Michelle Flick's Blog, page 7

The Vincent Boys Abbi Glines

I finally read it.

I've been focusing a lot on writing lately. I've got the bug - well actually - I have a 9 month bug - due in June! So, while I've been writing, reading has fallen to the weigh-side because man, am I sleepy.

Ashton is getting tired of being good, of impressing her parents and playing ideal girlfriend to Sawyer Vincent. Sawyer is perfect, a regular Prince Charming, but when he leaves town for the summer, it’s his cousin Beau who catches Ashton’s eye. Beau is the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, and even though he’s dangerous, Ashton is drawn to him.
Beau loves his cousin like a brother, so the last thing he wants to do is make a move on Sawyer’s girl. Ashton is off-limits, absolutely. That’s why he does his best to keep his distance, even though he’s been in love with her forever. When Ashton wants to rekindle their childhood friendship in Sawyer’s absence, Beau knows he should say no.
Ashton and Beau don’t want to hurt Sawyer. But the more they try to stay away from each other, the more intense their urges become. It’s getting way too hard to resist...

I thought this was a great book. It was fast-paced. It was realistic when it came to how a summer moves, days and nights. I cannot stand it when time doesn't move right in a novel. I thought this one was great.

Let's start from the beginning, I was surprised by how the novel started immediately with Beau and Ashton. It was nice not having an introduction chapter - bam! I'm smack in the middle of Ashton's crush that she should not be having. It's funny - while I normally feel bad for the guy who gets the boot in the love-triangle, I was annoyed with Sawyer the whole time. I was aggravated that Ashton felt she wasn't good enough, she had to be a certain way for him. I think it is because I have seen this in reality - and it's unacceptable. Beau won me over because he wanted Ashton to be Ashton.

Nicole - Beau's girlfriend - or whatever - I was friends with that girl in high school. While Nicole looks like a bitch in the book - that girl is fun to party with. What? She is.

Beau's and Ashton's relationship was exciting - a little more than PG 13, which is good for me - but again realistic. I felt for Beau for feeling like Sawyer took Ashton away from him and how she was he wanted. I liked how Ashton could be herself. I think she should have broken it off sooner - but lets be real - then there wouldn't have been a story.

Funniest line ever - I don't my girlfriend to lose her virginity in the back of a truck. I'm not sure if I was supposed to laugh here - but I did.

Sawyer better pull it together for me in the next book.

Cover Reveal for Runaway Mortal by Komal Lewis

I am so proud to be revealing my dear friend Komal Lewis's second book and the first in a new series. Komal has been a MACHINE the last few months, completing two novels! Yeah, two! I get to reveal her cover today for you!!!



Seventeen-year-old Katerina Lyrille is one of several mortals given the privilege to attend Esteré Academy alongside powerful angels and demons. Big stress on the “privileged”, because most of the supernatural beings look down in disgust at mortals like Katerina and want nothing to do with them.When the Headmistress of the school—a powerful angel—is found dead, Katerina is accused of her murder. Desperate to prove her innocence, Katerina runs away to seek the help of a seer who can tell her the true killer’s name, but the information comes at a price. Katerina must find an all-powerful, mythical Triad object for the seer, and in order to do so she must return to the very place she ran away from: Esteré Academy.Now, back at school, Katerina not only has to keep her promise to the seer and find the mysterious object, she also has to deal with a sexy supernatural agent hired to guard her until her trial for the Headmistress’s murder.The closer Katerina gets to finding the answers, the more danger she puts herself in because someone is out to stop her at all costs. Even if it means her death.

How awesome is that? 

NaNo stuff. - Because I can't come up with a better title.

NaNo has been going really well for me. I mean - I'm not right on target but I had a great weekend of writing.

Here's my run down of why I like NaNo
1. It makes you write.
2. The whole no editing thing just yet - VERY liberating.
3. A sense of community of ALL writers - not just genre based.
4. I may actually finish this novel.

If you are on NaNo - go friend me. Go on. Go do it.

I am a panster at heart - my writing visions jump from middle, to the bitter end, to the climax, to the beginning, to somewhere in the middle, back to the end, back to the beginning, and well you get the idea. It's the ADHD of writing.

For this novel - I have started at the beginning and have worked through. It's been different. Like - I know how I want the end scene to be. I keep it locked in my mind, replaying it so I don't lose the details.

But how is it going? I think it's going well. I mean no one has read it and it could be complete garbage BUT, its had one really good part. I want to get to those ADHD scenes, so I don't lose them, so I HAVE to push through scenes. It's motivating.

How's your NaNo going? What's your writing process?


PS. Stop over to Dash of you are a JLA fan.

Thankful for books giveaway hop

Being part of the Thankful for Books hop. I love this type of hop because you can see what everyone likes and a chance to find some new reads!
I am thankful I was blessed with the ability to write, wonderful editing friends, supportive friends and bloggers, and have this opportunity. I am going to stop before I get emotional. :)

On to my giveaway!
When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.

But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good looking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

See below to enter and a list of everyone who is participating!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Panel 4! A little publicity.

I have picked my four of my favorite authors/writers. They are going to be talking about their writing process.  This is my last week of this and I'm kind of sad. I had a lot of fun... I may have to do this again soon. 
Carrie Butler: Carrie daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.
WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  SSP  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+ 
Komal Lewis: Komal Lewis is a full-time author who lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, and one too many cats and dogs. She is overly enthusiastic about video games, comic books, Spiderman, Byronic heroes, baking, reptiles and pretty shoes.Komal is currently working on her debut novel, WITH ME, a YA Contemporary Romance about a girl who will do anything to become popular, and the rocker boy-next-door.
Joe Lantz: Joe works as a substitute teacher for Ripley Central School in WNY while he works on his YA novel and waits for a permanent position as an English Language Arts teacher. He had the great fortune of being Michelle’s student teacher and the even greater fortune of developing an enduring friendship with her, which includes time spent writing in a local library.  He is an avid reader and writer. He also enjoys collecting and reading comic books and graphic novels. He can also be found on  blog – the one Michelle encouraged me to start – Avid Reading, Constant Writing.
Bonnie Rae: Bonnie spent her early childhood in the sunny state of California. At the time, she was an only child with a very large imagination. Thanks to her Grandmother, the love of reading books started at a very young age. Every walk to the grocery store meant an ice cream cone and a new Little Golden Book. Through books, Bonnie learned you could be transported into other worlds. The addiction was instant. At age eleven, her grandparents gave her E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for her birthday. Even though she was completely grossed out when it came to spiders (and still is), Charlotte's Web fascinated her. A spider that was able to weave words and befriend a pig? Bonnie then realized not only could books provide imaginary worlds, they confirmed anything was possible. She might have only been eleven, but she knew writing was what she wanted to do. She started her first set of novels at the age of sixteen and has been writing ever since.Bonnie currently lives in California with her wonderful husband and two very spoiled cats.It’s the final countdown! Wait – no, that’s a song. It’s time to wrap it up – wait – as writer’s it’s never done. Crap. OK How about some personal information and free publicity for my writer friends? OK? OK. Tell us about your current manuscript or published masterpiece. Nothing like a little publicity.
Carrie: Title: StrengthSeries: Mark of Nexus – Book 1Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing   
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)
Release Date: March 07, 2013
When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, she’s stunned. Wallace Blake is everything she’s ever wanted in a man—except he can’t touch her. His uncontrollable strength, a so-called gift from his bloodline, makes every interaction dangerous. And with a secret, supernatural war brewing among his kind, there’s no time to work it out. To keep Wallace in her life, Rena will have to risk a whole lot more than her heart.
BOOK PAGE  | BOOK TRAILER  |   GOODREADS  |  FACEBOOK (New!)
Komal:IMPOSSIBLE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance. It’s a story about Ashton and Luca, who grew up next door, and being best friends as children, they grew up disliking each other. When Ashton’s reputation goes downhill, she will do anything to become popular again. Even if that means having to pretend that hJoe:The manuscript I am currently working on is about genetically engineered teenagers with super-abilities on the run with two of the scientists/parents that worked to create them. The teens are running from Helix, a secret agency that was once part of America’s scientific research defense against Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War. The super-teens are searching for a hidden, and thought failed, project that could bring the now rogue Helix and its leader, The Director, down. Along the way, there is fun, adventure, intrigue and, yes, romance.
Bonnie: I just published my first paranormal YA on Amazon this past April called Nether Bound. Here is the blurb:
Seventeen year old Ava Walker has everything a girl could ask for. She’s captain of the cheer squad, has tons of friends, and could easily have any guy she wants. Being popular is easy.

Lying about her entire life, on the other hand, isn’t.

Since she was little, Ava has had a connection with the dearly departed. She knows seeing dead people is abnormal, but they never try to communicate, so she does her best to turn a blind eye. The older she gets, the worse her visions become. With more and more ghosts showing up, her secret is on the verge of driving her mad.

The only person Ava ever trusted is her best friend, Devon. Only, she hasn’t really talked to him in years and lately he hasn’t been acting like himself.

To make things worse, her evil stepfather, Mark, is hitting the bottle harder and harder. Ava hates the alcoholic psycho her mother married a few years ago. To him, beating women is a sport. Lately, the beatings are getting worse. Ava fears it won’t be long before her mother is among the ghosts invading her life.

She wishes Mark would just die. When he suddenly does, her life changes forever.

Just when she thinks her family is safe, Mark shows back up.

Not all ghosts are silent, and dear old Daddy wants some serious revenge.

Be careful what you wish for …
My MC really has her life flipped upside down in this first book. She's already had to grow up to fast because of "family issues", but the events in this book find her making very difficult decisions about her life, and the lives of everyone she loves, all in order to save the one thing that matters most to her. Her family. She finds out who and what she really is and has a hard time embracing the truth about how she came to be. Not to mention the two totally hot guys vying for her attention. I couldn't not have a little love triangle going on.  =)
The second book in the trilogy: Nether Soul will be published on Amazon Oct. 30th 2012. I'd give you the blurb, but if you haven't read the first book yet, it would give too much away.
Can you pick one or two writers who have influenced you and think would benefit other writers? Carrie: Gena Showalter is my favorite paranormal romance author. She writes complex, driven, supernaturally-charged love stories. Yum!
Komal: Richelle Mead writes the most amazing stories. I think she is a fabulous writer, and her plot twists leave me with my mouth hanging open.
What are your greatest movie inspirations? Carrie:I always want to write after something heart-wrenching. It doesn’t matter what genre it is. Maybe I’ve just watched Serenity (science fiction), and I’m struggling to detach myself from the emotions of the film. My brain translates those feelings to whatever project I’m working on. Tragedy for my romance? A heated battle for my paranormal? It’s interesting how things affect and inspire us.
Komal:I love the Notebook! Romantic movies aren’t always my thing, but my best friend made me watch it one day, and towards the end I had something in my eye—I wasn’t crying, I swear! I have a weird mix of favourite movies. Titanic, Silence of the Lambs, My Best Friend’s Wedding, original three Star Wars films, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, recent Batman films, good remakes of Marvel comics, and Sleepy Hollow. There are so many more!

Joe:Greatest movie inspiration at the moment would be Superman, The Movie followed by other super-hero films. If you read my blurb about my novel, you’ll understand why those films would be inspiring.
What are some of your favorite writing blogs that you think make the writing world a better place?Carrie:  The Bookshelf Muse, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Melissa Maygrove’s Grammar Police Files!
Komal: You can’t beat the classics. Wuthering Heights, Cat’s Cradle and Anna Karenina are my long standing favourites. Also, I do love my Austen.Current favourites are Easy by Tammara Webber, and The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines.
What are some of your current (or long standing) favorite reads?
Carrie: What a difficult question! I’ll go with two of my favorite non-sappy romance reads: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter and Nothing But Trouble by Rachel Gibson. Brooding, heavily-guarded heroes? Yes, please!
Joe: Not the easiest of questions to answer. For current favorite reads, I’d have to go with the entire Tigers’ Curse series by Colleen Houck and Dearly, Departed and Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel. For long standing – because I can’t just answer one part of the question – I would have to include on the list, the short list that is, The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare, The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, and The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer.

Impossible by Komal Lewis

I want to start off this review with some honesty - when people pick up indie author's, they tend to be hesitant. What am I going to get out of this? Can this person really write a "good" story? What if I don't like it? All these thoughts are normal. However, Komal Lewis's debut novel will leave you with these answers: I got an awesome, well-rounded story. She can really write and leave me wanting more. I loved it!
With that being said my review for Impossible. 
Ashton Summers is on her way to becoming the most popular girl in school and nothing—or no one—is going to stand in her way. Especially not Luca Byron, her freak neighbor, with his tattoos, loud music, and distracting green eyes.

Luca Byron has three goals in life: get through high school with a low profile, make sure his garage band becomes something more than a hobby, and try to forget about his insufferable ex-best friend, Ashton, who he can’t get out of his mind.

The last thing Ashton and Luca want to do is rekindle their friendship, but when Ashton takes a tumble down the social ladder, Luca—with his new makeover—is the only one who can help her rise up again by pretending to be her boyfriend. At first, being together is unbearable and annoying, but things start to change as Ashton and Luca discover the real reasons they drifted apart seven years ago. 

Now, keeping their hands off each other seems impossible
I got to read the book prior to everyone else (Yes, I'm bragging). 
I found myself thinking about the story when I couldn't be reading it. I found myself rushing through things so I could get to the book. I had to know what was going to happen. I also had some fantasies about Luca. If you're looking for another crush, look no further. 
Ashton - is dying to be the most popular girl. She feels it will cover up some of her insecurities and she's about to get everything she wanted. The cost? Anyone who stands in her way. Even if it means she has to be a complete b@tch. 
Luca - is the rocker boy from next store who used to be Ashton's best friend and he has to watch the terrible things she does. It bugs him, but for seven years, they haven't talked. What can he do? I mean, he's the school's freak - abeit a hot one. 
But due to the evil Kance - Ashton finds herself relying on Luca with the intention of dropping him as soon as she gets back on the social ladder. One draw back - things start happening - like super intense kissing moments and unwanted (so they think) feelings. (Komal knows how to write a kissing scene.)
I will tell you this - you will not put it down! At all. Ever. It's that good. 

Writing Panel 3! The Editing Process!

I have picked my five of my favorite authors/writers. They are going to be talking about their writing process.  So stop by the next couple of weeks on Thursdays to see what they have to say!  Now on to the introductions!
Carrie Butler:Carrie daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.
WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  SSP  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+ 
Komal Lewis: Komal Lewis is a full-time author who lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, and one too many cats and dogs. She is overly enthusiastic about video games, comic books, Spiderman, Byronic heroes, baking, reptiles and pretty shoes.Komal recently finished her debut novel, IMPOSSIBLE, a YA Contemporary Romance about a girl who will do anything to become popular, and the rocker boy-next-door.
Joe Lantz: Joe works as a substitute teacher for Ripley Central School in WNY while he works on his YA novel and waits for a permanent position as an English Language Arts teacher. He had the great fortune of being Michelle’s student teacher and the even greater fortune of developing an enduring friendship with her, which includes time spent writing in a local library.  He is an avid reader and writer. He also enjoys collecting and reading comic books and graphic novels. He can also be found on  blog – the one Michelle encouraged me to start – Avid Reading, Constant Writing.
Bonnie Rae: Bonnie spent her early childhood in the sunny state of California. At the time, she was an only child with a very large imagination. Thanks to her Grandmother, the love of reading books started at a very young age. Every walk to the grocery store meant an ice cream cone and a new Little Golden Book. Through books, Bonnie learned you could be transported into other worlds. The addiction was instant. At age eleven, her grandparents gave her E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for her birthday. Even though she was completely grossed out when it came to spiders (and still is), Charlotte's Web fascinated her. A spider that was able to weave words and befriend a pig? Bonnie then realized not only could books provide imaginary worlds, they confirmed anything was possible. She might have only been eleven, but she knew writing was what she wanted to do. She started her first set of novels at the age of sixteen and has been writing ever since.Bonnie currently lives in California with her wonderful husband and two very spoiled cats.I am excited for this week (in a weird way). The editing process is the hardest part of writing for me. It’s when you give your “baby” to your friends or not so much friends and they really dive into it.
Editing time! Can you describe your editing process for us?
Carrie: Absolutely! After the first draft is complete, I usually take another 2-5 passes at it. Then it goes out to my critique partners for feedback. I had 7 for Strength, but I plan on less for the sequel. After I implement my critique partners’ suggestions, I go back and forth with them until I have a nice, clean copy to send my beta readers. I had 4 of those, last time. (Lather, rinse, repeat.) Now let’s skip forward, past my book deal, to the next level of editing.Working with a publisher is a similar experience, but it feels different. More pressure, less doubt. Content edits, copy edits, etc. You know you’re working toward something now. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and, this time, it’s not a train! ;)Learn to love that red ink, my friends.
Komal: I give myself a few days off, not two weeks like everyone recommends. The reason for this is because after I finish my first draft, I immediately know what rewrites I need to do, and I just want to get it done. I edit on the Word document first and then I print it all off and do line edits. Then it gets sent off to my critique partners. I implement their feedback, do a final round of edits, and have a beta-reader go through it. Rinse and repeat.
Joe: I can only really talk about how I edit for others at this point. I have a feeling I’d take the same approach for my own work.First, I read the draft through to enjoy the story for the sake of enjoying the story. I would only mark something that really, really, really interferes with my reading. Second, I ask myself questions about the story. For example: How was the story? Did the narration have flow? I jot down the answers to those and many other questions as informal notes, notes I’ll use on my next read. The third step I take is to read the story again with my notes on hand. This time through I am looking for spelling errors, punctuation mishaps, and the like. The fourth step is to read through once again offering suggestions to the author. The suggestions are often about clarifications, character names, continuity fixes, and many more. My final step is in the editing process is to write a letter to the author. The letter provides an overview of what I liked/loved about the work, what I did in the editing process, and how much I hope I have helped move the work forward.My editing process is time consuming but one I feel worth spending the time on. Someone has trusted me with his or her work and I’d better be bringing my A game to the editing process. As a writer, I know how hard it can be to hand over a manuscript or even a short story or poem you’ve poured yourself into for some to read, so the fact that an author has trusted you says a lot about you and you’d best prove that trust was warranted.
Bonnie: A lot of screaming, crying, self-doubt, and chocolate. Okay, maybe not that exactly, lol. After I do my first draft I send it out to my lovely CP's and beta readers. I take about a week or two off and just work on something else. Give my eyes and brain a break from my current story. Then once I get the story back from CP's and beta's I go over all of their comments. I give myself another thirty days to do rewrites/edits/revisions. After that, I send the MS off to the editor.

Why do you think it is important to have other people edit your work?
Carrie:They catch things I can’t. They’re unbiased, objective, and bring their own strengths to the table. Besides, they don’t have the whole story playing out in their heads 24/7. They read what’s on the paper. ;)
Komal: Chances are you could be cuckoo, and think your story is a masterpiece when it really isn’t. But, in all seriousness, it’s so important to have other people look at your work. The feedback is a necessary part of improving your story.
Bonnie: I am going to put these two questions together.

I found my editor through an online writing group. She is a professional editor and also a writer, she had all the right credentials and experience, plus she gets my writing style. That's not to say she doesn't suggest I make changes, because she does, and I am grateful for all the hard work she puts into my novels. In a perfect world, I would never have to use anyone else.
As a self-published author I think it is incredibly important to have another pair of eyes edit my work. Especially a credited editor with plenty of experience, because let's face it, all writer's make mistakes. I make a lot of mistakes. I am totally not ashamed to admit that. My first novel had its issues and I learned a plethora of stuff from the experience of not having it properly edited the first time around. Mistakes were missed and readers were very quick to point them out. Live and learn right? I actually took the book offline and had the editor I currently use, fix those mistakes and work with me to create a better reading experience for readers. There might still be a mistake here and there (heck even majorly published books have them), but it is nothing like the first version I put on line. Being self-published I refuse to cheat my readers into reading a horribly written and horribly edited novel. I am trying to create a respected and well done product for the reading public. Not having it professionally edited would just create a poorly done piece with a bad name. I take my writing very seriously. My novels are my babies. If I didn't get them edited and have them put through the ringer before publishing, then I couldn't call myself a real author.  I am not saying everyone loves my books. People might not like the story, and that is perfectly okay, but I don't want them to hate the writing in general because it is riddled with mistakes.

Any tips, tricks, or strategies to help other writers when proofing their own work? 
Carrie: Read it out loud. Seriously. Not only do I spot errors more often, but it helps me hear the cadence of my phrases. It’s a really helpful step.Oh, and print that bad boy out (or send it to your e-reader).  You’ll be surprised how different the manuscript looks/reads away from your word processor.
Joe: The first piece of advice: Find someone you can trust to edit. Trust that he or she will protect your work from prying eyes. Trust that he or she will be dedicated to the task. Trust that he or she will give feedback to you straight without hemming and hawing. You want someone honest, someone who will tell you the truth and not just tell you what you want to here. Constructive Criticism.The second piece of advice: When you go to edit your work, give yourself sometime away from the manuscript. If you finish on a Monday, set aside the manuscript until the following Monday so you can come at your work with fresh eyes and fresh thoughts. The third piece of advice: Remember that you most likely are your own worst critic. Try to cut yourself some slack.

What do you do if someone gives you a critique you don’t like? How do you handle it?
Carrie: I weigh it against the other critiques I receive. If it’s repeat feedback, I have no choice but to accept it. If it’s not, well, this is a subjective business. Not everyone will like what I write. It doesn’t mean I have to change everything on a singular whim, you know? It’s a judgment call.
Komal: I’ve been given mixed critiques before, which confused the heck out of me. I considered the three different viewpoints, read through my story and incorporated the ones that I agreed with. At the end of the day, it’s my story and only I can make the final decisions for it. You just have to go with your gut feeling.
How do you talk yourself into deleting a full scene or chapter, or something people thing weighs down your manuscript?
Carrie:I have a special folder for my deleted scenes and chapters. That way, I can go back and scrap them for parts later. Recycling, FTW!
Komal: I just do it. If it’s not resonating with someone else, or with me, it’s got to go!
Any advice for writers about the editing process?
Carrie:Edit your manuscript as many times as your patience allows… and then do it one more time. You know, just in case. ;) You only get one chance to make a first impression!
I also want to say "Congrats" to Komal who had her debut week with her contemporary novel IMPOSSIBLE. You can head over to A Dash of YA for a chance to win a copy!

Cover Reveal - Impossible by Komal Lewis

I am so very excited to par-taking in this cover reveal today! My dear friend Komal Lewis is revealing her cover for her debut novel Impossible. I was super lucky to read Komal's novel and I loved it. I am going to posting a review here later this week and up on Dash to.

So here it is!!!

Ashton Summers is on her way to becoming the most popular girl in school and nothing—or no one—is going to stand in her way. Especially not Luca Byron, her freak neighbor, with his tattoos, loud music, and distracting green eyes.Luca Byron has three goals in life: get through high school with a low profile, make sure his garage band becomes something more than a hobby, and try to forget about his insufferable ex-best friend, Ashton, who he can’t get out of his mind.The last thing Ashton and Luca want to do is rekindle their friendship, but when Ashton takes a tumble down the social ladder, Luca—with his new makeover—is the only one who can help her rise up again by pretending to be her boyfriend. At first, being together is unbearable and annoying, but things start to change as Ashton and Luca discover the real reasons they drifted apart seven years ago.Now, keeping their hands off each other seems impossible.
I know, amazing right? Keep watching our sites for chances to win a copy!
KOMAL I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

Spooktacular Book Giveaway Hop

Yay Halloween Season. Yay Free books. Yay book hops!  Today I have hopped on to the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop. It runs from the 24th to the 31st! That I think that would be a great Halloween surprise. Free books! I am giving away a few copies of my debut novel The Owens Legacy: Revelations. There are a whopping 400 people on this hop. Your odds are good. I say enter as many as you can! You're bound to get lucky!





Here's a synopsis of my book:
When telepathic twins, Piper and Ryder Owens are dumped at Evermore Academy, they thought that the only thing they’d have to worry about was Piper staying out of trouble long enough for them to graduate. They will not, for any reason, be separated. But someone at Evermore knows about their secret and wants to separate them permanently.

But then Piper’s Achilles Heel shows up: a good looking guy. Victor Mira is everything Piper is supposed to avoid, yet she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined. But Victor is hiding a dangerous secret too, and what he knows could be the one thing that could divide the sisters. Forever.

I'm a paranormal junkee :) 

So fill out the rafflecopter: 




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writer's Panel! Section 2! Now You're Writing!

Carrie Butler: Carrie daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.
WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  SSP  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOODREADS  |  GOOGLE+ 
Komal Lewis: Komal Lewis is a full-time author who lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband, and one too many cats and dogs. She is overly enthusiastic about video games, comic books, Spiderman, Byronic heroes, baking, reptiles and pretty shoes.Komal is currently working on her debut novel, Impossible, a YA Contemporary Romance about a girl who will do anything to become popular, and the rocker boy-next-door. Find her blog here.
Joe Lantz: Joe works as a substitute teacher for Ripley Central School in WNY while he works on his YA novel and waits for a permanent position as an English Language Arts teacher. He had the great fortune of being Michelle’s student teacher and the even greater fortune of developing an enduring friendship with her, which includes time spent writing in a local library.  He is an avid reader and writer. He also enjoys collecting and reading comic books and graphic novels. He can also be found on  blog – the one Michelle encouraged me to start – Avid Reading, Constant Writing.
Bonnie Rae: Bonnie spent her early childhood in the sunny state of California. At the time, she was an only child with a very large imagination. Thanks to her Grandmother, the love of reading books started at a very young age. Every walk to the grocery store meant an ice cream cone and a new Little Golden Book. Through books, Bonnie learned you could be transported into other worlds. The addiction was instant. At age eleven, her grandparents gave her E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for her birthday. Even though she was completely grossed out when it came to spiders (and still is), Charlotte's Web fascinated her. A spider that was able to weave words and befriend a pig? Bonnie then realized not only could books provide imaginary worlds, they confirmed anything was possible. She might have only been eleven, but she knew writing was what she wanted to do. She started her first set of novels at the age of sixteen and has been writing ever since. Bonnie currently lives in California with her wonderful husband and two very spoiled cats. Find her blog here.Last week my wonderful writers focused on the pre-writing phase. Check that post out here. Today they are talking about their actual writing of their first draft.
Where do you find it easiest to write? Carrie:At my desk. Have you seen my writing cave? The sacrifice was worth it!
Komal:Like Sheldon Cooper, I have my spot on the sofa. I work there for optimum results because it’s the best angle for the TV, close to the door if there’s a fire and I need to escape, and in viewing distance of the kitchen so I can keep an eye on my dogs. There is nowhere else in the house that I can focus, except there. Beware if you take my spot.
Joe: When I first started work on the manuscript, I found my bedroom was easiest to write in, but I quickly learned that I was wrong. Oh so wrong. My room is the worst place I can write. There are just way too many distractions there. Thanks to Michelle, I find I write easiest in the library. I do very well there, typically cranking out two hours worth of solid writing during our Saturday writing meets. The summer was most productive as we met Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays to write.When not at the library, I find that I write my easiest at home in the dining room. By far, the dining room has way fewer distractions than my room. I think it also helps that the dining room chairs are not the most comfortable to sit in for long periods of time which motivates me to focus on my writing so I can crank out two hours or more and then get the hell off those seats.
Bonnie: In my office, always. I am most comfortable there and can really get into my element.
How do you schedule yourself and then stick to that schedule? Carrie: If I want to make a career out of writing, I need to treat it like any other job. I pick a time that works best, and I hold myself accountable.
Komal:I wake up at 6 am every day, except for when it’s my husband’s day off. After I get all the housework done, I go on the Internet and then work on my story at around 11 am. If I am writing, then I aim to write 1000-3000 words a day. If I am editing, then I try and edit 20-30 pages, and allow myself breaks when I need them. If I want a day off, then that’s okay. I’m a workaholic, though, so I am constantly thinking about my work-in-progress.
Joe: Aside from writing with Michelle on Saturday mornings, I don’t really have a set schedule. I write whenever I have free time. And honestly, writing whenever I have free time is the easiest schedule to stick to.However, I recently set a November deadline for the first draft of my manuscript, so I most likely will attempt to set myself a more regular schedule for writing to help me reach the November goal. I foresee the schedule being something like this: Writing during all available free time and for two dedicated hours every night on top of the Saturday writing time with Michelle.
Bonnie:I don't schedule times, I schedule word counts. I set a daily goal that I need to write a day in order to finish in thirty days (first draft). So sometimes I do a morning and afternoon session.  Or sometimes, depending on the muse, I will pull a whole morning or a whole afternoon. All of it really depends on when the muse flows best. But regardless, I push for my word count even if I hate everything I am writing that day. First drafts can suck, that's what they are for. I call them my learning curve drafts. But trust me there are days when nothing flows, so I take the day off. I read or blog and usually at some point get inspired and can dabble something down.
While you are writing, who, if anyone, do you include in the writing process and why? But if not, why not?Carrie:  I run first draft chapters past my sister. She’s an avid reader and is great about spotting early plot-holes.
Komal:When my husband gets home from work, I always give him a summary of what I did that day. If I am stuck on a certain part of the story, we talk through it until it’s resolved. I also have two amazing critique partners, Michelle and Erica, who give me constant help and feedback if I need it.
How do you know your first draft is complete? Carrie:When it feels right. There’s no other way to describe it. Use those writing Spidey-senses!
Komal:I set a word count goal and aim for that. Also, I have several “main events” that I know I have to hit during the story. Once that’s done, I try to wrap it up.
Any organization strategies, apps, etc. that help you write? Carrie:I keep a master binder of everything. Notes, maps, research, etc. (And I’m saving up to try Scrivener!)
Komal:Don’t over prepare for it. Don’t edit as you go. Let the first draft be as organic as possible. If you are stuck, try and work through it. Keep going and just get it done!
Any advice for writers about the first draft part of writing that you wish to share?
Carrie:Remember when I said not to censor your pre-writing? I’m going to add to that now. Don’t edit your first draft until it’s finished. Just plow through it.