Nichole Giles's Blog, page 13

Time Out, Time Out!

Last weekend, I took a day to drive out to Houston (which is 3 hours from here) where I crashed the Teen Book Con. I know I shouldn’t have been surprised about how many kids were there, but I was. Hundreds. I’m not joking. And they were not only excited about meeting the amazing authors (around 38 total) but they were also excited about writing, and especially about reading.
Yes, I’m aware that I am actually an adult, and that attending a “teen” event without being a participating author might sound somewhat creepy. But I am an author of teenage literature, so I figured it was okay to pretend I was one for a day.
And since I was in Houston, I met up with another writer friend who lives in the area. She had a hard time breaking away from her other important priorities to attend, but in the end, managed to sneak away for a few hours, and, as she said, “take her half out of the middle.”
And we both pretended to be teens for a day.
Because in the chaos of adult life, it’s sometimes difficult to remember how important it is for us to take the time away from our every day obligations in order to do something exciting and fun. Or at least something that makes us happy. (Or in my case, normal—I need a little normal right now!)  
I took a time out, and so did my friend. (Also, she brought her 14 year old daughter, so that was cool too.) And even though the event itself wasn’t all that unusual for this adult/author/person who spends lots of time with other authors, it was a very nice time out.
And a time out is always a great thing.
What about you? What are you willing to do for a time out from life? 

Competition or Compassion? It’s Your Choice.

You know those moments when you’re looking at someone and you think, wow, I wish my life was like theirs? Or from the other side, you look at what they’re going through and think, oh, wow, I am so glad that’s not me. And you sort of do this in-mind comparison of lives—not because life is a competition, but because this is how we gain admiration, empathy and compassion. These are moments of growth, moments of truth, I think.
Or conversely, and for reasons I will never understand, there are those who believe life really is a competition, and they set out to win. Except it’s an impossible thing to do, because no hero in the world can win every single battle. And no one person can horde all the money. And no single person will ever own all the recognition. Or beauty. Or the biggest house/fastest car/best book deal/whatever. And the problem with this game they play is that because of all the above mentioned things, those people will never feel like they win at anything. How discouraging! And also, I think, lonely.
The truth: comparing ourselves to others is highly unhealthy. Life does NOT = competition.
Another truth: growing in admiration, empathy and compassion is great as long as we don’t spoil it with the above mentioned mistake.
It is absolutely, totally, and completely possible to be happy for the success of others, exclusive of resentment, anger, or envy. It is. And it is up to us to decide what we do with both our successes and our failures. I’ve had some of both this week. I did not cry hard over the failures, nor did I run out and celebrate the successes, because I’m trying hard to take it all in stride. Right now it would be so easy to look at the journeys of others and wish for things not in my direct path. But I don’t. I won’t.
Because my journey is mine, and mine alone. I am the one who chose to strap on my seat belt and say yes to the ride. And it’s up to me to keep my hands inside the cart and hold on.
When the car stops and I climb out, I truly, genuinely hope that there are people waiting for me on the platform, as well as those in the cars not far behind mine. Because no matter how fast or how slow or which track we choose to take, we are all attempting to end up in the same place.
And I think it would be really awesome if we could all plan one big party in the end. 

The Support We All Need (also, some winners!)

I’ve done several contests lately. It’s because I have all this awesome stuff and am kind of dying to start sharing it. I suppose I should save some of it for the upcoming launch month and all that, but, uh, that’s two weeks away. And I have winners now! To that end, the winners of last week’s drawing are… drumroll…
Descendant swag pack:                Karlene BrowningSwag pack #2                              Roberta HulseDescendant e-book:                     Donna Nolan
Congratulations ladies! I’ll contact you this week for mailing addresses and all those details.
Also, last week I failed to mention that I am about to send out the bookmarks from the previous contest (which have been packaged and almost ready for several days).  I cannot get used to having our local post office close earlier than most. So if you’re wondering where those are, um, yeah. They’re still coming.                  On another subject, I’ve been thinking a lot about support. We all have people we depend on, who support us through…well, life. Good times (like launching a new book) and tragedy (horrible accidents/illnesses/disasters), our emotional ups and downs, and also, our in-between blahs.
(You know what those are, right? Those times when you’re not really up, and not really down, and you’re sort of spinning around and around and not going anywhere, and you need someone to give you a little shove and tell you to do something, and maybe give you advice on what kind of something.)
We all need these people in our lives. We need people who cheer for us and mourn with us and kick us in the behind. Ironically, the people who manage to show up for our moments might not be the ones we expect. Sometimes we’re hurt by those who choose not to show up, and other times we’re surprised by those we didn’t expect who do show up. But when all is said and done, we realize that despite everything else, and in spite of all outside circumstances and choices, those people who are there for our moments—they’re the people we most need to have with us at that given time.
Maybe they have a lesson to teach or a message to share, or maybe they are a better friend than you ever realized. Or maybe a little voice whispered in their ear and made them think of you—and then they listened.
We can never really predict these things, and that’s okay. So maybe we should learn to hold onto the sweet, let go of the bitter, and fully enjoy the miracle that occurs anytime someone graciously offers the gift of their support.
And this week I am so, so grateful, to everyone who has been a part of my miraculous journey. Thanks for supporting me by reading! 

"When the Butterflies Came" by Kimberly Griffiths Little

It’s been way too long since I posted about books I love. Also, it’s been way too long since I read a middle grade book. Because middle grade is just so much fun! I sort of miss having middle grade children, because when mine were a few years younger, I tended to read the same books as them. Now I feel like I’ve been missing out on so many wonderful treasures.
Like When the Butterflies Came, by Kimberly Griffiths Little. What a delightful, beautifully written mystery, full of grief, wonder, and discovery. Middle grade readers should love following Tara as she finds each key to the next clue as she fits together an elaborately created puzzle left behind by her beloved Grammy Claire. I loved getting to know Tara and Riley, and the friends they made throughout their travels, and I especially loved the settings. From the manor near the bayou in Louisiana, to the tree house on the island of Chuuk, the setting came alive for me. As did the butterflies.
And I am a fan of butterflies. Speaking of butterflies, check out this beautiful cover!



Here’s the description:
Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to follow her around after Grammy Claire’s funeral, Tara just knows in her heart that her grandmother has left her one final mystery to solve.

A strange butler brings Tara and Riley to Grammy Claire’s house, where Tara finds a stack of keys and detailed letters from Grammy Claire herself. Note by note, Tara learns unexpected truths about her grandmother’s life. As the letters grow more ominous and the clues more difficult to decipher, Tara realizes that the secrets she must uncover could lead to mortal danger. And when Tara and Riley are swept away to the beautiful islands of Chuuk to hear their grandmother’s will, Tara discovers the most shocking truth of all — one that will change her life forever.

From Kimberley Griffiths Little comes a magical, breathtaking mystery full of loss and love, family and faith.

Read more about Kimberly Griffiths Little and her other books or buy When the Butterflies Came on Amazon or Barnes andNoble.  

A Post about Kindness

There’s this very kind gentleman who works at a gas station near my house. I stop there for my morning Dr. Pepper after working out at the gym (don’t judge), and he talks to me, asks about my car/children/home/how things are going/the weather, and whatever else. He has taken the time to learn my name, and always smiles and says hello.  
Sadly, other than my family, this guy is sometimes the only actual person I talk to during the day. Sounds pathetic, I know, but we’re new in town, and I work from home. Sure, there are a few people. Other parents whose kids play sports with mine, people who work with my husband, people who attend our church. But other than in passing at those sports games or church/work meetings, I don’t do a lot of interacting with other grownups most of the time. At least, not to the degree I did in Utah.
This gas station attendant probably has no idea how much I enjoy chatting with him, or how he makes my days a little brighter. And I’m fine with that. But you know what? When I leave with my drink, I’m always smiling. And I think to myself that Texas isn’t such a lonely place as it sometimes seems.
We all have the ability to make a difference with small acts of kindness. It is within us to smile more, say hello, greet the people who cross our paths. We have the ability to make the world feel more friendly to someone else.
Today, I hope you will all be extra kind to one person. One is all it takes. And then stop by and tell me about it. 

The Care and Feeding of Your Favorite Authors

In the last month or so, I’ve had lots of people ask how they can help spread the word about the release of my upcoming book, so I thought it might be a good idea to do a post about the helpful things you can do to support all your favorite authors—whoever they are.
1.       Buy their book. –I know this should be obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t. If you can’t buy a copy, request that your local library buy a copy so you can check it out.
2.       Tell others to buy the book. –Word of mouth is the best possible advertising for any product, books included.
3.       Share your opinion. –Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari, Barnes and Noble all have places where you can rate and review your favorite books. Honest online reviews—be they good or bad—help lift your favorites to places where others can see them. It’s about exposure.
4.       Add your favorite book to Goodreads and Shelfari lists and suggest that others who have read it vote on that list. –Sounds trivial and silly, but the people who read these lists take them very seriously. They are readers who love to read and who share their opinions about what they’ve read. More exposure.
5.       Support author events and signings by attending and by telling other people you know about them. –You don’t have to buy a book at every event. Bookstores love authors who bring crowds and are more likely to invite that author back if store traffic is significantly improved during those events. (But bookstores hope to sell lots of books, so that always helps too!)
6.       Give books as gifts. Every reader helps, and every book sold matters.
7.       Pay attention to author blogs and social media accounts. For your faithful efforts, many authors give away fun things, which sometimes include books (by themselves or other authors). Yay for free stuff! (This doesn’t necessarily help the author, but it sure makes us feel good. We all need to be loved!)

8.       Nominate your favorite books for awards or other honors. For instance, my book is eligible to be nominated for a Whitney Award for 2013. (Off the top of my head. I know there are others, as well. I think.) 
9.       Share this list with other readers who want to help their favorite authors.

What do you think? Did I miss anything?
That said, here are a few links where you can find DESCENDANT if you have the inclination to do any of the above.

Amazon. Goodreads. Barnes and Noble. Current Goodreads lists.
Thanks for reading! And for commenting. And also, for spreading the love.

Anyone Want to Win Free Stuff?

Oh my gosh, you guys! Look at all this awesome swag that has showed up at my house this week. 


And I’m still expecting a couple other awesome fun things. Also, I got my author copies! Aren’t they pretty? (Them, not me--this is not a good shot of me.)

So I think it’s time to do a giveaway. Yes, let’s do that!
Right now, I have tons of bookmarks, a stack of posters, and these adorable jelly bracelets which are not pictured because they’re in the other room where some family members lie sleeping. (Yes, I sometimes get the urge to post contests late at night. It happens.) But trust me, they’re fun! I think they're my favorite so far. 
I’m going to throw some of each into an envelope…actually, let’s do two. Two envelopes with bookmarks, a poster, and some jelly bracelets.
Also, I’m going to throw into the contest a digital copy of Descendant, which will be given away separately. (Will be emailed to the winner as soon as it’s available to me—which may or may not be before the release date.)
So that’s three chances to win fun stuff, including a digital copy of the book.
But that’s not all! Everyone who enters this contest, as well as everyone who entered the bookmark drop, along with everyone who enter any of the contests I host this month (April) will be entered to win a GRAND PRIZE swag pack, which will include all these things, plus other special-ordered swag, and also a printed, unbound DOODLED copy of some deleted scenes that didn’t make it into the book. *
Cool?
Okey, dokey! Here is your form. You have from now until midnight, Central time on Saturday, April 13th 
to enter this contest. If you miss the deadline, no worries. You can still enter the next giveaway and be entered to win the above-mentioned prize pack when I do that drawing. I plan to run several contests this month.

Requirements:
You must be a blog follower and sign up on this form. Everything else is optional. Have fun and good luck! Loading...

*Grand prize will not be awarded until the beginning of May.

Finding Our Gifts

In my upcoming book, Descendant, the main character, Abby, has two special gifts: the ability to heal others and the ability to see bits and pieces of life from the past, present, and occasionally the future.  Both gifts were passed down from her relatives, along with a colorful, and somewhat scary legacy.
I think we all have a special ability. Or two. Or three or lots. Whatever that gift is, it’s something we do well. Not necessarily better than everyone else, but just something we’re specifically good at, and which makes us happy. Something we enjoy. And those abilities help us to do things that no one else can do. They help us to create things, and find ways to share our gifts with others. They help us become the best version of ourselves.
The problem is that most people don’t realize they have this ability, whatever it is. Nor do they know how to use the power lying dormant inside them.
Don’t you think that’s sad? I do. I think that everyone deserves to know their potential, and we should all have the opportunity to try to reach for it.
So today, I would love to hear about your special gift. What is one thing you’re really good at? And what awesome potential might that unleash in you? I don’t care how meaningless or stupid you think it is, I want to hear about it.   
Aaaaannnnd…GO!

Cover Reveal: A Change of Plans by Donna K. Weaver

Hello again! I know I don't usually post on Thursdays, but, well, my publisher sister's cover has been revealed today and I just had to share!

Isn't it pretty? I love the waves and the beach, because, well, you know me. A Change of Plans is scheduled for release from Rhemalda Publishing on June 1st, 2013.

Here's what the book is about:


When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old, Colorado high school teacher wants to do is forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. Lyn plans a vacation diversion; fate provides Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and temporary friendships, her emotions come alive. 
However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he's navigating, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn is on the cruise to forget. Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs from Braedon and what he has to offer.
Their confusing relationship is bad enough, but when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise's snorkeling excursions in American Samoa things get worse. Paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped and Lyn's fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

You can add it to your Goodreads lists and vote for it here.

If you'd like to stay informed about author Donna Weaver and her book A Change of Plans, you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter. To stay informed about all of Rhemalda Publishing's titles (including mine) you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter as well.




About the Author:
Donna K. Weaver is a Navy brat who joined the Army and has lived in Asia and Europe. Because she sailed the Pacific three times as a child, she loves cruising and wishes she could accrue enough vacation time to do more of it with her husband.At fifty, Donna decided to study karate and earned her black belt in Shorei Kempo.After recording city council minutes for twenty years, Donna decided to write something a little longer and with a lot more emotion--and kissing.Donna and her husband reside in Utah, they have six children and eight grandchildren who live all over the world.

Interested in more? This book has a trailer. You can view it here!

Some Cool April Things

It’s April. And with the new month comes some cool things. Some VERY cool things. Like…
1.       Descendant is officially available for pre-order, and it’s entirely possible you *may* be able to get it in ebook form within the next couple weeks. Just…you know, if you’re interested in that little tidbit.
2.       The launch party will officially be held at The King’s English book store in Salt Lake City, UT on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 at 4:00 pm. I hope to see lots of you there!
My flower in honor of Descendant.3.       Because of that launch party, and also because of the upcoming LDStorymakers writer’s conference, in Provo, UT during the following weekend, where I am presenting, I have purchased my plane ticket and will be going to Utah in ONE month. Actually, less than one month. So yeah. Lots of excitement over here.
4.       Spring has sprung in Texas, and I found this at the store the other day. Matches the one on the cover of Descendant, so I had to have it. Flowers make me so happy.
5.       I am planning to write a new book this month. Going to be tricky, since I have TONS of other things to get done before May, but it seems like I work best with tricky. Going to give it a shot.
What about you? What are you excited about this April?