L.E. DeLano's Blog, page 16
September 16, 2019
I’ll Be Teaching At The Philadelphia Writing Workshop!
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I’m very pleased to 
May 24, 2019
Wonderful Wednesday With Waterbury Arts Magnet School
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My son and I had a wonderful Wednesday courtesy of Waterbury Arts Magnet School in Waterbury, CT. They chose TRAVELER and DREAMER as their spring book club reads and invited me to be their guest of honor for a dinner and book discussion.
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(Special thanks to Sydney for posing with me!)
They were awesome! Such a great group with so much insight and so many clever comments. And they were especially welcoming to my son, who happens to be the real-life inspiration for the character of Danny. Author life can be a real joy some days, and this was one of them. I also walked out with a swag bag full of terrific stuff! Total win!
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May 20, 2019
A Song Of Character Arcs And Spin-Offs
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So. It’s finally over. Finito. Done.
Game of Thrones ended last night and depending on which of my friends you follow on social media, it either ended with a bang or a fizzle.
I’m sort-of between the two camps. Parts of the finale were tremendously satisfying – I won’t spoil it for those of you who haven’t watched yet by going into detail – but the new ruler of Westeros was a complete surprise and a good one.
And yes, we lost some fabulous characters, but those that remained will no doubt remake the world. There were also characters in that mix that will cause a good bit of friction, so my mind – like any good readers mind – plays those scenarios into the future.
Really – what more could any author ask?
Did the series end the way we all wanted it to end? Hell no. I’d venture to guess that it didn’t even necessarily end the way George R. R. Martin wanted it to end. Of course, we’ll never know that for sure because even though I love GRRM, I do believe we will never see those final books in print. He’s got too much going on now, no time to write beyond the spin-offs he’s already committed to, and he’s built his writer’s block over the initial project into a writer’s wall 700 feet high that will stand for a thousand years.
What we got was a great story. And stories are more than books (as we were reminded last night). Stories don’t end. They go on in the minds of readers, in the talk around the water cooler at the office, over a beer at a bar, around gaming table, in a Reddit forum, across a dinner table – punctuated by a waving fork and heated discourse. And of course the memes. We’ll always have the memes.
Thanks George – it’s been a wild ride.
April 2, 2019
YA Scavenger Hunt!
Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!
Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GREEN TEAM–but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a red team, and an indie team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE
Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the green team, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Entry Form: Once you’ve added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by MONDAY APRIL 8TH, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
SCAVENGER HUNT POST
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Today, I am hosting Amy McNulty on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! Amy is an editor and author of books that run the gamut from YA speculative fiction to contemporary romance. A lifelong fiction fanatic, she fangirls over books, anime, manga, comics, movies, games, and TV shows from her home state of Wisconsin. When not reviewing anime professionally or editing her clients’ novels, she’s busy fulfilling her dream by crafting fantastical worlds of her own. She also owns 8 narwhals with glittering, seafoam horns!
Find out more information by checking out the author website or f ind more about the author’s book here!
Connect with Amy on Twitter – Facebook – Instagram – Wattpad
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
I’m offering a sneak peek at the upcoming fourth cover in the Blood, Bloom, & Water series. This image is purposely cut off a little so you can’t see the whole thing yet. The full cover reveal will likely be in May. Tears & Cruor will be out in the last half of 2019.
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You should also check out the other books in the series, while you’re at it!
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Salt & Venom (Blood, Bloom, & Water Book Two)
An emboldened merman. The daring girl who agreed to be his champion. The upcoming battle that threatens to change everything they believe in.
Ivy Sheppard never wanted the ability to turn into a mermaid–though her wicked ice powers are nothing to sneeze at. Now her step-sister is her enemy, the fairy she once trusted may not be the ally she hoped for, and her new boyfriend wants her to transfer schools to avoid the vampires taking over Union High. Between dodging parents’ concerns, pretending she can stand to even look at the step-sister who sided with the bloodsuckers, and still aiming to end it all without violence, Ivy is in over her head. Unfortunately, these ancient enemies are itching to get the conflict started and Ivy may have no choice but to become the warrior the merfolk need her to be.
The second book in the Blood, Bloom, & Water series starts the war between fangs and fins in earnest as the merfolk plan their assault to bring down the unnatural undead vampires once and for all.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39878355-salt-venom
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FZSTMN7/
And don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of books by me, hosted by Melissa Chambers, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 3. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the green team and you’ll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!
CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, J. Keller Ford.
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March 29, 2019
Come See Me (And Other Terrific YA Authors) At NoVaTeen!
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Just a reminder that I’ll be rocking the NoVaTeen Book Festival tomorrow, along with my fellow Swoon Squad members, Katy Upperman and Olivia Hinebaugh! Don’t miss your chance to meet and speak with a fabulous list of your favorite YA Authors – and all for free!
February 19, 2019
I’m Going To NoVa TEEN!
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It’s official! I’ll be at NoVa TEEN Book Festival on March 30th! If you’re in the Northern Virginia/ DC area, come on out! They’ve got a fabulous lineup of authors, including my fellow Swoon Squad members, Katy Upperman (KISSING MAX HOLDEN, THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF US, HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN) and Olivia Hinebaugh (THE BIRDS, THE BEES, AND YOU AND ME).
The event is free and full of terrific workshops, as well as overflowing with books and amazing authors! I’d love to see you there!
February 15, 2019
A Quick & Easy Guide To Twitter Writing Events in 2019
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This is the list I put together for myself, and I’m happy to share with you. I’ll come back and add as I find new hashtags, I promise.
Pitch Hashtags:
When submitting a pitch, do not favorite anyone else’s pitch. Favoriting is for agents and editors. If your pitch has been favorited, check the publisher/agent’s website for submission guidelines before submitting, and be sure to mention that you were favorited in #[WhateverPit].
#DVPit (for diverse books) Upcoming Dates: 4/23: Children’s/YA 4/24: Adult readers runs again in Oct. Update here.
#PitDark (horror/mysteries) May & Oct – no official dates yet. Update here.
#PBPitch (picture books) Next date: Feb 21st
#KidPit (children’s literature, from board books to YA)
#SFFPit (Science Fiction and Fantasy) July, no dates yet. Update here.
#KissPitch (Romance) Just went down yesterday (of course). They may have additional dates, keep an eye on the hashtag. Also for romance writers, #CarinaPitch is run by Carina Press, aka Harlequin and runs a few times during the year. Updates here.
#FaithPitch (Faith-based books) Dates: Feb 27th, Nov 20th
#SonofaPitch No dates yet, no website, either. Just keep your eye on the hashtag
#IWSGpit (Insecure Writers Support Group) July, no official date yet. Update here.
#PitchWars 2019 Dates have not been announced yet, schedule will update soon at the PitchWars website.
#PitMad runs 1 day each quarter. This year’s dates are:
March 7, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
June 6, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
September 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
December 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EST)
#MSWL (Manuscript Wish List) runs all the time and their website has a running Twitter Feed and an enormous amount of information.
WEEKLIES
For the weekly tags, be sure to familiarize yourself with the genre of the hashtag (if any), then be sure you’ve got the current theme (many change weekly). You can usually find these updated and gathered for you on @writevent along with shoutouts for contests and one-time events. They’re an awesome resource!
Above all, please remember that none of these hashtags want your sales pitch! NONE. Do not post a book cover, do not post a buy link, just DO NOT. This is a chance for you to show off your clever dialogue, your amazing world-building, and your own unique voice – succinctly, of course.
Mondays:
#MuseMon #LoveLines #MoodMon #MurderMon #NerdWriters #LustyMonLit #Monsense ##AdultFicWri #MartialMonday #MissMuseMe
Tuesday:
#TuesTropes #Btr2sDay #TrickyTues #2LiesTues #BookishTues #WritingRomanceLines #TuesLine #TueStories #FoodParty #Twisted2sDay
Wednesday:
#1LineWed #WIPitWed #WordWhim #WIPFeels #WawWed #ProtagProverbs #WackyWed #TalesNoir #WednesWorld #WeirdWriters
Thursday:
#Thurds #140Line #FeelLines #ThursTale #ThursPeak #WriteLGBTQ #WordWorlds #OwlWriters #WriteThurs #FlashFicHive #ThursAesth
Also worth a mention: #ThursdayAesthetic is more about pic collages related to a current book or a WIP.
Again, this is a running list. If you know of a hashtag that should be added, please drop it in the comments!
February 8, 2019
February 4, 2019
It’s A Book Birthday Giveaway!
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That’s right! This Thursday, February 7th, TRAVELER is having a birthday! To celebrate the book that made me a traditionally published author, I’m giving away the following:
Signed copies of both TRAVELER and DREAMER
One Glitter Mousse candle, courtesy of Nox to Lumos Candle Co.
Journal
Dream Guide
Book lover bookmarks
Contest open to everyone. To enter, head over to Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Facebook and like my giveaway post before midnight on February 7th. Bonus entries for every share or retweet! Winner will be selected at random and announced on Friday morning.
Good luck to all!
February 1, 2019
Stephen King: 14 Tips On Writing
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