Cherie Colyer's Blog, page 34

The best part of being a writer #IWSG

Hi everyone!

It's time to share our thoughts, insecurities, and encouraging words. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and our co-hosts for keeping IWSG going. Not a member? Want to know more about the group? Just follow the link. 

I'm happy to say that, at the moment, I'm not feeling insecure. I've been rotating my writing time. When it's my turn to submit something to my critique group, I work on my middle grade fantasy, using their feedback as a springboard to add more detail and polish things up. On off weeks, I've been polishing up a YA supernatural story I wrote some time ago and playing around with a short story I've always wanted to write. To be added to the mix is an adult story I've started and stopped a few times over the last couple of years. 


Now, for this month's questions:

What is your favorite aspect of being a writer?

I can't pick just one. My top reasons: creating new worlds, sharing them with readers, and meeting readers and other writers. 


Just for giggles...

Anyone else excited about the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them? I'm geeked. 



How's your writing coming? How did you answer this month's questions? Are you planning to see the new HP film?

Go on, FLIP THE BIRD!

Congrats to my talented CP and good friend, Kym Brunner, on the release of her newest YA novel, FLIP THE BIRD. 
(Be sure to follow the link below to the book tour, read an excerpt from the book, and enter the giveaway!)

About the book:Mercer Buddie wants two things in this world: a girlfriend and the chance to prove to his master falconer father that he’s not a flake. With hunting season fast approaching, fourteen-year-old Mercer has only a short time to work with Flip, a red-tailed hawk he irreverently named to show his dad that falconers don’t have to be so serious all the time.

When Mercer meets Lucy, he falls hard for her gorgeous looks and bubbly personality. He thinks his love life is about to take flight, until he discovers that Lucy and her family belong to a fanatical animal-rights organization called HALT—a group that believes imposing any sort of restrictions on animals is a form of cruelty. Mercer soon realizes that if he wants to keep seeing Lucy, he’ll need to keep his love of falconry and his family’s raptor rehabilitation center a secret from her, and Lucy’s involvement with HALT from his family.
With humor and honesty, Mercer’s story shows how growing up means making difficult choices…and sometimes, being rewarded in unexpected ways.

Read FLIP THE BIRD todayAmazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Hop over to the tour and read that excerpt,  plus enter the giveaway!


Connect with Kym Brunnerwebsite | Facebook | Twitter

Join the Party for SPIKED by Jennifer Lane

Congrats to Jennifer Lane on the release of her new novel!
New Sports Romance Release✯✯SPIKED by Jennifer Lane✯✯ Book 3 in Jennifer Lane´s Blocked Series!
They sayUniversity is the timeTo find yourselfBut I don’t need to find myselfJust want to find you
After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.
Hey, chica! Come conmigoAnd baby, why don’t we goDown under the bridge to the waterWith you it can only get hotter
Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.
TrustIs a hard-to-earn thingJustTry to keep listeningSwallowDown all of the unjustHollowMy chest, my heart will bust
College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.
Get SPIKED today!Amazon US | Amazon UK
Click here to join the Online Release Party on 10-1-16



Meet the Men of the Blocked SeriesBlocked: Dane Monroe, 6'8" blond gigante, volleyball setterAced: Alejandro Ramirez, med student, baseball playerSpiked: Mateo Ramirez, soulful singer / songwriter
Check out the Blocked series FREE with Kindle Unlimited  Blocked:Amazon US | Amazon UK 
Aced:Amazon US |  Amazon UK | Add Spiked to Goodreads

Connect with Jennifer Lane on Amazon or Facebook
Review Tour Hosted by Raven Publicity. Find them on Facebook.
Enter to win a $25 gift card and series ebook set:


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#IWSG When do you know when your work is ready?

It's time to share our thoughts, insecurities, and encouraging words. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and our co-hosts for keeping IWSG going. Not a member? Want to know more about the group? Just click here. 


This months question: When do you know your story is ready?

At first, I found this question hard to answer. But it's my week to submit to my critique group and I realized the answer is simple. I know my story is ready when the my critique partners no longer have questions on plot or my characters' choices. When their suggestions start to be about word choice or small details, I know the story is working, the characters are strong and well-rounded, and the scene came alive as intended. At this point, my story is ready for line edits. Since I've never been good at spotting typos in my writing, that means sending my manuscript to my amazing editor.
~~~~~
My agent and I received positive feedback on my YA realistic fiction currently out on submissions. So far, editors enjoyed the story, liked the characters, and found the situations they faced realistic. And I've received some very nice comments regarding my writing. Unfortunately, we haven't had an offer for publication, yet. It's still with other editors. My fingers are crossed we get a yes soon. Why am I telling you this in my IWSG post? Because sometimes I wonder if that yes will come. I've chatted with Madison, my brave and loyal protagonist in the Embrace Series, about casting a spell for me. A little witchy intervention can't hurt. ;)



Be sure to visit my Monday post and enter the giveaway. You could win a signed copy of Margo Kelly's newest YA novel, UNLOCKED.



How's your writing coming? Are you good at spotting typos in your writing? Did you enter the giveaway?

Blog Tour: Unlocked by Margo Kelly

Congrats to Margo Kelly on the release of her latest novel, Unlocked!
Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for excerpts, reviews, and more! Enter the giveaway below.

Unlocked by Margo KellyGenre: YA Mystery/ThrillerRelease Date: October 1st 2016 Merit Press
Summary:
A provocative thriller involving hypnosis, mystery, love, and friendship!
Someone has been moving the stuffed pink elephant in Hannah's room. She thinks. And ants crawl over her hands, across the steering wheel, all the time. Don't they? They're what made her crash the car on the way home from the fair, and she wouldn't have freaked out, wouldn't have caused her friend's death, for no reason. But she doesn't know if a person is messing with her, if the paranormal is messing with her – or if she's just going psychotic like her dad before her.
When her friends bail, Hannah is left floundering. Not even her boyfriend Manny believes her, and new girl Chelsea is practically replacing her at school. Only artsy outsider and self-proclaimed occult expert, Plug, agrees to help Hannah find out the truth about hypnosis and demons, and even he can't help Hannah reclaim her mind from whatever's taking over. She'll have to do that herself if she wants to save her friends, her mom and herself.
Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Books a Million│Indiebound

Giveawaya Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author:
Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, Margo is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Her critically acclaimed debut, Who R U Really?, was published by Merit Press (an imprint of F+W Media) in 2014. Her second novel, Unlocked, will be published by Merit Press in October 2016. Margo welcomes opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.
Margo Kelly loves to be scared … when she’s reading a good book, watching a good movie, or suffering from the hiccups. She loves writing thrillers for young adults and hopes her stories give you the goose bumps or the itchies or the desire to rethink everyday things. Margo is represented by the not-so-scary, but totally awesome, Brianne Johnson of Writers House.
Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Instagram

Book Blitz Organized by: YA Bound Book Tours

Cover Reveal: TIMELESS by Crystal Collier

Here it is, the beautiful cover for 
TIMELESS (#3 Maiden of Time) by Crystal Collier! 


Book Title: TIMELESS (Maiden of Time #3)Author: Crystal CollierGenre: YA Paranormal HistoricalRelease Date: November 1, 2016


TIME IS THE ENEMY
In 1771, Alexia had everything: the man of her dreams, reconciliation with her father, even a child on the way. But she was never meant to stay. It broke her heart, but Alexia heeded destiny and traveled five hundred years back to stop the Soulless from becoming.
In the thirteenth century, the Holy Roman Church has ordered the Knights Templar to exterminate the Passionate, her bloodline. As Alexia fights this new threat—along with an unfathomable evil and her own heart—the Soulless genesis nears. But none of her hard-won battles may matter if she dies in childbirth before completing her mission.
Can Alexia escape her own clock?



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Crystal Collier is an eclectic author who pens clean fantasy/sci-fi, historical, and romance stories with the occasional touch of humor, horror, or inspiration. She practices her brother-induced ninja skills while teaching children or madly typing about fantastic and impossible creatures. She has lived from coast to coast and now calls Florida home with her creative husband, four littles, and “friend” (a.k.a. the zombie locked in her closet). Secretly, she dreams of world domination and a bottomless supply of cheese. You can find her on her Blog, Facebook, Goodreads, or follow her on Twitter.
Want the first chapter free? Sign up HERE.

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Inspiration for the Soul #IWSG

The question of the month:

How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

Lately, my internal time clock has been oh so kind to wake me up in the wee hours of the morning. I've decided to go with it and use the time before I have to get ready for work or start my day to write. Since I'm a morning person anyway, this works out well. 


Onto insecurities. Well, I've had so much to juggle this year that insecurities have been shoved in a corner. When they rear the ugly head, I push them back. I just don't have the mental capacity to deal with them right now. The verdict is still out on if that is a good or bad thing. I'll let you know if I figure it out.

I did want to share a bit of inspiration. I was chatting with a friend recently about life and he made a comment that is so very true.

You only fail when you stop trying.
It resonated with me. Maybe because it was said at a time I needed to hear it. And even through we weren't talking about writing, it applies here too. So keep at it! Don't give up! If you do that, you are doing a great job and you should be proud of that.


In other news: 
Challenging Destiny is available on NetGalley this month. I'd be forever grateful for help spreading the word. I made up a quick tweet for those who'd like to share the news:



#BookBloggers! Challenging Destiny by @CherieColyer is on #NetGalley Get it today! https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book... #YAlit #PNR #angels #demons


How have you been? When do you find time to  write? Are you keeping your insecurities at bay?
Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and our co-hosts for keeping IWSG going. For those who aren't familiar with Insecure Writer's Support Group, just follow the link. It's a wonderful group. 

Oh the places it went... or didn't #IWSG

Hi everyone! 

It's time to share our thoughts, insecurities, and encouraging words. Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and our co-hosts for keeping IWSG going. For those who aren't familiar with Insecure Writer's Support Group, just follow the link. It's a wonderful group


This month's question:


What was your very first piece of writing as an aspiring writer? Where is it now? Collecting dust or has it been published?
My first piece of writing was a middle grade fantasy titled Book of Shadows. A year or three later, the title changed, the plot shifted, it had a new beginning, and the characters were renamed. The thing I remember most about that time was the positive feedback I received from agents and editors. It didn't land me an agent or a publishing contract. Every few years, I'd dust if off and try polishing it up. But it wasn't quite working. So, this year I tossed the plot and started fresh. It's the novel I'm currently working on. 


I saw this on Pinterest and thought it was perfect for an #IWSG post...



When it comes to writing, I'm sailing through quiet waters right now. My agent is looking for a home for a couple of my books, I have two novels I'm working on, and a couple of idea I hope to flush out one day. With work and family, that's all I can handle right now. Although, I do need to make more time for marketing my published books. I keep pushing marketing off, because I'm in a nice flow with that MG fantasy I mentioned above. And, well, let's face it, writing is so much more fun than marketing. 


In other news: 
Last month, I shared tips on writing for a young adult audience.  If you missed that post, you can click here to check it out.


How's your writing coming? Have any cool marketing tips? Are other things keeping you busy? Where's your first piece of writing?

Cover Reveal: SPIKED by Jennifer Lane

 Check out the sexy cover for SPIKED, third book in the Blocked Series by Jennifer Lane.


Spiked Blurb They say university is the time to find yourself 
but I don’t need to find myself
Just want to find you

After watching his older siblings find their love matches at Highbanks University, Mateo Ramirez feels unlikely to follow in their footsteps. What girl would want him? Unlike his brother and sister, he battles diabetes and chooses music over sports. But at least he can write songs about his life—and the girl who caught his eye when their parents ran against each other for US President.

Hey, chica! Come conmigoAnd baby, why don’t we go down under the bridge to the waterWith you it can only get hotter

Jessica Monroe is a talented swimmer who dreams of representing Team USA at the Olympics. When she earns an athletic scholarship to Highbanks, she’s excited to attend the same school as the cute boy she met two years ago: Mateo. Too bad he’s not around when a teammate spikes her drink. Jessica may never trust men again.

Trust is a hard-to-earn thingJust try to keep listeningSwallow down all of the unjustHollow my chest, my heart will bust
College years are the time to shake off the past and find your future. But will that future find Mateo and Jessica together? Dive in and immerse yourself in the eagerly anticipated conclusion to Jennifer Lane’s Blocked trilogy.

Click here to pre-Order your copy today.


Pre-Order Spiked today on Amazon US or Amazon UK Add Spiked to GoodreadsAlso FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Check out the Blocked series on Amazon and catch up before Spiked releases!

Blocked: Amazon US  | Amazon UKAced: Amazon US | Amazon UKStreamline: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Connect with Jennifer LaneAmazon | Facebook | 
Click here to Join the Online Release Party
Cover Reveal Hosted by Raven Publicity

Writing for a young adults audience

Photo creditTeens are passionate readers, many falling in love with their favorite characters and often loving to hate the antagonist. It's these types of emotions that I hope to elicit from my readers, but just how does an adult write realistic stories for teens? We get to know our audience and then create compelling stories with characters they can relate to.

First, let's discuss character. The main character's age of any novel depends on who they are and what conflicts they'll face along the way. Getting to know your protagonist is the first step in developing them as a person. Below are a few writing exercises I've used to bring out my main character's personality and innermost thoughts:
Have your character write a letter either to you or to a supporting cast member in the story.Write about your protagonist. This can be anything: a big event in her life, how she spent summer vacation, a typical day. What you write may not end up in the story, but it will help you get to know who she is as a person.Create character sheets that not only includes basic features (age, color of eyes, etc.), but notes fears, allergies, likes and dislikes. Answer questions like “I love my mom, but …” “My dad always…” “I wish…” and “If I could change one thing…” (For more tips on character sheets, click here.
Now that you know your character, you need to focus on voice. Voice is everything in a teen novel, because if your characters don't sound like teenagers, you're going to lose your readers attention. So what is voice? It's word choice, style, and reflection. It's seeing the world through a teen's eyes. To help bring out your character's voice, bring things back to them. For instance, a character may comment on a poster they have hanging in their bedroom: "I can't believe I still have that unicorn poster on the wall." Or they may notice that a person's eyes are the same green as their grandmothers.

To improve the authenticity of your character's voice, visit places where teens hang out. Observe their actions, body language, and speech. Take a notepad with you and jot down what they do and say. Okay, this may seem a little creepy, but as writers, we watch people all the time anyway. (If you're not, you should be!) Besides, I'm not suggesting you sit across from them with a notepad and pen like you're directing the scene. Blend in. Have a cup of coffee and a book in front of you. Wear headphones with no music. Attend high school sports, plays and other events that are open to the public. Be where teens are and your characters voice will benefit from it.

And when talking about writing for a young adult audience, I can't forget to mention plot. The first thing I'd like to say on this is...

Hook is not plot. Hook is what draws your reader in. Plot is what carries your reader from page one to the end of the book.
How do I develop plot? I think about what is important to teens the same age as my protagonist. Then, I ask myself if the conflicts make sense to a person this age, and I remind myself of the following:
Teens are complex.Include inner monologue in all my scenes.It's okay for things not to be black and white. There can be gray areas in young adult.My character should grow during the course of his or her story.Don't be vague. The story can't be absent of details.Write from the heart, because if I don't my readers will know.I hope you found some of my tips helpful. If you have any tips you'd like to share, I'd love to hear them.