C.K. Bryant's Blog, page 11

A Special Treat for BOUND Fans

First of all, thanks for all the great reviews you've all posted on your blogs and on various sites around the web. I'm humbled by how well BOUND has been received by its readers.



Second, I've also received a few emails asking about a playlist. While writing and editing this book, I listened to a full range of songs, so it's hard to pick just a few, but I will share this one with you (and maybe a few more later). But before you listen, take a peek at the book over on the right. IN HIS EYES. There's a deleted scene in it from BOUND that you're going to love. And it's free, so you can't beat that.



Okay, so here's the scene:



First chapter. Kira is kicked back on the hood of Lydia's car, waiting for her to get out of school, and she pops her ear-buds in and cranks up a little Colbie Caillat.  Here's the song she's listening to. Tell me if you like the lyrics and if you think it says a lot about the love story that's about to happen between her and Octavion.

Featured Author - Elle Strauss

I'm happy to feature an awesome INDIE author on my blog today. Please make her feel welcome.

Elle Strauss 

Elle Strauss writes Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction. She's a married mom of four, and lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, famous for beaches and vineyards. She's fond of Lindt's sea salt dark chocolate and hiking in good weather. Her Young Adult rom/com time-travel CLOCKWISE and contemporary/otherworldly Middle Grade IT'S A LITTLE HAYWIRE are now available on Amazon.







You can get to know Elle a little better by stalking her here:

Website: www.ellestraussbooks.com
Twitter: @elle_strauss
Facebook : Elle Strauss - Author
Goodreads: Elle Strauss Goodreads Author 
Google : Elle Strauss 
Wattpad: Elle Strauss 

Her newest Release:

[image error] IT'S A LITTLE HAYWIREby Elle StraussIllustrated by Tasia Strauss
Owen True is eleven and eleven twelfths and has been "exiled" to the small crazy town of Hayward, WA, aka, Haywire, while his mother is on her honeymoon. All he has to whittle away the time is the company of Gramps, his black lab Daisy, and his Haywire friends, Mason and Mikala Sweet. They don't look so hot this year, in fact, the whole town has gone to pot since the mill shut down.

Owen has his first encounter with a real life homeless man who ends up needing Owen's help in more ways than one. But how does a rich city kid help the small town's suffering citizens?

And what is Owen to make of the fog train and its scary, otherworldy occupants that appears out of thin air on the old tracks behind Gramps' house? Do they have the answer Owen is looking for?

Here's what Elle has to say about the illustrations inside her new book:

[image error] It's a Little Haywire is the type of book that lends itself to illustrations. It's been compared in style to Because of Winn Dixie, (which thrills me, I'm a big fan of that book) and it and Kate DiCamillo's other books benefited by having illustrations.

The thing is, when you indie publish you have to hire out and pay for everything up front, and also finding the right illustrating style for your book could be a challenge too. I also wasn't sure how the illustrations would "blend" in an e-book format, but one of the great things about indie publishing is the ability to try new things and test the waters.

There are a lot of great illustrators out there, and I'm sure I'm not the first to add illustrations to an e-book. The happy news for me was I have a terrific illustrator who lives in my house and already owed me money. (My seventeen year old daughter) Terrific! Let the bartering begin!

It was fabulous to be able to work on this book with her, and I love the fact I could add her name to the credits,Tasia Strauss.

Order your own copy of IT'S A LITTLE HAYWIRE here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0072Z5DWQ

It's normally 2.99 but it will be FREE for Feb 22 and 23 only.



Isn't she GREAT????  Be sure to follower her on all the links above and check out her other book, Clockwise, on her website.

My Inner Child

I've had a lot of stress in my life lately, so a little over a week ago I decided to take a break from everything internet and writing. I needed to step back and reevaluate a few things and get in touch with my inner child. I'd been neglecting her lately.



A lot!



In the process, I discovered a few unhealed wounds from when I was younger, wounds I tried to ignore and put aside for another day. Today is that other day and it's not going to be easy. In fact, it's going to take months, maybe years, to get through a lot of the crap in my head and come to terms with the verbal and psychological abuse I endured as a child. The old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is so not true. Sometimes the wounds left by other's words hurt far more than the ones left by their hands. And they take longer to heal because we hear them over and over in our heads long after the offender has been removed from our lives.



My demon?  YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!  YOU'LL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING!! NO MAN WILL EVER LOVE SOMEONE WHO IS FAT . . . LIKE YOU!!!  That's the one that hurts the most. Not because I'm single, but because I have a man who loves me very much and proves it every day. And I still don't trust in that love. I still think he'll change his mind at any minute and take off. I need to get over that and let him love ME, fat and all.



Maybe that's why I stay overweight, to test him. To test everyone. To see if I can be loved as I am. To prove my abuser wrong. I know it's all in my head, that I'm the one that puts the food in my mouth. I'm the one that doesn't put the effort into exercising. But the voice still has its influence. And it's time I snuffed it out.



My inner child needs to be free. I need to be free. So, I plan to call a friend of mine who has offered to help with the weight loss thing. Another friend who has offered to help with the exercise. And another one who's a great listener and will understand "the voices." Friends are good for that kind of thing. I should have let them in sooner.



Like now.



How do you deal with your demons?  Any advice you'd like to pass along to my inner child?

Happy V-Day . . . A Giveaway . . . And a New Release!

Whoa!  I've been offline for a little over a week to deal with some personal/family issues and I've missed so much. My inbox is overflowing. My blog is such a mess. *Looks around* Dang! I lost two followers. That makes me sad. I'm sorry I wasn't here blogging away, but life decided to stand up and slap me on the face and the only way I could deal with all the stress was to take a step back and BREATHE for a few days.



Even though the challenges in my life haven't changed, I seem to have a better grip on them and my emotions. So hopefully things will be on the upswing.



So, how have you guys been?





OOOOH, I have a great idea. I feel like giving something away, so . . . leave a comment below telling me what you got for Valentine's Day and I'll put your name in a drawing and pick someone to win the ebook version of BOUND. If there's a bunch of comments, I'll draw more than one name. Sound like fun?



And here's a little BONUS for all of you. IN HIS EYES is now available and there's a deleted chapter from BOUND inside that you're going to LOVE. The purchase links are on the sidebar at the right. And TRUST ME!  You're going to enjoy every story in this anthology. They're all about love told through the eyes of the HUNK in the story. All Young Adult. All totally yummy.





Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the drawing.



HUGS

Awesome Giveaway and Interview

Dudes!  



Go check out my interview on Jean Book Nerd and enter to win a signed copy of my debut novel, BOUND.



Jean's such a cool chick. Tell her I said HI!!!

Great Gift Ideas for Valentine's Day

GUYS -- here's a Valentine's Day trivia question for you.  What'smore romantic than a sizzling love story?

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NOTHING!!





That's right.  If you're in search of the perfect Valentine's Day gift, look no further,

because I'm about to point you in the direction of some dreamy

books.  Whether you gift her a collection of e-books or wrap one

special paperback up in pretty paper with a single red rose on top,

you're bound to score BIG POINTS on Valentine's Day with these

novels.



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BOUND by C. K. BryantCLOCKWISE by Elle

StraussCROSS MY HEART by

Katie KleinDESTINED by Jessie HarrellEXILED

by RaShelle WorkmanGLIMPSE by Stacey

Wallace BenefielHOW TO DATE AN ALIEN by Magan VernonTHE SECRET OF SPRUCE

KNOLL by Heather McCorkleTANGLED TIDES by

Karen Amanda HooperTHE VEIL by Cory Putnam OakesWATCHED by Cindy

Hoganand...IN HIS EYES, an anthology from The Indelibles,

featuring love stories from the swoon-worthy guys from our novels

arriving on V-Day!

Book Review - Family by Design

Family by Design

by Heather Justesen





Genre: LDS Romance

Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (January 8, 2012)

Pages: 256

Purchase on Amazon





Cover BlurbBefore he could think better of it, he blurted out, "I understand your concerns. I'm going to speak to my commander about getting an early discharge. My girlfriend, Rena, and I have talked about getting married. There just hasn't been any rush."As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wondered what he was thinking. Yes, they had discussed marriage, but not to each other! He and Rena had never even dated.

Tucker's on his way to the biggest challenge of his life. Rena already has it all—except a family of her own. But neither one expected their friendship would take such a dramatic turn.

When Tucker becomes the guardian of his newly orphaned niece and nephew, he knows he can't handle them alone, not when he might be shipped out with the Marines at any moment. Desperate, he turns to Rena for a major favor. His marriage proposal would give her everything she wants, but can she learn to live without the romance she's always dreamed of?



As time, prayer, and a life-changing kiss work a little magic in her heart, Rena wonders if someone up there has a plan for her that's better than anything she could've come up with on her own. And though it seems crazy at first, this could become her chance for a marriage that will last for eternity.







My Thoughts:

I loved this book! No big surprise. This isn't the first book by Heather Justesen that I've loved and I'm sure it won't be the last. The thing that made this book touch my heart was the military aspect of it. It brought a lot of emotions to the surface because my dad was in the army and served two tours in Viet Nam. I remember what my mother went through every day, not knowing if he was dead or alive, so the feelings Rena went through in this story were portrayed realistically in my opinion.





I also loved the Tucker, although I wanted to smack him a couple of times for not telling her he loved her before he did. Man, Rena went through a lot waiting for this guy to speak his mind. But she hung in there to the end and, even though they went through more than any couple should have to endure, it was all worth it. 





I want to thank Heather for keeping me up nights. I had a hard time finding little snippets of time during the day to read this book, but it was always on my mind. I have it on my Kindle, so would carry it everywhere, but still struggled with finding a quiet moment to read it. More than once, I woke in the middle of the night and reached for my iPhone to read on the little screen until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer. 





I highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a great LDS romance to keep them up all night. Oh, and bring a box of tissues. You'll need them.





BONUS:

Check out this companion novela. I can't wait to read it.



Chelsea Robison has never forgotten the older boy next door whom she crushed on as a teen, so when she runs into him at the restaurant he's preparing to open, it's a delightful shock. And learning he's available again is more than a little tantalizing.

Vaughn Krenshaw had never seen his neighbor as more than a nice kid—but Chelsea had definitely grown up in the decade since they saw each other last. He's attracted to the feisty red head, but still struggles over his wife's death the previous year. And then there's his five-year-old daughter, Molly, who really liked Chelsea—until she realized the woman was dating her dad.

As Chelsea starts to wonder if their love for each other will be enough to make things work, a specter from Vaughn's past rises, making her question whether she really knew him at all.



PLUS:

Heather's holding a host of giveaways on her blog throughout the next few weeks, so head on over to HER BLOG and sign up to win. You'll also find a list of other reviews you can read.  





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Dealing with Bad Reviews

I love this comic strip. It's so true, isn't it?



While the majority of the reviews for my debut novel, BOUND, have been very positive, there have been a handful of readers who, for whatever reason, didn't like my book. And you know what?  That's okay.



I've read a lot lately about authors who have commented on bad reviews, complaining that the review wasn't fair or that the reader's opinion was harsh and mean. In return, the entire reviewing community has lashed out at the author, starting a frenzy of author/reviewer bashing throughout the blogesphere.



It makes me cringe.



Nothing good can possibly come from such a confrontation and it only gives both the author and the reviewer a bad reputation. Don't get me wrong, I've been in their shoes, wanting to express my disappointment in how the reviewer chose to, not just express their opinion about my book, but the negative way in which they chose to do it. Taking personal jabs at another individual for ANY reason is wrong. But what good would it do for me to comment on it? It's not going to change their mind. It would only make ME look bad and that's not what I want either.



So I put on my big girl panties, thicken my skin and move on to my next book. There's no way I'm going to please every reader, but the ones who do like my work will always be there to cheer me on. I write for them.



How do you deal with bad reviews?  Have you ever had someone attack you personally? How did you handle it? 

Getting to Know Me

For the past week I've been busy with interview requests, filling out forms for this, that and the other thing, and basically doing a ton of busy work. Needless to say, I've neglected my writing & blogging duties. Hopefully, that will change very soon as I come to the bottom of my enormous do list.



What I'd like to do is take a two week sabbatical and do nothing but write and revise BROKEN, but with an autistic son and a live-in mother-in-law with a mental disorder, I don't think I'll be breaking away from my life any time soon. In fact, I'm probably not going to be going to any writing conferences this year, which makes me very sad. It's the only time I get to see my writing buddies and have the opportunity to make new friends (and my only respite from the circus at home). But, as my friend Wendy would say, there is a season for everything, and the season I'm in is for taking care of others, not myself. I just have to be okay with that.



And speaking of taking care of myself, I've been the focus of some attention lately and I'd like to share it with you. Here are three interviews that posted this week. I know, interviews are boring, but, even if you don't want to read them, please visit the blogs and leave a comment to show your support for me and the bloggers that took the time to get to know me better. I'd be so happy if you did.



On Writing Fiction (Interview by Wendy Swore)

Epilogue Reviews (Interview by Lauren Rusa)

House of Millar (Interview by Aine Massie)

So, what did you think? Did you find out anything new about me? Was there something you wanted to know but didn't find the answer for?

New Release! - THE GREEN, by Karly Kirkpatrick

Karly Kirkpatrick and DarkSide Publishing are excited to announce the release of Kirkpatrick's third novel, the edgy YA contemporary romance, THE GREEN.

Book Description:

How far would you go to save your dream?

Seventeen-year-old Ariceli Pisa is a senior at the prestigious Cambridge High School and has her sights set on Northwestern University. She's a cheerleader, a member of the National Honor Society...and a drug dealer. That's not the only secret she has to keep from her best friend Naomi--she's also madly in love with Naomi's ex-boyfriend, James Bartlett. Trying to balance her life at Cambridge High with her new demanding job keeps her teetering on the edge of disaster.





THE GREEN is available in ebook format at the following retailers for $3.99:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Green-ebook/dp/B006XZS16Q/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1326754697&sr=8-12

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-green-karly-kirkpatrick/1037769334?ean=2940013762183&itm=2&usri=karly+kirkpatrick

Also available on Amazon UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

For more info about Karly and her books, check out www.karlykirkpatrick.com and www.darksidepublishing.com.