Tia Silverthorne Bach's Blog, page 36

Expanding to More Readers: ROW80

Happy Sunday!

I'm so excited to announce that Chasing Memories is now available on Smashwords . Until the end of August, it was enrolled in KDP Select. Not only am I thrilled that readers have format options, but Chasing Memories is also now part of a boxed set to benefit charity, Destiny Calling.

I'm so excited to get book one of my Tala Prophecy trilogy in the hands of more readers.

For more information on Destiny Calling, please check out the announcement post here .

Sunday is also my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) check in day. 

Thanks to a nasty illness that hit my family, I was forced to sit around on my computer and catch up on administrative tasks. Unfortunately, that same sickness left me too exhausted to write. My brain couldn't engage. Hoping we've finally kicked the germs so I can get back to writing.

I just hope my Chasing Forgiveness characters haven't abandoned me. 

How do you lure your characters back?

Meet Some #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unofficial): Jo Michaels

I'm kicking of my series--Meet Some #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unoffical)--with my dear friend and roommate at UtopYA, Jo Michaels. 

Jo is my partner in crime on so many levels. She's got one of the biggest hearts around and a head full of knowledge. UtopYA was where I got to meet her in person for the first time!

Jo & Tia at UtopYAHello my sister from another mister! I’m missing you so much since UtopYA. You are all kinds of awesome. Thanks for hanging out with me on my blog today and letting me pick your brain.
Jo: Howdy, sis! I miss your face, too. I can’t believe it’s gonna be a whole ten months before I see you again—doesn’t seem short enough. It’s exciting to be here, and I can’t wait to see what questions you have for me.
What was the best part of your UtopYA experience (other than hanging out with me, of course)?
Jo: Wow. Tough question since you took away my answer. Everything about UtopYA was so amazing that it’s hard to choose one thing. I loved meeting everyone, being at our table and chatting people up about our books, the panels I made it to, and getting to say hello to Gennifer Albin. I made so many new friends while we were there! Running from before sun up to well after sun down left me little time to reflect on the awesome time I was having until I got home (with no voice lol).
You have an infectious energy for all things publishing—from editing to graphic design to marketing to writing and much more. How did you discover this passion?
Jo: I’ve always been a huge fan of books and writing. I used to write short stories I never shared with anyone but my mother, and I’ve been reading since I was four (Little Golden books). So, reading and writing have always been a huge part of my life. When I decided to write Yassa, the world of self (Indie) publishing was beginning to take hold. I wanted to do more myself, so I dove right in and never looked back. Because I hold a graphic design degree, I already had a leg up over many—as far as formatting my books for print was concerned or handling type the way I wanted for my covers. But I read everything I can get my hands on about blogging, writing, design, and self-publishing. It’s made my blog sort of a go-to for answers on many things. I share because I’m not in this alone. We all have to work together or we fail. When one of us succeeds, we all win. To answer your question, I discovered one passion by having another. They go hand-in-hand, you know?
Your Mystic novella series—or, as I prefer to call it, the Women Save the World series—is amazing. It’s about a group of exceptional women who are brought together to save the world and led by a rocking leader, Markaza. Tell us a little about her and the culminating book, which will be a full-length novel, in the series.
Jo: Thank you for the compliment, first of all. You’re very sweet. Markaza is a character that lumps many characteristics I find intriguing together: Loyalty, strength, self-confidence, and depression. She struggles with the world around her, trying to fit in, being bullied for a while, growing into what she is through the series, and is appalled by the actions of some of those who claim to be human. Her book will give us a look at her life, as she fills in the other ladies of WSTW about what’s going on, and it’ll answer some burning questions I left dangling through the other novellas. We’ll also have the fight with the monster rising from the ground in Central Park, those photographs that were taken a couple of books back are gonna surface and cause trouble, and a few characters you may have thought were gone from the story line will come back and slap you.
It sounds amazing. When can we expect to get our hands on it?
Jo: I’m hoping sometime this year. I’ve been so busy trying to get my house in order from the move (paint, shelf paper in my kitchen, tending the new pool, etc…), it’s been difficult to fall into a regular schedule. This is getting easier since the kidlings just went back to school on Monday, and I have my work hours back. No one is running in screaming, “Mommy! I need blah, blah, blah!” It’s lovely. I’ve done a lot of catching up lately, and I’m hoping that trend continues into more productive days as the year progresses. So, I can’t give you an exact date, but I’m hoping before Christmas. We both know I’ll be writing 50k+ in November for NaNoWriMo; so, I have that to look forward to. *grin*
Two of my favorite books of yours surprised me. First, I Zombie. Not only did I not know I was a zombie genre fan before this book, but I didn’t know a zombie book could make me cry. Then, there was Yassa. Who knew I could care about Genghis Khan? What draws you to non-traditional characters? What do you think makes a character memorable?
Jo: My novels are all character driven. I’ve written in a number of genres because I think up a character first, and then give that person a story. Yassa was the only exception; that book is ninety-percent fact, and I’d done all the research to craft it. I think a memorable character is strong but a little naïve, driven but tentative, and wise but confused. There has to be some kind of inner conflict for the person, and they must have flaws. No one is perfect, but our flaws make us loveable. I’m drawn to those characters because I think I’m a lot like them. I’m different, but likeable. People will remember Genghis, but they’ll also remember Börte (I love writing strong women). Memorable characters are interesting as people, and the author’s job is to round those characters out for readers. The best fiction is based in fact, and there’s a wide world of personalities to choose from if you open your eyes. *grin*
You are totally loveable!! Before UtopYA, I had no idea about your acting skills and drama background (Jo can rock any accent—so cool!). If you could bring any of your books to screen, which would it be? What character that you’ve written would you most like to play?
Jo: Oh, man; I’ve been ousted! I’m a movie lover, too. I play along with the actors on the screen and often remember the show word-for-word when it’s over. Yeah, I know. Weird. So, when I’m writing my books (or editing for others), they play through my head like a movie. I think the most interesting one would be Yassa, but I could totally see I, Zombie on the big screen. If Yassa, I’d like to play Börte, and have my husband play Genghis Khan (those two are a lot alike). If I, Zombie, I’d wanna be Tammy. She’s such an interesting character!
You are the mastermind behind Indie Books Gone Wild (where I am an editor/proofreader as well). Could you share your best piece of publishing advice for indie authors?
Jo: My best piece of advice would be to never stop learning, and save your pennies for a great editor. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve stopped reading (and won’t read anything else by that author) because the writing was so poorly edited. Read everything you can get your hands on about the craft of writing, editing, self-publishing, design, branding yourself, blogging, and social networking. You won’t be sorry. Of course, I have to say it: You should also WRITE ON! no matter what.
You gathered several UtopYA authors--Casey L. Bond, N.L. Greene, Kelly Risser, and myself--for an anthology. Can you share a little about it?
Jo: I'd love to share about it! My original plan was for a young adult novelette anthology. I wanted more than short stories, you know? I don't think you can get a good feel for an author's style in less than 6k words. I wanted 10. haha! But these ladies are the only ones who made the final cut. Because I was looking to turn out 100k words (at least), it grew into an anthology of novellas. Once we all started talking, it morphed yet again into a single novel with five people writing five different genres in the same storyline. Nothing like it has ever been done before. So far, we've found we work beautifully together (as you know), and the ideas coming out of our group is something that makes me want to squeal and clap my hands. I also have some unique ideas for the formatting that'll help us stand out amongst the crowd. *grin* We're hoping for a Halloween release date, but we'll see. *fingers crossed* I'm deeply honored to partner with these ladies. I see awesome things coming out of this one.
Quick Questions…
Favorite Punctuation Mark: TildeOcean or Mountains? OceanFavorite Alcoholic Beverage: CoronaFavorite Dessert: Strawberry CheesecakeShower or bath? ShowerSweet or Sour? Sweet
I LOVE this picture of you and BJ Sheldon with Gennifer Albin, one of the UtopYA keynote speakers.

Jo's everywhere on Social Media. Check her out:BlogWebsiteTwitterFacebookPinterestIBGW websiteIBGW FB page
I can’t say enough wonderful things about you, my friend. I am beyond grateful to have you in my life. UtopYA 2015, here we come!!
Jo: Ditto! Next year is gonna be awesome. I can’t wait for them to announce the schedule! Plus, I get to see you again! Sosososoosoosoososoosoosososo excited about that!

More about Jo...

Hi, I'm Jo. Let's forget all the "Jo Michaels is blah, blah, blah" stuff and just go with it. I'm a voracious reader (often reading more than one book at a time), a writer, a book reviewer, a mom, a wife, and one of the EICs at INDIE Books Gone Wild. I have an almost photographic memory and tend to make people cringe at the number of details I can recall about them and/or their book(s). My imagination follows me around like a conjoined twin and causes me to space out pretty often or laugh out loud randomly in completely inappropriate situations.

I have a degree in graphic design, and my journey to the end was one few students who begin that program ever complete. However, this was one case where my memory and OCD tendencies helped me. Graduation was one of the most amazing days of my life. But, my most amazing day was when my now husband proposed. Every little girl dreams of being Cinderella someday, and he pulled off the proposal of fantasies.

At the risk of sounding cliche, I'm going to let it out there and say how much I absolutely adore the man I'm married to. Along with my children, he's my whole world.

I've lived in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Georgia, but I've had my feet in almost every state. Traveling is something I adore, and have plans to someday see the Mongolia I've written about in Yassa.

One of my favorite things is hearing from fans! You can find me on social media most any day of the week. Connect! I'd love to hear from you.

Please come back for more #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unofficial), and check out the announcement post to see the schedule.

Destiny Calling, A Boxed Set Benefitting Love is Louder

I'm so excited to be a part of Destiny Calling, a boxed set featuring works by Michele G. Miller, Devyn Dawson, Tressa Messenger, Brea Essex, and me. 100% of royalties will be donated to Love is Louder.


Thanks to Kris Pittman at C&K Creations for our amazing cover.

This boxed set contains the following works: 

Never Let You Fall by Michele Miller
A girl with no memory of her past and no hope for her future.
A boy determined to keep her safe.
A destiny neither one of them expected.

This is only the beginning.

The Legacy of Kilkenny & Malevolence by Devyn Dawson
Ireland has many secrets... this is one of them.

For sixteen years, my life has been normal. Piedsville, Oklahoma isn't the tourist mecca of the world, but it's where I live. It's my junior year and I've known everyone since Kindergarten, everyone except her, Pru Phelan. She walked into my English class, my heart stopped. I'd never heard the name Phelan before, so I Googled it and found Phelan means wolf. What I didn't know, she was a werewolf and soon my destiny would change.

This is the story about the prophecy of the Great Wolf and how it relates to me. I'm Abel Casey, and I am the Great Wolf.

Protect Me  by Tressa Messenger
In one year Anna-Marie's life had been completely flipped around over and over again and just when she thought she got a hold of things, her world shifts yet again. Will Dylan's return stop her growing feelings for Alessandro or it cause her heart to break once again to see her best friend turn down a deadly path?

Ouroboros by Brea Essex
Waking up from a coma is hard enough, but throw in an undead ghost at the foot of your hospital bed, and you’ve got a big problem.

While recovering from a rock-climbing accident, eighteen-year-old Rhiannon Sorenson meets Zachary Cohen, a Zayin—one of an elite fighting force for the supernatural realm—and wonders why she’s the only one who can see him. Not only that, he tells her he needs her help to find his physical body, which has mysteriously gone missing. As Rhi reluctantly agrees to come to Zac’s aid, they both uncover a trail of deadly revelations about a powerful and evil being: The Necrovorst.

In this first installment of a trilogy filled with vibrant and imaginative mythology from around the world, follow Zac and Rhi while they face powerful, supernatural beings, and learn all that they can in order to stop The Necrovorst.

Chasing Memories  by Tia Silverthorne Bach
There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…

Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember what happened the night her brother was taken. Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.
Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.
Purchase Links Amazon Smashwords
iTunes
More information about Love is Louder
(from their website )


Love is Louder was started by The Jed Foundation, MTV and Brittany Snow to support anyone feeling mistreated, misunderstood or alone. It’s hundreds of thousands of people just like you who have turned this idea into a movement.  A movement of all types of people who have come together to raise the volume around the message that love and support are louder than any internal or external voice that brings us down.

Individuals, communities, schools and organizations have embraced Love is Louder as a way to address with issues like bullying, negative self-image, discrimination, loneliness and depression.  Even as we work to stop negative words and actions that hurt us, we can strengthen our abilities to cope with hard times, focus on the positive, support the people around us and reach out for help if we need it.

Visit our  Destiny Calling Love is Louder action page for more information or to donate.

Tortoise & the Hare: #IWSG & #ROW80

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. 

My biggest insecurity right now is the moving bar of independent publishing success.

When I published my first book, every post I read said it took three books to start really seeing indie success. It made sense... those who stuck with it, and didn't just publish one book hoping to hit it big, would win the tortoise and the hare race.

In May, I published my third book. Yay, time for the slam dunk success. I was ready. So, of course, now I'm reading it takes five books. What?! My fear... it's an ever-moving target, and I'll never catch it. 

Don't get me wrong, I've seen increasing sales with each book. Chasing Shadows has outsold its predecessor already. I appreciate the movement in the right direction, and I still believe I'm doing what I need to do, but...

More than anything, it's defining what success is. Although I understand success isn't all about money, it is one of the measurements. And I'll be honest... I'd really like to reach bestseller status, although I'm not sure I completely understand how to define that, either.

Guess I'll shoot for the fifth book! If nothing else, these moving targets are keeping me writing.

Do you ever feel like "success" is just beyond your reach?

*****
A Round of World in 80 Days (ROW80) Update

Wednesdays are also my check ins for ROW80. 

I'm a bad girl. I missed Sunday's check in, but I do have happy news to share. Chasing Shadows won as a Finalist in the Young Adult Paranormal category of the 2014 Reader's Favorite International Book Awards. I'm so proud! 

Also, I finished an edit and proofread last week. I have another edit starting next Monday, so my goal is to kick out some words on Chasing Forgiveness between now and then. After all, I need to get books four and five out soon!

Don't forget to check my blog every Monday and Friday through October for my Meet Some #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unofficial) Series. I have a great line up of authors, bloggers, and more. To see the schedule, please click here .

Oh, and Chasing Memories was selected to be in an amazing box set, Destiny Calling, to benefit Love is Louder. Please stop by tomorrow for more information.

Meet Some #UtopYA2014 Lovelies (Unofficial) Series

I am so excited to feature some of the lovely ladies I met at this year's UtopYA conference. I love my amazing writing community, and it was such a thrill to meet some of them in person.

Starting Friday, September 5, I will feature an interview each Friday and Monday.

The schedule:

September 5 -- Jo Michaels
September 8 -- Kelly Risser
September 12 -- N.L. Greene
September 15 -- Casey L. Bond
September 19 -- Ginny Gallagher of Gin's Book Notes
Setpember 22 -- Devyn Dawson
September 26 -- Toni Lesatz of My Book Addiction
September 29 -- Christina Mercer
October 3 -- Amber Garr
October 6 -- Krystal Wade
October 10 -- Paris Rieske
October 13 -- Jacinda Buchmann
October 17 -- Allyson Gottlieb
October 20 -- Bethany Lopez
October 24 -- Elizabeth Sharp

And don't forget to buy your tickets to the 2015 UtopYA conference here . Tickets sell out fast, and you don't want to miss it. This year's theme is Time Travel.  

Please check back each Monday and Friday to find out more about these lovelies. I will update the name with a link when each interview goes live.

Wishing everyone in the States a safe and enjoyable Labor Day!

Just Because: ROW80

Seriously, I want to be on this elusive committee of masterminds who come up with special calendar days. Yesterday, for instance, was National Dog Day. I missed it, but here's a picture of my pups as a belated celebration.


For even more fun, today is Just Because Day. And just because I shared a picture of my dumans--my aunt calls her pups dumans since they are part dog and part human to her--it only makes sense to share a picture of my girls from the first day of school.


Did you have a Just Because moment today? If so, you were celebrating without knowing it.

Wednesdays are also my check in days for A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) . I have been a non-social author these days, and I'm sorry. I did catch up on my sponsor posts, but that's about it. I miss everyone, and I will be reconnecting. Summer kicked my butt and left me with a to-do list a mile (maybe two) long.

That being said, I did finish a huge edit. 

Oh, and some blog news... on Monday, September 1, I'll be announcing an interview lineup of lovely ladies I met at this year's UtopYA conference. I can't wait to share these amazing bloggers and authors with all of you. So far, and I have a few more to ask, I have eleven signed up and ready to go. Eep! 

The Write Stuff by Tiffany King Release Day Blitz

For your viewing pleasure this Monday morning...


The Write StuffTIFFANY KING
Available August 25, 2014
Synopsis: 

Twenty-two-year-old historical romance writer Nicole Blake, or N.S. Blake to her readers, hasn't taken an official poll, mind you, but she is convinced she may be the only romance author on the planet who is still a card-carrying member of the virgin club.

Not that she hasn't tried to end her membership. Life just keeps finding pesky ways to interfere. With no prospects on the horizon, Nicole begins to feel like the closest she will ever get to experiencing a man is within her own stories.

Opportunity presents itself in the form of hot-as-sin-on-a-lollipop-stick bartender/premed student Alec Petropoulos, who agrees to be the cover model for her upcoming book. Sparks fly instantly between them, and Nicole begins to entertain the possibility that she's finally found the right guy to hand over her tattered V-card. Alec has all the makings for a perfect one-night-stand candidate except, much to Nicole's surprise, he seems to be the only man in existence not interested in bagging a virgin.

Stuck between a rock and a stubborn male, what's a virgin to do? Seduce him, of course. How hard could it be? If it works for the characters in her stories, why wouldn't it work for her?

After all, what happens under the cover…stays under the cover.

Buy Links Amazon iBooks Barnes & Noble
About Tiffany King

USA Today Bestselling author Tiffany King is a lifelong reading fanatic who is now living her dream as a writer, weaving Young Adult and New Adult romance tales for others to enjoy. She has a loving husband and two wonderful kids. (Five, if you count her three spoiled cats). Her addictions include: Her iPhone and iPad, chocolate, Diet Coke, chocolate, Harry Potter, chocolate, zombies and her favorite TV shows. Want to know what they are? Just ask.

For information on any of Author Tiffany's titles, visit her blog .

Where to connect with Author Tiffany
Twitter- @AuthorTiffany
Facebook- AuthorTiffanyKing
Pinterest- Tiffany King
Blog- authortiffanyjking.blogspot.com
Goodreads- Tiffany King
Email- authortiffany@yahoo.com

"Dreams do come true...Dream big."

Moving & Shaking: ROW80

Last night, my husband wakes me up. I could hear the panic in his voice. "Earthquake," he said. He went to check on the girls, as did I. It was eerie; I felt like I had sea legs. Our girls slept through it, but our puppies completely freaked out. 

Hubby took the dogs into the backyard and saw three foot waves bouncing off our pool. Inside, I could hear our wine glasses clanging together. Then, it was over. Still, scary. 

This morning we found out it was a 6.0 earthquake, and the center was about 40 miles north of us. More than anything, I felt a mom's panic of wanting to keep my kids safe. Whew. Glad that's over.

I went MIA last week and haven't posted here since last Tuesday. Sorry. It was the last week of school and my sister and family were in town. Tomorrow, my kids go back to school, and I start kicking to-do butt!

We spent Tuesday exploring San Francisco. Truly, it's such a beautiful town, and such great exercise walking those hills. My brother-in-law wasn't love pushing a stroller that day, that's for sure! 


On Friday, we spent all day in Santa Cruz, CA. Recognize it? It's the setting for Lost Boys, the movie that started my paranormal interest back in the day.


A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) Update

*** insert laughter ***

Yeah, I'm SO behind. This week my biggest challenge is to write everything I need to do and prioritize it. First on the list is finishing my novella (still set for a 9/15 rough draft completion date) and finishing my current edit to prepare for a 8/28 proofread.

Plus, I'm woefully behind on sponsor posts. I'll be catching up on ROW80 blog love today. If you see me on Facebook or Twitter in the next day or two, please remind me I'm too busy for that nonsense!!

42 Hours by Bethany Lopez Release Day

We're celebrating the release of 42 Hours by Author Bethany Lopez! If you haven't heard of this great series, here's a glimpse to see what you've been missing! 
Title: 42 Hours (Time for Love #3)Author: Bethany LopezAge Group: NA/AdultGenre: Contemporary RomanceGoodreadsAmazon US | Amazon UK | iTunes | Smashwords | Amazon Paperback
Blurb: Eight years ago, Scott and Gaby shared one very special night. Not wanting to ruin their friendship, they didn't take things further...but neither of them has forgotten.

When Scott’s friends stage an intervention to make him realize that his fiancé, Victoria, is all wrong for him, he takes time to evaluate his life. He’s earned a big promotion and just bought his dream car, but those things are just superficial. The one time he was truly happy, was with Gaby.
Gaby is in a good place in her life. She loves her job, has the best friends and family a girl could ask for, and is dating a sweet and sexy guy, but she’s never stopped thinking about that night with Scott.
Eager to find happiness again, Scott makes a plan to win Gaby’s heart during a weekend getaway, but she doesn’t want to be his rebound girl. Will 42 hours be enough to convince Gaby that it's finally their time for love?








Don't forget to check out the first two books in the series!


Title: 8 Weeks (Time for Love #1)Author: Bethany LopezAge Group: NA/AdultGenre: Contemporary RomanceGoodreadsAmazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes
Title: 21 Days (Time for Love #2)Author: Bethany LopezAge Group: NA/AdultGenre: Contemporary RomanceGoodreadsAmazon | B&N | Smashwords | iTunes
Giveaway:A signed Trust in Me tote, a Whiskey Heat T-shirt (LG), and Whiskey Heat cooziea Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. Since then she has published various YA and NA books. She is a lover of romance, family, and friends, and enjoys incorporating those things in what she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bethany-Lopez/214630865247702GR:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5021061.Bethany_LopezAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Bethany-Lopez/e/B0056NCP1S/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethanyLopez2Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bethanylopez2/Blog: http://bethanylopez.blogspot.comNewsletter: http://eepurl.com/Rcmrn

Bad Poetry Day

In the spirit of honoring all the made up holidays and special days in any given year, I am going to write a poem.

My mom is a published poet, as is my cousin, Marty Silverthorne. As much as I love to write, I am not drawn to writing poetry. It takes a special gift.

Good thing today is Bad Poetry Day .

Which means it's time for poets like me to shine. Yeah, baby!

Ode to Social Media
When I feel like giving upWhen the words won't comeThere's a friendly bunch on Facebook
When I can't find inspirationWhen I don't know which way to turnThere's a friendly bunch on Twitter
When a day is leaning toward the sadWhen there's not a friend aroundThere's friendly comments on my blog
When time is crunchedWhen deadlines are loomingPics of hot half-dressed guys light up Facebook
When I should be writingWhen I should be readingThe coolest people have something to say on Twitter
On other days, whether good or badThere's always someone willing to shareOn all of Social Media
I can't walk awayToo many friends there nowBut it's like chocolateI need to learn my limits
Feel free to take up the bad poetry challenge and share a stanza in the comments. Really, isn't the point to try and use words to express our feelings? 

Is there even such a thing as bad poetry if it's honest and real?