Kelsey were mere humans. All he could do was pray they were still alive.
Shane allowed his senses to take over, and within seconds, he was standing next to both of their bodies. Snatching them up in his arms, he flew out of the burning house, making sure to cover them with his own body in order to protect them from the flames. As soon as he had them a safe distance away from the blazing building that was on the verge of collapsing, he placed them down on the ground.
“Damien! Come on, open your eyes!” Shane was desperate as he shook him. He wouldn’t allow his brother to die like this.
Shane could hear Damien and Kelsey’s heartbeats, but just barely. If only Damien hadn’t decided to become a human, he would already be healed. Pushing the thought away, Shane forced himself to focus on the current situation. He had to get Damien and Kelsey help before it was too late.
When he heard voices not too far away, Shane leapt back up to his feet. Carrying Damien and Kelsey in his arms, he sprinted toward the sound. Within seconds, he was standing behind tall bushes, watching a woman and a young girl next to her.
“Mom, I’m worried about Aunt Kelsey.” The young girl stared at the fire, looking terrified at the sight.
“It’s okay, Samantha. Help is on its way. Besides, Damien is with her, so I’m sure they got out,” the mother said, trying to reassure her daughter.
“How could they have? Look at the fire, Mom! Damien was shot, remember?” The girl was pulling on her mom’s shirt, trying to hold back her panic.
Shane cringed when he heard that Damien was shot. He had smelled blood, but wasn’t sure what the injury was from. He was at least glad he saw a man’s dead body in the woods as he was approaching the house. He presumed that body must belong to the lunatic serial killer that had been after Kelsey. Realizing he couldn’t afford to waste another second, he shifted into his human form. While still holding Damien and Kelsey in his arms, he approached the woman and her daughter.
As soon as the woman saw him, she instantly pointed her gun at Shane. “Stop where you are. I’ll shoot.”
“It’s okay. I’m not here to hurt you. I’m Damien’s brother. Kelsey and Damien need your help.” Shane placed their bodies down so the woman could get a closer look.
“It’s Kelsey!” the young girl exclaimed, and she began to run toward them.
Her mother grabbed her from behind and held her back. “Stop, Samantha! We don’t know this person!”
“Please, they need help,” Shane begged as he kneeled next to his brother. What if this woman refused to help? Should he take Damien and Kelsey to the nearest hospital? Shane knew there wasn’t enough time for that, though. They were barely hanging on. He should just grab the woman and make her help.
“Help is on its way. Don’t move!” the woman commanded, the gun still pointing at Shane. “There’s a crazy killer on the loose.”
“You don’t need to worry about him anymore. He’s dead. I saw his body with my own eyes,” Shane assured her. “I can’t stay here. You need to help Damien and Kelsey. They’re barely breathing.” Shane was just about to use his powers to force the woman to cooperate, but he noticed she lowered the gun and walked toward him, still holding her daughter’s hand.
As soon as she approached them, the woman collapsed next to Kelsey. “Dear God,” she whispered. “It’s the smoke inhalation.” Immediately, she started CPR on Kelsey.
Following her lead, Shane began to do the same with Damien. When he felt the young girl standing close to him, he glanced up at her. Wide, amber eyes with tiny gold specks stared back at him in awe. For a split second, he was lost. In that instant, time had stopped, and he had to fight hard to maintain his focus. What was it about this innocent girl who was watching him so intently?
Knowing he had to ensure that the mother and the daughter forgot about him, he used his powers to get into the young girl’s head. He decided that soon as he was done with her, he’d do the same with her mother. Since she was busy with Kelsey, the mother didn’t notice Shane whisper to the girl. “You will not remember seeing me. All you know is somehow Damien and Kelsey were able to get out. When I count to three, you will close your eyes. One, two, three.”
The young girl did not close her eyes. Instead, she watched him curiously. “Are you a superhero?” she whispered.
Shane shook his head in shock. His powers hadn’t worked on her. How could that be? It was impossible! He tried it again, but the girl continued to resist his powers. He could even feel some type of a barrier in her mind—a barrier he couldn’t break.
“Why are you naked?” she asked out loud.
“Samantha!” her mother scolded as she continued desperately with CPR.
Shane had completely forgotten about his appearance. When he had shifted into a human, he didn’t have any clothes he could put on. It was the least of his priorities given the circumstances.
“I’m sorry, but I must go,” Shane said to the mother. “I believe your help is almost here. At least Kelsey and Damien are breathing a bit stronger now. I would appreciate it if you don’t mention me to the authorities. Please just tell them they were able to get out from the burning house, but soon passed out.” Shane’s acute sense of hearing could already hear the emergency sirens in the distance.
The mother stood back up and blinked several times, as if trying to decide. The young girl stepped closer to him and said, “Thank you for saving Aunt Kelsey. We will keep your secret. Right, Mom?” She looked up at her mother, waiting for her to agree.
Shane contemplated whether he should use his powers on the mother to make her forget seeing him. He quickly changed his mind, though, not wanting the burden of keeping his secret to solely fall on the young girl.
He took a step closer to the mother and daughter team. “My name is Shane. I’m Damien’s younger brother. Please take care of my brother and Kelsey. I will come to the hospital as soon as I possibly can.”
The mother nodded. “I’m Sofia, and this is my daughter, Samantha.” Sofia still seemed hesitant, but relieved that Damien and Kelsey were out of the fire.
“Aunt Kelsey calls me Sammy. You can call me Sammy, too,” the young girl softly chimed in.
Shane’s attention fell on her once again. He threw her a slight smile and said, “Thank you for being so brave, little Sammy. And thank you for keeping my secret.” When the sirens were becoming louder, he turned back to the mother. “I must go.”
Without another word, Shane turned and disappeared into the night. All the while, he could feel the young girl’s haunting eyes boring into him.
Check out the dream cast:
Fate’s Roar: Cover Reveal and Official Trailer!
Fate’s Roar is ready for preorder for a special introductory price of only 99cents! Limited time only!
Don’t miss out! This story is hot, full of suspense, and definitely a thrilling ride! I promise you, it will have you biting your nails. A part of you will hate Shane, but the other part will absolutely adore him. Are you ready for the cover?
Shane is probably one of the most intense characters I’ve ever written about. He’s selfish, yet he’d die protecting the ones he loves. He’s fierce and ruthless, yet just as sensitive and loving.
Are you ready for the trailer? Here’s the link:
Fate’s Cry Five Star Seal
Fate’s Cry receives the five star seal from Readers’ Favorite! Three different reviewers read the story and reviewed individually. I’m happy to say all three gave the story five stars! Here’s what they had to say:
Review 1: Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite
Fate’s Cry by Jalpa Williby is a paranormal story with very interesting characters and an intriguing plot. The protagonist, Kelsey Taylor, has known the worst of pain. After losing her entire family to a fire, she lives with guilt for a very long time until she meets Damien, an attractive yet mysterious man, the kind of person who could inspire conflicting emotions in a woman. She is in love, but just like many things in her life, Damien suddenly disappears and she does not know where to start searching for him. Joining the police force might have been a move which could lead her to finding Damien, but she is up against a serial killer bent on taking everyone close to her. Can Kelsey make sense of these events and can she apprehend the killer before losing the next important person in her life?
Jalpa Williby’s Fate’s Cry is a riveting work, a compelling story with an interesting plot and solid characters. From the very first page, the reader is drawn into the difficult world of the protagonist as she pines away in grief. But this won’t be for long as things start happening immediately. The writing is stellar, laced with colorful descriptions and engaging dialogue. I enjoyed the conflict and how it develops. The reader reads on with bated breath, always wanting to find out what will happen next to the protagonist. One never knew where the story would turn next. This is a paranormal story that held my attention.
Review 2: Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite
Fate’s Cry by Jalpa Williby is the story of Kelsey Taylor. Five years ago, on Halloween, her whole family died in a fire and she believes there is no one to blame but herself. Deciding she cannot live with grief and guilt, she attempts to take her own life. She is stopped and saved by a man named Damien. Heartbroken, she hopes that the two of them could have a future together, but when he disappears, she is resolved to move on and make something of her life.
Joining the police department was one of the best decisions she ever made. However, when her partner is killed and his daughter is kidnapped by the killer, she is ready to do whatever it takes to save the girl and take revenge. Just when she least expects it, Damien reappears. But she cannot trust him, not now. There is a killer on the loose and he could be anyone. For all she knows, it could be Damien, although her heart says something else. Can she trust her heart? Can she trust Damien? Or is she destined to live in grief and give in?
This was an intense novel and I loved it. Kelsey is a strong character, she was beautifully developed. I sympathized with her and empathized with her. Damien is such an enigmatic character. No matter how hard I tried, he was too hard to figure out. He was definitely a mystery that added greatly to the overall appeal of the novel. Plus, the cover of the novel is gorgeous. It fitted well with the plot. This book is really good! It deserves all the stars I can dish out!
Review 3: Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers’ Favorite
Kelsey Taylor was 18 years old when she lost her family in a fire; her wheelchair-bound mother, her seven-year-old brother Ryan, and her 11-year-old sister Tori. She was a rebel and went out that night, despite her family’s plea for her to stay. After almost five years, the guilt never recedes and haunts her every single moment. If only she had been home that night, she could have saved them. A mysterious man named Damien enters her life and she’s confused by her attraction towards him. At the same time, she’s uncomfortable with his peculiarity and his secretive manner regarding his true identity.
Fate’s Cry by Jalpa Williby is an urban supernatural story that focuses on supernatural beings as classic as vampires and werewolves, but perhaps not as famous – at least not to me. Williby also mixed a dramatic crime thriller and romance into the story, so there’s plenty of action, suspense, and poignant moments. The plot is fast-paced and has a good twist. The prose is straightforward, making the reading flawless and engaging. Kelsey’s character development is well-written, particularly when she’s moving forward from her guilt and has joined the police force. I also like the cover art, so kudos to the artist, Amanda Walker.
On the whole, Fate’s Cry is a good read and a solid debut for the Fate series. Williby has included a sneak peak of the second book, Fate’s Roar. I like the way the story continues, so I look forward to reading about Damien’s brother in the next book.
This is very exciting since this is the first time I’ve written a psychological thriller. Here’s the direct link to the reviews:
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/fates-cry
Fate’s Cry (Prologue)
In seven more days, Fate’s Cry will be released! Yikes! So excited (and nervous). To celebrate, I’d like to share the prologue. Remember, it’s for $0.99 for a very limited time. Soon after the release, the price will go back up, so preorder now.
Prologue
Applying the dark, red lipstick one more time, Kelsey Taylor was pleased at her reflection. She couldn’t wait to get out of there and party with her friends. Maybe “friends” was too strong of a word, but they knew how to have a good time. The Halloween parties were a blast; somebody was always good for bringing the right drugs there. She’d been dying for a fix for the last couple of days.
“You’re going to wear that, Kelsey?” Ryan asked when he walked into the bathroom. “I can see your butt.”
Kelsey rolled her eyes, turning around to see her backside in the mirror. She was wearing a tight, black, cat costume. Yes, it was a little skimpy, but it was sexy. There would be some hotties there tonight. She’d learned very quickly the sexier she looked, the more the guys would hook her up with some free stuff the entire night.
“Shut up, Ryan. You’re too young to understand anything.” She pulled her eyeliner out of her purse again to make sure she was satisfied with her “cat eyes.”
“Why do you always have to go out? Can’t you just stay home tonight?” Ryan begged her with his wide, green eyes.
“Okay, you need to stop talking to me. I’m trying to hurry up and get out of here. I don’t wanna be late.”
“Please, Kelsey,” Ryan said. “You never play with us anymore. We’ll have fun.” He was seven years old, full of life and mischief.
Tori, her eleven-year-old sister, walked into the bathroom and chimed in. “Yeah, Kelsey. We hardly see you anymore. We used to have so much fun when we hung out together. Can’t you just stay one night?”
Kelsey brushed her reddish-brown hair one more time and frowned down at her siblings. “Sorry, I got plans. I’m not wasting my Friday night playing cards.” She purposefully ignored the disappointed looks in their eyes.
As she was leaving, her mom followed her to the door in her wheelchair. “Kelsey, please don’t go. We really miss you around here. Besides, I could use some more help from you.”
Kelsey shrugged her shoulders and flipped her hair back while she kept walking. “Look, Mom, it’s Halloween. That means there are lots of Halloween parties. I’m sorry you got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I’m sorry your husband died. There’s nothing I can do about it. Just because you’re now confined to your wheelchair, doesn’t mean I have to stop my life. I’m only eighteen years old, and I don’t need this shit. I’ll see you later.”
Those were her last words to her mother before she slammed the apartment door behind her. Sure, since her dad’s passing away from the dreadful cancer about five years ago, her mother had worked hard every single day to help provide for her children. Her multiple sclerosis was progressing quickly, though, so they’d been struggling financially since she could no longer work.
As Kelsey sprinted down the stairs, guilt crept up on her for a brief second. She quickly shook it off. She simply didn’t want to deal with that depressing apartment and needed to just get away from it all to have a good time. After all, she was too young to have all those responsibilities.
Kelsey saw Jake’s car already waiting for her as she reached downstairs. When he roared his engine, she smiled. Yes, she was ready for tonight. She had only known Jake for a few months, but she liked hanging with him because she could always count on him for a good time.
The party was at some guy’s house. She didn’t even know his name, but it didn’t really matter. Normally, the same crowd showed up at the parties, and most of the time, nobody really remembered anything anyway. Everybody just did their thing.
As soon as they entered the house, Kelsey began drinking. Soon, Jake brought her some pot to smoke. Feeling pretty good, she swayed to the beat of the music.
“Hey, kitty kitty.” Some guy came up to her and pinched her butt.
“Hey, yourself,” Kelsey said, losing herself in his ocean, blue eyes. The guy was wearing a vampire costume, and from what she could gather, he made a pretty hot vampire.
“So, has the cat woman ever hooked up with a vampire?” he asked.
“I don’t think so,” she flirted back, pouting her lips. “But, there’s always a first time for everything.”
The vampire laughed and leaned down to kiss her. His tongue immediately found hers, and Kelsey closed her eyes as he pulled her against his body.
“Are you with that guy you came with?” He stopped the kiss and frowned down at her.
“Jake? Nah, we’re just buddies.” By then, she was drunk and high, so Kelsey was having difficulty focusing.
“Cool. You wanna go upstairs with me so I can really show you how to party? I got the good stuff.”
Not the one to refuse the “good stuff,” Kelsey placed her arm around his and followed him upstairs into a bedroom. The rest of the night was a blur. Kelsey only remembered being in her own world and escaping into the abyss.
After the party, Kelsey headed home with some guy. She had no idea if it was the same guy who took her to the bedroom or if it was Jake. Everything was still spinning, but at least she wasn’t passed out somewhere. She was just hoping her mom wouldn’t start with her lectures as soon as she got home.
Somehow, her mind registered the bright lights of the emergency vehicles as they got closer to the apartment building. Still not understanding exactly what was happening around her, Kelsey was in a trance as she watched the flames hissing and spitting wildly.
“Shit! That building is on fire!” The guy driving the car came to a halt. “Wow, that’s badass.”
She blinked a few times, forcing her mind to think. She knew something bad was happening right before her eyes as she exited the vehicle. Like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to the fire as it summoned her. In a daze, she was mesmerized by the violent flames as they hungrily ate through the building.
“Miss! You can’t go there!” Somebody grabbed her, holding her back.
When she saw the fireman yelling at her to get back, her mind snapped into reality. Knowing instantly that her family was in that fire, Kelsey turned and raced toward the building. She couldn’t get too far, though, because another fireman grabbed her.
“Let me go! That’s my home! Where’s my family?” Kelsey pulled, pushed, and shook viciously, trying to get loose.
“Please, let us do our job. We’re doing the best we can to help them.”
“They can’t get out! They’re stuck! Let me go!” She tried to kick him, anything to get to her family. She already knew in her heart that there was no way they could get out on their own. “Mom! I’m here, Mom! Ryan, Tori! Hang on! I’m here!” she screamed.
The flames roared louder, taunting her. She helplessly watched the smoke swirl in long wisps and become its own monstrous entity. As the building was completely swallowed by the angry inferno, Kelsey’s legs collapsed from under her. Sobbing hysterically, she rocked back and forth, hugging her body.
“I’m sorry. I’m here now,” she choked in between her sobs.
In that moment in time, Kelsey’s world ended.
Fate’s Cry
I’m so proud to announce that Fate’s Cry is now available for preorder! Special introductory price of only $0.99! This is a limited time offer.
Here’s the back synopsis:
TIME TO DIE
When her entire family perishes in a fire, Kelsey Taylor has nobody to blame but herself. Grief stricken, she finally chooses death over a life full of agony. But, fate intervenes…
TIME TO LIVE
A mysterious stranger comes into her life. Although she has somehow found the strength to “live,” all is not as it seems when Kelsey discovers Damien’s deepest secrets. While her mind screams to run, her heart begs her to stay.
TIME TO KILL
To make matters worse, a serial killer is loose, and he’s going after everybody Kelsey has loved. Seeking revenge, Kelsey is determined to hunt him down. But what happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?
Here’s the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Fates-Cry-Jalpa-Williby-ebook/dp/B01GFB2HYE
Oh, and you may enjoy this trailer! 🙂
As always, thank you so much for your support! Truly, it means the world to me. 🙂
Jalpa Williby 