Tuesday 13 December 2016

The Dragonian Series Cover Revamp Reveal

Welcome to 
The Dragonian Series 

Cover Revamp Reveal



Old                                    New




 

 

UNIVERSAL LINKS TO PURCHASE



Firebolt
The Dragonian Series
Book One
Adrienne Woods

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Dragons. Right. Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales, and sixteen-year old Elena Watkins was no different.

Until the night a fairy tale killed her father.

Now Elena's in a new world, and a new school. The cutest guy around may be an evil dragon, a Prince wants Elena's heart, and a long dead sorcerer may be waking up to kill her. Oh. And the only way Elena's going to graduate is on the back of a dragon of her own.

Teenage girls don't believe in fairy tales. Now it's time for Elena to believe - in herself.

Thunderlight
The Dragonian Series
Book Two
Adrienne Woods

Vibrant, scale swathed wings… Abilities that can be harnessed by a chosen few… Dragons…

All this may seem like old news, but for seventeen year-old Elena Watkins the world of Paegeia is not finished revealing all its secrets. During a summer break intended for relaxation, she discovers that her harrowing adventure to retrieve the King of Lion sword wasn’t the destiny foretold by the cryptic Viden, a dragon with the ability to see a person’s true fate. The words inked onto the page of the mysterious Book of Shadows remains black and Elena must return to Dragonia Academy to discover their true meaning.

Upon her return to the magnificent castle she has to face a challenge of a different kind, keeping her boyfriend Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of Tith and love of her life, away from the dangerous new student, Paul Sutton. As a Wyvern, Paul has made it his mission to claim Elena as his rider but he is proving to be more perilous than at first glance.

Everyone knew that Wyverns were bad news, and just as evil as the darkness that lurked inside Blake Leaf, the Rubicon forced to fight against his inner nature every day. But Elena can see a small light lurking in the darkness, a destiny still unfulfilled; to prove that Wyverns can be claimed.

Will Lucian’s dark secret about Wyverns and Elena’s need to prove their true nature cause their love to be torn apart? And which of Elena’s friends will be sacrificed this time if she is wrong?

Frostbite
The Dragonian Series
Book Three
Adrienne Woods

Losing Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of her heart and discovering her true identity has made Elena Watkins' life almost unbearable. However, new trials will test the 17 year-old's strength and push her to limits she didn’t think were possible.

Only a mysterious offer from Blake Leaf, the Rubicon and a dragon predestined for evil, reveals there may be a light at the end of Elena’s dark tunnel.

With the life she thought she knew crashing down around her, Elena will have to face a monumental decision about the fate of Paegeia. She can either make peace with Blake’s demands or try once again to unravel the Queen’s secrets that lie deep within her dragon, Tanya La Frey’s, heart.

The third heart pounding novel in The Dragonian Series by Adrienne Woods

Moonbreeze
The Dragonian Series
Book Four
Adrienne Woods

The life or a star-studded royal has not been kind to eighteen-year-old Elena Watkins. With a Council breathing down her neck and a dragon that refuses to accept her as his rider, she must convince everyone that she is ready to rule Paegeia like her parents before her. But she has made a promise to her father, King Albert, that she will not go looking for him and free the people of Etan. Elena has promised to never truly fulfill her destiny. However, situations out of her control will soon force her to confront herself and the evil that seeks to destroy her. Elena must look inside of herself to discover if she can defeat the approaching darkness, be accepted by the people of Paegeia, bring her dragon back to light and fulfill the destiny written in their stars.

Starlight
The Dragonian Series
Book Five
Adrienne Woods

In the Fifth and final part of the Dragonian Series, eighteen-year-old Elena Watkins and her dragon, the Rubicon, need to find the missing ingredients in order to free her father from Etan.

But what could the missing ingredient be?

And will she be willing to sacrifice her life if they don't find it before time runs out?


UNIVERSAL LINKS TO PURCHASE



About the Author:


I live in South Africa with my husband and two beautiful daughters where I write full time. The Dragonian series is my debut novels and Dream Casters is my second series with book two getting ready for release.
I love life, cherish every special second of it and live my dream.






Follow the Fantasy Now
Author Website

Author Facebook

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Author on Goodreads

Series Website







In the spirit of this amazing book series, you can take the quizz and find out which Dragon or Dragonian you are! 
How awesome is that?
I got the fiesty "Sun Blast"
Let us know what you get :-)


© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Wednesday 7 December 2016

Reese Witherspoon: 5 Lessons You Taught Me


Aloha!

Half way through the week & it's #WednesdayWisdom
You know that means, right? Today I take someone influential and share just 5 Epic Life Lessons they have to offer us. And few are more influential than Mademoiselle Reese Witherspoon.
She's Walked the Line, Stayed Wild & Legally enchanted the hearts of millions of people all around the world with her Tennessee charm, big heart and radiant smile. Forgot Not we shall her acting & singing talents. #Madskills

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon  (/ˈriːs ˈwΙͺΓ°Ι™rspuːn/; born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Tennessee, Witherspoon began her career as a child actress. Witherspoon's breakthrough role was playing Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde, for which she received international recognition.

In 2005, Witherspoon received worldwide attention for her portrayal of June Carter in Walk the Line, which earned her the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress.

Mademoiselle Witherspoon is voicing the character Rosita in the 2016 animated feature film, SING. She plays a domestic pig, who gave up her teenage music dreams to become a devoted wife of Norman, & mother to 25 piglets.



5 Lessons Reese Witherspoon Taught Me


5. Reading is Sexy
{#Bookconcierge NPR 2016 Best Books List}
Get shoppingπŸ™ƒ

"I get crazy in a bookstore. It makes my heart beat hard because I want to buy everything."~ Reese Witherspoon

She's been featured on multiple accounts as one of the sexiest women on the planet.
So iptofacto if she is so in Love with reading then prestofineto Reading is Sexy!

Books are mankind's greatest invention in all of history. Nothing can heal, soothe, fix, mend, repair, reap, elate, encourage, tickle, beat, become, teach, impress, transport, catch & awaken you the way a book can. It is our supreme honor and responsibility that we ensure Books & reading continue through future generations.

She is an avid reader and has a film production company dedicated to bringing best selling books to screen: Pacific Standard Film: READ Article Here 
She recently produced the critically acclaimed Gone Girl and I'm sure we all remember how gripping that movie was. Brrrrrr{goosebumps}~ the chills.


4. Women Crush 
Wednesday
{I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours😊}

"Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out."~ Reese Witherspoon

“For women in this business, ascendancy is always a battle. It’s scrape and claw. I just try to stick to my guns and respect myself. I want to take the ingenues aside and say, ‘value yourself’! It’s okay if you have opinions!”~ Reese Witherspoon

Life is what happens when you forget to LIVE. Don't use your ambition, your career, your goals as an excuse for not experiencing all that life has to offer you. There is true beauty, true passion & true magic out there. You need only take the time to discover it.




3. Selfie Selflessly Self-Love
{Try sayin' that 5 times fast}

"There's no bad consequence to loving fully, with all your heart. You always gain by giving love."~ Reese Witherspoon

How often are we told, "don't wear your heart on your sleeve."
How often are we cautioned against falling in love, too hard and too fast.
Many people say money is what makes the world go round, but I believe it is Love. Love is in everything worth having. Your dream partner, your dream house, your dream career, even your dream weight...can only be achieved through genuine Love in all it's forms and shapes.

Almost Every blockbuster movie or bestselling book has a Love story.
Better to have Love & Lost than to have never loved at all. No other emotion, no other experience can trump what you feel when you feel Real, honest to goody-goodness Love.
LOVE is ALL.


2. Ridiculous Work Ethic
{Don't reach for the stars if ya ain't willin' to build the rocket ship}

“I like work. If it’s not hard enough, I try to make it harder. I like the process of being daunted by it, tackling it and knowing I can do it.”~ Reese Witherspoon

Now that we've covered the essentials of Readin', Livin' & Lovin'.
We get down to what galvanizes them all together and allows you to rise above all else. To conquer, to achieve.
Ridiculous work ethic.
Ridiculous.

Will Smith, who portrays Muhammad in the 2001 film titled Ali had this to say on the matter:

"I've never viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as…slightly above average in talent. Where I excel is with a ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guy's sleeping, I'm working. While the other guy's eating, I'm working. While the other guy's making love, I mean, I'm making love, too, but I'm working really hard at it!"

“I’m Not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. Period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be sexier than me. But if we get on a treadmill together there’s two things that’ll happen. You are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

Personal Experience: Put in that effort, your actions become habit and once they do ain't nothing gonna stop ya.


1. Stay WILD
{Feel the motion of the Ocean. Action creates reaction}


“Doing begets more doing. It sounds simple, but I’m a firm believer that action can solve so many worries, and just powering through, no matter what, can give you the confidence you need when you feel like you’ve got nothing to offer.”~ Reese Witherspoon

We live in a world where it is just One complaint after another. There's no end to the stream of people who are constantly complaining about their lives, the world around them and the other people in it. All they want is for you to listen to them, interact with them and become just another negative nelly.
Who would you rather listen to? 
The person who wants everything but does nothing to achieve it OR The person who has everything and was wiling to do anything to achieve it???

The only way through is... Through!
As Han says in Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift. There's no hard or fast way of learning how to Drift. You learn by doing it. 
And in the infamous words of Nike
JUST DO IT!


*************
My All-Star mentor and friend Akasha Garnier was the one who intro'd me to Reese's inspirational & influential side. And when your mentor is inspired by someone you make sure you pay attention to who that could be.
Akasha's book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise references Reese's influence and quotes. It's a MUST READ self-improvement book. Glowing reviews can be found throughout this blog.

Reese recently ran a twitter campaign with the Hashtag  in honor of her movie WILD. Akasha joined in the fun and here was Reese's response:
Author/screenwriter Akasha Garnier mentions: 
"Reese Witherspoon has a stellar sense of shine on several levels: I appreciate that she shows her strength, beauty and Southern charm as she inspires women and girls of all ages. She is book smart and willing to act on it!"

Her newest venture "Hello Sunshine" will launch in 2017 with ATT Direct TV.
READ Article Here
"As we continue the journey of creating engaging entertainment for and about women at Hello Sunshine, it's exciting to have a partner in AT&T who shares that commitment with us. We can't wait to bring the Hello Sunshine channel to life with DIRECTV and DIRECTV NOW customers in 2017," said Witherspoon.

*********************
In other news~
πŸŒŸπŸ’™ Thank YOU, Arigato & Gracias!

Reached +1 Million Impressions in 28 days! 3 months in a row! 
Reciprocation is Key
 



© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Sing (2016 Animated Movie): Review


Buenas Dias!

Today I attended the screening for Sing at the Sandton Prestige thanks to my awesome friend Cassarica Nadas who blogs over at the Amazeblog.

Did ya love Despicable Me & The Secret Life of Pets? Are you a fan of the ever crazy adorable Minions? Then this might just be the next best release by Illumination Entertainment for you.

Happy #TuesdayMotivation
Sing tells the tale of every Artist's journey to stardom, with all the right elements of comedy & heart-warming characters at it's core.

Watch the Trailer here:  


Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Buster Moon a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life's ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world's greatest singing competition.
*****
Movie Review



I gotta say after seeing the trailer, I went into this movie expecting a hilarious comedy with elements from other singing competitions from around the world but with an anthropomorphic spin. Like American Idols or X Factor.

But it developed into SO MUCH more!

I was absolutely blown away, not by the storyline or even the singing {which are both extraordinary regardless} but More because I related to the Heart & Soul of the movie. Sing should be watched by ALL Artists "both great & small" and in all shapes and sizes. If you're in the creative field at all, this is the perfect festive motivation you need!

Especially if you're feeling down on your craft, doubtful of your dream, or just searching for a good laugh. For Love is True Laughter's Best Friend.

It gave me all the right goosebumps, choking back sobs and cheering-on that I needed to feel. 
***

An Artist's Journey: Featured Elements

Family

In every Journey to success there are the doubters, the haters, pessimists & ofcourse, the naysayers.
Worse still is when it comes from a family member, especially when they have an envisioned "plan" for what you should be. Sometimes they are just indifferent, not noticing you have any talent whatsover.

They can also be your biggest supporters and believe in you even when you don't.
Sing delivers these dynamics via the talents of Reese Witherspoon as Rosita the "Housewife" with 25 pigletts and an overworked husband. Johnny the gorilla with a gang leader for a father who wants him to follow in the family business of crime. Meena the indian elephant with severe stage fright but a truly supportive family.

Nothing is ever black & white, in Life there are always clouds of gray and if you stay the course you might just see the rainbow clouds of fluffy candyfloss goodness. 

F.E.A.R
{False Expectations Appearing Real}


No one is without Fear, whether successful or not. We all have it and we all deal with it different ways. It is on of the purest forms of Doubt.

It can either Wake you up or Shut you down.

Meena the elephant has to deal with her sever fear of singing in public {It should be noted the the Number ONE fear in all of the world is speaking in public and NOT death so HER fear is completely understandable and compelling}

Whereas Mr Mikey Mike, the small white crooning mouse with a big Frank Sinatra-esque voice, has no fear for the stage. This fear is instead replaced with an arrogant attitude that he's better than everyone and just like the "Hare" in the famous fable, he neglects to notice or acknowledge the "Tortoise"
Finally you have Gunter, the hilarious dance sensation that's sure to make you pop with laughter. He feels the beat within his core and is completely oblivious in the ways that most people are conscious of their appearance & impressions in public.



FAITH

Faith to me is like the Air around us, just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. You can Feel it though, oh yes You can Feel it.
It is the sum total of your Core belief system. It is the tenacity with which you fight for your dreams.


Each character is Tested, their Faith put on trial against the reality of failure and a world run on Money. 

Ashley, a crested porcupine punk rocker has to deal with this when she is chosen for the competition and her boyfriend is not. When she's asked to be more mainstream and sing pop songs instead of staying true to her roots and even attempting to write her on music.



DREAM BIG DREAMS


My main motto in life is this very same theme. Buster the Koala is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist. Which means that he has the innate talent to convert any negative into a creative positive. It is this very optimism and passion that brings these every day animals together in search of their true potential. In many ways I related to Buster the most because if you would go by Socrates proto-psychological theory of personality types in color. Buster and I are what you would called BLUE. We can be lively, sociable, carefree, talkative, and pleasure-seeking. We may be warm-hearted and optimistic. We can make new friends easily, be imaginative and artistic, and often have many ideas.

BUT even we have our limits and there are times when the failure cuts too deep and for too long, sometimes when we least expect it. It's at this time that the movie displays a universally fundamental lesson too often underappreciated. As Oprah once said, "Surround yourself only with the people who are going to take you higher."


The journey to success might be your path to follow but that doesn't mean it has to be a lonely one. And probably the most important thing to remember in life is that you cannot do this alone. You need the right people in your life that are going to lend a shoulder when you falter, kick your ass when you get lazy, catch you when you fall and ofcourse, lift you up when you fall.



The two Surprise acts for me were Scarlett Johansson as Ash & Taron Egerton as Johnny.






Ahhhhh Sigh* I'm even more in love with Scarlett now {if that was even possible}. As if being smoking hot, a great actress and humble woman wasn't enough. She hadto go and rock out with her fine self. #MadLove for her and for rock music!! 

She's also going to be starring in the live action Ghost in a Shell movie, #Nerdgasm for all anime fans. 








"Eggsy"!! 
You might remember Taron Egerton from the smash hit movie Kingsman: The Secret Service 

I had no idea this guy could sing let alone so damn well. I honestly thought it was Bruno mars or John Legend when Johnny the Gorilla auditions. It was only until now upon my research for this post that I found out who Johnny was let alone that He was "Eggsy" from one of my favorite secret agent movies of all time. 
#Badass Talent certified!
Johnny is probably my favorite character in terms of style, singing slash talent and family drama rama.


Well Shell Bell Mell, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this animated feature film and more to the point have enjoyed every release from Illumination Entertainment so far. Despicable Me 1 & 2, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets {Super feels and pet love} and now Sing 2016!
Here's to more successes and fantastic releases in the future.

Personal rating: 10/10

I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this movie to everyone.

Especially Artists looking for motivation this festive season.

Lastly I just wanna comment on the awesomosity that is the Sandton Prestige Cinema. 
Such Comfortability! 
Every cinema should be like this, in fact I never want to watch a movie any other way! The seats are similar to the ones in the pic above and have a button that automates the recliner for you. If I had one of these at home I would probably never leave the TV haha.

Book your ticket now!!

****
For My US resident readers Check out this Awesometastical Giveaway Worth $100,000!!! Yes you heard me ONE Hundred Thousand Dollars. You'd haveta be cray cray in the hay hay to not enter. Regardless of your chances.

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

Wednesday 30 November 2016

Trevor Noah: 5 Lessons You Taught Me


Aloha!

Half way through the week & it's #WednesdayWisdom

Today I had a thought, why not share someone local? And few are more deserving than this guy right here. From humble beginnings, Trevor Noah has taken the world by storm with his witty banter & fantabulous comedic personality.
on Netflix

His hopelessly insane ambition and passion has made him one of the most talked about comedians around the world. Even more so when he was offered to host the The Daily Show in America! Trevor offers us the core value instilled by Mandela that "It always seems Impossible until it's done."

He's a shining beacon for all South Africans to DREAM BIG & Never surrender.

Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African comedian, television and radio host and actor. He currently hosts The Daily Show, a late-night television talk show on Comedy Central.

FUN FACT numero Uno: Noah is a polyglot; he speaks several languages including English, Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Afrikaans, and German.


Breaking**

WHOAH! TREVOR NOAH BUYS R130M PENTHOUSE IN MANHATTAN


South African's very own Trevor Noah is on the cover of magazine. Levels! πŸ™ŒπŸ½πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡¦


5 Lessons Trevor Noah Taught Me


5. Sexy is Unique
{Let the Manscaping begin}

"As an outsider myself, I always mixed myself with different groups...I've never been afraid to go into a different space and relate to those people, because I don't have a place where I belong and that means I belong everywhere."~ Trevor Noah


If you recall a few wednesdays back I posted about Khoudia Diop. 
The 19-year-old Senegalese model who was once bullied about her color. But now the self-proclaimed “Melanin Goddess” is taking the internet by storm with her beautifully rich skin tone with over 1.8Mviews!

What Trevor & Khoudia both illustrate is that being unique, different or original, is quite possibly one of the greatest assets anyone can possess. Don't conform to one group dynamic. one stereotype. Break the mold. Evolve.
Embrace your Wackyness, cuddle with the weird and know that your swagger is there. 


4. Women Crush 
Wednesday
{I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours😊}

"In my world, a woman was the most powerful thing that I knew. Still is. A woman made the money in my house; a woman made my food. A woman beat my ass when I wasn't a good kid. Women were behind a lot of what spurred South Africa toward democracy."~ Trevor Noah

"I often feel like the woman in your life is your driving force. She's your muse. She plays a big role in determining how confident you feel when you walk out the door. She can add 1,000 kilowatts of energy - or drain that out of you. She said, "No, you're not that funny." I thought, She knows better than anyone."~ Trevor Noah

One of my favorite sayings by Gandhi is "Woman is the companion of Man, gifted with equal mental capacity"
It speaks volumes of my meaning and know that I have #Madrespect for Women~ all that they do, have to deal to and Are.
Honor thy women, ensure they know what a gift they are in your life.


3. Selfie Selflessly Self-Love
{Try sayin' that 5 times fast}

"I know that I cannot change the entire world, but I've always believed I can at least affect change in my world." ~ Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. His mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, is of Xhosa ancestry, and his father, Robert, is of Swiss German descent. To come from such humble beginnings and now to be seen from red carpet to red dawn with a smile on his dimpled cheeks and a spring in his step. Taking selfies with Mr Legend! 
Mr Noah has certainly thrown all manner of doubt out the window by proving that it has never mattered where you come from. Only where you're going!


2. Don't do what you would do if you can't do what you want to
{Huh?}

"Often, people who can do, don’t because they’re afraid of what people that can’t do will say about them doing."~ Trevor Noah
It's easy to SAY you don't care about what other people think but it's an ENTIRELY different story altogether to block out that noise completely and just do you. Because yes, it might not matter what Other people think but that saves nothing for the people closest to you, whom you cherish. It might hurt the most coming from them, to hear them doubt your plan, doubt your dream. Yet the only one capable of changing your destiny, is YOU.
Decide what's more important.
Their opinion
Or
Your Fact!

1. Love is True Laughter's Best Friend
{Awww}

"If you laugh with somebody, then you know you share something."~ Trevor Noah

"I've never been afraid to fall in love, nor impatient to find it."~ Trevor Noah

My best relationships always involved metratons of laughter and joy, for it's in those moments, when you find someone truly willing to laugh with you throughout it all, that you find true love. Whether it be a best friend, a brother or sister, a father or mother, a lover or soul mate. Whether it be through the best of times or the worst of times. Laugh like you've never laughed before, smile so hard it hurts your cheeks after awhile. Don't wait to enjoy life, because it never waits for you and neither does the world. Don't say you're just too busy for fun, don't say you've got tomorrow, because tomorrow never might not ever come. 


Watch Trevor Give a 4 minute inspiring speech, filled with laughs and giggles but awesome motivation too!


*******


© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook Join my Instagram community | Watch me on Pinterest | Subscribe to blog post Updates |

~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres