Cindy C. Bennett's Blog, page 39

Indie Author Series: Giveaways - Tips & Techniques

Plus, Enter Below to Win!

For this week's Indie Author Series, we're writing about our personal tips for having successful giveaways. In honor of this post, there's also a big giveaway of some of the books of Indie Author Series' authors. You can enter using the Rafflecopter at the end of this post.

If you're an author (or a blogger for that matter) doing a giveaway, here are a few things that have worked for me.

1. Keep it Simple I think when people come to your blog to enter a giveaway, they don't want to spend a ton of time doing it. One of the great things about Rafflecopter is the ability to simplify it for your readers. If they only have to click a single button to either follow someone via Twitter or Facebook, they're more likely to do so than if they have to leave your site to do something on a different site for that entry.

2. Blog Hops Blog hops are a great way to do a giveaway because you're tied to a bunch of other blogs who are helping to cross-promote the giveaway.  They enter your giveaway, then click on the linky list (like the one below) to hop to the next blog for the chance to win more prizes.

3. Make the Prize a Good One Followers of book blogs and authors are probably readers, so why not give away the thing they love: books! Or even a gift card to Amazon, or the Book Depository, or Smashwords, or wherever else they can purchase a book of their choice.

4. Don't Do Giveaways Too Often For me, at least, and I suspect for a lot of authors, we love to give things away. We love to keeps our readers, fans, and followers happy. But I think there's such thing as too much of a good thing. If you're constantly giving things away, particularly if you're constantly giving away your own book, pretty soon interest will wane because they know another giveaway is coming up soon. Also, as much as I love writing, I do need to make a little money on it to support my habit (my habit being writing). Readers won't be as inspired to purchase a book that they always see being given away because they'll just wait, enter, and hope they win.

5. Use Goodreads for a Giveaway Goodreads is an excellent place to do a giveaway. Tons of people enter giveaways on there, and it's a great way to expose your title, cover, and name to a lot of people in one place. Last I knew, your giveaway can't be an eBook, it has to be a physical book.

I'd be curious to know from you what really works for you when you see a giveaway, or what will turn you off of a giveaway.

Now, enter below to win some prizes donated by some amazing authors, then visit other Indie Author Series authors by clicking on the link at the bottom.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1.Laura A. H. Elliott2.Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series3.T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series4.Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga5.Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog6.K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed7.Gwenn Wright, author of Filter8.Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.9.Ella James10.Maureen Murrish11.YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings12.A Little Bit of R&R13.Melissa Pearl14.Terah Edun - YA Fantasy15.Heather Sutherlin - YA Fantasy16.Author Cindy C Bennett

Friday Five: Colors

Welcome to this week’s Friday Five. If you haven’t been here before, this is nothing more than my random rambling about something that interests me, with a list of five, in no particular order. This week’s list is five colors I like. Hope you enjoy!

Pink: Pink has always been my favorite color. Not to the point of obsession, or anything, I’m just attracted to the color for some reason. Probably my romantic nature rearing its head.

Purple: Purple is a great color, both on its own and when combined with either pink or green. To me, purple is the color of passion. When I saw the cover for Rapunzel Untangledand they had used purple for the theme, I was pretty happy. It’s a great color.

Yellow: Yellow seems to represent happiness. It’s just a bright, sun-shiny color that makes me happy.

Coral: I’ve found myself gravitating toward coral colored clothes lately. Just something about the color is so pretty and romantic looking to me.


Green: Green is the color of life. I love it in the summer when the mountains are green, grass is green, and trees are filled with green leaves. I didn’t realize how much green I wear until my kids pointed it out. Guess that confirms it as one of my fave colors.
What color makes you happy?

Indie Author Series: Spotlighting Melika Lux

Author Bio:
I have been an author since the age of fourteen and write Young/New Adult historical romance, suspense, supernatural/paranormal thrillers, fantasy, sci-fi, short stories, novellas—you name it, I write it! I am also a classically trained soprano/violinist/pianist and have been performing since the age of three. Additionally, I hold a BA in Management and an MBA in Marketing.If I had not decided to become a writer, I would have become a marine biologist, but after countless years spent watching Shark Week, I realized I am very attached to my arms and legs and would rather write sharks into my stories than get up close and personal with those toothy wonders.
City of Lights: The Trials and Triumphs ofIlyse Charpentier Summary/Blurb:What would you risk for the love of a stranger?Ilyse Charpentier, a beautiful young chanteuse, is the diva of the 1894 Parisian cabaret scene by night and the unwilling obsession of her patron, Count Sergei Rakmanovich, at every other waking moment.Though it has always been her secret desire, Ilyse’s life as “La Petite Coquette” of the Paris stage has turned out to be anything but the glamorous existence she had dreamt of as a girl. As a young woman, Ilyse has already suffered tragedy and become estranged from her beloved brother, Maurice, who blames her for allowing the Count to drive them apart.Unhappy and alone, Ilyse forces herself to banish all thoughts of independence until the night Ian McCarthy waltzes into her life. Immediately taken with the bold, young, British expatriate, Ilyse knows it is time to choose:  will she break free and follow her heart or will she remain a slave to her patron’s jealous wrath for the rest of her life?
City of Lights: The Trials and Triumphs of Ilyse Charpentier Book Trailer:http://youtu.be/U7pW7yChGLEEmbed code:<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://cindybennett.blogspot.com//www..." frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Corcitura Summary/Blurb: Corcitura.  Some call it hybrid, others half-blood, mongrel, beast.  They are all names for the same thing:  vampire—the created progeny of the half-wolf, half-vampire, barb-tongued Grecian Vrykolakas, and the suave but equally vicious Russian Upyr.  Corcitura:  this is what happens when a man is attacked by two vampires of differing species.  He becomes an entirely new breed—ruthless, deadly, unstoppable…almost.London, 1888:  Eric Bradburry and Stefan Ratliff, best friends since childhood, have finally succeeded in convincing their parents to send them on a Grand Tour of the Continent.  It will be the adventure of a lifetime for the two eighteen-year-old Englishmen, but almost from the moment they set foot on French soil, Eric senses a change in Stefan, a change that is intensified when they cross paths with the enigmatic Vladec Salei and his traveling companions:  Leonora Bianchetti, a woman who fascinates Eric for reasons he does not understand, and the bewitching Augustin and Sorina Boroi—siblings, opera impresarios, and wielders of an alarming power that nearly drives Eric mad.Unable to resist the pull of their new friends, Eric and Stefan walk into a trap that has been waiting to be sprung for more than five hundred years—and Stefan is the catalyst.  Terrified by the transformation his friend is undergoing, Eric knows he must get Stefan away from Vladec Salei and Constantinos, the rabid, blood-crazed Vrykolakas, before Stefan is changed beyond recognition.  But after witnessing a horrific scene in a shadowed courtyard in Eastern Europe, Eric’s worst fears are confirmed.Six years removed from the terror he experienced at the hands of Salei and Constantinos, Eric finally believes he has escaped his past.  But once marked, forever marked, as he painfully begins to understand.  He has kept company with vampires, and now they have returned to claim him for their own.
Corcitura Book Trailer:http://youtu.be/xStibsfjBvo Embed code:<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://cindybennett.blogspot.com//www..." frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Social Media Links:I love to chat with readers and other writers. Please feel free to connect with me on any or all of the following sites:My web site: http://booksinmybelfry.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BooksInMyBelfryGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/950456.Melika_Dannese_Lux   Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/booksinmybelfry/boards/
Spotlight Interview Questions:
1) What is your all-time favorite book and why?
David Copperfield. I read this book close to sixteen years ago and can still quote passages and remember scenes vividly. All the suffering and hardships this young 19th century Englishman endured and all the mistakes he made in love and in life transcended the ages and became so relevant to me, a preteen living in the United States in the 20th century. That is truly a testament to the genius of Charles Dickens. It is also what I think makes a book a classic—its timelessness. 
2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book's characters could relate to and why?
The characters of City of Lights: The Trials and Triumphs of Ilyse Charpentier would empathize with any young people who have ever felt like they were being caged, denied the chance to live out their dreams, or achieve happiness and love. Since there is a healthy dash of sibling conflict in the book between Ilyse and Maurice, anyone who has had to deal with a bitter or impossible brother or sister would relate well to the characters, too. The villains would likely get along with anyone who has insane control issues and can’t stand seeing other people happy! ;)
As for the characters of Corcitura…calling all fictional people who have ever had to match wits and do battle against vampires! Apart from that, Corcitura’s characters would truly be kindred spirits with anyone—fictional or otherwise—who has faced something unknown and terrifying and has been forced to adjust quickly in order to stay sane and, in some cases, survive. I’ve had readers of all ages and walks of life tell me they can relate to the characters, but since the main ones are young and go through some growing pains in a rather dramatic set of circumstances, I would say older teens and young adults would relate best to them, since they are also trying to find their way in the world. When it comes to Eric, Madelaine, and Zigmund (my three narrators), if you’ve ever felt betrayed and realized that the people you think are your best friends, those you have trusted for practically your whole life, turn out to have been wearing a mask and are nothing like what they truly are—then you and these three characters will have a lot in common.
I always like people to go into my novels not having another author’s writing style in mind. I want readers to love my writing for its own merits and let the story and characters speak to them and touch them in their own special way, without any preconceived comparisons. Hopefully, people will feel my novels are like nothing they’ve ever read before. In the best sense possible, of course. ;)
3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?
I have a lot of favorite quotes from Corcitura, but one of my favorite snippets is actually a small bit of character interaction:
“Tell me, Eric,” he said, licking a droplet from the corner of his mouth. “Have you ever tasted blood?”My mouth was so dry I could barely find the voice to answer him. “What an odd question…”“But a valid one. Well, have you?”“I’ve cut my lip before, so yes, I suppose I have tasted blood, but…”“Not your own, you foolish boy.” He let out a short, derisive laugh and leaned in so that he was only a few inches from my face. “I mean the blood of another.”“Good God, Stefan, of course not!”“Pity…”
This mini-scene was in my mind about three or four years before I began writing the book. It is really the “Ah ha!” moment of the first half of the novel, the climax as Eric realizes that there is no logical explanation for what he’s been trying to deny. Everything he’s witnessed with his own eyes has turned out to be one hundred times worse than anything he could have imagined. I ended up writing this scene first and then working my way back from it because it served as the springboard for quite a bit of the story arc and helped me tie several plot points together for the rest of the book. I also happen to think it’s a deliciously horrifying and creepy way for someone who has not been deemed worthy of induction into the ranks of the undead to be exposed to the reality of a vampire’s thirst for blood, but, of course, I might be a bit biased in that assessment. ;)
4) What types of things/people/music inspire you and make you want to keep writing?
I have always drawn a tremendous amount of inspiration from music and artwork, especially the paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites, which have inspired scenes, characters, and whole story arcs in my fantasy duology.
Movie soundtracks and epic music really fuel my creativity, too. Currently, for the dystopian/fantasy novel I started working on again after dropping it when school and life intervened more than a decade ago (I was 14 and it was my first novel), I keep epic music/soundtracks looping at a low volume in my ear buds. It really spurs my imagination and helps when trying to strike the right mood in battle and intense scenes, especially when there are “creatures” involved. And that’s all I can say about some of the beasts of my dystopian world without giving the entire game away. Just keep in mind that I used to want to be a marine biologist, so you’ll probably be able to figure out what kind of creatures they are descended from.
Writing something fresh and new and exciting, with characters you would want to know in real life and villains you absolutely would not; creating worlds you can lose yourself in and stories you’ll remember long after the last page has been read. All these things motivate me and keep me excited about getting to work each and every day. Writing is as much a part of my existence as the air I breathe. I cannot imagine life without it. There is also the fact that my characters are very insistent and want their stories told NOW! So how would I have a moment’s peace if I ignored them? ;)
5) Describe your typical writing day or week.
I try to carve out writing time at least every day. Sometimes, I’ll have a span of maybe four or five hours in the evening, and sometimes weekends are totally devoted to writing. It depends on family obligations and other things that are going on, those so-called “life interruptions” that can be so detrimental to letting the muse have its day!
6) Is there a food or drink you have to have when you're writing?
I like to keep a glass of ice water near me at all times when I write. I also like to take cheese breaks. Give me a handful of Jarlsberg and I can write for hours.
7) Can you tell us what you're working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?
I’m currently completing my final revisions on Uendelig, the first book in Dwellers of Darkness, Children of Light, an eight part series of loosely connected novellas in which young adults battle against creatures and fantastical beings from the otherworld that have crossed the void and ended up in our own. Uendelig (which will hopefully be released before the summer ends), is the story of Ragna and Sylvi, two young girls whose lives were forever changed when catastrophe tore their family apart. Now, living with their aunt in a small village in 19th century Norway, Ragna begins to change. She is distant, hostile, and has taken to carrying around a pair of viciously sharp scissors that frighten Sylvi for reasons she cannot understand. Most alarming of all, Ragna seems to want nothing more than to see Sylvi dead. The tragedy of the past must have finally driven Ragna mad. That has to be the reason, or so Sylvi tells herself. But as she digs deeper, Sylvi discovers that an ancient beast of terror and darkness is rising to finish the work begun before Sylvi was even born and claim the blood sacrifice it was denied a generation ago. But who made the devil’s bargain in the first place? And how can Sylvi—young, alone, and believing she is as useless as Ragna has always said—save her sister before The Bottomless devours them both? This excerpt is from Chapter 1: Unraveling. Enjoy!
My eyes darted toward Ragna’s lap, then up to her face, then back to her lap again, and I winced as I watched her razoring off the threads with a jackknifed blade. That ancient thing in her hand looked like a relic, something that had been dug up after being buried for hundreds of years. I had never seen her using those scissors before and wondered where she’d found them. With each tug, bits of rust flaked off one of the blades and fell against the crisp white fabric, leaving ugly red-brown stains behind. It was baffling to me that something so old and filthy was being used to mend her precious apron when I wasn’t even allowed to go near it until my hands had been practically scrubbed raw.  My gaze shifted to the other blade. This one was polished so brilliantly that I saw half my face reflected in its surface. There was no rust to be seen on this side, no dull edge, just a ribbon of steel that shone with silver fire and tapered to a lethal point.Ragna relaxed her grip for a second, giving me a clear view of the handles—buttery, light-capturing gold, chased with strange shapes and runes in a language that had probably not been spoken on this earth in a thousand lifetimes. And yet…the markings looked new, the grooves still fresh and deep. That was curious. What could they mean? And where on earth had Ragna found this treasure? There was no question of the scissors belonging to her. That was impossible. Even with the generous allowance Tante Jannicke gave her each month, Ragna would never have been able to afford something so old and priceless.I thought about running, now that she seemed to have forgotten I was there, but my curiosity was too great. No matter her reaction, I had to know. “Where did you get those scissors?” I asked.Her lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear any words. I leaned forward for a better look into her eyes, but there was no one home behind them. They were green and murky and vacant, like two pools of algae-poisoned water. I wondered if she even knew what her hands were doing. I cleared my throat. “Hoy, Ragna?” I ventured. “Didn’t you hear me?”“What?”“Where did those come from?” I said, pointing at the scissors. “I found them. And I claimed them. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”“Why would they want to?” I asked, confused. “They’re just scissors. It’s not like they’re Queen Sophia’s crown jewels or anything, haha!” My teeth ground together as I snapped my mouth shut, biting off the laugh. To make such a loud noise seemed obscene in the stillness of this place, where the only sound was the eerie creak of Ragna’s blades. She smirked and went on with her work, but that wasn’t good enough for me. I wanted an answer. I needed an answer, and felt as though my heart would explode if I didn’t get one. “They’re so ancient, maybe even centuries old. It’s not something you’re likely to come across in old Birgit’s shop.” An aggravated sigh was the only answer I got. That should have been my cue to stay quiet. I bit my tongue to keep the burning questions from spilling out, but I had never been very good at lidding my feelings, and no matter how annoyed she was, now was certainly not the time to start battening down the hatches.“You’ve been delving too deeply in the barrow,” I said in a voice that would have terrified a ghoul in its grave.“Why would you say that?!” she snapped“It was just an observation.” Good gracious, she was trembling! Maybe I should have tried scaring the truth out of her sooner.“Well, it’s a morbid observation. Wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you. You know perfectly well that there was never anything buried in that barrow. It’s just a mound.”“A burial mound,” I said, giving her the sepulchral treatment again.“Stop that right now!”“Suit yourself.” I let it lie for a few minutes…revolving different scenarios in my mind…and then I finally saw the light.“I know what this is all about! No wonder you’re being so secretive. Those scissors were a gift! From an admirer. Although I wouldn’t think too highly of his taste if he gave me a present like that. So, who is it, Ragna? Has Ulf finally declared himself?”“Stop being such a child.”“I am a child.”“That doesn’t mean you have to be a fool.”“So it is true?! Why else would you be so snippy?”“Snippy? I’ll show you snippy,” she said, lunging at me.I jerked back, but not quickly enough. A chunk of dusty red hair fluttered to the ground, catching on a sprig of crowberries. Hot tears stung my eyes, but I swiped my hand against them to keep them in their place. I wouldn’t give Ragna the satisfaction of seeing me cry. “It’s an improvement, trust me,” she said, laughing. I shivered despite the heat, for the laugh that bubbled out of her was a mad little giggle that didn’t even sound human.“You never know when to stop, Sylvi. You never know when the joke is no longer funny to anyone but you.”  “I would have never done that to you,” I said. I glanced at the clump of my hair, wondering why the strands were shifting in and out of focus, like twigs sinking below the surface of the waves. Something wet trickled down my face, and I knew why.I pawed at my cheek and clenched my teeth, determined not to give in.  “I was only having a bit of fun. You can be so tiresome.”“You meant to do that. Or were you trying for something worse?” I said, my voice ratcheting up an octave as a new and terrifying possibility suggested itself. What if she’d intended to put out my eye and I’d only been saved because I jerked out of the way? The loss of a few strands of hair suddenly didn’t seem like such a sacrifice. “Oh, Sylvi, please. Come, now, enough is enough. Do make an effort and try to concentrate on finishing your side of the mending, won’t you? There’s so much work to be done. I can hardly waste the entire day sitting out here listening to your wild ramblings. Guard your tongue, Sylvi. If you’re not careful, someone will lock you up for thinking everyone is against you. That’s the first sign of madness.” I felt a rebuke rising up inside me, but something told me to hold my peace.The seconds ticked by, with her still hacking away at the threads. A nagging thought tugged at the back of my mind, refusing to be ignored. My resolve to stay silent had lasted all of a minute. That was long enough. I had to risk it. I had to know. “So, who did give you the scissors?” “Will you never stop?! I already told you. I found them…”“Found them where?”“In a secret hiding place known only to the dead. Don’t press me, Sylvi, or I’ll send you there.”That was a joke. It had to be. If the old Ragna had said it...…but the old Ragna would have never said it, that was the trouble.Silence blanketed us again. The light was fading, and before we left this spot that had always been filled with sunshine and laughter, I was determined to drag the truth out of her. She wouldn’t answer my questions, but maybe threats were a language this new Ragna would understand. “I think Tante Jannicke would find it veeery in-ter-es-ting that a girl your age has a secret beau.”Stars exploded before my eyes as my lip was shoved into my mouth, the flesh catching in the space between my bottom teeth. I was so startled, I didn’t realize what had happened, until my tongue pushed against the skin, and I felt it rip open. Blood washed back into my mouth, gagging me into action.I leaned over and spat it out before it could slide down my throat. One deep breath, in, out, and another… My hands shook as I braced them against the ground and tried to still my galloping heart. Finally, after more than a minute, I felt calm enough to face her.   “What’s wrong, Sylvi dear?” she said innocently.“Who’s the one without a conscience now?” My lip had swelled alarmingly in the seconds since she’d hit me. The pain throbbed through my whole face and made me feel as though an army of demonic little creatures had burrowed inside my head and started striking my skull with hammers. “Don’t you understand what you’ve done?”“Oh, that.”“Ragna!” I was too stunned to say more, too horrified to move, my ears still ringing, my body shaking more from shock than anything else. “I told you I’d wipe that smirk off your face. Let that be a lesson to you. This is what happens to all little girls who stick their noses into other people’s business. You’ll know not to pry next time.”“Fine,” I said, my voice so low it startled me. I didn’t even sound like myself. “Keep your secrets and your scissors and your bloody minded thoughts to yourself, for all I care.” I didn’t expect her to suddenly apologize, but her silence was worse than the blow.Mechanically, relentlessly, she continued to hack off those threads. Slice, tug, pop, slice, tug, pop, like bone being yanked out of a socket. She was so focused, so determined… And that’s when I knew that this had nothing to do with mending the apron. There was something else in her mind, an image of something with a head she was mentally trying to lop off. Or someone….someone like… I turned away and willed myself to leave that thought in the dark where it belonged. The time had come to escape. Blood pounded in my ears, magnifying the sound of each sliver of grass that slapped against my legs as I eased away from her. Just a little bit closer…but I should have known this new Ragna would never let me go so easily.Before I could move another inch, she skewered me with a stare that knocked the will straight out of me. Terror staked me to the spot. I sat frozen, not breathing, pleading with her in my mind to look away and free me from her Gorgon eyes.  “Oh, Sylvi, don’t look so horrified,” said Ragna, wrinkling her nose at me. “It had to be done. You needed to be taught to respect your elders.”“Elders? You? You’re fourteen years old!”“That’s old enough to discipline a nosy little hellion like you. Sometimes, Sylvi, force is the only thing wayward animals understand. My actions were entirely necessary…”“And will the accident that ends my life be necessary, too?” She was stunned! I’d done it! I’d finally shocked her as badly as she’d shocked me. Her hand spasmed, the scissors snapping shut on air. If she hadn’t been so quick, hadn’t moved in time, her little finger would have been severed. She looked down at her hand with a curious expression in her eyes, then the shock seemed to wear off and she was back to her calm and collected new self. Why did my victories never last more than five seconds? “An accident, really,” she said airily. “If I were to kill you, I would have done it ages ago. And I can assure you it would have been no accident. But murder is a sin…”“And ten times more damning than suicide,” I added, to drive home the point.“You’re so right. I have absolutely no intention of going to Hell for you. But there are other ways of keeping my soul unblemished and still getting the result that would benefit us all. There are other means to achieving an end. I could always call in a third party.”“What…” but my question was never asked.Ragna had started to hum.All anger and fear was pushed aside as I recognized the melody that always made me think of a mist-shrouded castle in the sky. Her voice dropped low to catch hold of the first note, then spun upward and came down again, rolling like a wave over the peaks and valleys of the music I had loved for as long as there had been life within me. This was our lullaby, our song, more comforting than the warm blanket Ragna wrapped around me when I screamed myself out of my night terrors.The words danced in my mind’s eye as I swayed back and forth to the melody.Little bear, little bear, do you hear me? How wonderfully warm is your fur. In your arms I sleep tight, in my mind dreams take flight, as we rock on the edge of the night.I opened my eyes, ready to join in. How could she be lost to me if she still remembered this? She was still Ragna, my sister.“Sing, Ragna.”“Little bear, little bear, can you hear me? Draw near and attend to my song. See her veins are so plump, one quick snip and she’ll jump, and the earth will run red with her blood.” I stared at her in horror. What had she done? How could she have done this? She’d butchered our song, twisted it into something thorny and evil, bent it into a lullaby fit for the children of Hell itself.  I tried to swallow, but my throat had gone dry. Fire burned across my shoulders—my muscles as taut as a fisherman’s line. My hands were balled into fists. When I finally forced my fingers to uncurl, bits of earth fell to the ground. I looked down in wonder. How could I have dug into the grass without feeling anything?She was trying to scare me out of my mind.And she was succeeding. Icy fingers wormed their way into my heart. I rocked back on my heels. No matter that my legs were weak, that my mind felt as though it had split in two, I had to get out of here.“Take one more step and I will make sure you never walk again. I can just as easily snip a tendon as a vein.”Her gibbering laugh ricocheted off the trees. I cringed at the sound and the reality that went along with it. For the first time that day, I considered the possibility that my sister was insane. She had always looked so innocent, so pure. Her hair was like a glorious red waterfall flowing out behind her. Her emerald eyes captured people’s attention the minute she walked into a room. Even her freckles were an asset, unlike mine, which people often took for scars left over from an attack of German measles.I used to think she looked like an angel.  She was no angel now.The sun glinting wickedly off that razor-sharp blade brought me back to my new reality.  Ragna’s mesmerizing eyes were dancing. What was she thinking? I shuddered as my mind conjured up a vision of her stabbing the scissors into my back.  “What did you think of my song?”“I think you’re mad, completely barking mad, and I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”“Oh, Sylvi, I was only funning.”“Funning… No, Ragna. You were dead serious.”“That’s where you’re wrong, my dear girl. If I were, I would have sent someone to finish you off years ago.”At those words, I fell back onto the grass.A secret smile skittered across her face. “What are you talking about?”“The Bottomless.”

Sink or Swim Blog Tour

Blurb:
There are some things you just can't walk away from.

When sleeping in vacant warehouses and dark alleys becomes preferable to living at home, something is seriously wrong. But when word reaches Allie that her mother is facing a life threatening illness, she has no choice but to return to the place of nightmares. Leaving wasn't a choice, it was a necessity, and if returning hadn't been equally necessary, Allie never would have set foot back inside that hell-hole.

Dean is no stranger to hardship, but the day Allie walked out of his life, taking his heart right along with her, was hands-down the most frustrating. Six months later, she's back and Dean refuses to rest until he figures out exactly what the hell happened.

Now, Allie's drowning. Drowning in lies. Drowning in the truth. Drowning in pain, and anger, and fear. But there comes a time when every drowning person must decide whether they will . . . Sink or Swim?


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Author Bio:
Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Ravena, NY with her wonderful husband and three crazy kids . . . plus the dog, the bird and the rabbit.



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Review of Sink or Swim by Jamie Canosa Well, what can I say? Jamie Canosa does it again, writing an incredible, unforgettable story with a hotter-than-hot hero and a perfectly sassy, beautifully sarcastic heroine. This is one of those books that you can’t put down once you start it—the best kind in my opinion. Sink or Swim is the sequel of sorts to Fight or Flight, starring Al, who was one of Em’s homeless teen street friends. Al actually stood out to me in that book because of her tough shell that you just knew had to be hiding something terrible. Toward the end of Fight or Flight Al exits when her character learns her mother’s dying and she has to go back home in spite of the fact that her father, who uses her for a punching bag, is still there. Sink or Swim picks up right where we left Al, returning home. Allie, AKA Al, puts herself back within reach of her abusive father in order to take care of her mother who’s been stricken with stage IV cancer. She’s willing to put herself in danger’s path so that she can make her mother’s remaining time more bearable. How can you not love a girl who does that? It also puts her back in reach of Dean, the boy across the street she’s been with almost her whole life, and who she just left, without any explanation, six months earlier (during her time on the street in the first book). Dean’s torn between euphoria that the girl he loves is back, and frustration that she has no good reason for having gone, and seems determined to keep him out of her life. Sink or Swim is a fascinating, gripping, heartrending, ultimately satisfying glimpse of their journey together, both past and present. Dean’s easy to fall in love with because he’s not just hot, but kind, caring, and takes care of his family since his own father’s death years earlier. Allie is easy to fall in love with because she’s such a sarcastic, snarky, ultimately broken girl who’s just trying to keep everyone around her safe. For fans of Jamie Canosa, you won’t be disappointed in the slightest but this book. Jamie keeps her wonderful, light, engaging tone that she has in all her previous works. Fair warning: Jamie’s books are generally mostly curse-free, but Sink or Swim has quite a bit of profanity in it. It’s kept pretty PG-13 in the sex department, but R in the language department. If you can look past that, you’ll find yourself reading a pretty amazing book.Other books by Jamie: Fight or Flight 
Dissidence 
Vengeance (Dissidence Book 2)

Blogger Book Fair BFF's

I just want to say thank you to these five amazing authors who hosted me this week during Blogger Book Fair (and who I hosted in return). They are:
BBF day 1 Andrea Goodson BBF day 2 EM Tippets BBF day 3 Marie Landry BBF day 4 Shannen Crane Camp BBF day 5 Alberta Ross

Blogger Book Fair Day 5

For todays Blogger Book Fair I have Alberta Ross. All of Alberta's books are available for free on smashwords this week for the Blogger Book Fair. Today we have Alberta's 10 things that have surprised her most about becoming an author. Also I am featured on Alberta's blog talking about the 10 things people don't know about me. Check it out here!

Here is Alberta's 10 things that have surprised her the most about becoming an author:

1:  What fun it is.  All my life I had assumed that writing was a serious business – well of course it is to some extent but. . .but. . . only a part of it the rest is so enjoyable.  Maybe it is the advent of cyberspace that has made it so.  We are no longer alone in a garret.
2: How much time it takes from conception to actuality.   As a child it seemed easy to write a book.  I did, 5 pages long with illustrations :)  In reality, there’s thinking time (or dreaming if you prefer) translating imagination into words, balancing and preening those words,  finding each and every mistake,  finding a cover,  finding a means of publishing, and then marketing.  Really, maybe we should stick to 5 page books with illustrations!
3: When I ventured up here in cyberspace to self publish I was terrified.  I am old and computers came late in my life.  The internet was slow to take off here in the UK, my software skills were minimal. It appeared to be a very lonely place.  Were the natives friendly?  Yes, Yes and Yes again. So many of them offering, with great generosity, help and support.
4: The nitty gritty of it all is a downside for me, I have lived my many decades in a glorious state of disarray, caused in the main by having Dyspraxia, it never mattered.  Now I grapple with the nitty gritty.  Order, rules, specifics all try to rule my rebellious heart. Editing is the tyrant.
5: Isn’t a computer a wondrous beastie? When I think of authors such as Dickens writing by pen and ink I know I am alive at the right time.  I introduced my father at the end of his life to one of the earlier machines (no internet, he would have loved that)– he was still writing but with shaking hands and was finding the task increasingly difficult, esp. the edits.  Cut and paste was his golden moment. Enabled him to write until the end.
Me I love all the software which enables me to edit better, design covers, trailers etc, can invent music with an instrument– the list goes on into 6)
6: I have to mention Dragon here – the voice recognition software which enables me to dictate when my wrists will not work anymore- love it:) Because there are days that arthritis says ‘not playing today’.  When one has a tale to tell this is frustrating in the extreme.  Putting it off for another day does not feel like an option.  Now I can dictate – it was very strange at the beginning and I felt self conscious even when along but now – well I can’t tell you. Great. The next try will have to be audio books.
7: I’m not keen on the marketing, being an elderly middle class Brit, touting my wares is contrary to every aspect of up-bringing I have had over the decades. I feel uncomfortable doing it, and so it doesn’t get done well.  I am improving, slowly.
8:  I love delving into hidden depths and taking little side turns.  Writing allows me to do this. It is called Research.   Actually it’s an excuse to nosey out fascinating facts and whimsy:) I have to be careful that whole days are not wasted following links to yet another site.  It’s this cyberspace thing again. If I had been an old time author I would have had to work hard to accumulate all these facts, borrowing endless books.  I do still buy research books but the internet means I can gather quicker and have a lot of fun on side paths, all in the name of ‘writing’ (it is my job after all, someone has to do it – right?:)
9:  Deadlines are a mixed experience for me. I self publish so deadlines are in fact self imposed.  Without them it is easy for time to vanish.  With them the increasing stress when time slips, when writing dries up, when illness/life interferes, can threaten happiness big time. The early hours of the morning become the norm, backs that threaten to break, and eyes gummed and desperate to close all indications the deadline is fast approaching.  This last year I have learnt (because of illness not common sense:) to say it doesn’t matter – relax.  Shh don’t tell my head, I still have deadlines but they are much flexible now.
10:  The day I received that first box of books with my name on them was a day I will never forget but maybe the best was the day the county library took the first two of my books and put them on the book group lists for reading.  As a child I haunted four libraries, piles of books wended their way to my home and a great deal of pocket money wended back to pay the overdue fines! They were Aladdin’s caves full of excitement and treasure and that day when my books joined in was amazing.
Below are the codes to get Alberta's books on Smashwords if you read a blurb you like:
  Ellen's Tale: being the first part of the Sefuty Chronicles 2111:  Ellen Wellfit, innocent and naive child of the safe,peaceful and sterile cities.  Bix Sefune, genetically modified as a child to fight with the Sefuty Comrades (popularly known as Ferals), now dangerously charming.They meet when she seeks his help to fulfil the dying request of an old lady.  Terrified of life outside the city walls Ellen, in venturing out into the countryside, is forced to cling to Bix and he, responding, finds his interest in her growing.  They both dare to think of a future together but he cannot live within walls and they have to part.  It is Ellen who seeks to find a way to achieve their dreams.  She takes a dangerous path but the results of her actions hold out hope for them and also for the dwindling survivors of mankind.Ellen's Tale is an historical romance set in the future, with three time periods and two love stories set against a background of climate change, child soldiers, landmines, genetic engineering and eugenics.CODE: BW88X The Storyteller's Tale: being thesecond part of the Sefuty Chronicles 2116:  Ellen, Bix and Jack have moved away from the city and settled at Blaisemill to try and gain enough skills to survive in the wilderness.  They are to start opening up the beleaguered settlements and establish Trade Routes.  In Ellen's Tale Jack had rescued Keira Baha from death, and despite her being Blaisemill's black sheep, the comrades elect her their guide.  Some in Blaisemill say she is mad, they all say she is bad and consider it a mistake to take her on.  Jack believes she can be rescued from her own demons.  Can he do so in time, for her, for them.2164:  Karina Morgan, friend and colleague of Maia Linne who, with archivist Ris Menai, has gone missing, presumed dead on a field trip, has taken up the uncompleted work on the Sefuty Chronicles.  Working with Keria Baha's recording of events during the three years Ellen and Bix resided in the settlement and some letters from Maia,  Karina tries to continue her friends work.CODE: BE25Jack's Tale: beingthe third part of the Sefuty Chronicle
2120:  Away from the City and imprisoned behind rings of mines, deprived of resources, settlements battle famine, natural disasters and despair. The companions of Ellen’s Tale and The Storyteller’s Tale have moved south to settle in Belacot and to open new trade routes. This land to the west and north of the City has been untouched by any form of law and order for over 50 years and soon our companions face new conflict and danger. As they begin to liberate mined settlements they discover some of the survivors of the Great Wars live by violence banding together to exist by means of terror and murder.  Undermanned and lacking the resources of the City Bix’s Comrade is almost overwhelmed. Disasters threaten the close knit comrades and relationships begin to founder under the stresses of war.  2165:  Karina Morgan continuing her friends research has the task of sorting letters and journal entries into some  semblance of order.  It is not work she is suited to and soon comes into conflict with Clemens the new head of department.

CODE:  DD98AShort StoriesA Patchwork of Perspectives From innocent childhood to old age albertaweaves her tales. From playtime to murder, with a side dish of the fantastical.  Enjoy the experience.VOL ONE  Can a mother's love save her boy? Will the monsters catch the children? How effective are our talismans?Talking cats, nightmares on the moon, murder most foul, children's imagination running wild and old ladies losing contact with the world. All these and more in this first volume of A Patchwork of Perspectives. Alberta ranges from the ordinary to the quietly fantastical. Enjoy the experience. CODE JY26XVOL TWO

More tales which will lead you along perilous paths from exotic locations to the dark shadows of the night.Albertacontinues the mad journey through life. Here you will learn to beware of the shadows in the night, to avoid exotic carpets. Love and life  contained in a shoe box? Where can you find the best plate of fish and chips? Take a cruise with unexpected delights and keep an eye on the strange antics of your neighbours. Alberta's world is all a little barmy so settle back and enjoy the experience.CODE: HP26QVOL THREE
16 very short stories. From the ordinary everyday events to the fantastical, all the familiar elements are here. Childhood, old age and all between Alberta plays with all.
 A photo album charts a life, modern day rage in the workplace, what happens after the fairy tales end and would that tin provide the clue needed?Blackmail, revenge and sweet love all jostle with the madness of minds and the strange alien worlds we know nothing about. Sit back, relax and enjoy Alberta's slightly off kilter imaginationCODE: ZD45S TheFiddling Feline, the Flea and the Frog et al   Alberta has taken fairytale and myth, shifted each a little sideways and wrapped them in a modern setting. Here are talking animals, shape shifters, the greedy and the vain. Among the pages can be found the poor and rich. The teenager, the old woman, a little revenge and a demand for justice. Settle down with an open mind and enjoy the travel to  past times and in between times.CODE BU83L Purchase Alberta's books here  Smashwords * Lulu * Amazon   About Alberta Ross Alberta Ross is the author of the Sefuty Chronicles - a dystopian tale taking place in 2100s after extreme climate change has changed everything, except human nature. Alberta spent the first part of her adult life travelling the world, the middle years studying and now has  settled down to write. From the first part she has endless photographs, memories and friends. From the second she has a BSc Hons, an MA and friends. Now in this part everything comes together.

Over the years her interests have expanded, as has her book and music collection:) A short list would include reading (almost anything) science, opera, folk, gardening, philosophy, crazy patchwork, freeform crochet, ethics, social history, cooking (and eating of course) gardening, anthropology, climate change and sustainability.

Alberta says ‘My parents gave me, apart from a love of reading and music, an interest and curiosity in everything which, in itself, has become a total inability to be bored and for this I am always grateful.’ She considers that she is a half full glass type of person, ready for fun and laughter and that this world, this life, is so full of ‘magic’ there is hardly a need to ‘make anything up’   You can find more information about Alberta on these websites: http://albertaross.co.uk  http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com http://www.didyoueverkissafrog.typepad.com http://albertareads.wordpress.com  http://www.facebook.com/author.alberta.ross http://twitter.com/albertaross also found at http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/alberta-ross.html and http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4506833.Alberta_Ross     

Guardians Blog Tour

Guardians by Heather Frost

A vision of Kate's death causes Patrick to intensify his duties as Guardian. The Demon Lord is especially relentless now that Kate is the only Seer to ever escape his grasp. When Patrick discovers that Kate is the key to defeating their greatest enemy, he must choose between sacrificing the girl he loves or letting the Demon Lord win. You won't be able to put this final installment in the Seers trilogy down.

My review:

Guardians is a more than satisfying ending to Heather Frost's Seerstrilogy. Packed with suspense, action, emotion, romance, and plenty of heart rending moments, fans of the previous books will be thrilled by this exciting ending to Kate and Patrick's story.
As in the previous books, Seers and Demons, Heather takes the time to flesh out all of the characters, both primary and secondary, making sure they aren’t cardboard cut-out characters. Patrick is as hot and sexy as ever, Kate is even more courageous and selfless, and their romance kept me turning the pages as much as the suspense of knowing what was going to happen next. The alternating POV’s is a great tool for giving the reader insight into both of their minds to see why they make the decisions they do.
As in the previous two books, Heather does a great job of setting up a conflict, and then giving an ending that’s completely unexpected. She throws in twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, including characters making choices and sacrifices in ways that are interesting, intriguing, and sometimes heartbreaking.

Guardians is everything I hoped it would be, brilliantly satisfying this fan. The only fault I can find with it is that the book inevitably ended. I can’t say enough good about this entire series. I highly recommend it to everyone who loves a good read.
Heather was kind enough to do a little Q&A with me.
Thanks for joining us today, Heather. We’re happy to have you here for the blog tour for the final installment in your Seersseries, Guardians. Do you want to tell us a little about yourself?
Thanks for having me, Cindy!  I’m a 23 year old book fanatic and movie addict, living in Logan, Utah. I work some odd jobs that actually pay the bills, and then I write because it’s my passion. I’ve got a terrible weakness for an enchanting story, and I firmly believe that the key to any successful story is the emotional connection between the reader and the characters. I also spend a lot of time visiting my family. I’ve got six brothers and three sisters, and we’re all really close even though the oldest is 25 and the youngest is 7. I also have the most adorable nephew, and two sisters-in-law. Brownies beat cake, Vanilla beats chocolate—unless its Cailler milk chocolate, from Switzerland, in which case I’ll gladly take both.
You just returned from a trip to Europe. Tell us a little about what that was like, and did you get ideas for new stories?
It was an incredible three weeks! I spent time exploring my dream destinations: Ireland, England, Scotland; and I discovered new places I’d never really been passionate about before: Wales, France, Switzerland (Cailler chocolate!), and Italy. The tour I went on (with my cousin) was pretty fast paced, but allowed me to feel unrushed at most places. (I could have spent longer at almost every castle we visited, ruined or otherwise!) I also made many new friends from all over the world: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, and the States, most notably.
Story ideas? Definitely! It makes me a bit sad that I promised myself beforehand to finish some of my other projects first, but since I love them too I got over the feeling pretty quickly. But Europe is a great place to go if you want to ignite the imagination.
You wrote all three books in the series in a single summer. That’s amazing. Tell us about your inspiration for the stories.
It was a crazy summer—I didn’t see much sun. But it was an exhilarating experience, becoming so completely invested in my characters for weeks straight. The inspiration story is a funny one, because I guess it shows how my brain works. I was making a ham sandwich at the time, watching a movie, contemplating to myself how I was actually going to be productive this summer, and that I wasn’t off to a stellar start—and then all of these little tangents I’d logged away for the past year suddenly collided, and the subsequent explosion in my mind became the Seers Trilogy. The concept of Guardians, Demons, and Seers (in that order) came to be, then the characters were born, and the plot followed very soon after. I ate my sandwich, walked over to my computer, and rarely strayed for the rest of the summer.
Did you have an outline, or did you just start writing and let the stories go where they may?
I sat down and started typing with a few plot twists in mind, some foggy idea that this story would span three books, and a deep love for my characters. I never make a detailed outline—they just end up ignored, so why bother? I will occasionally make a list of the next 5-10 major plot developments, but that’s as structured as I get.
Having just graduated from college, do you see yourself continuing to write, and if so, do you see it as a career?
I got my Bachelor of Science (English, Creative Writing Major, and Folklore Minor) from Utah State University. I would love to make writing my career, and I’m taking steps in that direction right now. Fingers crossed! But even if writing doesn’t work out as a career, I’ll continue to write. There’s really no way I could stop.
Do you have advice for others who dream of being an author?
I’m going to give the advice that I would have wanted most to hear when I first tried to get published: Believe it’s possible. I mean, dreams can seem pretty unreachable, often downright unrealistic. But anything you believe in becomes possible, because with the belief becomes a determination that will keep pushing you forward, no matter the obstacles.
What are some of your favorite books? Are there any books you read repeatedly?
The Harry Potter series makes both lists, definitely. Some other books I read repeatedly: Peter Pan, Jayne Eyre, Seeking Persephone (Sarah M. Eden), The Percy Jackson books, The Scarlet Pimpernel ...
One random fact about yourself that will surprise your readers:
My favorite days are rainy days.  (The whole living in a desert thing gives some people the wrong idea, I know, but it’s the truth!)
One word questions:
Favorite color: GreenFavorite food: PizzaFavorite ice cream: Vanilla BeanOne of your pet peeves: Impatient driversFavorite movie: The Decoy Bride (Right now, anyway….)Favorite TV show: Doctor WhoFavorite person: My mom!
Where can your readers stalk you?I make it fairly easy. JWebsite   *   GoodreadsBlog/Page   *   The SeersFanpage               Find Guardians (and my other books) with the links below:             Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Books and Things


Heather Frost: About the AuthorI was born in Sandy, Utah, a few days before Halloween in 1989. I lived in Salt Lake City until I was about six, and then I moved North and settled into the place I still call home. I'm the oldest daughter and second oldest child in my family. I have six brothers, and three sisters. My parents chose to home-school all of us, and I'm surprised that they held onto their sanity after having us home so much. Still, I'm very grateful to them for all of the many sacrifices they made which enabled me to get the education that I did. My family members are my best friends, and I love them all so much. The three most important things in my life are as follows: God, my family, and writing. These things make me who I am, and I will always be grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with so much.

I can't remember a time when I didn't enjoy reading, and I did a lot of it. I also dabbled in writing when I was young, though nothing serious until I entered the teenage years. I picked up one of my favorite hobbies when I started playing the flute at age eleven. I played my flute through High School, participating in both marching and concert bands, which led me to make some very good friends. I continue to play the flute, and was even a member of the Snow College Flute Choir.

I attended Snow College, and there got the best job ever as a writing tutor. I graduated in May 2011 with my Associate of Science, and am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science as an English Major. (Yes, a BS in English. Almost ironic, huh?) I love movies, music, and books—although I do think that the dumbest question on the planet is the whole “What's your favorite book/music/movie?” The best answer I've come up with is, “Whatever I'm reading, listening to, or watching at the time.” Generally, it's an accurate answer.

Blogger Book Fair Day 4

I'm very excited about todays guest for Blogger Book Fair because it's my very good friend and fellow geek Shannen Crane Camp. Shannen has authored some amazing books that you can read about below. Also, I'll be showing up on Shannen's blog today if you want to hop on over and give it a peek here.

Here's my fun Q&A with Shannen - with some photos!
Tell us 3 fun facts about yourself.
Random, but I was technically born on two days because I was born on midnight of October 7th, so my mom got to decide if my birthday would be the 7th or the 8th. I’m a Midnighter! I love to surf and I love being in the water, but water is also one of my biggest fears… so I’m kind of a walking contradiction. And last but not least, I always have salt packets with me… I have an unhealthy salt addiction. Wow… these are more like weird facts than fun facts huh?
Hey, weird facts are always fun! I didn’t know about the birthday thing. That’s very cool. What book are you currently reading, and in what format?
I’m reading 3 books! I like to read multiple books at once. I’m reading “The Elite” by Kiera Cass in hardcover. I’m reading “Falling” by Jolene Perry on a Nook app on my phone. And I’m reading “The Rapunzel Gift” by Jackie Hicken printed out from the ARC I got from her J
Wow, I’m impressed that you’re reading three! I rarely have time to read one. Do you have a book that you read over and over?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read “Uglies” by Scott Westerfeld. It’s a little ridiculous how much I love those books!
Love those books. For some reason I’m now in the mood to re-read them. Is there a book you know you’ll never read?
Hmmmm that’s a hard one. I don’t think there’s a book I can say “Without a doubt I’ll never read this!” because I said that about “The Hunger Games” when I heard the premise of kids killing each other… and now I love those books.  Books just always end up being so much deeper than their premise so I’ve learned the hard way a few times to just swallow my pre-conceived notions and read it anyway.
Good point. I like that answer. You’re deserted on an island. A genie appears and gives you six wishes. You can’t wish for more wishes, and you can’t wish to be home. You can only wish for three specific items and three people to have with you. What are your wishes?
The people are pretty easy. I’d wish for my husband, a doctor (Doctor Who!!! Okay… I know… real people…), and Lights to provide some musical entertainment JAs for the items… I’d say food and water but that would be too obvious, so instead I’ll say one of those tents from Harry Potter that are bigger on the inside (this is, again, assuming I can have things that don’t exist), a never ending supply of Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers, because I get really grumpy when my lips are chapped! Annnnnd “Uglies” for some reading material… plus that book makes me want to be an epic survivalist so I’d actually have a chance on the island.
I think you should take Doctor Who. I mean, the guy has all kinds of cool gadgets in the Tardis that could come in handy, plus his amazing screwdriver. You recently filmed a part as a zombie bride (right?). What’s the title of the movie, and tell us a little about how you got the gig, and what the movie’s about.
I can’t believe you brought this up! You crack me up Cindy JThe movie is called “The Headless Princess” and it’s pretty much about how the headless horseman became who he is and how I (as the headless princess) gave him a pumpkin for his head! Vanessa Winter is the ones who came up with and shot the whole thing. She and her husband Joseph make all sorts of epic movies and occasionally they let me in on the fun, for which I’m VERY grateful! We all majored in film at BYU together so that’s how I get to weasel my way into their movies. They said they still have about 40 days of post (because we shot the entire film against a green screen) but once it’s up you can find it on their YouTube channel and you can see other videos of theirs (that I may or may not be in) here . This is what I got to look like in the film. Gross, but so fun! 


Ah, so not so much a zombie, but more a headless princess. Guess a headless princess can’t eat people due to the lack of mouth and all. And yep, found one of Shannen's movies. You're a great screamer, Shannen. Don't believe me? Watch this:



Are there any books-turned-movie that you prefer the movie version of?
I don’t think there’s a movie I prefer more than the book version… but that being said, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” is like two completely different things between the books and the movie. They changed it so much that I almost feel like they’re unrelated but I LOVE IT! Because now I get to love those books for what they are, and I love the movie for what it is separate from the books.
Yeah, that’s like me with Stardust, amazing book, amazing movie, both completely different. If you could time travel, where would you go first and why?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, as much as it makes me sound like an airhead, I’d go to the 50’s and have a major shopping spree. Or maybe I’d have a shopping spree in the 20’s. The clothes are just so wonderful. Don’t judge my airhead response J Maybe I’d buy some stocks while I was there. That would be the smart thing to do.
I don’t think it’s airheaded at all—I think it’s rather smart. Do you know how envious everyone would be of your vintage clothing? When did you go from “writer” to “author” in your mind?
When my first book (The Breakup Artist) was officially published I think I made the change (That makes it sound like I turned into a werewolf or something). I don’t know if that’s really an official way to decide, but that’s kind of how it felt.
So not only a headless princess, but a werewolf as well, huh . . . Where do you write, and what do you have with you when you do?
I write at a desk surrounded by clay figures of my characters that my friend Jackie Hicken made. They guilt me into writing J I have to have complete silence when I write, though I’ve started writing while listening to the Portal 2 soundtrack since it’s not too distracting. And I have to have a huge glass of water with me. A bag of stroopwaffels is preferable but if I ate those every time I wrote I’d be in a sugar coma by now J


Love the clay figures. They’re awesome! What’s your latest release?
My latest release is called “Sugar Coated”. It’s the first in a dystopian (speculative?) YA trilogy and it comes out September 6th! So far I only have a link for the Goodreads page since it’s not on sale yet, but here’s that! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
And the synopsis:
An unhealthy addiction to sugar cubes, a deep-seated fear of water, and universal luxury—these are the simple things that make up 18-year-old Brynn's Utopian existence. Why, then, is her perfect life also plagued with unanswered questions?

Like every other resident of the planet Halcyon, Brynn's home provides everything she needs, money is unheard of, and life is perfect. But unlike the rest of Seaside's residents, Brynn has questions. Why can't people leave the city? Why does the ocean fill everyone with terror? Who are the Workers? Not only is Brynn curious where others are compliant, but she suffers from chronic nightmares of an angelic woman torturing her for information she doesn’t possess. But these are more than just figments of her imagination; they're memories of things that never happened.

When Brynn meets Jonah, a brilliant, library-dwelling boy who shares her questions and her curiosity, they formulate a plan to find answers. Somewhere, the perfect veneer of Halcyon's instant gratification hides a city that only Brynn knows about—a city she and Jonah are determined to find. But will finding the city give them answers, or simply uncover the horrific truth behind the perfection?
Wow, sounds intriguing! Look forward to that one. What are you currently working on, and when can we expect to see it for sale?
I just finished a new adult speculative fiction book called “Under Zenith” that I’m really excited about. I love the characters a lot! My main boy character Hayden is kind of a jerk, but in a way that you just love him anyway because you know he’s really a big softy, and my girl Isla is this stubborn Southern girl who won’t take any of his crap. Plus Hayden is British so… you know… sexy accent and all that. I had so much fun writing it! I’m not sure when this one will be out yet, but expect it pretty soon because I just love it way too much to keep it to myself.
Here’s a synopsis:
It was the most important day of her life, and for 21-year-old Isla Edison, graduating from college with a useless degree in vocal performance was all part of her master plan. Dying in a car accident only hours later wasn't part of that plan. Yet there she was, standing over her own lifeless body and panicking about ruining the truck her parents had bought as a graduation present. Talk about a bad way to repay them.If coming to terms with the hereafter wasn’t enough to deal with, Isla suddenly finds herself stuck with Hayden, a gorgeous Brit with a bad attitude and a penchant for throwing her off cliffs to keep her in line. Worst of all, Hayden is her Guide, and until she completes six impossible and totally random tasks to reach her mysterious Destination, she's stuck with him. Isla's major problem, though, is that she doesn't know what reaching her Destination actually entails, and soon the mystery surrounding her new afterlife seems more ominous than any purgatory she could possibly imagine. Now Isla must decide if she'll trust her dark and brooding Guide despite his "bad boy" act, or if she'll risk failing her tasks and facing the unknown alone.
That sounds really good! You should definitely work on getting that one out there so I can get my hands on a copy. :o) Okay, so now some one word questions:
Favorite color? GreenFavorite food? PotatoesFavorite drink? WaterFavorite movie? Today? “Bandits”Favorite TV show? Corner GasFavorite animal? HippoFavorite season? FallFavorite Dr. Who? David Tennant FTW!!!(Can’t argue with that! He’s my fave as well.)Favorite online or video game? Online is Guild Wars 2 and non-online is Portal 2. (Lots of twos for some reason).Favorite superhero?Dr . Jean Grey J I know she turns evil and everything… but she’s so awesome! (Great choice—a hero who’s also a villain. I knew you were a smart girl, Shannen!)
Thank you so much for stopping by and having this fun chat with us! Here are Shannen's books and where you can buy them now!

You can watch the trailer for her upcoming Sugar Coated here! 


Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads







Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads







Goodreads









Amazon Barnes and Noble Goodreads







Goodreads








For those of you who want to know more about Shannen, you can find her at: 
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The Hero's Lot Book Blast

 
The Hero's Lot Riveting Sequel from Christian Fantasy's Most Talented New Voice. When Sarin Valon, the corrupt secondus of the conclave, flees Erinon and the kingdom, Errol Stone believes his troubles have at last ended. But other forces bent on the destruction of the kingdom remain and conspire to accuse Errol and his friends of a conspiracy to usurp the throne. In a bid to keep the three of them from the axe, Archbenefice Canon sends Martin and Luis to Errol's home village, Callowford, to discover what makes him so important to the kingdom. But Errol is also accused of consorting with spirits. Convicted, his punishment is a journey to the enemy kingdom of Merakh, where he must find Sarin Valon, and kill him. To enforce their sentence, Errol is placed under a compulsion, and he is driven to accomplish his task or die resisting.
Amazon * Barnes & NobleHero's Lot is the Sequel to A Cast of Stones
A Cast of Stones An Epic Medieval Saga Fantasy Readers Will Love. In the backwater village of Callowford, Errol Stone's search for a drink is interrupted by a church messenger who arrives with urgent missives for the hermit priest in the hills. Desperate for coin, Errol volunteers to deliver them but soon finds himself hunted by deadly assassins. Forced to flee with the priest and a small band of travelers, Errol soon learns he's joined a quest that could change the fate of his kingdom. Protected for millennia by the heirs of the first king, the kingdom's dynasty is near an end and a new king must be selected. As tension and danger mount, Errol must leave behind his drunkenness and grief, learn to fight, and come to know his God in order to survive a journey to discover his destiny.
Amazon * Barnes & Noble  
Author Patrick W. Carr Patrick Carr was born on an Air Force base in West Germany at the height of the cold war. He has been told this was not his fault. As an Air Force brat, he experienced a change in locale every three years until his father retired to Tennessee. Patrick saw more of the world on his own through a varied and somewhat eclectic education and work history. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1984 and has worked as a draftsman at a nuclear plant, did design work for the Air Force, worked for a printing company, and consulted as an engineer. Patrick’s day gig for the last five years has been teaching high school math in Nashville, TN. He currently makes his home in Nashville with his wonderfully patient wife, Mary, and four sons he thinks are amazing: Patrick, Connor, Daniel, and Ethan. Sometime in the future he would like to be a jazz pianist. Patrick thinks writing about himself in the third person is kind of weird.
Website * Facebook    Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/11/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blogger Fair Day 3

For Blogger Book Fair, day 3, I have Canadian author Marie Landry stopping by to share her top 7 tips for new writers. She has some great pointers! I'm also on her blog today with my top 10 tips for marketing for writers. Stop by there today after you finish reading her post here.

Top 7 Tips for New Writers
Marie Landry
1. Write. This seems like an obvious one, but you’d be surprised. Most of the writers I know (including myself) are world-class procrastinators. Even though we love to write, we’ll often do anything but actually sit down and write - browse Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, chat with friends online, tidy our desks, sort through files - you name it. For any number of reasons, it can be daunting to get started, but it needs to be done. You need to plant your butt in the chair, eliminate distractions, and write. Find a time that works for you, a place that’s comfortable and quiet, stop making excuses, and justwrite. 
2. Read, and read widely. I’ve always attributed a large part of my intelligence to my love of reading. I have eclectic tastes and will read pretty much anything. My favourite genre is contemporary young adult, because that’s mainly what I write, but I also regularly read paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery, both in young adult and adult books. Reading is to a writer what exercise and practice are to an athlete. It makes your mind sharper, gives you inspiration, and lets you see what’s out there so you can be sure to write original stories.


3. Don’t edit as you go. You can get bogged down in trying to find the right word or the perfect sentence or the best way to convey an emotion, but the truth is, none of that matters in a first draft. Ask most writers and they’ll likely tell you their first drafts are usually crap. The real meat of a story comes during revisions once you’ve written the entire thing and have more perspective (and other eyes to assist you, in the form of beta readers and editors).

4. Become part of the writing community. Blog about your writing, join Facebook groups, tweet using the hashtag #amwriting. Here’s a sad fact: it’s hard to find support among non-writers. I’ve heard so many people say that they started writing a book and expected their friends and family to be really interested and supportive, but they weren’t. It can hurt and be discouraging, but you can’t let that stop you. The online writing community is wonderfully supportive. You can also check locally for writing groups or critique groups that meet in your area.
5. Think outside the box. They say write what you know, and while that’s good advice to a point, if you’re a writer you likely have a vivid imagination - dream things up. Create your own worlds, don’t be afraid to take chances, and write what makes you happy, even if it isn’t necessarily considered conventional.
6. Research and learn the ins and outs of publishing - both traditional and self-publishing. Learn how things work from beginning to end and what kind of work is involved, especially if you’re self-publishing and have to do things on your own. Before I published my first novel I spent months reading every blog and article I could find that had to do with self-publishing. I wanted to know what I was getting into and make sure it was the right decision.
7. Never give up. It’s easy to get frustrated, it’s easy to make excuses, and it’s easy to doubt yourself. You’ll likely have days when you think everything you write is absolute garbage (and there’ll be days when it may even be true), but you can’t let that stop you. If writing is what you really want to do - if you’re passionate about it - you won’t let anything or anyone stop you. There might be naysayers - whether it’s friends, family, coworkers, or just random people you meet and tell ‘I’m a writer’ - but the only thing that reallymatters is how you feel. If you love writing and feel like it’s something you have to do, you’ll do it no matter what.
Marie's links:

Blog      Facebook       Twitter       GoodReads

Books:
Waiting for the Storm         




The Game Changer


Blue Sky Days