L.J. Higgins's Blog, page 7

Cover Reveal- Eden: Secrets Of Aurora, 2

Things have been moving very fast in the L J Higgins camp and I’m super excited to reveal the cover of Eden: Secrets of Aurora, 2 with you!!!

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I hope you love it as much as I do! But there’s more excitement to come…

Eden is now available for pre-order on Amazon HERE and you can also pre-order a signed paperback HERE!

To make it even more exciting, every pre-order of a signed paperback gets you an entry into a giveaway to win not only some awesome Secrets of Aurora swag, but also a prize from The Never-Ending Notebook!

Eden’s launch date has been set for 28th October 2017! So keep your eyes peeled for launch party details which will be revealed soon.

I can’t wait for you to read the next instalment in Aurora’s story and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Eden’s cover in the comments below!

Cover Reveal – Utopia: Secrets of Aurora 1

Signing with publisher Creativia, has also meant a redesign of Utopia’s cover, and I’m really happy with what they’ve created! Just in case you didn’t see it over on my Facebook page I thought I’d post it here.

[image error]Click HERE to purchase Utopia: Secrets of Aurora book 1, on Amazon!

Along with the excitement of a new cover for Utopia, I can also reveal that Eden: Secrets of Aurora book 2, will be released in mid to late October this year! I can’t wait for you to read the next chapter in Aurora’s story.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Utopia’s new cover in the comments, and can’t wait to reveal Eden’s cover in the coming weeks!

Quick Update!

The past few weeks have been really hectic for me so I haven’t had a chance to sit down and write an awesome post to share for this week. Between painting props for my local carnival, organising an art auction (for the same event), judging a writing competition, dancing in the concert, taking my son to soccer training and his final game of the season, as well as my husband disappearing for 4 days on a fishing adventure, my writing has unfortunately fallen to the side.

On the plus side, I’m 26,000 words into book 3 of the Secrets of Aurora series and I’m excited about where it’s headed. Every time Aurora thinks she wrapped her head around who she is and what her role is in what’s happened, another truth comes to light. I’ve also been talking book covers with my publisher and can’t wait to announce the release date for Eden: Secrets of Aurora #2 in the coming weeks.

As much as I’m looking forward to this weekends carnival, I can’t wait to get back into writing, and promise to have a more exciting blog post for you next week!

Just dance!

Over the weekend I did something I never thought I’d be able to do. I performed on a stage in front of almost six-hundred people…. twice!

[image error]In high school, a friend convinced me to audition with her for the school musical. We practiced and practiced, and when the day came, and we had to line up to audition, my heart rate sky rocketed, my stomach began to flip, and my palms grew sweaty. The thought of singing in front of someone made me feel sick and I didn’t go through with it. I left my friend to fend for herself and lived the rest of my life wishing I’d had the courage to step into that room, sing my heart out, and push myself to step out of my comfort zone.

Fast forward sixteen years. A friend of mine puts up a post wondering if anyone would be interested in going to dance classes with her. I was quick to jump on board and we both signed up to begin hip hop and contemporary dancing. I was then presented with the opportunity to [image error]redeem myself for chickening out of the musical audition, when the dance school announced they were hosting their yearly dance concert. The thought of going on stage made me sick to my stomach all over again, and I was taken back to the day I bailed on my friend. I refused to let myself be beaten by nerves, and with the support of an amazing group of ladies, I found the courage to not only step onto the stage under the bright lights and in front of all of those people, but to also relax and enjoy every moment.

I could never have imagined I’d actually enjoy performing in front of an audience, but I did, and I’m so happy I was able to push through my nerves and face a fear and regret I’d been carrying for sixteen years.

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.”

-Neil Gaiman

Do you have a regret or fear you wish you could face? Or have you faced a fear like I have? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Author Spotlight – Tracy Lawson

This month I had a chat with author of the Resistance Series, Tracy Lawson to find out more about the woman behind these dystopian thrillers.

LJ: Hi Tracy, can you please start off by telling us a little about what you write?

TL: I write YA dystopian thrillers and nonfiction history. I love being able to work in two completely different genres. People often ask which is my favorite, and that answer varies from day to day. My first book, Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More, is based on a journal written by my great-great-great grandfather in 1838. I received a copy of the journal as a Christmas gift from my parents, because I was interested in family history. I was fascinated by the journal and all it had to say about life and travel in America in the antebellum period. After all the research and fact-checking that went into that first book, I came away from the experience wanting to write fiction! I had one in each genre launch this summer.

LH: Do you have a special place where you like to work your magic?

TL: I like to write on the patio at our house

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LJ: Do you have any pets that like to keep you company while you write?

TL: Leo and Jack (by green door)

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LJ: Your cats are very cute. Do you have any children?

TL: Our daughter, Keri, is a very adventuresome and well-traveled young lady. She’s been to 16 foreign countries, and did a semester abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. She recently graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Economics, and is currently in graduate school, pursuing a Masters and Ph.D in Economics at West Virginia University. Though she’s following in her dad’s footsteps in her career, she spent her growing up years in the dance studio and doing theater productions with me. When I was writing Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More, she went along with me as I drove from Cincinnati to New York, following the route our ancestors took in 1838. She was eight at the time. Her job was to read the map and the journal and keep the photo log, as it was a time before Google Map apps and camera phones! She also learned how to do research in libraries and courthouses on that trip.

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LJ: Can you please share with us a picture or drawing that represents you?

TL: I can’t draw anything more elaborate than a stick figure, so I’m sparing you and submitting the graphic with the Einstein quote!

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LJ: Love it! Do you have a favourite quote?

TL: “A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.”

~Milton Friedman

LJ: Other than writing, what are your other passions or hobbies?

TL: I always loved to dance, and taught lessons in a studio for twenty-five years. Tap dancing is my favorite. Now, I choreograph a few school musicals a year so I can stay involved in educational theater.

LJ: That sounds like great fun. I do jazz, hip-hop and contemporary once a week and it’s lots of fun. Do you have a favourite musical?

TL: It’s hard to choose a favorite musical, but I loved doing Crazy for You because of all the tap! We did that one Keri’s senior year, and I spent from July-April teaching tap technique and routines to the cast. Keri ran a ton of lunch rehearsals, too. I think I made about .05 an hour on that show, but boy was the finished product worth it. About half the cast had never tapped before, but you never would have known it when you saw them perform. Other faves include Legally Blonde, Xanadu, and 13 the Musical.

LJ: How about a favourite band or singer?

TL: Rush is my favorite band.

LJ: If you could go back in time what year would you travel to?

TL: If I could travel back in time I’d go to 1838 so I could meet the ancestors about whom I wrote in my nonfiction books.

LJ: Okay, this is an important questions… Tea or Coffee?

TL: Tea. I have never liked coffee!

LJ: Is there an author you wish more people knew about?

TL: I wish more people knew about is Meredith Tate, author of Missing Pieces. She created a dystopian society in which the trial and error was taken out of reproduction, and children were computer-matched to their perfect mate at the age of six, to be married at age 22. In Missing Pieces, Tate has created a world that’s a chilling combination of a cold, scientific approach to family and uncompromising Puritanical mores about love and sex.

LJ: That sounds like an interesting read. Now, what is something you want more people to know about you?

TL: I’d want people to know something I’ve recently discovered about myself: I’m a lot braver and more badass than I appear…

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Thank you so much to Tracy Lawson for taking time out of her busy schedule to have a chat with me. You can find her online and purchase her books on the links below.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

 

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Tracy Lawson Books:

Counteract: Book One of the Resistance Series

Resist: Book Two of the Resistance Series

Ignite: Book Three of the Resistance Series

Revolt: Book Four of the Resistance Series

Fips, Bots, Doggeries, and More 

Pride of the Valley

Websites and social media: http://counteractbook.com

 

Meet the Characters – Utopia: Secrets of Aurora #1

I’ve been absolutely loving writing the Secrets of Aurora series, and a big part of that is the characters. I love the way they bounce off each other and the way their personalities have developed throughout each book, so this week I thought I’d introduce you to a few of them.

Aurora Adams

Aurora is a sixteen-year-old, feisty red-head who feels out of place on the floating city of Utopia, where she mostly keeps to herself and reads books from the old Earth on her computer tablet. Aurora grew up having a close relationship with her father, but when he’d go away for work, travelling between the floating cities, she was left with her mother who did her best to avoid any conversation. When her father passed away she was just twelve-years-old, and was left to deal with her grief on her own. The only person she trusts is her best friend Fletcher (Fletch) Saxby. They’ve grown up together on the floating city.

Fletcher Saxby

Fletcher or Fletch, is the son of the Elite Leader of the floating city of Utopia, and lives in an elaborate home where he spends his spare time playing video games only the Elite are allowed to access. That is of course when he isn’t learning in the school hall or attending official dinners and luncheons. A good looking sixteen-year-old, with shaggy blonde hair and earthy brown eyes, Fletcher has no trouble gaining the attention of the Utopian girls. But despite the attention they give him, he prefers to spend time with his best friend Aurora. He can be himself around her, not the son of an Elite, and they’ve known each other for as long as he can remember.

Braven Smith

Braven is a member of the rebel group attempting to uncover the truth about the Elites and the floating cities. He’s twenty-three-years-old and is well built, with a square jaw, a crew cut and deep blue eyes. A leader in training, he’s got the muscle power and the access to the Utopian Guard headquarters, to help his fellow rebels get the information they need. He has just as much brain as brawn, and is incredibly quick witted. He loves taking jabs at his fellow rebels and especially stirring up the fiery red-head of the group, Vega.

Vega Howarth

Vega’s as fiery as they come and has an incredibly short fuse. She’s hard to miss with her bright red hair and excessive makeup and she’s not exactly easy to warm to. But what she lakes in people skills she makes up with heart, as she is determined to uncover the truth behind the Elite and the floating cities. With no family left, what does she have to lose?

Stay tuned as I introduce some of the new characters you’ll meet in Eden: Secrets of Aurora #2, over the coming weeks.

Have you read Utopia? Do you have a favourite character? Was it one of the one’s I’ve mentioned above or one I haven’t introduced here?

Are you okay?

It’s no secret that my favourite band since I was fifteen and through my teens, twenties and now thirties has been Linkin Park. Their lyrics resinated with me as a teen and fuelled many of my stories and writing as an adult. Seeing them live in 2007 was a dream come true. The past few months I’ve been listening to their latest album, One More Light, almost non-stop and am loving their new sound and how their music has evolved and grown with me over the years. Now with the passing of the amazingly talented Chester Bennington, I’m sad to know that after seventeen years of listening to his voice I won’t hear it in a new song again. And although Chester’s passing has once again shone a light on suicide, it’s important to know it’s not just the rich and famous who are taking their own lives.

The statistics in Australia alone are shocking. Suicide, *is the leading cause of death for males and females aged between 15 and 44. In a typical year, about 3,000 people in Australia die by suicide. That’s an average of 8 people every day. I personally believe our culture has a lot to answer for when it comes to the pressures people are put under and put themselves under on a daily basis. We are told we need to have this and achieve that, but no one is teaching us how to cope with the stresses and pressures we are dealing with. I’m not saying I have all of the answers, but I do believe simply being aware of the facts, and creating awareness is at least a small step in the right direction.

It’s our responsibly as humans to look out for each other, to remind ourselves what’s important, and make sure we ask the question, ‘are you okay?’ It’s also important to notice changes in peoples demeanour and personalities, and check in on them if you think somethings not quite right.

In October this year, myself and three other amazing ladies, are hosting a Ladies Night to raise funds for charity Beyond Blue. As someone who has dealt with depression on and off since I was a young teenager, I understand the importance of having someone to talk to and turn to when you are in a bad place. I also understand how hard it is to seek help when you don’t feel like there are any answers. If you have a dollar to spare, please help our event by donating to this amazing cause HERE.

RIP Chester Bennington.

If you or someone you know needs help please contact one of the services below:

Lifeline – 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

beyondblue Support Service – 1300 22 4636

Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800

*Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). Causes of Death, Australia 2015, preliminary data., Cat. no. (3303.0). Canberra: ABS.

Side Project: Book Cover

Writing has played a big part in my life. It’s always been the thing I turn to when I need to clear my mind and let my creativity run wild. But another creative outlet of mine is painting and drawing, both of which I don’t seem to get time to sit down and do a lot of anymore. So when author’s Michelle Bryan and Michelle Lynn said they were searching for someone to sketch them a sigil for the cover of their new book I told them I’d love to create something for them. With a briefing from the Michelle’s I was excited to escape into my book/craft room and get sketching. I really enjoyed working on the sigil for them and having a side project was refreshing and only renewed my energy for writing my own books. Here is the sketch I came up with and if you click HERE you can find out what they did with my image and see the amazing cover that was created from it. [image error]

I wish Michelle Bryan and Michelle Lynn every success with the upcoming release of Prophecy of Darkness: Legends of the Tri-gard Vol 1. and urge you grab yourself a copy. It releases on September 12th as part of the Fire and Fantasy box set and is available for pre-order now!

Embrace Yourself

[image error]When I was a teen I just wanted to fit in. I didn’t want to be different or stand out from the crowd, I wanted to be like my peers. Or at least, what I perceived them to be. I loved hanging out with my friends, listening to music, and drawing and painting. These were all the things I was allowed to love, but the one thing I always hid from most of my friends was how much I loved to read and write. Through my teens I wrote many short stories and novellas about teen love triangles and the trials and tribulations of being a teenager in general. As a teen that suffered from depression, I used writing to vent my frustrations and sadness and it was one of the things that helped lift me back up from my low points. But still I kept it to myself.

Sometimes I ask myself why? Why did I feel like I had to keep something I loved so quiet? Maybe it was the nature of my writing, I didn’t want anyone to know how I was feeling or what I really thought. Maybe it was because writing wasn’t ‘cool’ so I didn’t want people knowing it was something I did in my spare time. Whatever the reason, the one thing I wish I could go back and tell my younger self is to, “embrace who you are.” Yes, I was a little quirky. Yes, I loved to read, write and had a nerdy side. And you know what? That was okay.

I always tell people I didn’t know what I wanted to be until I was twenty-nine-years-old. I’d always worked in administration roles until I fell pregnant with my son and left the workforce. Having him brought so much clarity to my life, and for the first time I felt grounded enough to work out who Linda Higgins really was. I realised I didn’t have to ‘fit in’ or be able to be put in a box. I was a multifaceted jewel with many interesting and quirky sides to my personality. I can socialise with groups, but be equally as happy on my own with a laptop writing or with a cup of tea and a good book. I’m a little quirky with a sprinkle of nerd thrown in, with a touch of hippy to finish it off. I don’t fit one of the moulds society has created. I’m just me.

Once my daughter came along and my son was starting kindergarten I grew restless and knew something was missing from my life. That something was writing. It’d fallen by the wayside between nappies and bottles and after some research I created a blog called DragonYellow. Dragon representing my creativity and imagination, and yellow representing positivity and happiness. Once I got my writing rhythm back and the joy of it started making me feel more like myself again, I decided it was time to do something I’d always dreamt of… write a full length novel. And now I wake up every day and do what I love.

We all have dreams and aspirations, and there are endless quotes about chasing your dreams. But I truly believe to achieve great things and be happy, you first need to embrace yourself. Be happy with who you are as a person, and don’t hide your amazing individuality from the world!

 

Top 6 Must Watch Movies (According to L J Higgins)

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I’ve enjoyed watching movies for as long as I can remember. From my watching Disney films in my younger years, to watching teen rom com’s during high school to watching films about fantastical worlds and movies that make me questions reality and the way our universe works. There are so many movies I’ve loved, but here are six that I highly recommend you watch for yourself.

1. The Cell

Child psychiatrist Catherine has created a way to enter the minds of her mentally ill patients in order to help them. But when FBI agent Peter Novak captures a murderer who falls into a coma, he asks Catherine if she can enter his mind to help find where he is keeping his latest victim. If she isn’t found soon, she’ll die in his torture cell. When Catherine agrees to delve into his cruel and strange mind she discovers it may not be so easy to get back out.

I loved this movie because it was so different from anything I’d watched before. Although some of the images were shocking and creepy, the idea that a psychiatrist could literally delve into your psyche really intrigued me.

*Please note: The Cell is rated R 18+ due to it’s disturbing nature.

2. Dragon Heart

When a young King is injured during a battle he is healed by Draco, a dragon. Years later, dragon slayer Bowen finds himself in a stand off with Draco and they decide to team up, traveling together. Bowen pretends to slay Draco, who then acts as though he’s died so Bowen can reap the reward. But when the now older and evil King threatens to destroy the entire kingdom, Bowen and Draco discover that a connection between the dragon and the king was created the night he was saved.

This movie along with Pete’s Dragon (The original) ignited my love for the mythical beasts that are dragons. I can’t say why exactly. Maybe they represent my imagination, or it’s their strength despite being able to do something as agile as fly? But ever since this movie I’ve had a love for them and grew up wishing there was a way I could have one as a pet.

3. Harry Potter Series

Everyone’s heard of Harry Potter haven’t they? Young boy living under the stairs in his Aunty and Uncle’s house discovers he is a wizard and is sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At Hogwarts he meets his best friends Ron and Hermione and together they set off to bring down Voldemort.

I absolutely loved the books by JK Rowling, who was a huge inspiration for me when I decided to write my first full length novel, and I loved how the movies brought her stories to life. There’s something exciting about the magic and wonder in the world of Hogwarts, and I enjoyed watching Harry and his friends grow and fulfil their destinies. Plus there’s dragons! So what’s not to love?

4. Lord of the Rings

This series follows Frodo, a hobbit from The Shire and his friends, as he embarks on an adventure to destroy the ring left to him by Bilbo. Dark Lord Sauron seeks the ring as he needs it to regain full power, and he sends his evil servants to take the ring from Frodo and his friends before they can destroy it.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched these epic fantasy adventures. The landscapes and colourful characters really brought Tolkien’s stories to life.

5. Donnie Darko

When troubled teen, Donnie Darko, has a near death experience he’s visited by a creepy rabbit called Frank who shows him visions from the past and a prediction that the world will end in 28 days.

Okay, if you haven’t seen this movie please, bare with me. It’s definitely as twisted and strange as it sounds, and I had to watch the movie twice to begin appreciating what this movie was about (and I’m still uncertain in parts) but that’s exactly what I love about it. It explores the world of time travel in a strange and interesting way, and although I can’t quite put my finger on why I love it, I think this is a movie you need to watch and decide how you feel on your own.

6. Inception

Dom Cobb has a skill that allows him to enter someone’s subconscious while they’re dreaming and steal secrets. This skill has made him highly sought after but also means he’s a fugitive. But when he’s presented with the chance to stop running, he must attempt something that hasn’t been done before. He has to plant a thought deep in someone’s subconscious mind, Inception.

I really love this movie and it is definitely one of my favourites if not my favourite movie. The entire concept had me hooked from the beginning with people creating dreamscapes in their mind and delving deeper in the human mind to plant a single thought. That single thought could entirely change someone’s future and the way they see the past. Definitely a movie you need to see if you haven’t already.

 

I could’ve rambled on for hours about the movies I love, but these are definitely a great start! Movies are just one of the many things in life that inspire me and help me create new ideas and stories to write.

Have you watched any of these? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you have a movie you think I’d love to see please let me know in the comments.