Holly Hook's Blog, page 9
March 3, 2012
Just Finished Moving
I apologize for my long absence. I've been in the process of moving house for the past few weeks and am only now getting settled in and getting some time off from packing and moving boxes. The move came up suddenly: I got a very good deal from some neighbors of my parents, and the apartment that I was in was starting to get very cramped. This happened so quickly that when I wrote my last post, I didn't even know that this was going to happen! I also was unable to promote my giveaway for February, so I will be holding another one in mid March to mid April: this time for an advance copy of the third Destroyers book, Outbreak! I know that none of you have bought this one yet, due to the fact that it hasn't been released.
Despite the grueling process of moving, I've been using my spare minutes (and my lunch break at work, even) to continue working on Outbreak. I'm about 40,000 words in right now and getting to the very interesting parts. I also continue to work on the second Rita Morse book, and plan to release it soon after Outbreak this late spring or early summer.
January 31, 2012
New Giveaway Now Open!
I decided to open the Feb. eBook giveaway a bit early, so be sure to check it out HERE. Included in this giveaway are eBook copies of the Destroyers series, including the upcoming third book, Outbreak, in the eBook format of the winner's choice. Entering is as simple as filling out the form! Remember, even if you have entered past giveaways, you will need to fill out the form again to enter.
January 30, 2012
More News
I know I haven't posted in over a week, and apologize for the lack of a giveaway in the middle of the month. Originally, I was planning on giving away a copy of Thin Hope, but after pulling the title for now, I decided that it wasn't a good idea. Most of my readers are fans of young adult titles, and the eBook giveaway by far generated the most interest, so my next giveaway will follow in the footsteps of my first: I will be giving away eBook copies of the Destroyers series once again! Included in this giveaway will be Tempest, Inferno, and Outbreak when it is released. On Feb. 1 I will be updating the giveaways page and officially opening the contest. The reason Rita Morse is not included is that it is already free at all eBook outlets. Check out the Books page for links.
Also, I have recently passed the 30K mark for Outbreak and have the rest of the plot figured out, and am hoping to finish the first draft next month. In addition, I have also decided to begin working on the second Rita Morse book, as someone asked me if a sequel was coming out. Stay tuned for updates.
January 10, 2012
News
As some may have noticed, Thin Hope is no longer listed on the Books page. This is because Naomi and I have realized that the book needs a few overhauls, most of all in the marketing department. We were both confused as to how to classify this release, and after doing a Librarything giveaway for this title, it seems that, so far, fans of science fiction and thrillers enjoy it more than fans of fantasy. At the very least, we will need new cover art to reflect that, and will likely be doing a few edits to the novel as well. When this is completed (and I do not yet know the date), Thin Hope will be re-posted.
Also, I will be posting the rules to another eBook giveaway this weekend, which will end mid-Feburary. Stay tuned for info!
Lastly, I would like to unveil the latest version of Tempest's book trailer, complete with the new cover art and pricing. Check it out here:
January 1, 2012
Apologies For My Absence…and Cover Art
Sorry I've been so absent from this blog lately, but I haven't been feeling well and have been under a lot of stress at work, and have been suffering constant heartburn for almost a week and a half. Hopefully, I will start feeling better soon. I do feel better than I did last weekend, (during which I couldn't function at all) so I may be heading in the right direction.
I will be posting the details of a brand new giveaway sometime in the next few days, when I get my bearings together. Meanwhile, I continue to work on the third Destroyers book, and as promised…I am now unveiling the cover art since it is now the beginning of the new year.
Note that this cover art may not be the final result, but it'll be close. The paperback cover may be different in design. Here it is:
December 14, 2011
Tempest one of the prizes in YA giveaway…
I may not be holding a giveaway this month, but a paperback version of Tempest and an eBook version are in the YA novels giveaway over on the Southern Scrawl this week! This is a contest held by YA writer Kate Avery Ellison, author of The Curse Girl. You can check out the giveaway here for a chance to win Tempest and many other YA paperbacks and eBooks, too:
http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/2011/12/big-awesome-ya-giveaway-you-could-win.html
Work is progressing on the third Destroyers book, and I just may be getting unstuck on After These Messages as well. I am about 15,000 words into Destroyers 3, and am still planning on unveiling the cover at the beginning of the year. Stay tuned!
December 7, 2011
Now: Rita Morse and the Sinister Shadow is free!
I'd like to announce that my novel Rita Morse and the Sinister Shadow has gone free on Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Sony and iBooks! I've had well over 2,000 downloads since it went free on Amazon last week, reaching #3 in the Children's Fantasy and Adventure free section. Even though I won't see a cent from that, it's good exposure, right?
Previously, I couldn't sell very many copies of this book–anything geared towards those younger than teens generally doesn't sell well on eReaders. I'm not sure how long I will keep this book free, so be sure to grab your copy while you can. You can get it at these links below. Note: you can download Sony and iPad formats from Smashwords.
December 3, 2011
Giveaway Winner Selected For November
I have just selected and notified the winner of the November giveaway! Congratulations to the winner. For those of you who entered, be sure to check your spam boxes just in case my email got filtered out. I'm sure it's happened before.
Now to get to work continuing the third Destroyers book! Though it's difficult to get in 2,000 words on weekdays (I don't get home from work until 7pm most nights) it's much easier to do on the weekends. I do have a special freebie to post this week as well, so stay tuned for that.
December 1, 2011
November Book Giveaway Now Closed
The November Giveaway for paperback copies of Tempest and Inferno is now closed. I only received 5 entries this time around, so if you did fill out the form, you have a fairly good chance of winning.
As I am overwhelmed at the moment, I will be selecting the winner this Saturday, December 3. For those of you who did enter, be sure to check your inboxes (including your spam boxes!) on that day.
Also, because I am now super busy writing the third Destroyers book, which I hope to have out in early winter of 2012, I will not be hosting a giveaway for the month of December, but will resume posting giveaways on January 1st. I would like some time for this blog to generate more interest in the coming month, but I will continue to post news on my progress (and on other freebies!)
November 27, 2011
Last Week of Paperback Giveaway
I will be selecting the winner of the November paperback giveaway on December 1. So far, we only have 5 entries, so if you haven't filled out the November form yet, be sure to do so. Note: entering the October giveaway last month does not automatically enter you in future contests! The prize includes paperback versions of Tempest, Inferno, and the third Destroyers book when it is released.
Also, I am pleased to announce that I am (finally) starting to work much faster on the third Destroyers book, now that Thin Hope has been published. I've set myself a goal of about 2,000 words per day, which is a lot when you also have a full time job! I've found that a timer helps a lot in this regard.
