Jennifer Allis Provost's Blog, page 4

Writer Wednesday: So, How Do You Write A Book, Anyway? #writerwednesday #amwriting #amediting #plotholes #timeline #authorsofinstagram

I do my fair share of events, which encompass everything from book signings to me teaching creative writing.  The question I'm asked most often is how one goes about writing a book.  Therefore, for the first time ever I present photographic evidence of my writing process:

   
Glamorous, huh?

The larger white lined page is a timeline for the fourth Parthalan book, Golem...and it goes on for five more pages. The colored circles each represent a different character and the illegible scrawl comprises the main conflict in each chapter. Add to this the three smaller notebooks (full of character details and outlines) and the barest corner of my planner (to ensure I don't miss any deadlines), and one thing becomes apparent: in order to write a book, you need to do a lot of writing that will never make it into the book.

The moral of the story is that writers need to write lots and lots and LOTS of words before they generate the magic 80k or so that end up as a finished novel. There are no shortcuts, you can't get "lucky" and have your first uncorrected, typo-ridden draft picked up by a Big Five publisher (at least, none of the first drafts I've ever seen would be picked up), and you can't hire an editor to magically fix plot holes and continuity errors. There is no substitute for sitting in your chair and doing the work yourself.

Is any of this easy? No, it's not. But after you've done the work and beaten every last plot twist and character flaw uppity punctuation mark into submission, you will have done the impossible, and made your imagination real.              

Preorder here: http://amzn.to/2pXXvz3[/caption]

Gallowglass #Review Copies Now Available - Releasing June 6 #urbanfantasy #comingsoon #bookbloggers #bloggerswanted #IARTG

 
 Gallowglass review copies are available now! If you're interested in reviewing the first installment of a new urban fantasy series, click here ---> ARC request sheet    

 Everyone who posts a review between June 6 and June 13 will be entered to win a $10 gift card to Amazon or the bookstore of their choice!

  You can preorder Gallowglass from the following retailers:  Amazon Barnes&Noble Kobo iBooks      

Available now - Changes boxed set for 99 pennies: http://amzn.to/2qdXM5V

Voting is open for the RONE Awards! @InDTaleMagazine #RONE2017 #amreading #amwriting #IARTG

Voting is open for the RONE Awards! 
 
Just click this link to cast your vote for The Virgin Queen: http://www.indtale.com/2017-rone-awards-week-three 
 You do need to register an InD'Tale's website in order to vote, but it's easy peasy to do so. If you don't want to receive their free newsletter you can unsubscribe after voting. If you haven't read The Virgin Queen yet, the ebook is currently on sale for 99 cents. Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pxnvTF B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-virgin-queen-jennifer-allis-provost/1123877362?ean=2940154131046 
 Thank you in advance for the votes :) 
Order the Changes boxed set and get three books for 99 pennies! Click here--> http://amzn.to/2oPgyA0

Writer Wednesday: The Award and Preorder Edition #fantasy #romance #boxedset @InDTaleMagazine @limitlessbooks

Big news - The Virgin Queen has been nominated for a RONE! Voting in that category begins May 1st, and you must register here to vote. And if you haven't yet read The Virgin Queen, the ebook is currently on sale for 99 cents across all platforms!

   
Amazon --> http://amzn.to/2oLpi6m 
B&N --> TVQ@B&N              

Voting runs until May 7th, so be sure you cast your vote early!

The Changes series is now a boxed set! You can read all about Britt and Sam, Astrid and Donnie, and Cindy and Sean in one handy package. The preorder price is 99 cents, but it will increase to $5.99 after the May 2 release date. Get your copy now, and save $5!
  Preorder here ----> http://amzn.to/2p3DbPC

That's all for now - and don't forget to vote!

Writer Wednesday: Wellness Check In #writerwednesday #wellness #amwriting #probiotics

One of my main goals of 2017 is to incorporate more healthy choices into my daily life. I want to feel great, keep my creativity flowing, and (hopefully) be a good influence on my children. Now that I've been doing this for a few months, I have a handle on what's working for me.

Incorporating probiotics - I've been incorporating probiotics into my diet since mid-January, and I felt the beneficial effects almost immediately. Aside from the physical improvements, I'm much more even-tempered and calm. I get my probiotics from a combination of kombucha and fermented foods like kim chi. (Standard disclaimer: I am no health professional. If you're interested in learning if probiotics can help you, see out a qualified professional. Here's an article from The Mayo Clinic, and another from Web MD, to get you started.)

I gave myself some curfews - No social media after 10 pm, and in bed before midnight. Really, no one needs more social media, and having an hour to wind down before bed leads to quality sleep. If only I could dream up some new plot twists...

I'm eating more real food - I didn't want to go on a diet so much as I wanted to eat better. Therefore, I didn't limit myself on what I could have, but I did make an effort to purchase more vegetables, whole grains, and vegetable-based protein. With all that good food in the house, who needs all that processed junk?

Thanks to these (and a few other) healthy changes, I look and feel better already. Even though it's only April, I've already successfully launched two titles this year, am on track to release three more, and I haven't missed a deadline yet. By prioritizing wellness, I have the stamina and mental acuity to keep everything else in line. Will I still have setbacks? Of course I will. Everyone does. But by staying as on-track as I can, those setbacks will be minor bumps, not game-changing catastrophes.

What positive changes have you made in 2017? Tell us in the comments!

Coming June 6: GallowglassKarina didn't set out to free the Seelie Queen's gallowglass. Now she'll do anything to keep him.

Preorder here: http://amzn.to/2nG62e5

Cover Reveal: Gallowglass #urbanfantasy #paranormalromance #new #amwriting @Bellatrix_Press

Karina didn’t set out to free the Seelie Queen’s gallowglass. Now she’ll do anything to keep him.
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Preorder here: http://amzn.to/2oReLdBCover art by Deranged Doctor Designs
After Karina and her brother, Chris’s, lives fall apart in separate yet equally spectacular ways, they leave New York behind and head to the UK. Karina buries herself in research for her doctoral thesis, all the while studiously not thinking about the man who broke her heart, while Chris—who’d been a best-selling author before his ex-fiancée sued him for plagiarism—drinks his way across the British Isles.
In Scotland, they visit the grave of Robert Kirk, a seventeenth- century minister who was kidnapped by fairies. No one is more shocked than Karina when a handsome man with a Scottish brogue appears, claiming to be the Robert Kirk of legend. What’s more, he says he spent the last few hundred years as the Gallowglass, the Seelie Queen’s personal assassin. When they’re attacked by demons, Karina understands how dearly the queen wants him back.
As Karina and Robert grow closer, Chris’s attempts to drown his sorrows lead him to a pub, and a woman called Sorcha. Chris is instantly smitten with her, so much so he spends days with Sorcha and lies to his sister about his whereabouts. When Chris comes home covered in fey kisses, Karina realizes that the Seelie Queen isn’t just after Robert.
Can Karina outsmart the Seelie Queen, or is Robert doomed to forever be the Gallowglass? Gallowglass will be available everywhere June 6, 2016.

Writer Wednesday: Getting Things Done #writerwednesday #amwriting #amediting #motivation #giveaway

It's no secret that I have a packed schedule for 2017. With five novels releasing, two big events, and a slew of smaller appearances, it's a wonder I'm not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. My secret for getting things done is perhaps the most low-tech trick out there: an old-fashioned to-do list.

I typically work off of several to-do lists. I have the main one, with the big goals, and several little ones. For instance, here is my current main list:
Review/approve Gallowglass ebooksGolem cover info to designerGolem draft complete by 4/30Gallowglass #2 complete by 5/31Gallowglass #3 outline by 4/15Finish outline for YAResearch: Scandinavian folklore, County Clare local legends, Crail/Perthshire folkloreIf that looks like a lot, it's because it is. The easiest way to tackle such a lost is to break it into smaller parts. Therefore, here's today's list:
Finish Scandinavian folklore bookGolem to 80kWrite blog post (yep, this one)Laundry (because real life happens too)Review swag/stock for upcoming eventsNow, that I can handle in a day. Not only do these lists keep me organized, as I tick off completed tasks I feel accomplished. It's like I'm giving myself a few little mini-awards while I'm working toward my overall goal, and who doesn't like rewards? Come to think of it, I think I deserve some chocolate.

Do you have any tips or tricks for tackling your to-do list? Share them in the comments!

Have you entered the huge amazon gift card giveaway? Click here to throw your name in the hat (figuratively speaking, of course): Giveaway!

We're Treating Readers to a Spring Fling Enter for the chance to win $1250 in Amazon Gift Cards! Mega Gift Card Giveaway April 2-24 and Facebook Hop April 21-24 #giveaway #amwriting #amreading

We're Treating Readers to a Spring Fling! with a Mega Gift Card Giveaway April 2-24 and Facebook Hop April 21-24Enter for the chance to win $1250 in Amazon Gift Cards! Sponsored by the 77 authors listed belowConstance Phillips • Debbie White • Tamara Lush • Nancy Segovia • Helen Smith • Stella Marie Alden • Alyson Hale • Shirley Hailstock • Dena Garson • Ava Bradley • Tamara Ferguson • Lynda Haviland • Eva Chase • Ashlee Price • Allyson R Abbott • Phoebe Rose • Ysa Arcangel • Tee Garner • Jennifer Allis Provost • Rachel Woods • Amelia James • Jacqueline Diamond • Marsha A. Moore • Siera London • Emily Leigh • Aileen Harkwood • Jenna Barwin • Tara Lain • Christa Paige • Cynthia A Clement • Marie Booth • Hope Welsh • Sarah Fischer • Marie Johnston • Anne Renwick • Brea Viragh • Gayle Parness • Trish McCallan • Aubrey Wynne • JD Monroe • Sharon Kay • Elizabeth Rose • H. D. Thomson • Amy Brent • Caitlyn Blue • Margo Bond Collins • Bokerah Brumley • Felicia Beasley • Amy L Gale • Olivia Wildenstein • Tracie E. Christian • Patricia M Jackson • Kristy Tate • Astrid Arditi • Lisa Mondello • Cassie Alexander • Lori L. Robinett • Amanda Uhl • Melissa Belle • Josie Riviera • Layla Messner • Bree Dahlia • Cherie Claire • Barbara Barrett • M. Black • Lizbeth Selvig • Cailin Briste • Mia Ford • Bambi Lynn • Roxanne Snopek • Stacy Gold • Alex Gordon • Kristine Smith • Marianna Baker • Greta Boris • Oliver Chase • Allison GattaOne entry signs you up to each of our newsletters. You can also earn extra entries by signing up for our newsletters early, before the giveaway ends on April 24 (don't worry, you won't be double subscribed). Click Here to Enter the Giveaway Be sure to also join us for our Facebook Hop April 21-24, when we will have 77 gift cards for you to enter to win. That’s a gift card at every stop! Plus a bonus giveaway for the winner’s choice of an Amazon Echo Dot or Kindle Fire. For more info, visit the Hop website https://megagiftcardhop.wordpress.com/,

Live Today: Changing Fate (Changes #3) @limitlessbooks #newrelease #contemporary #romance

 

One click to purchase ---> http://amzn.to/2mLWv4J

"What would you give for a second chance with your first love?" 

Cindy has loved Sean O’Rourke for as long as she can remember…  

When Cindy Cavanaugh got pregnant at fifteen, she wasn’t worried. After all, she knew Sean would always be there for her and their baby. Now twenty years have gone by, and she’s Cindy Sullivan, stuck in a loveless marriage to Patrick, an ethically corrupt lawyer who controls her every move… And the daughter she shares with Sean is getting married.  

Sean has never gotten over his first love, and seeing her again is almost more than he can bear…   

When Sean arrives at his daughter’s wedding rehearsal, it isn’t the bride who takes his breath away. Cindy is just as smart and funny, but she not only is she married—Sean is in an unhappy relationship of his own. It seems their love is nothing more than a fond memory.  

A moment of passion leads to unexpected complications…  

After a few stolen moments during the reception, Sean is determined to be with Cindy again. As for Cindy, the only thing keeping her married is her controlling husband’s ironclad prenuptial agreement—until she learns that her tryst with Sean led to more than just passion. Seeing this as her long awaited second chance, Cindy leaves her husband and runs back to Sean, but Patrick is prepared to use any means necessary—legal or otherwise—to keep Cindy by his side.  

As Cindy and Sean struggle to build a new life together, will they succeed in Changing Fate?   

✦ Cover Designer ✦ Robin Harper of Wicked by Design https://www.facebook.com/WickedByDesignRobinHarper  

 Books 1 and 2 are available now: http://amzn.to/2nqJpHb

Writer Wednesday: How To Make In-Person Appearances Even More Awesome #WriterWednesday #Events #amwriting

It's no secret that I love in-person events. After spending months or in some cases, years, working on a novel, getting out of my writer cave and presenting my work to potential readers is wonderful. I have attended hundreds of events, both as a presenter and an audience member, and I've learned a few things along the way. Below are some quick and easy ways to make sure your event goes swimmingly.

 Be sure to check out my upcoming events here.

Presentation Matters - You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on swag and display merchandise, but if you're given a table you should make it as appealing as possible. For example, in the image below along with books and swag, I have a display rack, a table covering, and a string of white lights. Since the rack was borrowed and the table covering is a repurposed curtain, I only paid 99 cents for the lights. Small investment, big impact. Now about that wacky author...



Your Appearance Matters, Too - Strive to dress and behave appropriately for the venue in question. If you're visiting a school or library, keep in mind that children may be present, so be cognizant of your language and subject matter. You don't want to risk not getting asked back because you dropped a few inappropriate words.

And for the love of all that is holy, wear clean clothes! I will never forget one particular bookstore event where a fellow panelist was wearing a sleeveless top, thus revealing an absolutely filthy bra. Really, people, do you want to be known for your writing, or your hygiene?

Be Gracious - Most people are great. Some are jerks. Be kind and polite to everyone, since no one will remember the name of the heckler in the third row, but social media will light up like a Christmas tree if you lose your cool. So what if you've been asked the same question ten times in a row? If it's the first time that person has asked you the question, they deserve a polite response. Of course, if the same person has asked you the same question ten times, you have full permission to get creative with your answers :)

 All kidding aside, you'll catch more bees with honey than vinegar. Saying please and thank you go a long way, and people remember kindness.

What are some tips you use at appearances? Have you ever been to an event that went south in an epic manner? Tell us in the comments!