Jo Michaels's Blog, page 49

UtopYA Con Presents Authors R My Idols Public Book Signing

Are you an avid reader who wants to meet and hang out with their favorite authors?
Here's your chance - and you get to do it for a great cause!

Meet bestselling authors like Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller, Kim Holden and Rysa Walker (and many, many more!) at Authors R My Idols (ARMI), sponsored by Indie-Visible and presented by UtopYA Con.
On Saturday, June 20, an open-to-the-public book signing will be held at Nashville’s Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. The book signing benefits local non-profit group Book 'Em. The signing is free for fans who donate a book, or only $5 without a book. Two signings will be held from 10A-12P and 1-3PM to insure readers get plenty of time to find their next pile of books to read!

All donated books and admission fees go directly to Book ‘Em to help them with their two-part mission: to get books to children and teens in lower-income families who might not otherwise have books of their own; and providing volunteer readers to local pre- and elementary schools. Book’em creates a more literate Nashville by helping economically disadvantaged children, from birth through high school, discover the joy and value of reading through book ownership and enthusiastic volunteers.

UtopYA Con is a proud supporter of this organization and looks forward to connecting authors and readers for such a great cause. For more information such as exhibitors, conference tickets, and more, visit utopyacon.com or you can purchase tickets (or save your signing space) here.

Join us on Saturday!

The Harvest Saga Re-Reveal - New Covers

Thanks so much for checking out the blog today! Casey L. Bond is revealing brand new covers for her Harvest Saga trilogy! Check these bad boys out.

The covers were designed by Cassy Roop of Pink Ink Designs. Cover photography by Mandy Hollis of MHPhotography. Cover models are Mandy Hollis and Amee Thompson. 

If you're interested in reading Reap, here are the links:

REAP Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Nook iBooks Kobo Goodreads


If you're interested in reading Resist, here are the links:

RESIST Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Nook iBooks Kobo Goodreads

Reclaim is currently being edited. A release date will be announced very soon.
 When Reclaim is released, the boxed set will also be released! Isn't it pretty?



Thank you so much for checking out the blog today! If you want to go stalker on Casey, just follow her at the links below!

Casey L. Bond resides in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.
You can find more information about Bond’s books via the following links: WebsiteNewsletterFacebookTwitter: @authorcaseybond                 GoodreadsPinterestConnect on tsu, Instagram, Google+ and LinkedIn!
Available or Soon-To-Be Released Books:Winter ShadowsPariah, Book 1 in The New Covenant SeriesParadox, Book 2, The New Covenant SeriesDevil CreekShady BayReap, Book 1 in The Harvest SagaResist, Book 2 in The Harvest SagaReclaim, Book 3 in The Harvest SagaSin (Serial Series)Light in the Darkness (YA Anthology)Fractured Glass (Novel Anthology)Crazy LoveDark Bishop (Serial Series)Prep For Doom (Dystopian Anthology)Catalyst Temptation (Serial Series)Water Witch

UtopYA Con 2015 Thunderclap for Awards Voting

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm not gonna mess around here. I know you're all busy! Plus, I have a little incentive for your help. I'll get to what in a few. So, with that being said, let's get to the meat of today's post.


UtopYA Con is inviting you to join in helping spread the word about awards voting. This is a big deal because this con is the only one with their own awards program. It's very chic, and everyone gets dressed up in their finery to attend. Trophies are awarded for a number of different categories, all related to young adult and new adult novels. See the whole list and details about how nominees are chosen here.

See last year's winners here.

The most awesome part of all this is: You, the public, get to vote once the nominees are announced! That's right, if you have a favorite author attending the con, you can go on over there and show your support for their novels by voting for them.

But utopYA and the authors need your help to spread the word to fans everywhere! All we're asking is for one tiny support of our Thunderclap campaign Your Voice, Your Vote. It's FREE, so we really just want to borrow one (or more) of your social media outlets for one tiny post on May 8th.

Here's the link to sign up: http://thndr.it/1zgCvSG

You can support with Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr (or all three). Makes no difference.

Want to see if authors you love have been nominated? Be sure and click the link on May 8th when we go boom! Then, if you see a book you loved, vote!

Now, here's the incentive I mentioned. If you support the Thunderclap, and share that you supported, with one of your social networks, you can enter below to win a utopYA 2015 t-shirt. It's easy: Support, share that you supported, copy the link, paste it in the entry form, click enter! Boom! Done!

If you've already supported, just share the Thunderclap and paste in the link where you did. Easy peasy.

You have until May 7th to support and enter! And... GO!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How fun is this? Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Cover Reveal - Had a Great Fall

Happy Friday for the second time, everyone! Today, I'm bringing you the cover reveal and an excerpt from Had a Great Fall by Shawn McGuire. If you remember Shawn, one of her novels was picked up by me for an R&R this year when I had my big request party back in December. That novel was Sticks and Stones, the first in the Wish Makers series. You can check it out on Kindle for FREE here. Go grab a copy of that book, then pop on back to continue reading!

I'll wait...

You're back? Awesome! Let's get going.

Here's the blurb:

A new home in a new state. The chance to get away from the relentless bullies and reinvent himself. Then on the first day at his new high school, Robin Westmore finds himself in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time and right back into the role of victim. All Robin can do now is wish for the harassment to stop.

Being the leader of the genie world is not what Desiree expected. The Guides aren’t happy with her or any of the decisions she makes. The only thing they all agree on is that they want their old boss back, but Kaf has vanished, leaving the Guides in shock and Desiree with a broken heart.

While Desiree hides from her responsibilities, Robin disappears into the video game he’s created. There he finds excitement, adventure, and control. When the game presents him with an escape from his tortured life, will he take it?

Here's an excerpt:


Chapter One Robin
Maybe I could call in sick. With something fatal. Something so contagious the entire high school would contract it just by looking at me. Was there such a thing? I took out my phone. “Okay, Google. What is visual contagion?”“Good morning, Robin.”For half a second I thought my phone had learned my name. And had started speaking in my mom’s voice? I entered the kitchen and found Mom in her pink bathrobe with the tea stain down the front, waiting for me. She must’ve heard me talking to my phone.“Morning.” I set my messenger bag by the back door and took a seat at the kitchen bar.Google had only come up with only one direct hit and was now blinking at me, waiting for something that would challenge its storage banks. The ‘contagion’ it presented wasn’t even a disease. It was some company in Vancouver that spread positive messages on organic hemp or bamboo T-shirts. Great. I ask for science, I get hippies.“Do you think Visual Contagion would be a good name for a band?” I asked Mom as I scrolled through a few of the t-shirt pictures.“Hmm,” Mom said, tapping her fingernail against her teacup. “A band that plays music?”My turn to sit and blink. “What other kind is there?”“Plenty. A wrist band. Hairband. Wedding band. Waistband.”“Okay, okay.” She’d go on and on and then open the thesaurus app on her tablet if I didn’t stop her. “I’m a guy. I don’t think about hairbands or jewelry. Yes, I meant a band that plays music.”“Then I’d say no. Visual Contagion, great a name as it is, would not work for a musical group.” She took a sip of her tea, Irish breakfast according to the tag hanging from the string, as she contemplated. “Auditory Contagion could work. Audio? Audial?”Auditory Contagion would indeed be a damn cool name for a band. Almost made me want to form one. Except I couldn’t play a single instrument. Not even that plastic flute-thing they made us play in elementary school. Maybe I could compose something on my computer. I needed music for my video game anyway.“Okay, Google. Popular music software.”“Would you like some breakfast?” Mom asked. “Or are you just going to play with your phone until it’s time to leave?”My mom wasn’t the most domestic person. She did like to feed people though, and when she took the time to make an actual meal, she was a great cook.I set my phone in my lap and analyzed my hunger level. “Juice and toast with butter and jam. Two slices.”“Two? You’re hungry today. What kind of tea?” She held up her Irish breakfast to me with a questioning look and wiggled the box as if that would lure me to the Celtic side.“Englishbreakfast, please. With cream and two sugar cubes.” “Off to the range,” my dad said as he entered the kitchen and set a black case—smaller than a briefcase, larger than a lunchbox—on the gray marble counter.“Before work?” Mom asked.“I don’t have any meetings until ten today. I want to try out my birthday present.”Who knew a guy could get so excited over a handgun? Then again, this one did have a built-in laser. Guns weren’t my thing, but if presented with a laser-operated piece of technology I’d be all over it. So, I could understand his enthusiasm to a point.“Want to come with me, Robin?” Dad asked as he plugged the first of two coffee pods into the machine to fill his travel mug.“Thanks, but I do have a meeting before ten,” I said. “I have that test first thing.”“Finally,” Dad said. “I don’t understand the holdup on allowing you to take a placement test. You studied?”“Of course he studied,” Mom said as though nothing could be more unthinkable than me notstudying.“I did,” I told them. “Don’t worry, I’ll pass.”“They should put him directly into Calculus and Differential Equations,” Dad said.“He could handle it,” Mom agreed, “but AP Calculus will be an easy A for him.”“Good point,” Dad said and clapped me on the back, nearly knocking me off my stool. “Build that killer GPA. Get into the college of your choice and academic scholarships as well.”“Don’t pressure him,” Mom said, setting a plate with my buttered and jammed toast on the placemat in front of me.~  
And, lastly, here's the cover!


I love the covers for these novels. So amazing! Now, a little word about Shawn McGuire:

Shawn McGuire is the author of young adult novels that blend contemporary settings and issues with a touch of fantasy and magic. She started writing after seeing the first Star Wars movie (that's episode IV) as a kid. She couldn't wait for the next movie to come out so wrote her own episodes. Sadly, those notebooks are long lost, but her desire to write is as strong now as it was then.

Her books deal with harder topics (death of a sibling, divorce, dating violence, bullying, and teen suicide) because she believes it is important to talk about these things. Those kinds of topics can be hard to handle and a bit overwhelming, so she infuses a bit of humor in her work as well because she also believes that a sense of humor can help you get through just about anything.


Shawn lives in Colorado with her family where she spends her time reading, cooking and baking, practicing yoga and meditation, and hiking and camping in the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

Website - www.Shawn-McGuire.com
Facebook www.Facebook.com/ShawnMcGuireAuthorNewsletter signup - http://eepurl.com/V21k1Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/shawnmcguire1/Twitter - https://twitter.com/Shawn_McGuireGoodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3231214.Shawn_McGuireAmazon Author - http://www.amazon.com/Shawn-McGuire/e/B00L0FJDFW/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1420552843&sr=1-2-ent


Here are the other books in the series:


Sticks and StonesBreak My BonesNever Hurt Me

Don't they sound cool? What are you waiting for?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Markaza and M - Writing Updates!

Happy Thursday, everyone! I know, I know, my post is late! But I was working on something for a client, and I really wanted to get it to them before I took time to write my post. Now, it's a sit and wait game as I chew my nails and watch my e-mail to see if they like my ideas. I thought you might like to have an update on what I've been doing on the writer end. I have a snippet or two for you to check out, and I'm giving you updates for books that have been in the works for a while (in case you've been waiting for them -- yes, the e-mails and PMs about release dates can stop, because I'm gonna give you those, too!). So, grab a cup of coffee and join me!

First up, the sixth and final (maybe) book of the Mystic series, Markaza. Her story comes in at just over 56k words.

Update: Book is slated for release either end of May or early June. It's in the hands of my very capable editor now! EEP! In case you missed the cover and blurb:

Markaza Turner isn't your average seventeen-year-old. She can see the future, the past, and has an eerie propensity for getting people to do things.

But what she sees is the obliteration of mankind. Worse, her visions tell her it's gonna happen on her eighteenth birthday, December 21, 2012.

All six of the ladies forming the elite group, known as WSTW, are finally together under one roof. Bronya, Lily, Shelia, Melody, Coralie, and Markaza must now figure out how to use their strange powers before an evil being rises from the ground in Central Park and destroys the world.

But Markaza's own past is dark and riddled with secrets she'll need to unearth and come to terms with before she can go to war.

In this exciting finale of the Mystic series, the women come face-to-face with a truth that will change their lives forever.

Our fate is in their hands. 

~

And, here's a snippet:



He cleared his throat. “I think we all need bulletproof vests, personally.”Markaza quirked an eyebrow at him.“Well, you said that thing has claws, right? What if it comes down to an ability to puncture that wins or loses the fight?”She snorted. “You haven’t seen the size of those claws. I think they’d rip through a bulletproof vest like a snake gliding through water.”He blanched.“Yeah. This thing is taller than The Clementine.”He turned green.“And all we have are our powers. I don’t think it has any weakness apart from love and forgiveness. With all our work with the shrink, we’re getting there; but I wonder if it’ll be enough. There are only six of us.”“Eight,” he said.She tilted her head.“You have me, and you have Richard. Don’t count us out because we aren’t superheroes.”

~

Second, we have M. This is a standalone novel (you all know how I love those). It should end up around 60-70k words, but is sitting at almost 35k now.

Update: This title should be finished by the end of next week. Cover reveal will be June 1st, and release is set for June 18th. Here's a peek at the blurb and snippets:

In 2042, it finally arrives, the drug promising to make life easier for the masses. One pill and anyone can gain an ability. There are no promises made as to what the power could manifest as, but people are crawling over one another to take a chance.

There's a problem: One pill costs a million dollars. Only those with extraordinary wealth are afforded the luxury of cleaning house with a click of their diamond-adorned fingers or solving a puzzle by talking to it.

A knockoff is circulating that does the same thing as M. Hundreds of thousands of people have mutated for a mere fifty dollars.

Seventeen-year-old Griffin is a normal kid, who has a regular job, and dreams of going to college someday. When his girlfriend of three years succumbs to peer pressure, they break up. He believes the body is a temple not to be messed with outside of nature, and she wants to fit in. Once he meets the supplier, things take a turn for the worse.

He's left with nothing but pain in his heart and the desire to make them suffer when his plans for payback blow up in his face.

Thirst for revenge consumes him, and he finds himself locked in a battle he never anticipated with a merciless kingpin as they struggle to gain the advantage.

How far is too far?

~

Snippets:



Joey stuck his hands in his pockets and bobbed his head up and down. “Yeah, I get it. That’s what you have to hold onto; that’s what’ll help you do the hard things, the things you’ve been told you’ll go to Hell for, the things your mother would smack your face for thinking. At the same time, those are the things that have to be done.”***


Earring Guy was sitting on the couch, his feet propped on what looked like an antique coffee table. No one said anything because they were at his house, and he could do whatever he wanted to the furniture. Not that anyone would’ve said anything either way. He picked at his teeth as he spoke. “I saw two people shift into lizards then back into humans—one male, one female—and a man who was winking a light on and off every time he blinked.”Harry wrote the information down. “Well, that makes forty-seven different recorded abilities.” His eyes bulged. “How many possible manifestations could there be?”“There’s no limit, H,” Ruby answered.
~ 

So, what do you think? Sound intriguing?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Using Groupon for Book Sales

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Wow, do I have an awesome idea for you all today. Strap yourselves in and grab a cup of coffee, because this is gonna be one wild ride!

As I often do, I was thinking of new and innovative ways to sell/market books. I have a friend named Eva Pohler (find her on Facebook here), and this idea comes from a little snafu she hit a little while back with Barnes & Noble booksellers. No, this doesn't trash B&N (I love that store!); it's just information about what happened with her books. Plus, if you've encountered this particular problem, it might be information about how to unload books.

I'm gonna start with Eva's story, and work my way up from there. Stay with me, folks!

So, Eva wanted to have her book in a brick and mortar store (don't we all?), and she decided that was her goal for 2015. Please understand, when Eva goes after something, she goes after it; nothing gets in her way. Gosh, I admire that. Anywhoooo... So, she speaks with someone from B&N and they tell her, in order to stock her books, those titles need to be returnable.

Quick aside: Books are the only (yes, only) retail merchandise that's returnable for a 100% refund. How crazy is that? Okay, back to the story!

In order to make a self-published book returnable, you must go through a company like Lightning Source. Eva did that, made the book returnable, and B&N ordered a great number of copies of her titles.

Needless to say, she came home one day to find boxes and boxes of her books sitting on her doorstep. This is where my idea begins. I only told you enough about Eva's tale to give you an idea of what we're dealing with: tons of books sitting in your living room that you have no way to sell.

For the rest of Eva's story, check out the interview she did with S. M. Boyce here. It's a long video, but it might save you some money someday, I suggest you check it out.

Moving on!

I started thinking: How the heck is she gonna sell all those books? Marketing is difficult enough without a crapload of inventory sitting in your house. If Amazon can't sell them, how can you?

Enter Groupon. Why this never occurred to me before, I have no idea. But it's been a growing platform for sales for years. If you find yourself in a position like Eva did, why not create a Groupon to help move that stock?

I did a little digging before I started this post, and creating a Groupon is free.

But how the hell does Groupon make money, Jo? I know they charge you something! And how can I guarantee they won't oversell my stuff and me end up scrabbling to get more?

Great questions! I asked them, too. From their site: Groupon charges a marketing fee that's a percentage of the revenue from sales. You can set the number of items available, and they'll only sell that many Groupons. For answers to other questions, check out the FAQ here.

Now, the big question here is (you totally knew I'd look this up, right?): How many people actually buy Groupons? Here's an article from 2011 that gives a pretty good rundown of the numbers then. The projected growth is off the charts (no pun intended). Yes, that's billions with a B.

Can you imagine your book in front of that many people?

It's a huge marketing opportunity, and we Indies have to always be looking for the new idea in marketing. I love my iPhone, and I have Groupon. My husband and I use it often (browsing there created this idea). But I never looked at it as a market for books until now.

*face/palm*

Has my head been up my arse all this time? Or have I just never thought of it because it hasn't been done by anyone else? Either way, it's time to try something new, don't you think?

You may start here. Good luck!

What do you think? Will you try it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Versatile Blogger Award

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, a little bit of a change. Since my guest last week, Mindy Ruiz, has one book published and we already discussed on the post here (big giveaway going, GO ENTER) and featured it on the sidebar, today I'm talking about an award that was bestowed upon me by a fellow blogger. She's also a member of the 2015 Time for Books Review Team. Who is she and what's this award about? Well, grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Thank you, K. J. Farnham, for nominating me for this awesome award! Here's a little about Ms. Farnham:
I was born and raised in West Allis, Wisconsin, home of the Wisconsin State Fair and the Pettit National Ice Center. In 1999, I graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I went on to earn a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction while teaching full time. After teaching first grade and third grade for six years each, I am proud to say that I had the privilege of helping hundreds of children learn to read and write.

In 2011, my family of four relocated from Milwaukee to western Wisconsin. (We are now a family of five!) While I was sad to leave teaching, I was ready for a change and excited to explore my love for writing. I got caught up for two years writing and editing for various clients while the book that I’d started back in 2009 went untouched. I finally made it my New Year’s Resolution for 2014 to finish Click Date Repeat, and it was published on August 21, 2014 (my wedding anniversary).

Things I enjoy: travel (especially road trips), running, biking, nature walks, beach outings, coffee and tea.

Things I love: watching my children participate in various activities, reading, writing, Body Pump at the YMCA, The Walking Dead, peanut butter and coconut milk.

Check out K. J. Farnham's blog here.

Information about the award:

The Versatile Blogger Award is given in recognition for the great commitment, diverse talents and generosity shown by bloggers here in our community. There is so much creativity on display that it is difficult to reduce a list to only a few, but for those nominated, it is hoped that it will motivate them as well as celebrate their work to date.

Here are the rules:
Show the award on your blogThank the person who nominated youShare seven facts about yourselfNominate up to fifteen blogsLink your nominees’ blogs, and let them knowMy seven facts:
My life is chaotic most of the time, so I tend to lean toward super controlling habits in my writing, editing, and design workI have this strange compulsion to help people, and look for different, interesting ways to give back to the Indie author community (because I'm selfish, and I get to pat myself on the back)I'm very opinionatedBecause I have such a strong work ethic, I expect the same from others, and it's destroyed relationships when things aren't followed through on or when I feel I'm not getting back the level of commitment I put inI believe in magicI push myself harder than I should, and I'm harder on myself when I fail than anyone else could ever beWhen people don't like me, I'm okay with it; because everyone doesn't like everyone (just like all people don't like the same book), and I'm not going to be someone other than me to change thatI nominate:
Ashley Bodette from Book Junkie: Not-So-AnonymousMaria Pease from The Paisley ReaderRen Reidy from A Little Bit of R&RYou should check those blogs out. Those ladies are amazing!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

UtopYA Con 2014 Pro Sched User

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! It's time for another utopYA 2015 update! I know you're all super excited. BUT! Even if you're not going to utopYA, you can still figure out how to use Sched if an event you're attending in the future chooses to be green and save a few trees by going digital. Don't be the girl left out of the party. You'll lose out on a chance to join a huge family of like-minded creative people. Ever wanted to walk into a room and know the people there get you? Yeah, that's utopYA. So get your tickets here. Right now. The price goes up at the end of May, so don't dally!


Let's get to the info for today, shall we?

If you've been following along with the official bloggers this month, you'll know most of the ways you can use Sched to your advantage. Let's do a quick recap (links will take you to the corresponding posts):


Here on my blog, you learned how to create and update your profile. We went through connecting your social media and adding a cute profile picture.

When A Book Vacation took over, Shana taught you all how to mark things you'd like to go to, and she showed you a few awesome tips in her video.

Then, we went to The Paisley Reader. Maria walked you through syncing Sched with your phone (or freaking KINDLE)!

Today, we have the Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous, Ashley, walking you through how to change your ticket information and finding your friends!

By the time you get through all the posts above, you should be ready for the conference and have your reminders set so you don't miss a single panel. Have fun!

There won't be printed programs this year! Sched is what you need to learn how to use to get the most out of your experience.
What did you learn from the bloggers this month? Are you all set to go with the app?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

What's Above the Fold?

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I know you're all excited that tomorrow's Friday, but I'm still bringing you a little tip today that may or may not explain a few things and/or make your life a hair easier. I hope you brought your coffee, pen, and paper! Let's goooooo!

So, today is all about that little thing in bloggerland known as a fold. What the heck? Nothing on the web folds, Jo!

Yeah, I know things don't literally fold, but let's think of a blog like a newspaper for a moment, shall we?

Everything a reader sees before they have to scroll down is considered above the fold. Now that we have the terminology down, let's get to what should be there and why it matters.

Examine my blog. You're looking at it right now, and you may still be where you haven't scrolled yet, so take a moment and really look. If you've moved down, scroll all the way back up.

What's the first thing you see? My name, right? Then a description of what you'll find on this blog.

After you see that, you notice I'm involved with utopYA con and INDIE Books Gone Wild. Now it's time for pages on my blog I think everyone who visits should become familiar with.

Awesome. Now you know where you are, why you are, and what kinds of things you can expect to find, right? Stopping here for a moment to talk about why those things matter and do a short comparison.

Remember when I talked about your blog as a newspaper? If you have one handy, grab it. Leave it folded in the middle, please. If you don't have one, use your imagination (or the picture below) to recall what they look like.

Now, you see a description (All the News That's Fit to Print), a title, a date, a price, and a headline, yes? Move on down and see the author's names and the good stuff.

Basically, everything above the fold on a newspaper is to tell you who, why, and what. It's the same with a blog. People need to know what they're getting into at a glance. Period.

But bloggers have extra stuff that should be above the fold:
Date of most recent post Headline of most recent postSome way to share the post (or the blog)A way to subscribe to updatesI'm a thorough believer in less is more. Load time matters as much as aesthetics. More than fifteen seconds and folks leave. But the four items above are essential. Why?

Date: So people can see at a glance you're active now
Headline: So folks can be attracted to your writing
Sharing: Do I have to explain this one? Mine's buffer, but you can use anything.
Subscription Method: So people don't lose your awesome blog

Folks might look around for a way to subscribe or share if it's not in their faces, but don't bet on it. Make it easy to keep up.

I'm not going into other things you need to have. Everyone chooses differently. I used to have my bio, all kinds of widgets and banners and things, but my blog took forever to load. I cleaned house. Confusion does not encourage repeat visits.

Do you love it here? Why? Why not?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - Moon Crossed Episode One

Hello and happy Wednesday, readers! I have another book review for you all today. It will go in with the Time for Books 2015 Review Team's list. I'm so impressed with those guys! They've read and reviewed almost 200 books this year already. *faints* Give them a hand, will ya? This is the first of a serial series. If you aren't familiar with those, they're the ones where a small episode is released weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, usually followed up by a boxed set of the entire thing once it's written. So, if you like paranormal and werewolves, keep reading! Grab some coffee, get comfy, and let's get going!

First, a little information about the book up for review today:

Title: Moon Crossed (Crescent Hunter Series Episode One)
Author: Bella Roccaforte
Genre: Older YA/NA Paranormal
Length (print): ~ 85 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb:
Claire O'Conlan is a hunter, her kind were created to protect humans from feral werewolves. She's desperate to find a cure for the moon-touch. Until she does, the hunt won't stop.

Despite being raised among supernatural creatures, Claire is determined to make college as normal as possible. But childhood habits die hard. She can't seem to stay away from the wolf-borne, and worse, she's falling in love with Cole Jackson, the big bad wolf.

Claire can't resist the undeniable fire Cole ignites within her. They are falling headlong into a forbidden love affair. Hunter and wolf, a dangerous combination inciting war between factions, action from the council and the biggest risk of all, Claire fulfilling her duty and being the hunter that kills Cole.

Will Claire find the cure? Or will their love end in tragedy?

**Will not appear in review elsewhere. I freaking LOVE the cover for this book. Regina Wamba of Mae I Design outdid herself with the visuals and type treatments. Grand slam. Well done, ladies.**

Let's get on to the review!

I snagged this book on Amazon when it released. I was excited to check out this serial because I find I enjoy stories of werewolves on rampages. Plus, the cover drew me right in. Talk about being excited when I found it next on my Kindle, waiting to be devoured. I blew through it in about two days, but that's reading a couple pages here and a couple pages there, perfect for the reader with a busy lifestyle. Anyway, moving on to the important stuff!

From a Reader's Perspective:
Because this was the first episode in a serial series, I didn't expect a lot of emotional turmoil or to get to the point that I connected with any of the characters. But, I have to say, I like Claire. She's one tough nut to crack, but she's also beautifully flawed. Despite the fact that her friends could turn into something she'll end up having to kill, she has no problem hanging out with them. Out of all the boys, I like Trevor best. He's rough around the edges, but you can tell he has a real brotherly compassion for Claire.

There were a couple of words that are certainly suited for tweens rather than teens, but they didn't bother me. That's just a note for those of you easily offended by that kind of thing. If you're squeamish about sex, don't be; there's none in this episode.

It's a well-paced starter with a ton of setup for what's certainly to come. There's humor, battles of wits, and snarky girl moments that didn't leave me groaning. You won't hate on the MC for being annoyingly juvenile.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Needs tweaks here and there. Commas need tending to, dialogue tags vs action tags, and word confusions top the list.

Rating:
1 Star for a tough MC that wasn't irritating or perfect
1 Star for creating a great pack of secondary characters
1 Star for leaving me tense for episode two
1 Star for pacing, using dialogue to great success, and nice emotional punches
.5 Star for plot and writing style
-.5 Star for comma, dialogue tag, and word confusion errors
Overall, 4.5 out of 5 stars! I round up when clicking, so you'll see a five. Recommended if you're looking for something quick, paranormal, and episodic that leaves you wanting more.

What are your thoughts? Read it? Plan to?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo