Book Synopsis:“Raven Pierce vowed to escape the hot and humid climate of Missouri and never look back. After completing her graduate program, she drags her sun-loving, winter-hating best friend to start a new life in Minnesota with its cold crisp air and blankets of snow. Raven’s main focus is her new career and truly establishing her own identity. The last thing she intends to do as she is building a new life is to fall in love. As her luck would have it, one evening a minor accident sends Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome to her rescue. What starts out as the perfect relationship begins to turn challenging when tragedy strikes and pulls her grief-stricken boyfriend into a dark and unpredictable frame of mind. Raven finds herself fighting for love in an unfamiliar, confusing, and sometimes dark terrain…..”

That my friends, is what you’ll find when you pick up the book and flip it over; 228 pages condensed into one short paragraph that is supposed to give you a Captivating description of the plot of the book in hopes to capture the reader’s attention and make them just “have to” buy it. This alone can make or break the reader’s decision to even give the book another glance. And chances are, the synopsis is the “2nd chance” that you’re getting from the potential reader because the book cover has already intrigued them enough to actually flip it over and find out what the story is all about. And if you’re a new author, especially one that is an Indie Author and unknown by the reading world, both the cover and the synopsis can potentially determine the fate of your book at that moment in a potential reader’s hands.

With all of that being said, I am one of those Indie Authors that right now, very few have discovered. And when you read the synopsis on the back of my book, it looks a lot like hundreds of thousands of other books that have been written in the Contemporary Romance Genre and you assume it will go something like this: Girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, boy is either her perfect prince charming or prince charming with a seductively twisted side. Of course there is some conflict in the story which makes their relationship seem completely impossible, maybe even asinine. In the end, they conquer the odds, end up together, and live happily ever after. And of course there is a whole story line that fills in all the gaps that is woven in between.

So why would you want to read my story? What makes my book so special? Honestly, my book is just as special as the next book you pick up. Each one of us, all authors, have poured our hearts and souls into our writing. We have conjured up from deep within a story that we feel must be told. We have used our creativity to produce a world that separates us from our own reality, in hopes to captivate a reader and help them escape their real lives, even if it’s for just a short period of time. All of us add our unique twists and turns to the story line. We bring life to our characters. We step inside the book and tell the story from within the pages and watch the words bleed from our fingertips onto paper as whole other world is created and blossoms around us. And then when we’re done breathing every ounce of life that we possibly can into this story, we send it out into the big scary world in hopes that others will give your book just that one glimpse, that one look, then pull the reader into your work of art expressed through words, and make them completely fall in love with the world in which you have created.

In my opinion, that’s a lot of pressure to put on a single book synopsis. And unfortunately, a book synopsis doesn’t always do a good book justice. We can only put so much on the back of the cover. That is why I want to take the time to dive a little more in-depth of Raven’s Innocence. I guess you can say I’m going to give you an “Extended Synopsis” of my book….

“Two best friends, Raven Pierce and Katriana Eriks, grew up together in Missouri. Raven hates the heat and humidity that the Midwest brings and she has always been drawn to colder climates. She convinces Kat to move with her to Minnesota and get a fresh new start on life. They both have started new careers. Raven works as a licensed professional counselor at Haven Behavioral Health with a group of other LPCs and Psychologists. Kat is a director at a fitness center. Together they are enjoying the single life and each other’s company.

Late one evening, when Raven is working out at Kat’s fitness center, she has a sudden mishap with the treadmill that sends her quickly down, hugging the floor, which results in a painful injury. This is where the sexy Grant Alexander, a very successful lawyer, enters the story. Tall with a fit build, dark hair, full luscious lips, and gorgeous turquoise eyes. He comes to Raven’s embarrassing rescue and literally sweeps her off her feet.

Raven and Grant’s relationship barely gets a chance to really develop before tragedy strikes, and Grant is grief-stricken and pulled into an unpredictable frame of mind. Raven, being a LPC, is doing her best to help Grant cope and get through this devastating time in his life; but with their relationship being so new, his mood swings and explosive outbursts are proving to be very challenging. Grant is changing. He is no longer the warm, down to earth, sweet loving man that she quickly came to know and adore. His personality is changing. He is becoming short-tempered, unpredictable, and withdrawn. The farther he slips into this, the harder it is for Raven to hold on. Grant pulls her in, yet quickly pushes her back out again. This emotional roller coaster leaves Raven mentally exhausted, confused, and questioning her relationship with Grant. Although reason and logic tell her that it’s best for her to move on, her heart is keeping her planted right where she’s at. She is also embarrassingly intrigued and somewhat captivated by Grant’s seductively twisted side that he is now exposing her to; a side of him that she never knew before now.

Grant’s temperament isn’t going unnoticed by others as well. His best friend Asher, who works with him at a law firm, has an unexpected altercation with Grant, which leaves Asher growing suspicious of his best friend’s unstable mentality.

You also get a glimpse into Raven and Kat’s relationship as best friends and how their personalities complement each other. Raven is an introverted over-thinker who analyzes everything. She’s much wound tight and has trouble just relaxing and letting things fall as they may. She is also very straightforward and somewhat snarky. She calls it as she sees it. Kat, on other hand, has more of a whimsical personality, but in an endearing way. She likes to have fun, go out, and just enjoy the moment. She is also more of a concrete thinker who has a simplistic approach to life. Although Kat helps break Raven out of her shell and encourages her to “live a little”, she is also Raven’s rock; her support system. Together, they keep each other grounded and balance each other out.

I want to lightly touch base on the book cover. At first glance, it is obviously very simple, but sometimes, less is more. I chose the cover to be white because this color is associated with innocence, perfection, good, cleanliness, new beginning, and etc. These are all things that represent Raven herself and this new beginning in her life. The oak tree on the front of the cover plays a significant part in this story. You’ll get a small glimpse into that in this first book. In my second novel, Raven’s Undoing, the oak tree literally becomes the “undoing” of it all. But you’ll have to read the books to find out exactly what all that means…”
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So there you have it, Raven’s Innocence, an extended synopsis that doesn’t give too much of the story away. A contemporary romance novel that has a jaw dropping ending that will leave you wanting to read more. I am currently writing Raven’s Undoing, which will be full of suspenseful twists and turns and take you down a road that you least expected. Many readers will think they have it all figured out…..but trust me, you don’t…. *winks*

Raven’s Innocence is available on Amazon & Barnes and Noble. (Coming soon to Smashwords)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L9I45N0 Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990389103 Paperback
Now also available through Barnes and Noble!
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ravens-innocence-n-d-white/1119913635?ean=9780990389101

Read what others are saying:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars, July 11, 2014
By Cherie Rushton – See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Raven’s Innocence (Paperback)
Amazing read! I couldn’t put it down. I am anxiously awaiting the squeal! Well written!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book, July 1, 2014
By Shauna – See all my reviews
Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Raven’s Innocence (Kindle Edition)
Omg this was an awesome book that left me wanting more! It was well written with twists and turns and so much suspense! I could not put it down and I absolutely cannot wait for Raven’s Undoing to be published so I can read more! Great job Nicky!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Witty, entertaining, a spectacular debut, June 30, 2014
By Amazon Customer – See all my reviews
This review is from: Raven’s Innocence (Kindle Edition)
I love writing reviews for debut novels/books. This is probably the most exciting and nerve-racking time for a new author. Honesty is important.

I am thrilled to have been part of this experience for Nicky. Receiving your ARC and waiting vicariously with you for your book to go live was a new experience for me as well.

Your first book Raven’s Innocence was a spectacular debut. I enjoyed your story. Raven, your main character is well written and extremely likable. Grant, while complicated had an interesting dark side. He turns out to be quite mercurial and unpredictable. Your story touched on my emotions and was funny as well. There was a perfect balance. I love the relationship that Raven and her best friend Kat share. Their friendly banter makes reading about them entertaining. The story kept me interested and the ending was unexpected. I am really looking forward to the next book. I also hope to get more of Kat and Asher in the next book.

Entertaining, witty and the ending….

I gave this book 5 stars!
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5.0 out of 5 stars a beautiful, smart woman whose world has been turned upside …, June 27, 2014
By EH (USA) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Raven’s Innocence (Kindle Edition)
Raven’s Innocence, the debut novel of Author N.D.White introduces us to Raven Pierce, a beautiful, smart woman whose world has been turned upside down by a freak accident and the appearance of Grant Alexander, the sexy, handsome attorney who comes to her rescue that night. As a psychologist, it is Raven’s job to help her patients navigate their emotional journeys through their lives, and she’s very good at it. However, when it comes to her own life, her feelings for Grant leave her confused and frustrated, and she is totally unable to figure out the complicated, enigmatic, gorgeous man. This is a deliciously wild ride of emotion, culminating in an ending that made me gasp! I’m looking forward to the author’s next book in the series… I’m hooked!