Debra L. Martin's Blog, page 272
July 2, 2013
#New Release: THE LEMON ORCHARD by Luanne Rice
Book description:
In
the five years since Julia last visited her aunt and uncle’s home in Malibu,
her life has been turned upside down by her daughter’s death. She expects to
find nothing more than peace and solitude as she house-sits with only her dog,
Bonnie, for company. But she finds herself drawn to the handsome man who
oversees the lemon orchard. Roberto expertly tends the trees, using the money
to support his extended Mexican family. What connection could these two people
share? The answer comes as Roberto reveals the heartbreaking story of his own
loss—a pain Julia knows all too well, but for one striking difference: Roberto’s
daughter was lost but never found. And despite the odds he cannot bear to give
up hope.
Set in the sea and citrus-scented air of
the breathtaking Santa Monica Mountains, The Lemon Orchard is an
affirming story about the redemptive power of compassion and the kind of love
that seems to find us when we need it most.
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lemon-Orchard-ebook/dp/B00AEBESK8
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lemon-orchard-luanne-rice/1113833151
Excerpt Reprinted by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA)
Inc., from The Lemon Orchard by
Luanne Rice. Copyright © 2013 by Luanne Rice
Roberto
September
2012
Before
dawn, the air smelled of lemons. Roberto slept in the small cabin in the grove
in the Santa Monica Mountains, salt wind off the Pacific Ocean sweetening the
scent of bitter fruit and filling his dreams with memories of home. He was back
in Mexico before he’d come to the United States in search of goodness for his family, in another huerto
de limones, the lemon
orchard buzzing with bees and the
voices of workers talking,
Rosa playing with her doll Maria. Maria had sheer angel wings and Roberto’s
grandmother had whispered to Rosa that she had magic powers and could fly.
Rosa wore
her favorite dress, white with pink flowers, sewn by his grandmother. Roberto
stood high on the ladder, taller in the dream than any real one would reach.
From here he could see over the treetops, his gaze sweeping the valley toward
Popocatépetl and iztaccíhuatl, the two snow-covered volcanic peaks to the west.
His grandmother had told him the legend, that the mountains were lovers, the
boy shielding the girl, and tall on his ladder Roberto felt stronger than
anyone, and he heard his daughter talking to her doll. In dream magic, his
basket spilling over with lemons, he slid down the tree and lifted Rosa into
his arms.
She was
five, with laughing brown eyes and cascades of dark curls, and she slung her
skinny arm around his neck and pressed her face into his shoulder. In the dream
he was wise and knew there was no better life, no greater goodness, than what they already
had. He held her and
promised nothing bad would ever happen to her, and if he could have slept
forever those words would be true. Sleep prolonged the vision, his eyes shut
tight against the dawn light, and the scent of limones enhanced the
hallucination that Rosa was with
him still and always.
When he
woke up, he didn’t waste time trying to hold on to the feelings. They tore away
from him violently and were gone. His day started fast. He lived twenty-five
miles east, in Boyle Heights, but sometimes stayed in the orchard during fire
season and when there was extra work to be done. He led a crew of three, with
extra men hired from the Malibu Community Labor Exchange or the parking lot at
the Woodland Hills Home Depot when necessary. They came to the property at 8
a.m.
The Riley
family lived in a big Spanish colonial–style house, with arched windows and a
red tile roof, just up the ridgeline from Roberto’s cabin. They had occupied
this land in western Malibu’s Santa Monica Mountains since the mid-1900s. While
other families had torn up old, less profitable orchards and planted vineyards,
the Rileys remained true to their family tradition of raising citrus. Roberto
respected their loyalty to their ancestors and the land.
The grove
took up forty acres, one hundred
twenty-year-old trees per acre, planted in straight lines on the south-facing
hillside, in the same furrows where older trees had once stood. Twenty years
ago the Santa Ana winds had sparked fires that burned the whole orchard,
sparing Casa Riley but engulfing
neighboring properties on both sides.
Close to the house and large tiled swimming pool were rock outcroppings and
three-hundred-year-old live oaks— their trunks eight feet in diameter—still
scorched black from that fire. Fire was mystical, and although it had swept
through Malibu in subsequent years, the Rileys’ property had been spared.
Right now
the breeze blew cool off the Pacific, but Roberto knew it could shift at any
time. Summer had ended, and now the desert winds would start: the Santa Anas, roaring through the
mountain passes, heating up as they sank from higher elevations down to the
coast, and any flash, even from a power
tool, could ignite the
canyon. It had been dry for two
months straight. He walked to the barn, where the control panel was located,
and turned on the sprinklers.
The water
sprayed up, catching rainbows as the sun crested the eastern mountains. it
hissed, soft and constant, and Roberto couldn’t help thinking of the sound as money
draining away. Water was delivered to the orchard via canal, and was
expensive. The Rileys had told him
many times that the important thing was the health of the trees and lemons, and
to protect the land from fire.
He had
something even more important to do before his coworkers arrived: make the
coastal path more secure. He grabbed a sledgehammer and cut through the grove
to the cliff edge. The summer-dry hillsides sloped past the sparkling pool,
down in a widening V to the Pacific Ocean. Occasionally hikers crossed Riley
land to connect with the Backbone Trail and other hikes in the mountain range.
Years back someone had installed stanchions and a chain: a rudimentary fence to
remind people the drop was steep, five hundred feet down to the canyon floor.
He tested
the posts and found some loosened. Mudslides and temblers made the land
unstable. He wished she would stay off this trail entirely, walk the dog
through the orchard, where he could better keep an eye on them, or at least use
the paths on the inland side of the property. But she seemed to love the
ocean. He’d seen her pass this way
both mornings since she’d arrived, stopping to stare out to sea while the dog
rustled through the chaparral and coastal sage.
He tapped
the first post to set his aim, then swung the sledge- hammer overhead, metal
connecting with metal with a loud gong. He felt the shock of the impact in the
bones of his wrists and shoulders. Moving down the row of stanchions, he drove
each one a few inches deeper into the ground until they were solidly embedded.
The wind was blowing toward the house. He hoped the sound wouldn’t bother her,
but he figured it wouldn’t. She rose early, like him.
July 1, 2013
Interview with Elena Dillon
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIa1ndmK-dg..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIa1ndmK-dg..." width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Crushing</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a YA
Romantic Suspense set on an fictional island near Charleston, South
Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory, the main character,
is the daughter of a wealthy Southern family who have planned out her life for
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When her troubled, childhood
crush moves back to town she has to decide if it’s worth upsetting her family
and her life to be with him. She’s not sure he’s a good risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that a friend goes missing
and she ends up in the middle of a very dangerous situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this
book Dominic was not supposed to be such a big character and he turned out to
be a nice guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was originally
going to have him be a jerk but he wanted nothing to do with that! He was
difficult to get to stay on track. His voice was loud and Rory’s other love
interest, Gage, was difficult to get to know and took a lot of prodding to get
him to be front and center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
to be sure I didn’t let Dominic’s bold, loud personality overshadow Gage’s.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No for now I’m happy to continue being a self published
author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I like the freedom and I’m a bit of a control freak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love being able to choose my own
cover, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have the
patience to wait eighteen months to have my books published either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This works for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I definitely need silence. I think I’m too easily
distractible to be able to listen to music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also I think it might affect the mood of the scene I was
writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m easily swayed. Lol. I
get in my office by eight every morning and I’m pretty much there all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set word count goals and I have lists
of all that needs to be done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Absolutely. She does a critique first, then first round
edits, then clean up and proofing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I send it to another service for proofing again and then yet
another for formatting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To just keep writing. Not to get distracted by all the other
stuff people say<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you “should”
be doing. Writing is the most important thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Balance your time. It’s not easy doing it all yourself but
it can be done. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Besides
Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple iBookstore, Kobo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You name it, they’re probably there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have my blog and I’m on most of the Social Media sites as
Elena Dillon. I’m pretty active on FB, Twitter and Google+.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pinterest is my addiction though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t go on there if I have stuff to
get done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two hours will go by
without me even noticing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m in the middle of writing my third book which will take
place in the Breathe universe. It should be out before the end of the year.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIa1ndmK-dg..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KIa1ndmK-dg..." width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Crushing</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a YA
Romantic Suspense set on an fictional island near Charleston, South
Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rory, the main character,
is the daughter of a wealthy Southern family who have planned out her life for
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When her troubled, childhood
crush moves back to town she has to decide if it’s worth upsetting her family
and her life to be with him. She’s not sure he’s a good risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that a friend goes missing
and she ends up in the middle of a very dangerous situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this
book Dominic was not supposed to be such a big character and he turned out to
be a nice guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was originally
going to have him be a jerk but he wanted nothing to do with that! He was
difficult to get to stay on track. His voice was loud and Rory’s other love
interest, Gage, was difficult to get to know and took a lot of prodding to get
him to be front and center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
to be sure I didn’t let Dominic’s bold, loud personality overshadow Gage’s.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">No for now I’m happy to continue being a self published
author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I like the freedom and I’m a bit of a control freak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love being able to choose my own
cover, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have the
patience to wait eighteen months to have my books published either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This works for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I definitely need silence. I think I’m too easily
distractible to be able to listen to music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also I think it might affect the mood of the scene I was
writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m easily swayed. Lol. I
get in my office by eight every morning and I’m pretty much there all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I set word count goals and I have lists
of all that needs to be done.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Absolutely. She does a critique first, then first round
edits, then clean up and proofing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then I send it to another service for proofing again and then yet
another for formatting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">To just keep writing. Not to get distracted by all the other
stuff people say<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you “should”
be doing. Writing is the most important thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Balance your time. It’s not easy doing it all yourself but
it can be done. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Besides
Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Apple iBookstore, Kobo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You name it, they’re probably there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have my blog and I’m on most of the Social Media sites as
Elena Dillon. I’m pretty active on FB, Twitter and Google+.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pinterest is my addiction though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t go on there if I have stuff to
get done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two hours will go by
without me even noticing. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’m in the middle of writing my third book which will take
place in the Breathe universe. It should be out before the end of the year.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=twoen-20..." style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>
June 28, 2013
#Review: EMERALD TABLET by Joshua Silverman
3 of 5 starsTHE EMERALD TABLET is a mixture of fantasy, science fiction, adventure and mythology telling the story of Leoros, an Earth boy, who is prophesied to be the one to save the distant planet Potara. From the moment he steps through the Portal of Hermes, Leoros is challenged by his teacher Pythos, an Amun priest, and the other Gifted teenagers as he tries to understand his role in saving Potara. His only friend is a slave girl, Atlantia, and he clings to her in desperation against the loneliness he feels since leaving Earth. Can a 13-year-old Earth boy save Potara against an evil, the likes of which they have never seen in a thousand years?
I was excited to read this book when I read the description, but the beginning introduced too many characters with too much exposition. It definitely bogged down the story. On top of that, the review copy I received was badly formatted with headers appearing in the middle of a page. It made a confusing book even more confusing. The author clearly did his research into Egyptian mythology, but the story is difficult to get into. It's hard to know who the intended audience is - adult or YA - because of the horrific abuse scenes early on. The action doesn't pick up until the second half of the book when war breaks out. The ending of the book was unsatisfying. I understand that this is the first in a series of multiple books, but I won't be reading any more from this author.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 27, 2013
Book Tour Blast: Apocalypse Cult by Alex Siegel
APOCALYPSE CULT is the first book in the Gray Spear Society series. They are God's secret warriors, His henchmen, His assassins cloaked in shadows. When lives and souls are at risk, He sends the Gray Spear Society to save mankind. This time the enemy is the Church of One Soul, a cult that intends to kill thousands of unsuspecting tourists in Chicago. But this is merely the first step in plunging the world into a devastating war. The Society has only a few days to destroy their elusive foe, despite interference by overzealous federal agents.
Purchase Apocalypse Cult:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
About Alex Siegel
Alex Siegel grew up a math and computer geek. At the age of twenty-five, he received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell. He continues to make a good living as a software developer in Chicago. In his late twenties, he took up creative writing as a serious pastime with the intention of eventually making it his career. This goal has been elusive, but failure is not an option. In 2001, his wife gave birth to triplet boys. People often ask him how he still finds time to write. In 2009, he began the Gray Spear Society series, and he hopes it will be his key to literary fame.
Follow the Author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Join us
July 11 9PM - 10 PM EST Twitter HashTag #ApocalypseCultBookTour
July 19 Pinterest Event
July 23 Video Chat on Literary Addicts
July 31 - August 2 for our Social Media Event on Facebook .
Come learn More about the author and win prizes
Follow the Tour
The author will be offering a $50 Amazon Gft Card to the giveaway winner.
Fill out the form below to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 26, 2013
BARGAIN Price for #Romance LOVE BY SECRETS
Just in time for your summer reading pleasure, LOVE BY SECRETS, is ON SALE for $.99 (normally $2.99). Are you looking to escape the daily grind? Let yourself get caught up in this world of sweet love, misunderstandings and loyalty.
Book blurb:
Two men - one wants to love her, the other wants to use her. Which will she choose?
Eighteen-year-old Emily Stanton is excited to attend this Season's balls and begin her search for a husband. She is thrilled when the dashing and handsome Connor Preston begins to court her. After each ball, Emily finds a love note in her drawstring reticule, and she expects a marriage proposal from Connor any day.
When her father objects and forces Emily to accept the proposal from Lady Tisbury's shy nephew, Ethan Richardson instead, her heart is broken. How can she love her new husband when her heart belongs to the man who wrote her such beautiful love letters?
Reviewers Comments:
"...the heartfelt emotion and troubled thoughts of Emily make her as adorable as Marianne Dashwood was to one and all."
"...Well-written and fast-flowing with interesting characters..."
"Rich with all ranges of emotion, loyalty, heartbreak, and plot twists. An enjoyable, light, yet satisfying romance story."
Buy links:
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-by-secrets-debra-elizabeth/1106798037
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Love-by-Secrets-Regency-Romance/book-huQqnJ4UYkil-CZXlSfa7Q/page1.html?s=-ggYIm7ahEGMXIq80vyDWw&r=1
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-by-secrets-historical/id478515839?mt=11
Amazon:
Book blurb:
Two men - one wants to love her, the other wants to use her. Which will she choose?
Eighteen-year-old Emily Stanton is excited to attend this Season's balls and begin her search for a husband. She is thrilled when the dashing and handsome Connor Preston begins to court her. After each ball, Emily finds a love note in her drawstring reticule, and she expects a marriage proposal from Connor any day.
When her father objects and forces Emily to accept the proposal from Lady Tisbury's shy nephew, Ethan Richardson instead, her heart is broken. How can she love her new husband when her heart belongs to the man who wrote her such beautiful love letters?
Reviewers Comments:
"...the heartfelt emotion and troubled thoughts of Emily make her as adorable as Marianne Dashwood was to one and all."
"...Well-written and fast-flowing with interesting characters..."
"Rich with all ranges of emotion, loyalty, heartbreak, and plot twists. An enjoyable, light, yet satisfying romance story."
Buy links:
BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-by-secrets-debra-elizabeth/1106798037
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Love-by-Secrets-Regency-Romance/book-huQqnJ4UYkil-CZXlSfa7Q/page1.html?s=-ggYIm7ahEGMXIq80vyDWw&r=1
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-by-secrets-historical/id478515839?mt=11
Amazon:
June 25, 2013
Book Tour Blast: TANGLED UP IN TROUBLE by Olivia Hardin
Tangled Up in Trouble (MAUCs Series Two)
Purchase it Now at a Special Release Price of $0.99:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Lynlee Lincoln isn’t just a witch, she’s also a Neutralizer. Her job is a juggling act to keep magical and undead clients out of trouble. But getting back together with her old flame throws one more ball into the mix and romance with a guy who has two kids can get complicated. When her old mentor asks her to investigate the goings-on of a dark witch, things turn messy. The witch is stalking supernatural creatures to collect ingredients for a potion that Lynlee can’t seem to figure out.
To keep those closest to her from becoming the next victims, she may have to confront the demons within herself.
And Trolling for Trouble (MAUCs Series One) is FREE wherever eBooks are available.
AmazonBarnes & Noble
iTunes
A NOVELETTE- MAUCs Series One: Magical and undead creatures can get into plenty of sticky situations. Lynlee Lincoln loves her job as a neutralizer, but she needs a break from the supernatural chaos after an ultra-busy Halloween night. Coming home, she's ready to collapse into her bed and forget the day... until she discovers two children scavenging through her refrigerator. One look at the pair and she feels a tug on her heartstrings, then she learns their father is the man she spent years trying to forget. When Beck pleads with her to help save his daughter, Lynlee gets thrust into a heap of trouble.
About the AuthorOlivia Hardin realized early on how strange she was to have complete movie-like character dreams as a child. Eventually she began putting those vivid dreams to paper and was rarely without her spiral notebooks full of those mental ramblings. Her forgotten vision of becoming an author was realized when she connected with a group of amazingly talented and fabulous writers who gave her lots of direction and encouragement. With a little extra push from family and friends, she hunkered down to get lost in the words. She’s also an insatiable crafter who only completes about 1 out of 5 projects, a jogger who hates to run, and is sometimes accused of being artistic, though she’s generally too much of a perfectionist to appreciate her own work. A native Texas girl, Olivia lives in the beautiful Lone Star state with her husband and their puppy Bonnie.
Connect with her Online - Blog * Goodreads * Twitter * Facebook * Literary Addicts
And do you want a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, a "Tangled" Ring from the Book Swag Shop, a Tangled up in Trouble Keyring, and a signed copy of Trolling for Trouble MAUCs Series One, check out the giveaway.
Share about my release and enter via this Rafflecopter!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 24, 2013
Review: ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE & SEDUCTION by Beverley Kendall
2 of 5 starsThis is the first story I've read by Ms. Kendall, and I have to say that I was disappointed in it. It is the story of Miss Elizabeth Smith and her encounter with Viscount Derek Creswell. When they are caught in the garden sharing a passionate kiss by the ton's worst gossip, Elizabeth blurts out that they are engaged. It's the only thing she can think of to save her reputation. Thus begins her first lie in the story. I love Regency
romances, but this one didn't always seem to follow the rules of the
period. I don't believe it would have been proper for a young lady to go
for a carriage ride with a gentlemen she's just met without an escort,
especially not in a closed carriage, but I could be wrong about this.
I didn't make any connection with Elizabeth's character. She didn't come across as the naive virgin she was supposed to be and Derek's character was downright mean. He goes to extraordinary lengths to embarrass and humiliate her and Elizabeth doesn't take offense. She also seems powerless to control her own lust when she's around him, certainly not the actions of a proper young lady of the period. This was not a sweet romance between two people who start off on the wrong foot, but one of manipulation and deception. I was also disappointed when the book ended at 66% on my Kindle. I thought there would be more and not the convenient quick wrap-up in the epilogue. In the end I didn't like either Elizabeth or Derek. I'm glad I got this book for free because otherwise I would have been sorely disappointed if I had wasted anything more than my time.
June 21, 2013
Book Tour Blast: THE WITCHLING SERIES by Lizzy Ford
Dark Summer:
A school for Witchlings...
The ultimate choice between Light and Dark...
Where the price of a mistake...is your soul.
Sixteen-year-old Summer doesn’t expect her new boarding school to be any different than the rest: a temporary stay, until her uncontrollable magic gets her thrown out again. In her mind, there’s no point in getting too friendly with anyone. That is, until she notices Decker, the boy who will become the Master of Night and Fire on his eighteenth birthday.
When she learns that this special school has attracted others with magic in their blood, she is hopeful that this time around, things may be different. Besides, she can’t deny her interest in Decker, and when he rescues her one night from the dark forests of the Rocky Mountains, their connection is instant.
Yet a relationship with Decker may prove to be Summer’s downfall, forcing her to choose between Light and Dark, life and death, love – and their souls.
One choice. One soul. One price.
Buy on Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N |Kobo
Autumn Storm:
A girl with no memory, hidden in plain sight …
A boy with no hope, spiraling into Darkness …
Only one knows the truth, and only one has the power to save them.
Autumn doesn’t know why she remembers a boarding school she’s never visited, or why her reflection is sometimes that of a ghost named Summer. She struggles to recover her memories and understand the warnings conveyed through her magick. Caught between the Turner twins, she isn’t certain who to trust: Decker, the mysterious Master of Dark, who makes her heart catch, or Beck, the cautious Master of Light, whose touch soothes her pain.
Unable to recover from Summer’s death, Decker slowly surrenders to the Dark. The guilt he feels when he falls for Autumn – and betrays Summer’s memory – drives him farther from the Light, until he completely loses control and takes the souls of Light witchlings.
As the protector of Light, Beck is caught between his allegiance to his twin and his vow to protect new witchlings. He must keep the Darkness from consuming his brother, for if Decker fails, he’ll take down the only person who has a chance of saving them all.
Buy on Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the author:
Lizzy Ford is the author of over seventeen novels written for young adult and adult paranormal romance readers, to include the internationally bestselling “Rhyn Trilogy,” “Witchling Series” and the “War of Gods” series. Considered a freak of nature by her peers for the ability to write and release a commercial quality novel in under a month, Lizzy has focused on keeping her readers happy by producing brilliant, gritty romances that remind people why true love is a trial worth enduring.
Lizzy’s books can be found on every major ereader library, to include: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Sony and Smashwords. She lives in southern Arizona with her husband, three dogs and a cat.
The Author is giving away a Swag bag: autographed copies of Dark Summer, Autumn Storm, Witchling bracelet and necklace, bookmarks and Witchling t-shirts in a custom Lizzy Ford tote, $25 amazon gift card. Approximate value: $75-85
Open to US only except the GC. Fill out the form below to Enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway
June 20, 2013
Interview with Olivia Hardin
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASpCF3eUvhY..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASpCF3eUvhY..." width="209" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All for
Hope </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">is my first contemporary romance and it’s the very sweet
love story of two friends who haven’t been friends in a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because their separated, doesn’t
mean they don’t still have feelings for each other so when Hope kidnaps a baby
to save her from an abusive family, Brennan steps in to protect her. This isn’t
planned as a series, but I have some ideas for spinoff stories about some of
the supporting characters.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In this story one of the characters, Detective Guillory was
originally just a mere mention at the end of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere along the way I realized it
would elevate the excitement to get a peek at his investigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it I really liked his
character and I so I made sure I left the end of the story so that he might be
able to make an appearance in another story one day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this book we used the <a href="http://www.onceuponatimecovers.com/&q... Upon a Time Covers</a> and I
absolutely love the work Stephanie Nelson did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to the realization I had to step out of her way and
let her creativity work its magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I tried to get involved it wasn’t nearly as wonderful as what she
eventually came up with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I don’t have a formal critique group, but I do have a
selection of friends and authors who read my work and help me along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The important thing with a critique
group/person is that you have to trust their honesty and willingness to tell
you like it is… without smashing your ego to bits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I write in silence… or actually, not total silence but
without any music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said,
music is very important for my muse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I create playlists and I go to them in order to help me mentally flesh
out a scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it’s time to put
that scene to paper, I turn off the music and just listen to the words in my
mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Absolutely!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have learned that you can never have too much editing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently I use 2-3 different
editors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each person’s eye catches
something different and you want your manuscript to be as polished as possible
before publishing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve learned that it’s all a process… hence a journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to be patient with myself and
with the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things
I do will work, some don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
hacking away at it and never giving up are the best lessons.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin...
is my favorite social media outlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m trying to learn how to effectively use twitter and I do blog (not
nearly enough).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also starting
to work with <a href="http://pinterest.com/oliviahardin/boa...,
<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/blog/oliviahard... and <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/102581869...
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and
writing your next book?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Marketing can be tough, especially as you’re trying to
experiment to figure out what works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That said, it is getting easier to streamline things and get information
out to people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does take time
away from writing though, so finding a good system for me has been essential.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have the second in my MAUCs Urban Fantasy Series due out
June 21<sup>st</sup> and then I have a short story appearing in the Eternal
Summer Anthology on June 24<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m about to begin work on the first in my For Love of Fae Trilogy,
which is a spinoff of my Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy.</span></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASpCF3eUvhY..." imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ASpCF3eUvhY..." width="209" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Can you
give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All for
Hope </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">is my first contemporary romance and it’s the very sweet
love story of two friends who haven’t been friends in a long time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because their separated, doesn’t
mean they don’t still have feelings for each other so when Hope kidnaps a baby
to save her from an abusive family, Brennan steps in to protect her. This isn’t
planned as a series, but I have some ideas for spinoff stories about some of
the supporting characters.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In this story one of the characters, Detective Guillory was
originally just a mere mention at the end of the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere along the way I realized it
would elevate the excitement to get a peek at his investigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it I really liked his
character and I so I made sure I left the end of the story so that he might be
able to make an appearance in another story one day.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For this book we used the <a href="http://www.onceuponatimecovers.com/&q... Upon a Time Covers</a> and I
absolutely love the work Stephanie Nelson did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to the realization I had to step out of her way and
let her creativity work its magic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I tried to get involved it wasn’t nearly as wonderful as what she
eventually came up with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I don’t have a formal critique group, but I do have a
selection of friends and authors who read my work and help me along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The important thing with a critique
group/person is that you have to trust their honesty and willingness to tell
you like it is… without smashing your ego to bits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What is
your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I write in silence… or actually, not total silence but
without any music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said,
music is very important for my muse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I create playlists and I go to them in order to help me mentally flesh
out a scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it’s time to put
that scene to paper, I turn off the music and just listen to the words in my
mind.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Absolutely!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have learned that you can never have too much editing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently I use 2-3 different
editors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each person’s eye catches
something different and you want your manuscript to be as polished as possible
before publishing.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ve learned that it’s all a process… hence a journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to be patient with myself and
with the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things
I do will work, some don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
hacking away at it and never giving up are the best lessons.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/oliviahardin...
is my favorite social media outlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m trying to learn how to effectively use twitter and I do blog (not
nearly enough).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also starting
to work with <a href="http://pinterest.com/oliviahardin/boa...,
<a href="http://www.tumblr.com/blog/oliviahard... and <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/102581869...
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Do you
find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and
writing your next book?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Marketing can be tough, especially as you’re trying to
experiment to figure out what works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That said, it is getting easier to streamline things and get information
out to people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does take time
away from writing though, so finding a good system for me has been essential.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s
next for you?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I have the second in my MAUCs Urban Fantasy Series due out
June 21<sup>st</sup> and then I have a short story appearing in the Eternal
Summer Anthology on June 24<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m about to begin work on the first in my For Love of Fae Trilogy,
which is a spinoff of my Bend-Bite-Shift Trilogy.</span></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TwoEnd..." height="1" width="1"/>
