Tia Silverthorne Bach's Blog, page 28

Chasing Forgiveness Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I am so excited to finally reveal the cover for Chasing Forgiveness, a prequel novella in the award-winning Tala Prophecy series.
Cover design by Jo Michaels
About Chasing Forgiveness
When terror strikes, forever altering your life, it doesn’t ask permission or forgiveness.
Madeleine and Amélie’s quiet lives are ripped apart by a creature they never imagined could exist outside a horror story. Their mother is murdered, their father is missing, and the only safe haven is with a family full of secrets. But rescue comes at a price.
Ripped from the light of youth, the sisters are forced into the shadows—where they meet brothers Rafe and Rowan.
It’s not the time for infatuation or love, but the heart rarely listens to reason.
Now, the young women have decisions to make. Will they be able to achieve their unified goal of stopping evil, or will it consume them from the inside out?
They soon learn some choices can’t be undone.
Release Date: April 14, 2015

Author’s Note: This novella can be read as a stand-alone.



Giveaway
Sign up for the author’s newsletter for exclusive sneak peeks and giveaways at http://eepurl.com/bif19P.
Everyone who subscribes by April 12, 2015 will be entered into a drawing for an eBook of Chasing Forgiveness, which will be delivered on release day. Ten copies are up for grabs.

Sharing Me : The Writing Life

With Chasing Forgiveness (a Tala Prophecy novella) coming out on April 14, I'm entrenched in marketing endeavors. 

First, I created an Author newsletter. You can sign up here: http://eepurl.com/bif19P.

And I'll share a little secret... everyone who is signed up by Sunday, April 12 will be entered into a drawing for an eBook of Chasing Forgiveness (10 copies given away total) to be delivered to your inbox on release day (4/14/15).

Oh, and I promise I'll only send newsletters to highlight exclusive materials, new releases, and exciting news and events. 

Please sign up and share the news.

Another fun thing I did recently was update my author profile.

The new one:

Tia Silverthorne Bach has been married to her college sweetheart for twenty years, has three beautiful girls, and adores living in sunny California. Her daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She believes in fairy tales and happy endings and is an avid reader and rabid grammar hound. 

She is an award-winning, multi-genre author and an Editor for Indie Books Gone Wild. From an early age, she escaped into books and believes they can be the source of healing and strength. If she’s not writing, you can find her on the tennis court, at the movies, reading a good book, or spooning Jif peanut butter right out of the jar.

I wanted something more personal, and I'm really happy with it.
Have an amazing Friday. And please stop back by on Monday for the cover reveal of Chasing Forgiveness. Newsletter subscribers have already seen it, but here's a sneak peek...

Finally Figured It Out : #IWSG

The  Insecure Writer's Support Group  (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool  Facebook group ). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.

Welcome to another edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. My April is starting off well. On April 14, I will release my fifth book, Chasing Forgiveness, a prequel novella in my Tala Prophecy series.

Just in time for this release, I finally figured out the trick to successful marketing.

Can you believe it? 

Okay, it's my lame attempt at an April Fool's Day joke.

However, I have figured out something about marketing. What works changes (thanks to ever changing trends) and it's not the same for everyone. 

I have to find what works for me and experiment with different strategies. For my latest release, I'm trying new types of giveaways, ramping up a newsletter subscription, and using Kindle Countdown for the first time (to run a sale on my previous release and my new release at the same time). I'm looking forward to seeing what works and what doesn't. 

Just as importantly, I want to develop a marketing strategy that complements my personality and strengths. I promise to report on my findings. One thing is for sure... this is the first time I've been excited about book marketing/promotion. That's definitely a step in the right direction.

What marketing epiphany have you had recently?

Oh, and Happy April Fool's Day. Enjoy!

Kristina Circelli, Ripley's Booklist & UtopYA : Indie News & Highlights

I love Mondays! Each week I scour posts, Facebook, and Twitter to find awesome Indie News & Highlights. I have to admit... I end up fan-girling while doing so.

Oh, and next Monday (4/6), I'll be revealing the cover for Chasing Forgiveness. I can't even explain how excited I am. If you'd like to get an exclusive first look at the cover, sign up for my newsletter here .

Now, to this week's highlights.
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First up... a cover reveal of Kristina Circelli's latest book, Unbroken Beings. Isn't it gorgeous?
Cover Design by Michelle MoniqueAbout Unbroken Beings

“Promise me, little elf.” Evangeline Frost had a plan, once. Attend a prestigious art school, become a renowned painter. It was a dream she shared with her father, one that was ripped away in the car accident that claimed his life.
At California’s Kindred Hides Wildlife Preserve, Evangeline thought she had finally grieved for her father and moved on. But now, halfway around the world in Zambia at a new sanctuary for animals, Evangeline finds herself haunted by old memories … and a promise she has yet to fulfill.
Nightmares plague her dreams. Caster’s flirtations confuse her. And when poachers invade the preserve, they leave behind a devastation that threatens to break her apart.

Now Evangeline lives for a different dream: to save the lives of every animal who calls the preserve home, no matter the cost. A crusade that strains her budding relationship with Caster, a mission taking her further away from dreams of the past ‒ and gives her an orphaned elephant calf to call her own.
Evangeline Frost has a new plan. Protect the preserve and keep a promise that will finally heal her heart … or put her very life at risk.

Coming: Mid to late 2015
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There's an awesome new service for readers and writers alike...


RIPLEY’S BOOKLIST is a Young Adult Fiction e-book subscription list curated by YA author, Ripley Patton, and her YA son. We serve up quality CHEAP and FREE YA book deals to your inbox once a week. 

Find out more here .*****
In case you missed Saturday's special post, I wanted to put in another plug for UtopYA. 

Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;) 

In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com.
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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

UtopYA 2015 -- Write Your Own Future

Have you got a story in your heart simply bursting to be told? Or characters in your head who never stop whispering their secrets? Maybe you're a devoted reader who wants to tell the world about your favorite books. 

No matter your goals, UtopYA will envelop you with open arms as well as inspire you beyond belief! The book conference brings female writers of contemporary and supernatural YA and NA fiction together with their fans. Book lovers from far and wide, including authors and readers as far away as the UK, Scotland, and South Africa. This year’s expected attendance of 700-1,000 will be its highest ever.

Those who are interested in a thriving book community will enjoy panels and camaraderie. Readers will not only meet some of their favorite authors (and even do karaoke with them!), but they'll attend educational panels to learn about honing their craft. Whether it's writing or editing a book, designing covers, developing marketing strategies, blogging - they've got a panel for that and more! 

Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;) 

In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com.
Want to know who will be there? Here’s a PARTIAL list of authors, experts, models, and vendors who are ready to meet YOU:Denise Grover Swank • Kim Holden • Lauren Miller • Marissa Meyer • Myra McEntire • Tammara Webber • Rebecca Donovan • Amy A. Bartol • Jessica Sorensen • Ella James • Cameo Renae • Elizabeth Kirke • Amanda Jones • T.A. Kunz • Chelsea Fine • Whit & Ware • Mae I Design • Indie-Visible • Teal Haviland • Kristie Cook • Clean Teen Publishing • CHBB • Timid Monster • Tia Bach and Indie Books Gone Wild • The Paisley Reader • Delphina Henley • Shana Benedict • Book Junkie Not So Anonymous • Michele Madow • Courtney Stevens • C.J. Redwine • #NALitChat • Chanda Hahn • RK Ryals • A.M. Hargrove • B.J. Sheldon • Cambria Hebert • Tessi Conquest • Nathan Weller • Kendra Malcolm • Madison Daniel • Mindy Ruiz • Bryna Butler • Curiosity Quills • P.K. Hrezo • Rysa Walker • Mary Ting • Bella Roccaforte • Raine Thomas • The Rebel Writers • Michele G. Miller • Raye Wagner • Heather Hildenbrand • S.M. Boyce • Rebecca Yarros • Rachel Harris • Tammy Blackwell • Plot Ninja • Helene Dunbar • Lila Felix • Lizzy Ford • A.G. Henley • Toni Lesatz • Nikki Jefford • Katie McGarry • Stormy Smith • Amy Miles • Rick Miles • Jon Miller • Misty Provencher • Kallie Ross • Stacie Wilson • Morgan Wylie and so many more. 

Check the web site for full list of authors, exhibitors, panelists and more!

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I'm so excited to be at this event again this year. It's amazing! I'll be signing books Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Hope to see you there!

YA Extravaganza

It's Friday... the last one of March. Wow, time sure does fly when you are having fun.

Speaking of fun, you are invited to a party this weekend, starting at 2:00pm CST today (3/27), on Facebook.

It's the YA Extravaganza.


This is a YA ONLY event. In order to get some of the best YA Authors out there in one place to meet other YA authors and the wonderful people who love to read that genre. Also to help find books that you and your kids can enjoy, read & chat together about! 

Here's the lineup...

Friday 27th 
4-5pm - Tia Silverthorne Bach
5-6pm - Marica Vance Author
6-7pm - Kelly A Risser
7-7:30 - Alexia Purdy
7:30-8pm - M.R. Polish 
8-9pm - YA Author Susan Stielow
9-10pm - Kristyn Eudes
10-10:30 - Veronica Williams (host) closing the night post in for Rachel M Raithby Author

Saturday 28th 12noon- 1pm - Janae Mitchell, Author
1-2pm - H.G. Lynch
2-3pm - Sabrina Bradley Archer
3-4pm - Kelly Anne
4-5pm - JP Barry
5-6pm - Amanda Porter
6-7pm- Jennifer Melzer
7-8pm - Carrigan Richards
8-9pm - Heather Dowell
9-10pm - Author AS Oren
Sunday 29th3-4pm - Denice Garrou
4-5pm - Kyra Dune
5-6pm - Theresa Kay, Author
6-7pm - Tina Bell (PA posting)
7-8pm - Author Brooklyn Taylor
8-9pm - Daniele Lanzarotta
9-10pm - Nicole Neace-Rickman

I'll be kicking off the party, so please stop by between 4-5:00pm CST. I'm giving away some fun prizes, including ebooks of Chasing Shadows and Fractured Glass. Oh, and I might even give away a copy of Chasing Forgiveness (debuting April 14, 2015).

Hope to see you there!

Reign, Rein, and Rain : Grammar & Editing Tips

www.wigflip.comLast week, I posted about Homophone and Contractions . Homophones are words that sound alike (can be spelled alike or not) but have different meanings. 
As an editor, I fix tons of homophones in manuscripts. So, I thought I'd feature some commonly misused homophones for the next couple of weeks. 
Today, I'll discuss reign, rein, and rain.

ReignRoyal rule or authority (noun) or to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority (verb). So, if it's about royalty, it's reign. 

ReinA leather strap, fastened to each end of the bit of a bridle, by which the rider or driver 
controls a horse or other animal by pulling so as to exert pressure on the bit (noun) or to check or guide by exerting pressure on a bridle bit by means of the reins / to curb, restrain, or control (verb).
I like to think of reindeer to remember this one. Pulling or device to pull = rein. Even if you want to hold back a person, it's rein in. 
A tricky one is free rein. I found an excellent description of why it's rein and not reign in this instance (from Grammarist). From their website :

The usual spelling of the phrase meaning freedom to do as one pleases is free rein, not free reign. The latter is a common misspelling, and it almost makes sense given reign's meaning (i.e., the exercise of sovereign power). But free rein, an allusion to horseback riding, is the original form, and it is much more common in published texts. The OED lists instances of its use from as long ago as the 17th century.

RainThis is the easy one, right? Rain is weather... the water that comes down from the sky.
And for real fun...
reign of terror -- think ruling of terrorrained terror -- think rained water, so rained terror (like terror is coming down)
A king can rain terror that causes a reign of terror. 
Grammar is never boring!
Is there an editing/grammar issue that's always caused you trouble? If so, share it in the comments so I can feature it in a future post. 
Definitions from Dictionary.com

Kelly Martin Videos & YA Extravaganza : Indie News & Highlights

How is it almost April already?

March is always a crazy time in my house. We are crazy basketball fans, and it's March Madness. A little back story: my husband and I met my third day of college at the University of Kentucky.

This Wednesday, my husband and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary. Yes, we even got married during March Madness.

But enough about me and March. It's time for my weekly Monday feature... Indie News & Highlights.
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First up, I want to invite you to subscribe to the YouTube channel of my lovely author friend (and Happy Buddy -- look for an upcoming post on this subject), Kelly Martin. She is charming and fun-loving. There's even an Ask Kelly Anything feature.

I plan on doing more videos in the very near future, and she's been a total inspiration.

Right now, she's ramping up for a Super Secret Project on April 2. I'm so excited.

Check it out below and subscribe here .





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This Friday and Saturday, March 27 & 28, Veronica Williams is hosting a YA Extravaganza. I will be hosting from 4-5pm EST on Friday, March 27. 

Please join me for some fun and games and insider information on my upcoming novella release, Chasing Forgiveness. Information from the event:

This is a YA ONLY event. In order to get some of the best YA Authors out there in one place to meet other YA authors and the wonderful people who love to read that genre. Also to help find books that you and your kids can enjoy, read & chat together about! 


Check it out here. We'd love to have you join us!
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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

The Best Assistant : The Writing Life

Happy Friday!

For my Tala Prophecy series, I've done quite a bit of research about werewolves, shapeshifters, Native American lore, and much more. 

Since I'm currently writing Chasing Destiny, Book 3, I needed to go back through the past two books. It's a great refresher, but I also wanted to make sure I tie up any loose ends.

My daughter, Jackie, is an avid reader. She's read three times the young adult books I have, so she's an excellent resource. Plus, she gets excited to go through the last book and help me outline the current one. Her ideas are amazing! Even better, she loves to do research.

So, today, I wanted to thank my hard-working assistant and amazing daughter, Jackie, for all her hard work.

I love that my daughter and I can bond over this and share a love of reading.

Wishing everyone an amazing weekend!

Homophones and Contractions : Grammar & Editing Tips

Happy Wednesday!

Our language can be tricky. So many grammar and spelling rules have exceptions. Then, there are homophones*: words that sound alike (can be spelled alike or not) but have different meanings.

Examples of ones spelled alike: read (can mean to read a book today or I read a book yesterday) or rose (a flower or to rise past tense).

For today, let's stick with homophones that sound alike but are spelled differently, with a special focus on words with contractions.

They're / Their / There
They're = they are
Their = belonging to them / possession
There = place (like here)

It's / Its
It's = It is
Its = belonging to it / possession

You're / Your
You're = you are
Your = belonging to you / possession

Who's / Whose
Who's = Who is
Whose = possession (Whose bag is this?)

I'll be doing another homophone list and tricks post soon. I focused on these today, because they are (they're) commonly used and misused.

There's good news, though. These are easy to identify. 

ExampleYou're going to have a wonderful time.You are going to have a wonderful time.
So, just "un-contract it" to make sure of the spelling. *smiles* 

If you know you struggle with these, do a Search & Find in your document and double-check them.

Is there an editing/grammar issue that's always caused you trouble? If so, share it in the comments so I can feature it in a future post. 

* I used the term homophone for both types to keep it simple. However...

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