C. Lee McKenzie's Blog, page 30

Are You Still Searching for Gary? Or the Answer to This Month's Question?

Alex J. Cavanaugh Ninja Powered
The awesome co-hosts for the October 5 posting of the IWSG are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley!

What would life be without laughter and IWSG? Answer: Kind of boring and lonely. So we can't have that, can we? I propose we borrow the idea of Where's Waldo and have a game of Where's Gary. Then, when we actually find him, we can stop SEARCHING! So here's the map. All you have to do is pick Gary out of the crowd. Enjoy.


Source
Don't forget to check out the guidelines for this year's  IWSG Anthology Contest!
Now about this month's question: When do you know when your story is ready?
There are two things that signal FINISHED. I like the story again. Like most writers, I have a real love-hate relationship with my books. First, they're the most brilliant things I've ever penned, then they stink. It's after this phase and the love returns that I know it's ready.   My three crit partners give it the thumbs up. If they like it after reading it umpteen times, then my thermometer jumps to DONE! Of course, they could be telling it's a go to get rid of me, but I hope not. 

Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

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! And I have an amazing group of writers on 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: 1. GREEN TEAM 2. red team 3. gold team 4. orange team 5. red team, and 6. purple team for a chance to win a whole different set of books!
simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! As you can tell, I'm a part of the GREEN TEAM.

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. You can use fingers and toes if necessary! 
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 October 9, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.


Enter to Win an Extra Book
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Tweet #YASH

SCAVENGER HUNT POST
Today, I am hosting Tera Lynn Childs on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt!

Tera Lynn Childs is the RITA-award-winning and bestselling young adult author of the mythology-based Oh. My. Gods. series, the Forgive My Fins mermaid romances, the kick-butt monster-hunting Sweet Venom trilogy, and the Darkly Fae series. She also writes the City Chicks books and is co-writing the Hero Agenda and Creative HeArts series. Her works have appeared in over a dozen languages and on multiple state library reading lists. She lives in Las Vegas, where she spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages. Find out more information by checking out the author website or find more about the author's book here! 


EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Tera is giving you an excerpt of her next book! Talk about EXCLUSIVE CONTENT. You're getting it. 
     By lunchtime, the morning clouds had cleared, and the bright blue of a clear sky and soft winter sunlight practically begged Tru to film something.
He pulled his smartphone out of his pocket and opened the camera app. If he had his choice of gear, this wasn’t even in the top ten. He had three quality cameras at home and there were at least a dozen in the Cinematography classroom in Building F. Hell, he even had a decent handheld in his backpack.
     But what the smartphone gave up in quality, it more than made up for in portability and the ability to take candid footage.
Sloane didn’t even notice when he started filming.
     Her friend Jenna glanced at the camera and then back down at her carefully arranged lunch.
     Tru loved capturing these secret moments. Not just with Sloane, although he probably loved those the most, but in everyday life in general. Those instances that happened over and over again, most of the time without anyone taking any more notice than they do of a gentle breeze.
     To capture those moments, to document them for eternity—or at least as long as the technology would allow—made him feel like he was contributing to something greater than himself.
     Like he was turning life into art.
     And the intersection of life and art described his relationship with Sloane perfectly. She came into his life at a low point, at a moment when the prospect of spending another year in the uncertain torment of life under his father’s roof was becoming unbearable. She moved in next door and provided a light at the end of the tunnel. If he could just keep walking toward her, just keep her light in sight, then maybe—just maybe—he could make it out alive.
     He knew he was being a bit melodramatic. His life wasn’t actually on the line. The situation with his father never escalated to a dangerous level. But escape was almost always on Tru’s mind. Sometimes he felt like he might go insane under the constant scrutiny and attempted control.
     Ever since Sloane and her mom moved in next door, he’d been thinking about escape less and less.
     She gave him a reason to stay.
     “Hey!”
     A grape popped him in the forehead as Sloane finally realized he was filming her.
     “What?” he asked with a grin, shaking off his dark thoughts.
     “We talked about this,” she said. “No filming me without warning.”
     “No, you talked about it.” He kept filming. “I never agreed to anything.”
     She reached for the phone, but he pulled it out of reach, careful to keep her in the frame.
     “This is why I can’t bring you home to meet Mom,” she teased.
     He knew she meant it as a joke—he’d met her mom dozens of times. They were neighbors, after all. But there was an edge of truth beneath the sarcasm.       An edge just big enough to sharpen his own humor.
    “But does it explain why I can’t bring you home to meet the ‘rents?” he tossed back.
     He regretted the words as soon as he said them. He couldn’t be prouder of Sloane or of being her boyfriend. To even suggest she wasn’t good enough for his family was ridiculous. Especially when the opposite was actually true. He wasn’t good enough for hers.
     Luckily, she seemed to miss the biting undertone.
     “Come on,” she whined at the camera. “Stop.”
     He shook his head. “It’s for a class project.”
     She gave up trying to grab the phone, and crossed her arms over her chest.      “What? The annoy-your-girlfriend project?”
     “How did you know?”
     Jenna snorted at his response.
     He winked at her.
     He’d always thought Jenna was a bit of an oddball, but ever since she helped them prove that Aimeigh was behind the stunt that would have gotten Sloane kicked out of school, Jenna had been okay in his book. He wasn’t really sure if the three of them were friends, exactly, but they ate lunch together almost every day.
     “You can’t use my likeness without my consent,” Sloane insisted. “I haven’t signed a release.”
He knew she was only teasing. And, lucky for them both, he loved to play this kind of game.
     “You want me to flunk out of Cinematography?” He pressed his free hand over his heart. “I would get kicked out of school, my dad would kick me out of the house. I would be living on the streets, with no prospects for the future. Is that what you want?”
     Sloane’s expression turned sly. “If your dad kicked you out, you could live in my closet. My mom would never notice.”
He waggled his eyebrows at the possibility.
     “Fine,” she said with a great big sigh. She looked direction into the lens. “For the sake of keeping a roof over your head, you have permission to film me.”
     “I knew you’d relent.”
      She smirked. “Oh, did you.”
     “I am impossible to resist.”
     She leaned close and he twisted the phone to capture the moment as she said, “You really are,” against his lips.


And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of books by Tera Lynn Childs, and more! 

To enter, you need to know what Lee's favorite number is. Being number 1 has always appealed to me. 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, you need to check out the next author! Aprilynne Pike



Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Yvonne Ventresca October's Featured Follower & Masks of #InkRipples

Indiebound | Amazon | B&N | AmazonUK | BAM

You'll just have to imagine the drum roll, but I'm so excited to welcome my October Featured Follower, Yvonne Ventresca. She's a special follower because she's my critique partner and has been since the last century. Doesn't that sound like a long time? But it's true. We started writing together sometime in the 90s, but neither of us can remember exactly when. What's fun is that each of us has mentored the other through our stories. We've come to know our characters like our own. If this writing journey has given me anything, it has given me great friends and Yvonne is one of them. Now here's her next book. You're going to love it.
My Email Connect peeps are in for a treat. Yvonne is offering an eBook to anyone in the world and the U.S. winner can choose eBook or a signed book. 


Here's the story in a nutshell: Her father died before she was born, but Ella Benton knows they have a special connection. Now, evidence points to his death in a psychiatric hospital, not a car accident as Mom claimed. When strange, supernatural signs appear, Ella wonders if Dad’s trying to tell her something, or if someone’s playing unsettling tricks. As the unexplained events become sinister, she finds herself terrified about who—or what—might harm her. Then the evidence points to Ella herself. What if, like Dad, she’s suffering a mental breakdown? Ella desperately needs to find answers, no matter how disturbing the truth might be.

Connect with YvonneFacebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Yvonne Ventresca’s latest young adult novel, Black Flowers, White Lies was recently published by Sky Pony Press (October, 2016). BuzzFeed included it at the top of their new “must read” books: 23 YA Books That, Without a Doubt, You’ll Want to Read This Fall . Her debut YA novel, Pandemic, won a 2015 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for the Atlantic region. 


Now segue into this month's #InkRipples. At the heart of Yvonne's book is a character who masks their identity. No one knows who that person really is. And when I found these masks, I thought they would be great at concealment and exciting to see. 


#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. We post on the first Monday of every month with a new topic. The brains behind this meme are all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate. You can also spread your own ripples by blogging about the topic any day of the month that fits your schedule, just be sure to include links back to Katie, Kai, and Mary.


The artist behind these masks is Melissa Ng, the founder of Lumecluster. This company prints 3D masks like the ones here. I loved what Ms Ng says about masks, "There is so much more to masks than simply for concealment or disguise. In fact, throughout history and cultures around the world, many masks served as protection against evil or as an expression of the human spirit, perseverance, identity or transformation. With this in mind, I wanted to make a mask that defined our times and our increasingly global maker/entrepreneurial tribe. A tribe that believes in making a difference in this world. And a tribe isn’t complete without its mask, right?”

A perfect quote for this week's post: "It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see." Henry David Thoreau

Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Yvonne Ventresca October's Featured Follower, #InkRipples & Lost Reputation Kickoff!

Indiebound | Amazon | B&N | AmazonUK | BAM

You'll just have to imagine the drum roll, but I'm so excited to welcome my October Featured Follower, Yvonne Ventresca. She's a special follower because she's my critique partner and has been since the last century. Doesn't that sound like a long time? But it's true. We started writing together sometime in the 90s, but neither of us can remember exactly when. What's fun is that each of us has mentored the other through our stories. We've come to know our characters like our own. If this writing journey has given me anything, it has given me great friends and Yvonne is one of them. Now here's her next book. You're going to love it.
My Email Connect peeps are in for a treat. Yvonne is offering an eBook to anyone in the world and the U.S. winner can choose eBook or a signed book. 


Here's the story in a nutshell: Her father died before she was born, but Ella Benton knows they have a special connection. Now, evidence points to his death in a psychiatric hospital, not a car accident as Mom claimed. When strange, supernatural signs appear, Ella wonders if Dad’s trying to tell her something, or if someone’s playing unsettling tricks. As the unexplained events become sinister, she finds herself terrified about who—or what—might harm her. Then the evidence points to Ella herself. What if, like Dad, she’s suffering a mental breakdown? Ella desperately needs to find answers, no matter how disturbing the truth might be.

Connect with YvonneFacebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Yvonne Ventresca’s latest young adult novel, Black Flowers, White Lies was recently published by Sky Pony Press (October, 2016). BuzzFeed included it at the top of their new “must read” books: 23 YA Books That, Without a Doubt, You’ll Want to Read This Fall . Her debut YA novel, Pandemic, won a 2015 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for the Atlantic region. 


Now segue into this month's #InkRipples. At the heart of Yvonne's book is a character who masks their identity. No one knows who that person really is. And when I found these masks, I thought they would be great at concealment and exciting to see. 


#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. We post on the first Monday of every month with a new topic. The brains behind this meme are all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate. You can also spread your own ripples by blogging about the topic any day of the month that fits your schedule, just be sure to include links back to Katie, Kai, and Mary.


The artist behind these masks is Melissa Ng, the founder of Lumecluster. This company prints 3D masks like the ones here. I loved what Ms Ng says about masks, "There is so much more to masks than simply for concealment or disguise. In fact, throughout history and cultures around the world, many masks served as protection against evil or as an expression of the human spirit, perseverance, identity or transformation. With this in mind, I wanted to make a mask that defined our times and our increasingly global maker/entrepreneurial tribe. A tribe that believes in making a difference in this world. And a tribe isn’t complete without its mask, right?”

A perfect quote for this week's post: "It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see." Henry David Thoreau


I have a bonus this week!  A new book from an Evernight Teen Pub Sister
Last day to enter $10 Evernight Teen GC Giveaway


LOST REPUTATIONKimberly Ann Miller
Romance/Contemporary/Suspense/Young AdultEvernight Teen Publishing/237 pages


Casey Hayes has a secret—she writes the conspiracy theory column for her high school newspaper. As the editor, she thrives on the thrill of uncovering the facts—until she gets tangled up in a scandal.
When she exposes a teacher’s shameful secret, threats start, demanding she stop spreading the vicious rumors. Casey blows it off and keeps on writing. Even sexy Victor Cruz, the hot senior with the adorable accent who chases after Casey and tries to protect her, fails to convince her to keep her mouth shut. But things only get worse as she ignores the warnings, and soon, Casey must decide if exposing the truth is more important to her than her life.



Buy Links:   Evernight Teen    Amazon   ARe    



Excerpt:I laughed at the memory as I locked up the newsroom and rushed to my next class. I still had a smile on my face as I plopped down on my seat in the back row of calculus. Victor Cruz, my secret crush, entered the room. My pulse reacted to his presence, but, thank God, no other part of me did that he could see. I didn’t want to be lusting after anyone this year because I was planning on working hard toward my college goals and didn’t need the distraction.The worst thing was, Charli told me he gave his ex-girlfriend some rash because he cheated on her. I so did not do the sexually transmitted diseases thing, and I definitely had zerorespect for cheaters. Not even for a hunk like him, who obviously screwed around and didn’t care if he got girls sick.But damn, did this guy make my insides quiver. He was totally hot. His parents moved to New Jersey from Spain during middle school when Vic was scrawny and didn’t speak much English. When senior year started a month ago, no one recognized him because he’d grown ten inches, gained fifty pounds—of muscle—and must have taken some classes in style because, damn, the boy knew how to dress to show off his build.Loose jeans with a belt, black boots, and a black, long-sleeved tee only made him sexier. And the way he walked? It should’ve been a crime. He had a swagger about him that rivaled any of the good old boys of Hollywood. Watching it made me quiver in places I didn’t know could quiver.But it wasn’t just his looks that held me captive. He had the values of an old-fashioned guy—holding the door open for girls, helping them with heavy stuff, defending them when guys were too rough or mean.If it wasn’t for that wild partying side of him … sigh.As he approached his seat, I couldn’t help but stare at his thighs, mesmerized by the fluid sway they made with each step.He caught me staring and raised a thick black brow. I diverted my eyes and pretended to be very interested in the junior’s notebook next to me. But I didn’t even know his name. Ugh.Vic slid into his seat next to me and winked at the girls that were staring at him.They always stared at him.I rolled my eyes. But when I felt his eyes on me, I shifted in my seat, fighting the funny tingle in my stomach that came from looking at him.The other problem was, besides being a distraction, Vic knew how sexy he’d become. He acted so cocky and confident, I wanted to smack the grin off his face and remind him that not long ago, he could have passed for a ten-year-old boy who couldn’t speak English or speak to girls.But, whatever. He had a harem now, so good for him. And shiny black hair, smooth, bronze skin, and deep brown eyes that … never mind. Didn’t matter anyway.Kylie sauntered over to him, swaying her hips so hard, I wondered how they didn’t dislocate. She leaned over his back and wrapped her arms around his ample shoulders, pressing her boobs into his back. I’m sure he loved that. “Hey, Vic. Busy this weekend? My parents are out of town, and we can go riding if you want. I’ll pack us a lunch.” She ran her fingernails over his chest as she spoke, clearly enjoying the feel of him.He pulled her fingers off him and slipped out of her grasp. “Sorry, I’m busy, but thanks for asking.”She leaned into him again, making sure to press her boobs into his neck. I rolled my eyes so hard, they almost didn’t return to face front. That would suck. What would I tell the nurse? I was looking at my brain instead of in front of me and I needed an eye adjustment?“Maybe another time, okay?”Vic nodded once. “Si.”I pulled out my phone to check messages, done with listening to the vixen and her attempts at charming the hottest guy in school.“Hey, Casey,” he said in his sexy Spanish accent. He had this way of dragging out the end of my name, making it sound like Kay Seee.It was both unsettling and adorable, so I just grunted at him. How else could I get anything done with him around?

About the Author: Kimberly Ann Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels.  She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth County with her husband and cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She always takes her Nook with her.


Website Link: http://kimberlyannmiller.com/authorkimberlyannmiller@gmail.com 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway








Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Last Call for Free Signed Hardcopy of The Namesake & Motley Education Cover Reveal

I need a BIG favor. If you haven't already added Double Negative on your TBR Goodreads list, I'd really appreciate it if you would now. I'm #47 on the LISTOPIA. THANK YOU 3X!


This is the last week to opt in for a chance to win a signed hardcopy of The Namesake by my September Featured Follower, Steve Parlato. If you like good writing, interesting characters and a story that probes the human heart, you'll love owning this book. Sign up on my Email Connect and ask for your copy. Once the winner is pulled out of that lovely hat, Steve will see that your signed copy is on the way. Good luck.The next Email Connect will come out at the end of this month (fingers crossed), announcing my October Featured Follower, How I Mine Goodreads for Reviews, and some interesting links I've discovered this past month. 
And now here's a new book by my friend, S.A. Larsen. This is your chance to congratulate her on her new book! And enter her giveaway.


Title: Motley Education (Book One: The URD Saga)Author: S.A. LarsenRelease Date: October 10, 2016

Forget having a lively after school social life, Ebony Charmed is fighting to keep the entire Afterlife alive.
Ebony’s less-than-average spirit tracking abilities are ruining more than sixth grade at Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically & Celestially gifted. Her parents argue so much her dad moved out. And, even though he’s scared of his own shadow and insists on bringing his slimy, legless lizard everywhere they go, Ebony wouldn’t survive without her best friend, Fleishman.
When Ebony’s Deadly Creatures & Relics’ project goes missing, she learns her missing project is one of the keys to saving the spirit world. Now Ebony and Fleishman must battle beasts from Norse Mythology to retrieve her project before spirits are lost, the Well of Urd dries up, and Ebony loses all hope of reuniting her family. But someone lies in wait, and he has other plans...including creating a new world of spirits without them in it.
ADD TO GOODREADS
Motley Education has been aligned with Core Standards for grades 4-7. A guide will be available on the author’s websiteto download for FREE after the book’s release date.




About S.A. Larsen
S.A. LARSEN is the author of Motley Education, the first book in a middle grade fantasy-adventure series. Her work has appeared in numerous local publications and young adult anthologies Gears of Brass and Under A Brass Moon by Curiosity Quills Press.Look for her debut young adult novel, Marked Beauty, set for release in 2017. Find her in the land of lobsters, snowy winters, and the occasional Eh’ya with her husband of over twenty years, four children, a playful pooch, and two kittens.
You can visit her online at www.salarsenbooks.com.
Follow her on Facebook| Twitter | Instagram and connect with her on her Website & Blog.



Rafflecopter Giveaway CodeFive lucky winners will each receive a signed bookmark and assorted swag! Contest runs from 09/15/16 to 09/23/16. Winners will be chosen my random.com.
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Direct link to giveaway




Quote of the Week: "Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you're willing to practice, you can do." Bob Ross, Painter and TV Host
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

What Happens When Characters From Two Different Books Meet?

Amazon
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a character from one book met a character from another? Well, wonder no more because today you're going find out. My Sam from Sign of the Green Dragon is asking Joshua from Joshua and the Arrow Realm some questions. The Character Book Club was a brilliant idea from two top middle grade storytellers Jess and Stephanie. 
So take it away Sam and Joshua!
Sam:  Hey, Joshua, I just finished reading your last adventure, and wow! You had some rough times. What was the scariest part for you this time?
Joshua:  Definitely when I was all alone and thought my friends had abandoned me. It’s scary enough in the Arrow Realm with all kinds of freaky beasts ready to jump you, but at least with a friend you can fight them off together! 
Sam:  I’ve been wondering about the Lightning Road. That’s pretty scary by itself. What happens to a kid if he falls off that thing?
Joshua:  I am pretty sure they float in the Great Beyond forever! I almost fell off the edge of Nostos once into the Great Beyond and saw bones floating by. Yikes, I didn’t want that to be me – or my good friend, Charlie! He took a big chance by jumping on the Lightning Road with me when that girl, Ash, grabbed me back to Nostos and the Arrow Realm. The road is narrow and only a few people can fit on it at once. Charlie totally risked his life to go with me. Like I said, he’s a good friend.

Sam:  I was trying to tell Joey and Roger about the Wilds, but they didn’t believe me. Maybe if you told them what it’s like and who lives there, they’ll listen. 
Joshua:  The Wild Lands are scary and cool all at once. Scary, because Queen Artemis starves the animals there to hunt us kids! Charlie and I almost got munched on by cretan and agrius beasts and we were sooo lucky to meet up with Ash, who saved us! She’s the leader of the Wild Childs who live there in treehouses way up in the tree tops to stay safe. The houses all connect with bridges right under the stars. I mean, who doesn’t want to live in a treehouse, right? The Wild Childs hunt, haul water up, and even have a veggie garden up there (I know, vegetables, right? But when you live without grownups around you kinda have to be one yourself). 
Sam:  Oh, and tell them about “scram and cram.” What’s that mean? Joey’s real interested in how to use that when he gets back to school.
Joshua:  Hey, that’s a good idea, Joey! I learned from the Wild Childs that “scram and cram” is one of their rules that means run and be quiet. I bet you can totally use this in school. LOL! The Wild Childs have a rule sign when you enter their main tree house with this rule on it and other rules like “Keep on the Runabout” and “One for the Many”. They all watch out for each other which is pretty cool. They are like a family, because they left all of their own families behind when they were stolen from Earth. 
Sam:  I liked Ash. I thought she was really cool living in the Wilds and on her own. Do you think you’ll get to hang out with her again?
Joshua:  Yeah, at first, I thought Ash was kinda weird because she dresses in animal skins but she turned out to be a pretty good friend who hid me away when I had nowhere else to go. I really hope we can hang out again – just not while we’re on the run for our lives! I sort of miss living in the treehouses with lots of kids around.
Sam:  In your first adventure, Leandro was kind of like a dad to you (have to say that kind of made jealous), but he sure wasn’t this time. How did that make you feel? 
Joshua:  Well, you’re really lucky to have an uncle who cares about you. I only have my grandfather, Bo Chez, who isn’t around much right now. I wished for a while Leandro was my dad, but not on this adventure! At first I was mad that he wasn’t there for me, but then just sad about it. I kept wishing he would be the guy I used to know.
Sam:  The best thing was when you turned yourself into a cadmean beast. Tell us what that was like. I got kind of itchy reading that part, but I’d give it a try. Do you think I could do something like that?
Joshua:  Turning into the cadmean beast with flame-throwing breath was pretty scary! When I saw myself in the mirror I freaked out. It does take a special technique to do it, as I learned, and you can only do it on the world of Nostos so not sure you could do it Sam. BUT I could try and teach you! Although turning yourself into a bird might be way better. We could fly all over and check things out from above. Next time I go to Nostos you could come along, but I’m warning you – things get crazy there and you never know who, or what, will be after you!
Sam:  I had to look up Oracle. It’s a pretty powerful thing. Do you think the Oracle can give back the powers to the gods and stop Zeus from plundering Earth?
Joshua:  Honestly, I don’t know. The Oracle was always a myth and now that I know it’s true, I’m not sure what all its powers include … and I’m afraid to find out, even if it means making Earth a better place.
Sam:  Hekate came back to life once. Man, is she wicked. Do you think that will happen again? And if it does, what then?
Joshua:  If she does, I am ready to toast her all over again – for good! I’ll get Zeus’s lightning bolt and blast her into the Great Beyond. Nothing in this world of Nostos surprises me, so maybe she could come back to life but let’s hope not. She was so mean to me and all of my friends and family!
Sam:  I asked about this Zeus guy, and Uncle Jasper told me he’s the most powerful god of all. Do you have a plan for keeping out of his way, or are you going to go straight at him?
Joshua:  Phew, keeping out of his way in this adventure was a good thing! I need to talk to my friends on Nostos first to see how to deal with him. Everyone is pretty scared of Zeus but there has to be a way to take him down if we work together – or change his mind about plundering Earth. If he could find other resources for Nostos and stop stealing us kids, that would be a great ending!
Hey! This was fun. We need to get together again. Be sure to let me know if you’re heading back to Nostos. 


Thanks for hanging out, Sam. This was super fun! I bet we’d have a most amazing time together on an adventure but let’s stick to our own world for now.  
Website
Donna Galanti is the author of paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). Donna is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. She’s lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives in Pennsylvania with her family in an old farmhouse that has lots of nooks and crannies, but sadly no ghosts. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com.
Connect with Donna:
Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Goodreads. Instagram.









Baby Moo has a dream. He wants to travel the world and sing on the stage of the Sydney Opera House! While he loves his home at Sunrise Sanctuary, it hasn’t been the same since a piglet named Nathan showed up and stole all the attention away from Moo. Jealous of the new baby, Moo decides now is the time to make his escape and pursue his dream.But the world outside the sanctuary gates is not quite the fun and exciting place Moo imagined, and he quickly finds himself in big trouble. Moo's friends Missy the dog and Ruthie the cat rush to help him, and land in some trouble of their own.Lost and frightened, Moo and his friends must rely on each other to find their way back home. Will they ever see Sunrise again? 
Release date: September 8, 2016 from Native Ink PressLinks:https://julieflanders.blogspot.com/p/baby-moos-great-escape.htmlAdd on Goodreads
Julie Flanders will donate $1 to Sunrise Sanctuary, home to Baby Moo and numerous other rescued animals, for each copy sold in September. Tweet: 

Baby Moo's Great Escape by @JulesFlanders is here! $1 will be donated to @sunrise_ohio for each copy sold in Sept.  http://tinyurl.com/-- 
Julie Flanders, Writer

Website  ~  Blog  ~  Twitter  ~  Amazon

Sunrise Sanctuary Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

A Writer's Ups and Downs and Inspiration

Blog. Twitter. Facebook Signed Copy of The Namesake for the first U. S. 
Email Connect Follower who raises a hand!
Steve Parlato is my Featured Follower for September and he has a new book on the brink of publication. Here he talks about it and about some of his experiences as a writer. 
Take it away, Steve!

I’ve finished my second book. While this hardly makes me Patterson prolific, I’m sort of impressed. I mean, it took ELEVEN YEARS for my debut, The Namesake, to go from initial scribblings in a college notebook to finished hardcover. By comparison, Book Two, The Precious Dreadful, was crafted with lightning speed: roughly two years start to finish—Start being a literal whisper in my head, sharing details of story at 5:00 AM on July 8, 2013. Finish = a solid revision submitted to my agent at last August’s end.
My newfound speed mostly results from expectations. I labored over my debut in blissful anonymity. No one outside family and friends was eager for me to complete a book. Sure, they cheered me on, but there was no reading public to consider. At least, no reading public keen on a follow-up from Publishers Weekly’s “name to watch.”

Steve and other authors. Networking, appearing, signing books. All part of the author's life.

C. Lee Review 
I won’t pretend obscurity was idyllic. There were major disappointments en route to The Namesake’s release: false starts, agent misfires, rejections. And The Precious Dreadful has yet to hit bookshelves—plus I’m suddenly agentless—but with this novel, I’m a known quantity. While that caused sophomore trepidation, it also inspires me. 

If The Namesake was a thrilling leap into the unknown, with The Precious Dreadful, I have a better sense of where I’ll land. Writing TPD has been more purposeful, and I feel uncharacteristically confident. But I promise you, no less thrilled.
Getting to know my new protagonist, a young woman named Teddi Alder, has been a joy. The teen daughter of a trainwreck single mom, Teddi struggles to define herself one hot summer. Her decision to join SUMMERTEENS, a library writing group, leads to unexpected consequences— romantic and dramatic—as she works to solve two mysteries: the whereabouts of a long-lost childhood friend, and the appearance of a ghost-girl who emerges from the park pool late one night. As Teddi juggles mysterious events, and two guys with potential, The Precious Dreadful balances romance and humor with elements of horror and deeply felt emotion. 
Though the book isn’t technically a follow-up to The Namesake, Teddi’s story takes place in the same town as Evan’s, and there are sly references fans of my first novel will recognize. I’m excited to get The Precious Dreadful out there; thanks for the chance to share my news!

Be among the first to read an excerpt from Steve's new book. Click HERE!



Quote of the Week: "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it." Muhammad AliBeware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

What's IWSG Anyway? And Egg Salad Moments

Thanks Alex J. Cavanaugh
The awesome co-hosts for the September 7 posting of the IWSG will be C. Lee McKenzie,(Wow! This is me! Jumping up and down at my computer.) Rachel Pattison, Elizabeth Seckman, Stephanie Faris, Lori L MacLaughlin, and Elsie Amata!
Check out the details of the annual IWSG Anthology Contest Today! 


For me IWSG is a place to hold hands with other authors who are waiting to hear some news about their books: 


Will the agent of my dreams like what I've sent?Is the publisher going to send a contract sometime this century?Is my Indie book edited and formatted properly or did I screw up again?Will anyone buy my book while I'm still alive?Will anyone read my book?Where are those reviews?
If any of these questions have every bugged you as a writer, SIGN UP HERE and let's hold hands. Excuse the bones. I've lost a bit of weight during my book launch this summer.




September 7 Question: How do you find the time to write in your busy day? 

When I think of something--no matter where I am--I write it down, and when I can get to my computer, I put those ideas into whatever I'm working on. That's why my manuscripts scare me senseless. There are random notes between scenes. There are images I think I can use to help me describe something or capture the mood of a place or the look of a person. There's egg salad splats because I ate lunch during an epiphany. 

Yesterday during yoga, I had this brilliant thought while I was standing on my hands. Attribute it on blood flow to the brain. So as soon as my hands were free, I wrote that thought down. Last night it became a scene that will go someplace in my book. I'm counting on another handstand to tell me where. 

What's your answer to the September 7th question? I'll be coming around to read what you have to say. 





Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

My September Featured Follower is... And Don't Miss #InkRipples

 
. . . Steve Parlato, author of The Namesake. I first met Steve in the UncommonYa group and came to appreciate his hard work and generous nature. He always chimed in during discussions, tweeted and re-tweeted author news, and posted regularly on the blog. Then I read his book and was drawn into his story by some seriously good writing and a story that touched my heart. I reviewed it just recently. This an example of a young adult story that can be devoured by a more mature reader and truly appreciated by them. My Review.

BLURB: The Namesake ~ (Adapted from Merit’s dustjacket copy)For his teenage son, Evan Sr.’s decision to end his life is a deep betrayal. Evan was named for his father, and looks eerily like him, but the suicide proves the father he thought he knew was just a myth. A locked trunk may hold answers, and, thanks to his grandmother, the key is literally in Evan’s hand. Will his quest for answers help Evan find peace, or will he merely follow his father’s path to despair?  In a voice that resonates with the authenticity of grief, Steven Parlato tells a different coming-of-age story, about a boy thrust into adulthood too soon, through the corridor of shame, disbelief, and finally…compassion. 
A memorable, disturbing story, carefully wrought. (Fiction. 14 & up)

Blog. Twitter. Facebook

Steven Parlato, novelist, poet, and illustrator, is Associate Professor of English at Naugatuck Valley Community College, where he serves as advisor to the student newspaper, The Tamarack. Parlato’s played roles ranging from the Scarecrow to Macbeth; his poetry appears in Freshwater, MARGIE, Borderlands, Pirene’s Fountain, and Peregrine. Steven’s YA manuscript won a 2011 CT Shoreline Arts Alliance Tassy Walden Award. Upon The Namesake’s 2013 release, Kirkus called Parlato’s novel “a memorable, disturbing story, carefully wrought.”  
Lee, I’m so honored to be September’s Featured Follower. It’s been a summer of deep personal loss—my dad passed in July after a long cancer battle—and I’ve been in a bit of a creative slump. But the chance to share with your readers is inspiring. And it couldn’t come at a better time: I’m excited to share the news that Brilliance Audio’s new CD version of The Namesake audiobook releases September 6. It’s available for pre-order now on 
And stay tuned because Steve has more news about his next book. I'll be posting all about it next week! The Precious Dreadful! is the title. Can't wait to find out more.


#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. They post on the first Monday of every month with a new topic. They're all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate.

The idea of #InkRipples is to toss a word, idea, image, whatever into the inkwell and see what kind of ripples it makes. They provide the topics and will be blogging about them on the first Monday of the month. You can spread your own ripples by blogging about the topic any day of the month that fits your schedule, just be sure to include links back to Katie, Kai, and Mary.


My favorite banned book is Catch 22. I still have a torn and marked up paperback of my first copy, and I wouldn't part with it. Every time I run into situations that seem to have no solutions or are totally insane, I hear Heller's words in my head. 

So here are 3 Quotes for the Week from Joseph Heller's Catch-22:

“Insanity is contagious.” 
"[They] agreed that it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.”
“Why are they going to 'disappear him?'""I don't know.""It doesn't make sense. It isn't even good grammar.”Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Updates Galore and More!

Big Update: I met Mark Noce, my August Featured Follower this month, at his book event. Mark and Between Two Fires gathered a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters at the Burlingame Library. 
Mark's so personable, and he has a lovely wife, who I also had a chance to meet. 

Congrats again to Mark on his book which already has an audio version and a sequel in the wings! 



I'm doing a Giveaway on Goodreads for Sign of the Green Dragon. It ends Sept. 14, so if you'd like a paperback copy of my book, don't delay. Enter today. (Pat Hatt and poet, Yvonne now have competition in the rhyme department. )




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Goodreads Book Giveaway Enter Giveaway

Donna Galanti and I were on Secret Files of DMS Character Book Club Friday. Her main character, Joshua interviewed Sam, my guy in Dragon. Next month we'll do it again with Sam interviewing Joshua. Great idea from Jess and Steph. If you'd like to see what we were up to, HERE's the link. 


Here's my Goodreads' REVIEW.


I have a new Featured Follower in September! Great writer. Great book, so hope you'll come by and meet that writer the first Monday of next month. There will be a signed hardcopy giveaway this month! See? This writer's very cool.


I'm offering some short stories on my Email Connect as well as more things I've learned about marketing books. This month I'm into Facebook Ads+. Next month, I'm tackling ways to request reviews. Then, in October, I'm going to email about Goodreads. These are all great tools for writers, and I'm hoping my experience will help others. Also I'm always looking for feedback from those with more experience than I have. So sign up and let's talk.




Are you ready for the spooky season? No? Well then, get ready for heaven's--or that other place's sake. Sign up for the Happy Halloween Storytime Blog Hop! 



My Quote of the Week: "People are very open-minded about new things--as long as they're exactly like the old ones." Charles F. Kettering, Inventor


Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew