Ann Christy's Blog, page 14
June 17, 2014
Enter to Win Signed Copy of Strikers!
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Strikers
by Ann Christy
Giveaway ends July 16, 2014.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Please share widely! I’d like to see lots of folks enter.
But this won’t be your only chance. For the newsletter folks, I’ll be drawing three random newsletter subscribers on launch day also. The winners will receive a signed paperback from the first day run. Be sure to answer an email from me on July 16th if you get one because it might be that you won!
Also, for newsletter folks, I’m reserving five ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) slots just for you. I’ll be sending it those who reserve one in Kindle format in the first week of July. A review on Goodreads or Amazon on (or as near as possible) the first day of release is all I’ll ask. Anyway…those five slots are open for those who want it.
June 12, 2014
Strikers Betas are Sent, ARC Spots Still Available
Last night I sent out the Beta reader copies of Strikers! Yippee!
I’ll make a small confession since it’s just you and me here. The very minute I send out the beta copies of an upcoming book, I become absolutely convinced the entire book is dreck, fit only for lining birdcages. Alas, I’m not alone in my fear! It seems it’s a fairly common feeling among authors. Until I hear from the first beta readers, I’ll probably have really bad hair from constantly grabbing my head.
The nice thing is that I’m done with Strikers until the editor and the beta readers get back to me. So, I can leave it alone and let it stew while I do lots of other things to keep my mind off of it. I’m never so productive as I am during this waiting period. It’s a funny thing.
So, what am I up to? Well, I just finished up a short story for a very-soon-to-be-announced anthology that I can’t yet reveal. I really, really like the story concept and I can only hope I carried it out the way it should be done. I’m still not clear on what we’ll be doing for ARCs, but I know there are a lot of fans of many of the authors involved (not necessarily me, but others) who will want it. I’ll do my best to get those for readers when the time comes. Super talented collection of authors and again, just like Synchronic, I have no idea how I got in.
There are still some ARC spots available that aren’t reserved for publicity use. If you’d like one, give me a holler!
June 10, 2014
Strikers – Four Chapter Sneak Peek, Beta reader sign up and more
Do you hear the chirping of birds in a fairy land of happiness? No? Well, I do because the first edit of Strikers is done! Oh, yes, the relief at making my deadline is immense. It goes off to the editor tomorrow, which means I’m just in the nick of time, too.
The cover is splendid and I’ll be doing a cover reveal for those who are signed up for the newsletter first. (Though you can already see it in the banner on the page if you want.) And I’ll be telling them how to get the book for free before it’s published. After that, the cover will go live everywhere.
I’ve put an additional two chapters up for a full four chapter sneak peek of the book here. Do let me know what you think. You’re the reader and your opinions are those that matter most to me.
Next on the agenda…Beta readers and ARCs.
Beta reader sign up is now open. I limit my beta readers to a manageable number of folks so I don’t just hand them out willy nilly. I’ve got some that have signed up already, but newsletter and web page readers get top priority.
Is Beta reading hard? Nope. Basically, you read it and tell me if it sucks or shines.
Ideally, it’s a bit more than that, but I’m not super picky because the overall experience of the reader is the most important to me. How it works is that I’ll send you the file in Kindle format (or another format if you need it). You send it to your kindle (I can help you with that if you don’t know how). You read it just like a regular kindle book.
So, if you’re wanting to read the book and have an impact on the final output, let me know.
May 15, 2014
Strikers – Time to start thinking of Betas and ARCs
Strikers is moving along very nicely. I’m scheduled for my editing time with an editor, which gives me a hard deadline, and the cover is almost done. Let me just say, the cover is splendiferous. And yes, I’ve declared that a word. I’ll do the cover reveal right here and on my facebook/twitter.
If you haven’t had a chance to read the two chapter sneak peek, it’s right here.
It’s about time to start thinking of Beta readers and ARC receivers.
For those who may not know, a Beta reader will get a copy of the book after my first edit but before my editor is done with it. Mostly, I’m looking for reader experience. What the reader liked, what they didn’t, any parts that went slow or were confusing. I generally send those in kindle format so a reader can just highlight stuff as they read to remind them of something they liked or didn’t.
An ARC reader is a whole other thing. ARCs (Advance Review Copy) readers get the almost ready version of the book in Kindle format (or whatever format they need). They read it just like a regular reader since the book should be very close to the finished version, and then agree to write a review for it on Goodreads and/or Amazon on the day of release. (Or as close to it as possible based on whatever we agree.) They get a free book and get it first, I get an honest review.
ARCs are limited, so first come, first served for those. 
Yes, a Beta reader can be an ARC reader!
So, if you’re interested in either Beta reading, ARC reading or both, just shoot me an email (or post here) and let me know!
May 13, 2014
Synchronic is Almost Here!
As posted in my last couple of newsletters, I was invited into an anthology jam packed with twelve powerhouse authors whose names are more than known. I’m really not sure how I wrangled an invite, but whatever good luck struck me, I sure am glad it did. (And I don’t mind admitting that I hope it does again!)
Authors include Michael Bunker, Jason Gurley, Isaac Hooke, Susan Kaye Quinn, Nick Cole, Edward W. Robertson, Irving Belateche, Christoper G. Nuttall, Jennifer Ellis, MeiLin Miranda, Samuel Peralta, Eric Tozzi and little old me. David Gatewood (of WOOL fame) is the editor.
The book is called Synchronic: 13 Tales of Time Travel and it is now available for pre-order on Amazon for Kindle as well as paperback. It’s going to be a nice, thick one, too. And don’t worry, there’s a price guarantee so if they dip the price for launch, you’ll still get the lower price.
There is a facebook launch party for Synchronic going on all day and evening on the 22nd, so if you’re already friends with me there, be sure to pop in! If not, friend me. There will be prizes from different authors who contributed and lots of fun stuff.
April 4, 2014
New Posts on the New Site!
www.annchristy.com
I'll be updating my blog on there now and hope you'll all come over and bookmark it. If you have any difficulty following that blog compared to this one, let me know and I'll have the appropriate tools added for you.
It's my goal to make a site that is easier to use where I can better communicate with you, the readers. New books are coming out in short order and trade paperback versions of all my books are being readied for distro. I'm going to hold a couple of giveaways very soon for autographed versions of the whole Silo 49 series. Be sure not to lose track of me!
Latest Email and a Sneak Peek!
Before I forget…because I always do…here is the link to my latest newsletter: http://eepurl.com/PBVcL. Glad to get that out of the way.
Wool Gathering is doing well with fans of the various series’ written by me or the other eight great authors who provided stories. Not too many reviews yet, but the ones we have are excellent! That’s always good news. Since we did this for charity, I’m happy to report that so far, we’ve earned over $800 for NaNo! That’s a huge deal for us since all of us have a connection to NaNo. Many new writers have made their start with their encouragement and programs. Anyway, that’s big news for us and I’m happy it’s doing well.
Also, for those who may not have noticed, Silo 49: Going Dark is now permanently free on Amazon! And Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Smashwords if you prefer those channels. It took a long time to get that done but I’m super happy to finally have that free first book available for those who might be hesitant to try a new author. I love it when someone puts a first book free, so I figure others might like me doing it too.
My most super exciting news is that Synchronic, Twelve Tales of Time Travel, will be out in about a month! That I’ve been included in this group of authors is still hard to believe. I pinch myself regularly to be sure I’m not dreaming. My story is called Rock or Shell and it’s very different from anything I’ve ever written before. It’s so different that I was terrified to even submit it to the editor, especially since it is the amazing David Gatewood, but he seems to have liked it. The rest test will be all of you, the readers. I’m going to read any emails I get through my fingers after the release.
And finally, because it will take so long to get Lulu 394 ready for release, I’ve decided to work on the next book in my queue while that’s going on. It’s called Strikers and, in case you couldn’t guess, it’s post-apocalyptic and dystopian. I’m having a lot of fun writing it, though it is very hard since I’m not accustomed to that style of writing. It is an adult to new adult crossover, which is different for me. There’s a sneak peek…first draft!…that I’ve put up for people to read and give me feedback on. It’s early in the process so be honest if you decide you hate it. I can take it! It’s available here: http://www.annchristy.com/strikerspeek/
March 28, 2014
Cover Reveal for Synchronic!
And here it is! Well, it is the mock up for it anyway. Just take a look at those names. Can you believe I'm in there with them? Well, I am and I'm super excited.
So what is my story about and why am I in a time travel anthology? Answer to the second part is easy. I've never done it and I wanted to see if I could. Not to mention that the chance to be on paper and in bytes with two of my favorite authors was simply too much to resist.
As to what my story is about...here is my blurb:
Everyone wishes they could change something in their past once in a while. Whether it is that embarrassing comment at an office party or going back to save a life lost too soon, we all wish for the impossible at least once. When too many people are given that power and no ability to control their fleeting thoughts of change, what happens is more than chaos. It could be the end.
I'm not sure how I feel about the blurb quite yet, but I know that I like the story. It's utterly and completely different from anything I've attempted before. The characters are in an impossible situation and they handle it so very differently. I sure hope that when this comes out, you'll read it and let me know what you think.
March 24, 2014
So…Is that a sexy new webpage? Why yes, yes it is!
I confess that I love this simple and easy to use blogspot page. It’s provided a way to communicate with readers that I can actually use without screaming incoherently in frustration.
Well, this and now Facebook and Twitter and….
::cough:: Anyway, I’ve found a great web designer who has been busy at work creating a new and more comprehensive site for me that is easy to use for readers while still workable by me.
So take a tour of it and let me know what you think. Stinky or delicious?
www.annchristy.com (It even has a nice easy address to remember!)
So...Is that a sexy new webpage? Why yes, yes it is!
Well, this and now Facebook and Twitter and....
::cough:: Anyway, I've found a great web designer who has been busy at work creating a new and more comprehensive site for me that is easy to use for readers while still workable by me.
So take a tour of it and let me know what you think. Stinky or delicious?
www.annchristy.com (It even has a nice easy address to remember!)
