Mia Castile's Blog, page 3

Happy Birthday Entwined Publishing

Entwined Publishing is turning two this month. Can you believe it? I can’t. It has been a crazy few years, but I’m so excited for the journey ahead as we grow even more. In celebration of our mile marking day, Jodie at UniquelyMoi has organized a fun event that starts January 27th. Watch her blog for all the details. Also we are running a daily contest on Twitter from January 27th through February 2nd.

How do you enter?

Just tweet. Copy and past these messages and a random person will be drawn daily to enjoy one of our novels.

Tweets:

#Happybirthday #Entwined @entwinedpub I want to win a free ebook today

#Happybirthday #Entwined Follow @entwinedpub tweet and win a free ebook

#Happybirthday #Entwined @entwinedpub is giving away a free ebook a day, tweet to win

**Or make your own tweet,just make sure to use the hashtags #Happybirthday and #Entwined and mention @entwinedpub

The winner will be retweeted by @entwinedpub and contacted with details. Have fun with it and go wild.

12 Things That I’ve learned

*Set goals; achieve those goals.

*Rock out old school. Sometimes it’s good for you to just jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down.

*Respect everyone when you first meet them; love them when they’ve earned it.

*Change the oil in your car when you are should.

*Read.

*Control-A : Highlights the entire text

Control-C : Copy

Control-X: Cut

Control-V : Paste

*Cry ugly. Laugh so hard that you snort. Dance so fiercely that you lose the rhythm. Understand, that these things make you beautiful.

*Mangoes are delicious.

*Have a favorite song.

*Read quotes; just don’t trust every quote you read.

*Wash your kitchen sink every time you do the dishes.

*Be early , be on time. . . Just try not to be late, you may miss something important.

It’s 12/12/12. So I figured I should write something marking the day. I came up with more as I was brainstorming this out, but these were the ones that stood out the most to me.  If you were to make a list of things you’ve learned, what is one thing that you would put on the list?

Something More Playlist

As always, I used music along with my writing of Something More. This novella was the third project I finished in 2010. I was big into Taylor Swift then, and her songs greatly influenced my mood for this. Some were added over the   So with out further ado.

 

Something More

FM Static : Inside Out

Taylor Swift: Mean

Switchfoot: Enough to Let Me Go

Taylor Swift: White Horse

John Mayer: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Taylor Swift: The Way I loved You

MoZella: More of You

ADTR: You Had Me At Hello

Headly: Perfect

Second Hand Serenade: Something More

 

I believe you can listen to this playlist and other book playlists on Spotify.

 

 

Hater-Head

**Disclaimer: This blog post is in no way an opportunity to bitch and moan about poor reviews. This is not an attempt to slander any other author. This is a statement of facts, and my perspective.  I leave it to you the competent reader to decide what you will do next.**

Something More was intended to be a fun light read; a one-sitting, leave-you-feeling-warm-inside read. The only thing it ever was, was a novella. I had no idea it would be as popular as it has been, but I am grateful beyond words for it. On this crazy roller coaster I’ve had some intoxicating highs and not-wanting-to-leave-the-bed lows. Who knew numbers affected my emotions so strongly. I didn’t. There’s been a mix of reviews on this story, which surprised me. To those who felt let down I want you to know I’ve read your concerns and am using that constructive criticism to grow in my writing. I guess not every hit of the game will be a home run. I’m all for taking my medicine. I want to know what doesn’t work. There is a right and a wrong way to do it, respectfully. Please respect the fact that I take my writing very seriously. It is an art that I pour my soul into. I’ve never given less than 100%  of myself to any project that I am working on, even the blog posts that I write.

That being said.

There are a few reviews out there that are out right mean and hurtful. The intention of said reviews was to evoke a reaction. One review in particular on Amazon and Goodreads insulted not only my work, my editor and myself personally. Upon looking at the reviewers profile, I noticed her blog. After clicking on her blog I found she was an author, too. She. Was. An. Author. Too.  I also found my book wasn’t the only book she gave a 1 star review to with similar insults. I want to work in a community where we lift each other up and support one another. This left a bad taste in my mouth. I also, realized that her review doesn’t matter. I actually feel sorry for her, she’ll never be satisfied because her standards are unrealistically high and apparently a level, she herself doesn’t have to reach.

I said all of that to say this.

If you are fed up, as I am, with reviewers who’s sole purpose is to hurt the author, do something.

1. Report the review.

2. When the website asks if this review was helpful, click no.

3. Put up your own rate and review. You don’t have to deeply review it, you could just say if you liked it, loved it, or whatever. It really does make someones day when you tell them you think they did a good job.

4. Do not feed the animals. Don’t engage with the reviewer. It’s not worth it, and like any other bully they live for the rise that they get out of you.

5. Tell your friends about the book. Word of mouth is one of the best review tool out there.

Finally, I really didn’t write this post to be a baby and cry about a bad review. I can take it if someone didn’t like my book. It’s OK. I just ask for the respect that I deserve.

I feel like I am exactly where I’m meant to be, and that gives me peace.

Friday Five Fave: Halloween Candy

MUAHAHAHAHA it’s that time of year again. I was so worried that with all the storms on the east coast, (My prayers and thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by Sandy) that we wouldn’t have a chance to go out. We were threatened with snow, rain and winds up to 55 miles per hours. But we made our rounds and the kids had a blast. With their bags filled with candy, they have bounced off of the walls since then. I’ll be glad when the candy is consumed or I can throw it away, because otherwise it’s going straight to my hips.

So with out further ado, here is my Five Fave Halloween Candies.

5. Starburst

4.Snickers

3.Skittles

2.Butterfingers

1. Reeces Peanut butter cups

 

What’s your favorite Halloween candy?

Something more about Something More

I wanted to drop a quick note, to let you know, Something More was originally scheduled to be released on the 13th. I’ve had to push that date back 1 week due to unforeseen circumstances. It’s just not going to be ready. I will have e-arcs available by this weekend if you are interested in reviewing it. It is about a 40k word novella and like all my other books will likely be a quick read.  You can contact me via email(mia@entwinedpublishing.com) or the contact page here on my website. Something More will not be released in print, and only available at bn.com or Amazon.com.

I’m sorry if this puts a damper on anyone’s plans, but I promise, it will be available soon.

Thanks for your patience.

Luv,

Mia

Music makes my world go round.

I’ve said with every book that I’ve written how important music is to my writing. It is a vital component

to my creative process. I tell myself the characters’ story through a mix tape of songs. Butterfly Kisses

was no different. This playlist consists of songs for specific scenes and some that captured the overall

theme of the book.

Parlor Mob – Into the Sun

Duce – Nobody Likes Me

Brand New – Good to Know That If I Ever Need Attention

LMFAO – Without You

Demi Lavato – Mistake

Justin McRoberts – One

Miike Snow – Silvia

He Is We – Our July in the Rain

Birdy – Shelter

Ryan Adams – Lucky Now

Animal Kingdom – Strange Attractor

Sia – Breath Me

Skylar Grey – Invisible

Cobra Starship – Don’t Blame the World it’s The DJ’s Fault

Enrique Iglesias – Ayer

Ashes Remain – On My Own

Isaac Haines – Steal

Jesse Thomas – Fire

Graham Colton – Everything You Are

Sara Bareilles – Gravity

Grouplove – Colours

Pearl Jam – Just Breathe

Safety Suite – Anywhere But Here

Graffiti 6 – Free

Parachute – The Mess I Made

Safety Suite – Life in the Pain

Graham Colton – Best Days

This playlist along with all of my writing playlists are available for download on iTunes

and Spotify. I would have to say the most impactful song of the whole playlist is Safety Suite’s Life in the

Pain which is my love song to Lacey. It is a theme song to the whole series really, she has a lot of lessons

to learn throughout these books, and I’m proud of where she ends up.

Thanks for following my blog tour. I’m giving away a e-book and iTunes gift card. Enter below for your chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Did someone say, “Blog tour?” or did they say “Blogebration?”

Blog Tour starts Tomorrow at K-books. Here’s the run-down of the stops.

20th : http://k-booksxo.blogspot.com/

21st : http://airickaphoenix.com

22nd : http://www.alluringreads.com

23rd : http://adiaryofabookaddict.blogspot.com

24th : http://booksoverboys.blogspot.com

25th : http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com

26th : http://burgandyice.blogspot.com

27th : http://ladysbookstuff.blogspot.com/

Every stop is having giveaways. You won’t want to miss your opportunity to win, plus the fun articles and a few reviews.

**Exclusively for the week of the blog tour Butterfly Kisses will be released for 1.99. You will want to grab your copy before it goes to the regular price.**

Add yourself to the invite for this event and future notifications of my blog tours and events.

 

http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/4781045-butterfly-kisses-blog-tour?5404537

Friday Five Fave – Childhood books

*I’m a little late, it’s been a busy week*

When I was little there were a few picture books that I would read repeatedly. These are the books that I could still quote lines from today. ” ‘How was your class trip to the farm?’ ‘It was ok, untill the cow started crying.’ “

5. Green Eggs and Ham -Dr. Seuss (really any Dr. Seuss books would work here but that was my favorite, I always looked at it in the dentist office, for whatever reason)

4. Bread and Jam for Francis – Russell Hoban (Again, I loved all the Francis books, and once I got a record of all the books read from the Library and listened to it non-stop for 3 weeks.)

3. Care Bears Book of Favorite Bedtime Stories – Illustrators: Tom Cooke, Troy Howell, Leslie H. Morrill, Stella Ormai, Bob Pepper, David Wiesner (This was a collection of folklore fables and poems, and this book might have began my love for poetry.)

2. Happy Birthday Moon – Frank Asch

1. The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate The Wash – Trinka Hake Nobel  (All time, hands down favorite childhood book.)

What is your favorite Childhood book? I’d love to walk down memory lane with you

Swaag swag-swag- Sswwaagg

Seriously, I am blaming my foggy head and cold meds for this one.

Join the event for the blog tour, you don’t want to miss the give aways!

http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/4781045-butterfly-kisses-blog-tour?5404537