Michelle Scott's Blog, page 24
October 6, 2013
My Photo of the Day
Took this picture while driving back from Lansing this afternoon. A typical rainy fall day in Michigan…
October 4, 2013
The Straight to Hell Trailer
I’m so proud to present the trailer for my soon-to-be-released urban fantasy, Straight to Hell!
September 30, 2013
Welcome Katlyn Duncan, Guest Blogger
(Today, I’m welcoming Katlyn Duncan, author of the soon-to-be-released, Soul Possessed.)
I am so excited to be here today for my Soul Possessed Pre-release Blog Tour with Michelle Scott, author of Straight to Hell, another October release from Carina UK. Michelle and I write about a similar topic: the afterlife. We both have our own ideas about the afterlife so I thought I’d explain a bit more about my YA series, The Life After, in a Top Five post.
Top Five Facts About the After…
In The Life After series, my afterlife setting is called the “After Realm” as opposed to the place humans reside on which is called the “Living Realm”
The only way for a human soul to enter the After is with a Soul Collector transporting them there after their death.
The race of the After are called the Caeleste, they resemble humans but one distinct difference are their golden irises.
Souls can choose to be Recycled (sent back to the Living Realm into another life form) or work for the Caeleste.
The two jobs that human souls can have in the After are Soul Collectors or Guard. The Guard are operatives for the Caeleste and they protect human souls from The Shadowed (AKA the bad guys).
To learn more facts about the After, you can pick up my debut novel, Soul Taken, which is out now on all digital formats. The second book in The Life After trilogy, Soul Possessed will be out October 28, and is up for pre-order now using the links below.
I am hosting two giveaways. The international giveaway is for a $25 Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk gift card. All you have to do is pre-order Soul Possessed and email me your pre-order confirmation at duncankatlyn@gmail.com and you are automatically entered! The second giveaway is for U.S. only and it is an eBook of Soul Possessed from Amazon.com. Good luck!
Thanks for having me Michelle!
Release Date: October 28, 2013
Publisher: Carina UK
Series: Book 2, The Life After Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal
ISBN: 9781472044556
Pre-Order Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
iTunes US | iTunes UK
Add on Goodreads
Life after Life
Now Maggie has been given the chance of her after-life to become a Guard, nothing will stand in her way. Not even the undeniable attraction she feels for her trainer and past love—Jackson. But when the battle between Shadowed and Guard begins again which side will she choose?
When her boss, Felix, partners Jackson and Maggie up with Ally and Cooper to investigate terrifying Shadowed activity, she doesn’t think it could get any worse. Jackson and Cooper barely tolerate each other and this time, Maggie isn’t just proving her loyalty to the Guard during one mission…she has a side mission too. One so secret and so dangerous she can’t tell a soul…
Excerpt:
“Margaret!” Gemma shouted with glee. “Come out of there, I know you are trying to scare me!”
I watched the young red-haired girl put her hands on her hips, trying to
be brave. She scanned their father’s study, narrowing her eyes. The
fire roaring in the hearth was the only source of light in the room,
casting dark shadows across the furniture.
Maggie hid behind her father’s chair, in silent wait for her prey.
“I’m going to tell Mother!”
Maggie’s little hands tightened on the chair but she didn’t make a
sound. I walked over to her, watching her mouth twist up into a sly
grin. She was the older of the girls, but she protected her sister
fiercely, proclaiming she was the only one who could tease her. Gemma
hated when Maggie played games, but it thrilled Maggie no end and I
could feel excited anticipation roll off her in waves.
Gemma’s bravery faltered as she stepped forward toward the overstuffed
armchair, expecting her sister to jump out at her at any moment.
But Maggie waited. She had incredible patience, but I sensed that part
of it was stubbornness and a desire to test boundaries. Her head poked
out from behind the chair just as Gemma turned toward the love seat. I
watched as Maggie slowly came out of her hiding spot and charged at her
sister.
Gemma let out a scream but Maggie covered her sister’s mouth with her hand.
Both girls collapsed on the floor, Gemma’s muffled squeals threatening to break through Maggie’s tiny fingers.
“Shh,” Maggie cooed.
Gemma managed to wrestle her mouth away from Maggie’s hand. “I hate
you!” Her indignation faltered into a fit of giggles and Maggie quickly
joined her.
As she helped her sister up from the floor Maggie said, “Gemma. You need
to always expect the unexpected. You can’t go through life being scared
all the time.” Even though Maggie was a mere nine years old, she spoke
as if she’d lived lifetimes before. It was one of the things that drew
me to her more than any other Prognatum I’d watched.
Maggie took a handkerchief and wiped her sister’s cheeks.
“A lady wouldn’t do that to her sister,” Gemma said, finally relaxing.
“I don’t want to be a lady,” Maggie stated firmly. “I want to see the world and not just make babies for the rest of my life.”
Gemma shook her head. “That’s what we are supposed to do. That’s what Mother does.”
Maggie’s indignation flowed through her and into me. I knew Maggie was
born to follow through with her Prognatum duties, she just didn’t know
it yet. It was rare for a Prognatum to want the Guard position but
Maggie would be thrilled when her father revealed it to her at
seventeen.
As Maggie reached down to help Gemma up from the floor she whispered, “It’s not for me.”
Gemma wrapped her sister in a tight hug. “I will love you either way, dear sister.”
Maggie rested her head against Gemma’s shoulder. “I love you too.”
Release date: June 4, 2013, Carina UK
Series: Book 1 in The Life After Trilogy
Genre: YA Paranormal
ISBN: 978-1-472-01709-3
After-life just got a lot more complicated
Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body. Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…
To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next!
Excerpt:
I knelt down again next to Ally and reached out to touch her skin. Even though the sensation was unpleasant, I could feel her pulse as it rapidly declined.
“No,” I moaned.
I looked up again to see if any of the Guard could help, but no one was around.
I looked back down at Ally. Her face was paling by the second. My soul started to tingle. I leaned closer to her body, reaching my hand out to touch her face again, when her arm moved toward mine.
I jumped back.
Heather pushed through the crowd. “Did she just move? Did I see her move?” Streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks.
A ringing sensation tickled my ear and I tuned in to the True Soul’s presence. I looked at each human. The True Soul was close, but who had it? They all seemed equally shocked at the tragedy.
An uncomfortable pressure in my chest drew me closer to her body.
My soul slanted toward hers until I was practically on top of her. I helplessly watched my hand morph and stretch toward her body. “What the—?” I tried to pull back but the strength of whatever was happening had other ideas. My hand disappeared first, then my arm, then my torso.
But before I could call for help, my world went dark.
To Purchase:
Mills&Boon | Kindle (US)
| iBooks (US) | Kobo |Google Play | Sony Store |
Kindle (UK)
| Nook (UK) | iBooks (UK)Excerpt:
I knelt down again next to Ally and reached out to touch her skin. Even though the sensation was unpleasant, I could feel her pulse as it rapidly declined.
“No,” I moaned. I looked up again to see if any of the Guard could help, but no one was around.
I looked back down at Ally. Her face was paling by the second. My soul started to tingle. I leaned closer to her body, reaching my hand out to touch her face again, when her arm moved toward mine.
I jumped back.
Heather pushed through the crowd. “Did she just move? Did I see her move?” Streaks of black mascara ran down her cheeks.
A ringing sensation tickled my ear and I tuned in to the True Soul’s presence. I looked at each human. The True Soul was close, but who had it? They all seemed equally shocked at the tragedy.
An uncomfortable pressure in my chest drew me closer to her body. My soul slanted toward hers until I was practically on top of her. I helplessly watched my hand morph and stretch toward her body.
“What the—?” I tried to pull back but the strength of whatever was happening had other ideas. My hand disappeared first, then my arm, then my torso.
But before I could call for help, my world went dark.
About the Author: Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.
Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Goodreads | Carina
UK
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My Fall Walk
Although I live in a very urban area, there is a small oasis of natural beauty not far from my house. Today, this is where I took my (semi) daily walk. Below are a few things that I saw.
September 29, 2013
The New Bag Giveaway Continues!
First prize – a large bag from CreativeJenV (your choice of color) up to $25.00 OR a $25.00 Etsy giftcard plus an e-copy of Stage Fright. (Note: bag will ship to the continental US only. All others much choose the gift card option.)
Second prize - a $5.00 Amazon gift card plus an e-copy of Stage Fright.
Third & Fourth prizes - an e-copy of Stage Fright.
The calendar deadline for this contest is Dec. 31, 2013, BUT I will end the raffle the minute I reach 5,000 entries. Once the 5,000 entry goal is reached, the giveaway is over. (Note: Some of the entries can completed multiple times during the contest.)
Now, just fill out the Rafflecopter form and have fun!
Contest rules:
Four, individual winners will be chosen only when the entry limit of has been reached. No one may win more than one prize.
Winners will be chosen at random by Rafflecopter. Winner names (first initial, last name) will be announced on this blog at the end of the contest.
Winners will be notified by e-mail. Each winner will have one week (seven days) to respond to the e-mail I send. If I do not get a response within seven days, I will chose another winner.
First prize is EITHERa large bag from CreativeJenV (winner’s choice of pattern up to 25.00 value) OR a $25.00 Etsy giftcard (not both!) and a copy of Stage Fright.
Second prize is a $5.00 Amazon gift card and a copy of Stage Fright.
Third and fourth prizes are e-copies of Stage Fright.
All prizes (with the exception of the bag) will be sent via e-mail. The bag will be sent USPS and mailed ONLY TO THOSE LIVING WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. If you live outside the continental US, you must choose the gift card option.
September 28, 2013
An Introduction to GoodReads
As every 21st century author knows, writing a good book is only part of the equation. Connecting with readers is just as important. In fact, compared to athe energy spent on promotion, writing may seem like the easy part of being a writer!
Enter GoodReads.
GoodReads is a social networking site for bibliophiles. It’s much like FaceBook, only the main topic of discussion is reading. Writers, this site is a must-join!
Unfortunately, GoodReads is a labyrinth of books, groups, trivia quizzes, lists, and other goodies. The site can be overwhelming as well as confusing. One look may send you clicking out of the site!
Don’t despair! Although there is a lot to explore, it’s easy to sign up and begin building your presence. Becoming GoodReads proficient doesn’t happen over night, but here are a few simple steps to help get you started.
Sign up for a Good Reads account
Although time consuming, this process is easy, especially if you sign in using a preexisting FaceBook or Twitter account. Once you click on ‘create a new account’, GR will tell you which of your ‘friends’ are already using Good Reads (you may be surprised by whom you find!) Afterwards, you’ll answer a few questions so that the the GR algorithms can recommend books tailored towards your preferences. Finally, you will reach the “Find What’s Next” link which walks you through the basics of adding books to your shelves, rating books, and working with listopia.
Next step: Edit your profile
After creating a new account, you should edit your personal profile. Look for your picture (or generic avatar if you didn’t connect via FB or Twitter) in the upper, right-hand corner. Use the drop-down menu to edit your profile. You can upload a picture, tell a little about yourself and what books you like to read, create a user name and so forth. Put as much thought into creating this profile this as you would when creating any other online profiles.
Remember, you’re creating a your own brand. If you’re a romance writer, work the romance angle. If you’re a fantasy writer, you may want to pep up your profile with a few pictures of you in a wizard costume. The important thing is to connect potential readers to your books. Be professional. Spell everything correctly! And make sure that everything you post reflects your author’s persona.
Once you’ve finished with your profile, explore the other tabs (which include things like settings, feeds, etc.) The most important one (for me) was the widget button. This feature allowed me to create a GoodReads sidebar widget for my blog (which you can see over on the left).
Now, join a reading group (or two, or three…)
One of the best things about GR is that you can connect with other readers who love the same kinds of stories as you do! This puts you in contact with potentially thousands of readers most of whom are looking for new titles.
Joining a group is so easy! Simply click the ‘groups’ button at the top of the page and conduct a search for the genre that best fits your own book. For example, I belong to several urban fantasy groups. I am also the moderator of a group called Urban Fantasy. I also belong to a group of readers who love to knit! There are many, many kinds of groups out there.
Once you’ve joined a group, start posting! Make sure to adhere to the group rules, post frequently, be friendly, and – most importantly – do not mention you are a writer. Let me repeat that: DO NOT MENTION YOU ARE A WRITER. Why? Because it puts readers off. Although some groups are writer-oriented, most are there for readers. Having a pushy writer who constantly hawks his/her book is much like having a telemarketer dialing your cell phone over and over and over.
Instead, become ‘friends’ with those people already posting in site. Chat about what books you enjoy and recommend a few (not your titles, but titles of authors who are similar to yours.) You will find yourself almost immediately shunned if you begin spouting off about your book.
Remember: the key to Good Reads is building connections with readers, not blasting them with requests to read and/or buy your book! Eventually, people will become curious about you and visit your profile, and that’s how they’ll discover your works. You can also ‘friend’ people whom you enjoy conversing with. The more friends you have, the more opportunity you’ll have for making connections.
Finally: Find your book’s page and update your author page
Once you’ve started connecting with people, it;s time to make yourself a Good Reads author!
First off, look up your book in the ‘search’ bar at the top of the page.
Wait??!!! Your book’s not listed? No problem; you can add it manually. But before do, you must first (a) verify your e-mail and (b) wait one day. After that, you are allowed to manually add your book. It doesn’t matter if your book is self published, only in e-book format, or put out by a small press, it belongs on Good Reads!
After clicking the ‘add book manually’ button, fill out all of the information for r book. And don’t forget to upload a cover image!
It should only take a few minutes between the time you enter the information and the time it becomes available on Good Reads. Isn’t it exciting to see it there? But what happens when you click on the author’s name link? Most likely, if you’re new to the publishing game, your author page will turn up empty. Again, this is no problem. Simply fill in your author profile information just as you did with your personal profile.
WAIT…YOU’RE NOT TRULY A GOOD READS AUTHOR YET…
How to become an honest-to-goodness Good Reads author
Just filling in the author’s information doesn’t turn you into a Good Reads author. To have access to your own author profile, widgets, and dashboard, you need to jump through a few more hoops.
Start off by visiting the GR How to Use the Author Program page. That’s where you’ll find answers to a lot of your questions. After you’ve viewed the video and read through the FAQs, head on over to the Good Reads Author Program page. This page will give you step-by-step instructions on how to become an author.
What’s Next?
Well, there is so much to explore on Good Reads! I recommend taking it in a little bit at a time. Browse the groups, the recommendations, and most of all, the ‘explore’ tab at the top of the page. Read through the timeline of posts by your ‘friends’ and comment on them. Compare books with people you meet in the groups. Add books to your shelves. Not just books you’ve already read, but books you want to read.
Good Reads is just one, big playground, so play around and enjoy!
September 27, 2013
Lilitih is Back and Better than Ever!
I, Lilith Straight, was the woman you always wanted to be. I was married to someone better looking than your husband, we lived in that house you always wanted. Within a year, however, all of that changed. My marriage dissolved, my house burned down, and my job hardly paid the bills. So when I was hit by a car and died, I thought my life couldn’t get any worse. Boy, was I wrong.
As I paused in the afterlife I learned some unexpected truths about my family. Most worryingly my ancestor’s deal with the devil promising him every female descendent as a succubus.
So these were my options: Life on earth as a soul-sucking seductress. Or death and pass the succubus baton to my sweet little daughter. There was no choice. Welcome to hell on earth, Lilith. Mother, teacher, wanton she-demon.
- See more at Carina UK.
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It’s Christmas in September, and I’m so excited!!
Here’s the brilliant, new cover for the release of the Carina UK edition of Straight to Hell.
The release is that I’ve included special, never-before-read scenes between Lilith and a certain hellish hottie, William. Let’s just say there’s a little more interaction than before.
Straight to Hell will be released on October 24, but you can pre-order your copy right now on Amazon.
September 26, 2013
My Space
After going through the grueling process of editing TWO new books over the summer, I’ve become an expert in wasting time. I mean, a girl can only take so much. That’s why I’m giving myself a some play time.
Part of this play time involves my longstanding fascination with gadgetry. Last week, when Apple changed to OS 7, I found myself spending way too much time on the iPhone and iPad. My favorite feature of OS7 is the capability to take panoramic photographs. I’ve been using pano non-stop because love it’s weird distortion.
Which brings me to my pictures today.
The top picture is of my winter office. The place where I write when cold weather chases me out of the unheated summer office. I have a nice window view (distraction), a bed for napping (more distraction), and a hidden set of speakers for music. I love peaceful surroundings, so I painted the walls a restful green then added a few orange accents, including a fabulous water color by the mother of a go
od friend of mine.
My summer office is an attic room above the garage. The knotty pine on the walls gives it a ‘summer cabin by the lake’ feeling. There’s a window overlooking the garbage cans (not a distraction), and one of those crazy spiky clocks that everyone owned back in the 1970′s. There’s also a fun bulletin board full of memorabilia from trips I’ve taken. This space is quirkier than the other one, but no less comforting to me.
Distractions aren’t usually a problem since I love to write first thing in the morning before everyone else is out of bed. And I especially love to write on rainy, dreary days (or snowy days) when I have a hot cup of coffee and a doughnut at my elbow and plenty of electronica playing in the background.
It’s a writer’s lonely life, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
