Jo Michaels's Blog, page 86

Vote for Your Favorite Cover

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, I'm busting out the cover considerations for I, Zombie, my NaNoWriMo 2013 novel. I'm gonna start by giving you the synopsis, then the three cover choices, and then a poll so you can choose your favorite. I did this when I wrote The Bird for NaNo 2012 and we had a lot of fun. Just something light for this dreary, rainy Tuesday in Georgia. Enjoy!

Title: I, Zombie
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Horror
Length: TBD but at least 50k words!
Synopsis: It's the end of the world as we know it.

Trixie Collins is a normal teen making her way through high school. One night at a party, a boy comes on to her and won't take no for an answer. As she jerks her arm away, his fingernails cut into her skin.

When she finds her dog's mutilated body and realizes she's to blame, she starts to think maybe the zombie apocalypse they've been screaming about on the news isn't a hoax after all. Worse, she begins to think maybe she's one of the infected.

Now it's a fight for life as she joins together with her brethren to stop the humans intent on destroying them. Are zombies all bad, or is it just a huge misunderstanding?

Now for the cover choices! In order. Note: click on them to see them larger!




Now for the poll!
Which cover for I, Zombie is your favorite?I love #1! I think the image suits the synopsis.#2 is rockin' cool! The closeup gives me the tingles.#3 hit the nail on the head! Scary and bloody!  pollcode.com free polls 

Thanks for playing along, everyone! I'll announce the winning design next week.

If you're participating in NaNoWriMo this year, add me as a buddy by clicking here.

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

Jo

A Guest Post by Allyson Gottlieb

Happy Monday, blogospherians! Today, I bring you a guest post about playlists by author Allyson Gottlieb. If you remember, Allyson did an interview last Monday where she shared her love of music and what it means to her as a writer. In case you're new to the blog, I'll remind you that Allyson is one of the authors attending UtopYA Con 2014. Tickets for that event are now on sale. Click here to get yours! Without further ado, I bring you:

Adding the Second Dimension: The Importance of Having a Book Playlistby Allyson Gottlieb
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." —Plato
Of our five senses, the two big ones—the ones we are constantly using to perceive and understand the world around us—are sight and sound. To have one without the other would be to get only half the story.

So why should our writing be any different?

Making a playlist can be very fun (it’s also an excuse to do nothing but lie around and listen to music for a couple hours, hello?). My playlists aren’t meant to be listened to while you read the book, but rather as more of a supplementary thing.

When picking songs, I look for lyrics that remind me of certain moments in the story. Maybe a specific character, maybe an important scene, maybe a central theme or idea. I’ve noticed that I tend to use more indie-type artists or obscure songs by popular artists—they just fit the feel I’m going for more. But who knows? Maybe you’ve written a chick lit romance that goes perfectly with Kelly Clarkson and Katy Perry.
With Darkest Legacy, since it’s a shorter piece, I decided to do something a little different. Instead of a more general full-book playlist for each installment, I’m doing a series of character-centric playlists to go with every novella specific to the character that features most heavily in it. (For example, the one to go with Darkest Legacy was for Tamara since we see the entire story through her eyes. The one for Darkest Shadows will be for Valentine since it’s told half in his perspective.)

To give you a better idea of what I’ve been talking about, here’s one of the entries from the Tamara playlist:

“Falling” by The Civil Wars
Why am I feeling so guilty?Why am I holding my breath?Worried about everyone but meAnd I just keep losing myselfPlease, please tell me you knowI’ve got to let you go
This song manages to capture the strange and heart-crushing emotion of “falling out of love”, and between the dreamy instrumentals and the softness of Joy Williams’ voice, it does a very nice job of putting you in the head of someone who’s been through what Tamara has. Beautiful and haunting.
You can see the rest of the Tamara playlist here: Linky

See? I’ve got the song and artist, a snippet of the lyrics, and my explanation for why I chose it. Pretty easy, right?

It’s okay if only some of the lyrics fit and not the whole song—that’s why I include the specific snippets. It’d be pretty impossible to find a song where every single lyric fits the idea from your story.

And a word about explanations: It’s likely you will find a song or two that foreshadow or tease some major turning point or plot twist in the novel. (I certainly have.) Don’t shy away from including them by any means. Remember, most of the people who see the playlist will likely be people who’ve read your book. But for those who haven’t, just word the explanations carefully.

Even if the song isn’t about a spoiler, the explanation shouldn’t be too specific. Everyone is going to interpret music differently, just as everyone reads a story differently. That’s why I don’t see my playlists as being a background track for my books. They’re just another way to live inside the world I’ve created, touching another one of the senses.

~ Allyson

Guys, give this little lady's book a shot!
Title: Darkest Legacy
Author: Allyson Gottlieb
Genre: YA Paranormal
Length: Approx 51 Printed Pages
Amazon Link: Kindle $0.99

Description:A fast-paced, high-stakes novella

Everyone has secrets they'd prefer stayed buried.  But information wants to be free... and so does Tamara Kingsley's ex-lover, incarcerated on the maximum-security prison planet, Alpha.

Tamara has done things she's not proud of, but that was years ago.  Now the headmistress of the Silvermist School of Magic, she has an honest life, one that makes her happy.  For the last twenty years she's fought like hell to keep it that way, and she thought she had succeeded.

She's about to find out just how wrong she was to think her past was dead and gone.

Follow her on the Web! 

I do hope you all take a chance on this book, it's a great read!

Don't forget to check out the interview with Allyson from last Monday.

Do you have a playlist for your book(s)? Link 'em up in the comments!

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

Jo

Fall into UtopYA Party Weekend Post Three

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I give you something to peruse over the weekend. Those lovely ladies from the Fall into UtopYA Party have, once again, brought you some awesome new releases you must check out and a great giveaway! Without further ado:


 Twisted by N.L. Greene
***Attention*** This book is recommended for mature readers. It contains underage drinking, drug use and sexual content.Synopsis:Growing up isn’t always easy. But for most teenage girls, they can rely on their best friend to help them get through the process. A BFF is something that is truly treasured and completely irreplaceable. You share all of your secrets, and are loyal and honest with each other, even when you’re acting just a little bit crazy. You have each other’s backs no matter what and you form a bond that is virtually unbreakable.

At least that’s what normal teenage girls experience.

Nat and Mel have been bestie’s since childhood and Nat has followed her blindly ever since. But as Nat’s friendship with Mel begins to lead her down the wrong path, she starts to question the sincerity of their relationship. Nat starts to see Mel’s manipulative, deceitful ways become more focused on her. Will Natalie hold on tight to the friendship she’s had her entire life, no matter what it cost her? Or will she let her heart lead her to a relationship that’s not so twisted. 

Add Twisted to your Goodreads shelf. Buy on Kindle for $2.99, in Paperback for $12.99 
About this author
N.L. Greene, who is 1/2 of the author duo Riana Lucas, has decided to venture outside of the Fantasy world that she and her best friend created with Poppy and The Deadly Flowers Series to write a few books on her own. While she loves working with her best friend, writing solo has allowed her to explore interest that had solely been her own. She spends a lot of time reading her favorite authors which range all over the place and in every genre, but spends just as much time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, shopping, and playing video games. Nichole was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Florida, where she and her high school sweetheart live with their two children.
Author Contact Links: Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Amazon  
Supernova by Elizabeth Sharp Blurb:On Cleo’s first day at St.
Aloysius Gonzaga Academy, things get pretty weird pretty fast. After being confronted by a strangely hostile boy, she meets two girls and instantly bonds with them. Before long danger threatens the entire student body, in the form of a soul eating possessor fae. When her brother is savagely beaten and left in a coma, the girls decide to use their fae powers to become superheroes and stop the possessions.They quickly learn things are a lot more complicated than they had ever imagined. A government plot that had begun when they were infants endangers them all, and a demented former soldier bent on revenge is after them. The line between friend and foe has become so blurry, Cleo has no idea who she can trust. Will their superhero plot help them save the day, or just get them killed? Buy LinksAmazon B&N Smashwords About the Author: Elizabeth has a near crippling Facebook addiction, dwarfed only by her need for Dr. Pepper. A self-proclaimed techno geek, she loves  cell phones, computers, tablets and all things technological. The internet has to be the greatest invention since the wheel, in her opinion. She lives in a quiet subdivision with her husband, one-year-old son, three cats, and far too many electronics. It’s quite possible she has some raccoon in her DNA, because she loves glitter and anything that
sparkles. She enjoys making jewelry and costumes. Halloween is her favorite holiday since it’s the one day of the year that you can be whatever you want.

But her first love will always be writing. Otherwise, hearing voices in her head would make her feel schizophrenic.Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

Ghost Hold by Ripley Patton

The long-awaited second book of The PSS Chronicles is finally HERE! GHOST HOLD by Ripley Patton is now LIVE ON KINDLE, and will be coming out in paperback in late-October. If you've read GHOSTHAND, the first book in the series, you know why this is so exciting. If you haven't read it, what are you waiting for? Go grab it now (available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo and in paperback), so you can dive right into the second book as soon as you're done.

Blurb:
Olivia Black is back.

Only this time she's not the one in need of rescue.

Samantha James, rich, popular, and an award-winning composer at age seventeen, is the next target on the CAMFers' list. In order to convince Samantha to come with them, Olivia and Passion must pose as cousins, blend into the most affluent high school in Indianapolis, and infiltrate a mysterious cult known as The Hold.

Olivia doesn't expect it to be easy, even with the PSS guys backing them up. But what she discovers over the course of the mission will call into question everything she ever believed about her ghost hand, her family, and especially about Marcus, the guy she is undoubtedly falling in love with. 

Steamy Excerpt: 
Marcus crossed back to the faucet of the now-full tub and turned it off. He bent over and turned on the jets, which kicked up a lot more steam and a lot more noise. I was starting to melt inside my own clothes, and he must have been too, because when he turned back to me he was slipping his t-shirt over his head.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice coming out a little strangled.

"You and I need to talk," he said, letting the shirt drop to the floor.

"Yes," I said, trying not to gawk at his chest and the way the steam swirled into it, his PSS shining back and coloring the mist a soft blue hue. "But can't we do that with our clothes on?"

"We need to talk where I'm sure no one can hear us," he said, his hands going to the snap of his jeans. "They don't put bugs in bathrooms because the moisture corrodes them." The snap was undone. The zipper was next. He had on red tartan boxers. "Plus, not many people plot and plan in the john." He slid the jeans down his legs, turned, slipped off the boxers, and stepped into the tub, sinking down into it with an audible moan.

I stood there stunned. I had just seen Marcus naked. He'd just stripped to his beautiful bare ass right in front of me as if it were nothing. Yes, we'd been sleeping in a tent together for weeks, and making out, but when one of us changed clothes, the other still looked away. Marcus and I had not gotten naked together. We hadn't even come close, because I always held back. I couldn’t even bring myself to reach my hands inside his shirt. What if my flesh hand accidentally went into his chest and disrupted his PSS? Even worse, what if my ghost hand reached into him and pulled something horrible out? I was pretty sure either of those scenarios would be a serious buzz kill to our intimacy.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had a bath?" he said, almost a purr, laying his head back on the edge of the tub and closing his eyes.

"I—no—I haven't had one for like a month," I stammered, looking down at the tile floor, completely flustered.

"Olivia," he said softly, and I looked up to find his eyes boring into me, dewy drops captured on those thick dark lashes. "Come here."

I crossed obediently to the side of the bath, both relieved and a bit disappointed to find that the burbling of the jets obscured most of what was in it. Except his PSS chest. It glowed and pulsed like some half-submerged, cerulean, underwater treasure.

Marcus put his hand out for mine. The invitation was obvious.

This was crazy. There was no way we were going to be able to talk, coherently, in a bathtub together.

"It's a big tub," he said, nodding at the other end, "and I promise to be good."

Yeah, but it wasn't just him I was worried about. If I got in the tub with Marcus, I would be in the tub with Marcus. "But I—" I looked down at myself. I had on my sleeping tank with no bra underneath, my sweatpants, and underwear.

"You have no idea how relaxing this is," he said, slipping his hand back into the water and closing his eyes. Either he was taunting me, or giving me a chance to undress without him watching. Probably both.

"You bastard," I muttered under my breath. I slipped off my shoes and sweatpants and padding barefoot to the far end of the tub. I was not going in completely naked. I wasn’t that much of a fool. I kept my tank and underwear on and stepped into the hot swirling water. As I slid down into it, jets pounding my butt and back, the wet heat rising up and swallowing all my aches and pains in its pure liquid magic, I couldn't keep the moan from escaping my lips either.

And I didn't miss the effect that sound had on my bath mate.

One of his lean, muscular legs brushed mine, trembling. And his eyes widened. And his breath came a little faster across the water, far less relaxed then it had been only a moment before.
What are people saying about Ghost Hold?
5 Luminous, Vibrant Stars!
A Thrilling, Wild Adventure with Danger, Intrigue and Excitement. And A Chilling End Sure To Haunt You!   - Hazel G fromCraves the Angst Reviews
I can promise you, I will read as many books in this series as Ripley can create because it truly is a stand out series with stand out characters. – Ghost Hand and Ghost both chosen as Indie Book of The Week by Ali at My Guilty Obsession.
Ripley Patton is a master storyteller! She creates a world that is not only harsh and unforgiving but most importantly, unforgettable. Jess from Inside the Pages of a Book
"BRAVO. A GREAT book! Better even than the first. I abso-fucking-lutely LOVED IT!" – Former librarian and bookseller extraordinaire, Angie Chute

To find out more about Ripley and The PSS Chronicles, be sure to check her out on Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Her Website 
From Gods by Mary Ting
Synopsis:
Did you just see a flash of lightning across the sky on a clear sunny day? It’s not from Mother Nature. It is most likely from Mason Grand, swoon-worthy demigod, one of Zeus’s descendants.

Skylar Rome is supposed to be having the best summer ever before she heads off to college. Little did she know, her whole life was about to change while visiting her cousin. Nearly drowning at the beach due to unknown forces, one of the Grand brothers she’d just met, Mason, saves her life. Cool, collected, mysterious, and dangerously good-looking, Skylar is drawn to him from the start. Though she knows he is the type of guy good girls stayed away from, it seems he is always saving her life, and the attraction was inevitable.

Upon meeting the brothers, strange things begin to happen. When she accidentally kills one of the brothers, it throws her life into turmoil, as they search to find the answers. Implausibly, she gets caught up in a world of the descendants of ancient gods, all who have super powers. Not only is her discovery difficult to accept, evil beings are after her. Running out of time and running for her life, she must unravel a mystery. What do they want from her? Forced into a battle set into motion long before she was born, will she find the answers, or will she die trying?
From Gods purchase links~Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Smashwords


TEASER:
“You’re wet. You should take off your clothes.”

What a way to avoid a question! Skylar blinked her eyes in disbelief. Did she hear him correctly? “Excuse me?” Not wanting to assume he was really asking her to strip off her clothes, she didn’t move a muscle, but the way his piercing eyes laid on her, she might as well have already been naked. Then she inwardly gasped when he started to unbutton his shirt. Her eyes shot to the floor, then back to him, and then to the floor, wondering what she was supposed to do in this awkward moment.

“Here. Go change in the restroom. You don’t want to catch a cold.” He placed his shirt in front of her.

She looked up to see him shirtless for the very first time. With all the right curves and tightness, he looked like a statue of a god. He was beautiful and perfectly toned, with satin-like skin, which looked like it would be smooth to the touch. And there was a small tattoo shaped like a lightning bolt on his upper right arm, toward his shoulder. Way too sexy!

As warmth flushed her face, she tried not to stare, but there was no way around it. “Umm…you won’t have a shirt,” Skylar said, thinking that was the most idiotic thing she had said so far, but she couldn’t think when he was half-naked in front of her.

“I’m not cold, but you will be.”

Mason was right. Skylar didn’t realize she was shivering until she placed her hand out to take his shirt. The adrenaline from the initial shock had kept her warm, and now it was wearing away. The blasting air conditioner didn’t help either. “Thanks.”

Just as she pivoted right toward the restroom, even though she was deathly scared to go back, Mason gripped her arm. “Wait. Don’t go in there without me.”

His sudden protectiveness surprised Skylar, but then again, he had saved her.

Bio: Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
Mary's Social Contact Links:Facebook ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website Blog ~ Goodreads ~Goodreads ~ Pinterest

Enter Mary's Release Day Giveaway here, but don't forget to scroll down and enter The Fall into UtopYa Party Giveaway too!a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meant for Her by Raine Thomas

Blurb:
Photographer Sierra Stratton views the world through a lens all her own. She has an uncanny sense about people, something that often causes her trouble. When she meets the sexy and brooding Evan Dorsey, her intuition tells her he’s suffering, and she wants to be the one to help him.

Evan isn’t open to help from anyone, however. His focus is on his Major League career and making himself as marketable as possible for his upcoming free agency. He plans to ride out the season in Atlanta and then sign with another team, away from the painful memories that haunt him.

Someone’s eager to send him on his way, too. Between anonymous threats and equipment sabotage, it’s clear he’s earned himself an enemy along the way. To him, it’s one more sign that he’s right to move on.

But Sierra threatens his conviction. Her contagious smile proves hard to resist, as does her kiss. She tempts him in ways he never anticipated, making him question his plans for the first time. If he’s not careful, she might just convince him that he’s meant for her.

Add Meant for Her to your Goodreads shelf.Meant For Her can be purchased at Amazon.com

About Raine Thomas:

Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of best-selling YA and NA fiction. She followed her life-long passion for all things literary and earned her bachelor's degree in English with a focus in Creative Writing from Georgia State University, then her master's degree in Humanities from Central Michigan University. Having grown up in places such as Chicago, Atlanta and Orlando, much of her writing reflects these settings.

Raine is a hopeless romantic with a background in the fields of mental health and wedding planning...two areas that intersect far more than one would think. Her years working with children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral challenges inspired her to create young protagonists who overcome their own conflicts. When she isn't writing or glued to e-mail or social networking sites, Raine can usually be found vacationing with her husband and daughter on one of Florida's beautiful beaches or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.

Raine Thomas Contact Links:Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Websitea Rafflecopter giveaway
There you have it! Good luck in the Rafflecopter giveaways!
Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo

Book Review - Intrusive Memory

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today is another book review day. Yeah, I heard that cheer! I get to tick off another box for my wonderful December, 2012 series of posts where Indie authors had the unique opportunity to sell me their books (and win one of mine!). I've knocked quite a few off my list already. Once I'm done with this one, I have just two more to go. Sit back, relax, grab a cuppa, and let's get rolling.

First, a little about the book on the chopping block today:

Title: Intrusive Memory
Author: Leonardo Antony Noto
Genre: Autobiography/Child Abuse
Length: 222 printed pages
Link to Purchase: $2.99 Kindle $8.99 Paperback

Synopsis:
Intrusive Memory is the true story of how I overcame a hellish childhood, pulled my life back together, and realized my dream of becoming a physician. This book is not for the fainthearted. It begins in the mental hospital where I spent much of my childhood after being removed from my home by Child Protective Services, then whirls the reader through a cascade of pathological environments including a violent military school and Mississippi jail. This is the story of how I fought against the odds and against my inner demons to survive, claw my way into medical school, and succeed by graduating in the top of my class!


**Will not appear in my final review:
You all know I'm a graphic designer. Because of that, I oftentimes take a moment to comment on a book cover. This one blew me away with it's arresting image and bold typeface. Very nicely done.**

Now, on to the good stuff!

I purchased this book on Amazon after picking up a sample and getting sucked in by the story. Intrusive Memory is haunting, to say the least, and will make you  thankful for what you have right in front of you. Enough cavorting around, on to the review.

From a reader's perspective:
I got sucked right into the world portrayed on the pages of this book. Being the child of an abusive mother is one thing; being the victim of such extreme abuse as outlined in this story is something else altogether. To give you an idea of how vested in this tale I became: I grew angry at the parents for not being there like they should've been, the administration for not stepping up and taking responsibility along with proactive measures, and the system in general. I wanted to step into the book and slap people for being callous, catty, and manipulative. I cared about what happened to Leo by the end. So, there's the good. For the bad, I have to say the asides where the author took page upon page to tell me about how this diagnosis is made or how that symptom is recognized were unnecessary and threw me right out of the story (Leo's progression). In my opinion, these things would've been better left for an afterword (author Robin Cook oftentimes does this). Then, if I wanted to read it, I could've; I wouldn't have had to slog through it to keep getting my meat and potatoes. They made what could've been a very satisfying meal into an endurance of stamina. But it pulled at my heartstrings and had a great level of tension throughout (a saving grace).

From an editor's perspective:
This book is in severe need of an editor. There were a number of instances of the wrong word being used. Sown (which means to plant something in soil) and sewn (which means to stitch one thing onto another) were confused often. Run-on sentences were everywhere, and I wished many times the author used commas more frequently (not something you hear me say often). Filler words ran amok and I highlighted half the book for spelling, grammar, punctuation, or other errors as I was reading. With a great editor, this could be a runaway best seller.

My Rating:
1 Star for making me keep reading
1 Star for making me angry at faceless characters on a page
1 Star for giving me a character I could care about
- 1 Star for the amount of medical information in the story
- 1 Star for overall editing/writing quality

Overall, a solid 3 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy a book that makes you think, or even one that makes you appreciate your situation (I hope it's better than Leo's), this is a great choice.

I do hope you take the time to pick up a sample of this book. You may decide to keep reading, like I did, and enjoy yourself very much.

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

Jo

Nominated for a Liebster!

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! I'm happy to announce I was nominated for a Liebster award by the lovely Rebecca Fyfe from the Chapter Book Challenge blog. Today, I answer the questions put forth by her here. Sit back, relax, and read on!

A little about the award:
The Leibster award is giving to wonderful blogs with under 200 followers. The word "Liebster" Means sweetheart in German. In accepting this award I am contractually obligated to answer 10 questions of Becky's choosing and then command 5-10 other people to answer my similarly worded questions.


1. Why were you drawn to writing?

Wow. What a question. Writing is like breathing to me. I've always done it. I think it grew from my love of reading and my crazy imagination. When I was in first grade, I wrote a story called The Caterpillar (my mom still has it) and it got me a gold star. I think that was the first time anyone ever praised me for something I'd written and it went a long way. In seventh grade, I wrote a story that was so good, my teacher asked me what book I copied it out of. Again, bolstering my confidence. Later on, I began to write short stories I only shared with my mother. Being a book-nerd wasn't something my circle of friends would've accepted too readily. Once I hit college, I took English classes for fun; no longer caring what people thought (and I took a lot of crap for it even then). But it was so relaxing for me! I guess the answer to your question is, I'm drawn to writing because words have always been a huge part of my life. My sister worked in the library and my mom is a voracious reader.

2. How many years have you been making or trying to make writing your career?

I started in earnest in the winter of 2011 when I began writing Yassa. I also wrote The Abigale Chronicles - Book One during Yassa's cooling period. That was kind of my test book. Since I wanted the launch of Yassa to go off without a hitch, I tested sales platforms and formatting requirements with my Middle Grade novella. I learned a lot and I'm really happy I had the foresight to do that. I guess I'm coming up on my two year writing anniversary. That's mind-boggling. Without great supporters like The Best Boyfriend in the World, I'd be out of the writing game for sure.

3. Are you published? Where?

Everywhere fine e-books are sold and via Createspace for print copies of all my titles. Here are a couple of links for you:
Amazon Author Page
B&N
Smashwords Author Page

4. What is your favorite part about writing stories?

Making up new friends. Hanging out with them in my head, listening to them talk, and gaining a better understanding of human nature. Am I freaking you out yet? *grin*

5. What is your favorite genre?

To read, I love anything but romance novels. They just don't appeal to me. I'm a Historical Fiction fan for sure, I've gotten into chick-lit some, and I adore Young Adult books. To write, I'd have to say my favorite genre is fantasy or paranormal. I have so many books in the works it's nauseating.

6. Where do you find your inspiration?

Everywhere. People I see and meet, news casts, conversations with my kids, and nature are probably the top inspiration providers.

7. How active is your muse?

She visits me every single day. I block out time for her to come in and join me. Because of my writing schedule, she knows just when to show up. To give you an idea of how productive scheduling can make you, over the last two years I've written almost 400k words and published over 320k (not counting my blog, which has 400+ posts).

8. If you could have a conversation with your muse, what would you say?

I talk with her every day, too. She's a jolly lady, really. We talk about life, writing, and book covers.

9. What are the latest projects you are working on?

Loaded question! Well, the next book in my Mystic series, Coralie, will be releasing the end of this month. I'm working on the sixth book in that set, Markaza, a YA urban fiction novel titled M, a contemporary fiction novel titled Player, a zombie novel titled I, Zombie, and I have a chapter of an NA paranormal novel about a young woman who's running from a past she can't remember.

10. What plans or dreams do you have for your writing in the next year?

I plan to publish every book I've started, and come up with something totally different for NaNoWriMo this year. I've scrapped the chapter I wrote on I, Zombie and I'm starting it from scratch (did you catch that pun?). I wasn't loving the first person, present tense. I'm thinking first person, past tense will suit it better. I was only about 2k words in so it's not a total loss. Besides, it had to be tossed and re-born since I plan to use it for NaNo. Gotta be from the beginning and all that! I have my chapter outline down and wrote a quick synopsis I'm happy to share:
It's the end of the world as we know it.

Trixie Collins is a normal teen making her way through high school. One night at a party, a boy comes on to her and won't take no for an answer. As she jerks her arm away, his fingernails cut into her skin.
When she finds her dog's mutilated body and realizes she's to blame, she starts to think maybe the zombie apocalypse they've been screaming about on the news isn't a hoax after all. Worse, she begins to think maybe she's one of the infected.
Now it's a fight for life as she joins together with her brethren to stop the humans intent on destroying them. Are zombies all bad, or is it just a huge misunderstanding?

I'll be having a vote on the blog next week sometime for cover choices. I do hope you'll all come back and give a click!

That was fun! I hope you all learned a little about me.

Now for my nominees and ten questions (nominees must have fewer than 200 followers):
Lost in a Sea of Words - Felicia Tatum
N.L. Greene Author
Chanda Hahn Author

1. Do your children read and how do you feel your writing has influenced them?
2. Do you have a routine to get your creative juices flowing?
3. Is there one genre you prefer to write over another?
4. What kind of snacks do you keep on hand while you write?
5. Is there a particular moment in your life where you knew you'd be a writer?
6. Who is your biggest cheerleader and what have they helped you accomplish?
7. What's your favorite book cover (on one of your books)?
8. Have you ever done a public engagement event?
9. Do you write about your surroundings or think up new places?
10. What do you think is the most important thing for a writer to keep in mind?

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

Jo

Book Review - Darkest Legacy

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you another book review. Remember last week when I talked about a super surprise review? Well, this is it. You may remember my post from yesterday and the lovely author I interviewed. I picked up a copy of her book (call me intrigued that someone so young could be so awesome) and decided to write a review for you all. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and relax. Here we go!

Before we get to the review, here's a little about the book on the chopping block for today:

Title: Darkest Legacy
Author: Allyson Gottlieb
Genre: YA Paranormal
Length: About 51 printed pages
Link to Amazon: $0.99 Kindle (Part of Select so if you're a member, you can borrow it for free)


Synopsis:
A fast-paced, high-stakes novella

Everyone has secrets they'd prefer stayed buried.  But information wants to be free... and so does Tamara Kingsley's ex-lover, incarcerated on the maximum-security prison planet, Alpha.

Tamara has done things she's not proud of, but that was years ago.  Now the headmistress of the Silvermist School of Magic, she has an honest life, one that makes her happy.  For the last twenty years she's fought like hell to keep it that way, and she thought she had succeeded.

She's about to find out just how wrong she was to think her past was dead and gone.


Let me start off by saying I LOVE this cover! Not only does it fit the book inside perfectly, it's genre proper and beautiful.

On to the good stuff!

I did an interview with the author, Allyson Gottlieb, on my blog and was so intrigued, I picked up a copy of her book on Amazon. I'm astounded at the level of writing found in Darkest Legacy and I'm looking forward to the sequel; which she assures me is in the works. Now, for my review.

From a reader's perspective:
I could identify with Tamara Kingsley. She came across as a confused young lady and a strong woman. I love tales with strong female leads and this one didn't disappoint. Just when you think she's beaten, she comes back with a vengeance. World building was good, but I did get a tiny bit confused in the beginning of the book and ended up putting it down. Took me two sittings to read the whole thing, and it's pretty short. I know there's a sequel in the works so I'm holding out hope the author delves more deeply into the world in later tales. This one introduced the characters and built them well. For a short story, there was a lot of great development and information. Being a reader who doesn't like a lot of fluff and description (filler), I was pleasantly surprised how much fit between the cover pages. By the end, I cared about what happened to Tamara and was solidly in her corner. I'm looking forward to learning more about her in the next book.

From an editor's perspective:
There are a number of pronoun issues throughout and I'd like to see the author use more contractions (especially in speech). However, there were no redundancy issues or misspellings. It just needs a good proofreader to make it sparkle like it should.

My rating:
1 Star for wonderful world building
1 Star for giving me a character I'm now super curious to learn more about
1 Star for lovely tension (especially at the end)
.5 Star for great writing
- 1 Star for the confusion at the beginning of the novel
- .5 Star for need for a proofreader
Overall, 3.5 out of 5 stars! We all know I round up, not down, so this book gets a 4 overall. Highly recommended if you're looking for a quick, fun, well written read.

I hope you all take a chance and pick up this book. It was a lot of fun to read. At $0.99, what do you have to lose?

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

Jo

Author Interview with Allyson Gottlieb

Hello and Good Monday, people of the blogosphere!  I have a super wonderful guest for you all today!  Author Allyson Gottlieb has agreed to stop by and answer a few questions for me.  I know, she’s pretty brave, huh? *wicked grin*
She’s one of the authors attending UtopYACon 2014.  In keeping with our Monday features through June and the event, Ms. Gottlieb will be returning next week to give us a guest post.  Now, it’s time for you all to sit back, relax, and have a cup of Joe while you meet this amazing author.

Jo: So good of you to join us today, Allyson!  Thank you for taking the time out of your writing schedule to chat.Allyson: Thank you for having me on your blog, Jo.  I’m so happy to be here.
Jo: So I’m gonna jump right in here and ask you where did your love of music come from and how has it shaped your life?Allyson: Music has always been a huge part of my life.  I’ve been singing since I was about five years old, sang with my school choir all throughout middle school and high school, and will sing along with the radio whenever a song I know comes on (it annoys my family but who cares?).  Whenever possible, I like to have a background soundtrack.  I can’t entirely describe it, but I feel almost as strongly about music as I do about writing.  It’s just a part of me.
Jo: Does music ever inspire scenes in your books and can we have some examples?Allyson: Not specific scenes as much as larger plot threads or characters.  I almost always have a couple different songs that fit with the central couple of a story, for example (in Darkest Legacy, Tamara and Valentine’s song is “Poison and Wine” by The Civil Wars).  My muse is strange in that while I love listening to music when I’m doing pretty much everything else, I can’t write in large quantities with music in the background.  So maybe I’ll be listening to my iPod and a song will come on that sparks an idea for a new story, or a plot thread in an existing one, but I’ll have to turn off the music in order to go reason it out or attack it.
Jo: I can’t write with music, either. It’s too distracting! Congratulations on winning first place in the Central California Council of Teachers of English Young Writer’s Awards!  Tell me how you came across that contest and how you felt when you won.Allyson: Why thank you!  I heard about this contest in my English class, because the way it works is that to be considered you have to be entered by an English teacher.  My teacher sent in two pieces from all the submissions he received over all the classes he teaches, and then it took a super long time to hear back, so long that I figured I just hadn’t won anything.  Then this letter shows up in the mail with a return address I don’t recognize.  When I read the first few lines I started shrieking with happiness.  The crazy thing is that I didn’t know until I got to the awards ceremony that I’d won first place in my age group; I thought I’d just gotten an honorable mention kind of thing.  So when I saw the program I had another little OMG moment.  (Funny story: the other girl my teacher entered actually also won first place in her age group.)
Jo: That’s amazing. I would’ve been yelping, too! Your book, Darkest Legacy, is the only book you’ve written so far.  How did you feel when you clicked the publish button and when can fans expect to see more from you?Allyson: I remember hitting publish the night before my release date—advice from a friend, since KDP has that whole 12 hour waiting period thing—and then feeling like I was going to explode out of my skin (I don’t know how I got to sleep that night).  As for what’s coming from me next… a sequel to Darkest Legacy, titled Darkest Shadows, is in editing stages and will hopefully be released in December, maybe late November, depending on the way the cards fall.  After that I have one more story that takes place in this same world, revolving around the younger sister of my protagonist from DL and DS, which I plan to publish by next spring (so we’re looking at having all 3 Darkest Legacy series novellas out before UtopYA 2014).  And lest people think I only write novellas, get that idea out of your head!  I am also currently working on a new series that I’m very excited about, and hope to be able to share more details soon (I have to write more of it first before I’m going to share any details).
Jo: I love my Mystic novellas. They’re so much fun to write! I know about wanting to be a private person and not wanting people to intrude too much into your life, but is there a major reason you aren’t on Twitter (at least, not that I could find)?Allyson: Honestly, I’m really not a huge person for social media.  It took me until two years ago to get a personal Facebook—this was before I even set up my author page and realized how wonderful Facebook is for self-promotion.  I always used to say that social media was pointless and ridiculous, nothing but a way for stupid people to show off.  (Of course, once I got my Facebook I rapidly became addicted…)  I’ve since learned how useful it can be, but I still don’t see the point of Twitter.  Maybe one day I’ll make the jump, but for now I’m content with Facebook, Goodreads, and a blog.
Jo: Hey, to each her own! I’ve written a number of posts about social media. When you decide to take that leap (if you do), I do hope you’ll reference them! Moving on! What have been your highest hurdles to jump in your writing?Allyson: Finding time to write!  Summers are the exception (and even then my time magically seems to disappear), but during the school year it’s like an elaborate tightrope walking act to balance school and homework with my writing.  Add on promotion stuff now that I’m actually published and forget about it.  Sometimes it feels like I barely have time to breathe.
Jo: Time is relative. If there were thirty-six hours in a day, I’d wish for fifty. haha! I read that your parents aren’t big readers.  Since we’re usually convinced by another bookworm living in our home that stories are the cat’s meow, where does your love of books come from?Allyson: When I was five, my family took a trip to Europe and we brought along the daughter of a family friend as sort of a nanny for my younger sister and me.  She read to us at night, the first few books in the Boxcar Children series.  I fell in love with them and immediately picked up the rest of the series, and from there became a regular at the local public library.  And the rest is history.
Jo: Sweet! Thank goodness for the nanny! You have one heck of a nice MacBook!  From my stalker-ish behavior, I found out you prefer working on a laptop.  Why is that?Allyson: My dad works in computer tech and we live in Silicon Valley, so my house is practically sponsored by Apple, haha.  I think it’s a product of the fact that I was born at a time when computers were already so prevalent.  The very first story I ever wrote—based on a dream I had when I was seven—was typed, not hand-written.  I think I prefer typing because it’s easier to edit as I go along, like if I decide I want to use a particular train of dialogue in a different scene, I can easily take it off my current progress and save it to come back to later.  Also, my hand cramps up when I hand-write for too long.
Jo: Me too! The advent of the computer is an awesome thing. Just so my readers get a good grasp of exactly who you are (I know the answer to this, but want to stun people haha), could you tell the readers your age, please?Allyson: *laughs* I am seventeen years old.  Do I look it?
Jo: Yes you do. (Are you readers impressed yet?) I know I get annoyed when people ask me how old I am (then give me “the look”) when I tell them I have five kids and the oldest one is eighteen.  What’s your standard answer when someone asks you about being published so young?  Do you find it irritating?Allyson: I’ve been pretty lucky so far, that most of the adults I’ve met since publishing (who aren’t family, friends, or teachers and predisposed just to be happy for me from the start) have been really, really nice.  I’ve never come across someone whose questions about publishing at my age irritated me—though I’m sure I will eventually.  I’d like to think I’d tell them what’s become something of a motto for me: “I’m going after my dreams.  Since when is that a bad thing?”
Jo: Amen. Favorite snack food?Allyson: Anything with chocolate.  I’m actually not a huge fan of chips, pretzels, etc (which is good considering the size of my sweet tooth, if not I’d be 200 pounds!).
Jo: I’m with you there. I make myself indulge rarely. haha! Okay, we all have them.  Mine are mostly grammar-related.  But would you mind sharing your pet peeves?Allyson: I have quite a few grammar-related ones; ever since I decided to self-publish, it takes every ounce of restraint not to correct my friends—or heaven forbid, my teachers—when they make a grammatical mistake.  Another big one is when people spell my name wrong, even though I know this is really stupid since I have such a unique spelling.
Jo: I can identify. I shortened my name to Jo because people always butcher my real name. What’s your favorite alien movie?Allyson: I haven’t seen too many, honestly.  I think I’d have to go with the new classic: James Cameron’s Avatar.
Jo: LOVE that movie! Great choice. And it matches your alien photo! Ever had soda spew out of your nose?  In your best writerly voice, tell us how that happened and how it felt.  If it never happened, tell us a story about a pet you’ve had.Allyson: My sister and I adore our cat (her name is Chloe).  But she’s been having problems lately.  Problems that mean we have to clean up a lot of gross stuff.  In the last month alone, Chloe has vomited on my sister’s new bedspread three times.  We think she’s trying to mark her territory.  And that is why I leave my door closed at all times.
Jo: Ew. Vomit. haha! I had a little dog with a sensitive tummy; pet vomit is no fun. Anything you wish I’d asked that I didn’t?Allyson: Why is my name spelled the way it is?  My dad always wanted to call me Ally, spelled like that, but my mom argued that just Ally wasn’t “formal” enough for a full name.  So they agreed to call me Allyson, but spell it with the two l’s and a y like my dad wanted—and then just call me Ally.  I started introducing myself as Allyson when I was about twelve, though my family and some close friends still call me Ally because that’s what they knew me as originally.  (There are also people who I introduce myself to as Allyson that then decide to start calling me Ally, and that sometimes bothers me unless it’s someone who I think of as a super close friend.)
Jo: That’s all the time we have for today.  Is there anything you’d like to add?Allyson: I’m honored to be a part of this feature, and looking forward to seeing the rest of the author interviews.  Hope you all enjoyed this little peek inside my head!
Jo: I know I did. You’re one impressive young lady! Thanks for stopping by and chatting with us today, Allyson!  I look forward to meeting you at UtopYA Con next June.
Guys, give this awesome little lady a follow on her social media profiles!  Show the love as only Indies can!Facebook: Allyson Gottlieb Author PageTwitter: Tell her to join! LOLPinterest: Meh, many have and don't use (like me).
And don’t forget to pick up a copy of her book!
Title: Darkest Legacy
Author: Allyson Gottlieb
Genre: YA Paranormal
Length: Approx 51 Printed Pages
Amazon Link: Kindle $0.99
Description:A fast-paced, high-stakes novella

Everyone has secrets they'd prefer stayed buried.  But information wants to be free... and so does Tamara Kingsley's ex-lover, incarcerated on the maximum-security prison planet, Alpha.

Tamara has done things she's not proud of, but that was years ago.  Now the headmistress of the Silvermist School of Magic, she has an honest life, one that makes her happy.  For the last twenty years she's fought like hell to keep it that way, and she thought she had succeeded.

She's about to find out just how wrong she was to think her past was dead and gone.
 Since it's part of KDP Select, the link above is the only link you can grab it at. What are you waiting for? Get going!Remember, Darkest Legacy will be the featured book on the sidebar for the next two weeks!

Do you recall the review I was talking about last week? It's of Allyson's book! Be sure you come back tomorrow to read it!
Pop in a comment and tell Allyson hi or ask her a question!Well, that’s all for today, folks.  Until next time, WRITE ON!
Jo

Fall Into UtopYA Party Weekend Post Two

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you yet another giveaway and set of announcements from the lovely ladies of UtopYA Con. Tickets for the event are on sale now! You can grab yours by clicking on the name. Without further ado, I give you this week's Fall Into UtopYA releases post and giveaways!






Rivulet by Jamie Magee
Description:Unfathomable forces have always contested Genevieve Indiana Falcon, known as Indie. The curse of her cold touch entraps her just as the grief ignited in her past torments her. Yet, her mysterious ability to dream while awake saturates her in the belief that she was not always anguished. There is hope that one day a true peace in her soul can be found.Foolishly, Indie assumes she has contained her life in an odd balance, and she cherishes the visions she sees of the enigmatic boy that held her in a lost time, but can never reach. She grieves for a life she fears she'll never possess, and that grief is a weapon she uses against her aunt who stands between her and her inheritance.Weeks away from her twenty-first birthday, the date where she would assume control over her family legacy, a night terror robs Indie of the balance she was clinging to. Like the dream she had before she lost her family, it predicts a fatal catastrophe on the horizon. The fight between life and death, good and evil, began the moment her thundering heart awoke her.

Everything changed after that dream. The one thing that keeps her curse at bay is stolen, and then the enigmatic boy arrives in the flesh. Face to face with her fiery born-again lover Indie realizes that the only way she can prevent the tragedy before her is to surrender everything she was, is, and could be.

Can she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all ... including him.
Add Rivulet to your Goodreads shelf.Rivulet is available on Amazon.com.
About the author:Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her. Author Contact Links:Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Amazon Author Page

Semester Aboard by Elizabeth Kirke Semester Aboard, the first book in the YA urban fantasy series More than Magic has a brand new cover! If you haven't read Semester Aboard yet, here's a quick summary and a little peek for you!

Description:
College student Jen Maddox is a few days into her summer study abroad program and has loved every moment. She just left Mexico and is back on her cruise ship campus, ready to sail to Panama. Everyone tells her that the experience will change her life, but none of them realize just how right they really are.One night Jen goes out on deck and encounters five other students. She knows Charlie from one of her classes and he's a funny, friendly, regular guy. Picture-perfect Dani and his gorgeous wife Mariana live right down the hall from Jen. And she has seen TS, who's built like a truck, around the ship and recognizes the cute, but quiet Thomas as well.Then Jen sees something that isn't humanly possible. Jen would have thought that it was all a dream, if not for the fact that Charlie, Dani, Mariana, TS, and Thomas are making every effort to cover it up. Suddenly, the five of them are everything but normal and Jen is determined to figure out what they're hiding.When she does, her life really does change. Jen expected to spend her summer studying the cultures of Latin America, she never dreamed she'd learn about a magical culture instead. But Jen's childhood fantasy come true is about to turn into a nightmare; there's something on the ship. Something dangerous. Suddenly, everyone on board is threatened by a creature that Jen never even believed existed. Jen and her new friends might be the only people who can stop it! Now Jen has to learn everything she can about her new world before it kills her. And her friends. And maybe everyone on the entire ship!

The More than Magic series is written by Elizabeth Kirke.

Sneak Peek:
It started raining early in the afternoon and was a bad storm by the time I went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and stumbled over to our bathroom, feeling awful. A bit of quality time bent over the toilet didn’t help at all and I decided to try for some fresh air. I pulled a sweater on over my pajamas, hung my ID card strap around my neck, and slipped out of the room. I made my way down the corridor to the door that led outside. For the first time since getting on the ship I had to keep one hand on the railing. The halls were well lit, even though it was the middle of the night, and it was almost disconcerting to step outside into the darkness. But the moment the cool, damp wind hit my face I felt better. I hadn’t been seasick since our first night, but sometimes I felt nauseous if I stayed in our room too long. Being out on the deck always helped.
I had assumed that I’d be the only one crazy enough to go out in the rain in the middle of the night, but to my surprise I wasn’t. There were people on the other side of the deck. It was too dark to see them well, but the lights from the deck above us illuminated them a little. One of them was Charlie. He was standing under the overhang where Deck Five extended out above Deck Four. He was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I shivered in sympathy. A guy I recognized, not surprising since we all lived on a ship, was sitting on the bottom steps of the outdoor stairway that led to Deck Five. He was probably a football player back home or something. He had shaggy, dark brown hair and a fairly large nose. I’d heard a few girls giggling about him, but I didn’t think he was that good looking. I wasn’t sure what his name was. Another guy was sitting in a chair, probably pilfered from Deck Five, with his back to me and his feet up on the rails. Mariana was near him, wearing only a bikini top and a short skirt. I couldn't believe she wasn't cold."I didn’t scream!" she said."You totally did! You freaked out!" Dani laughed.It had been too dark to notice Dani until he spoke. My jaw dropped in shock. Dani was sitting on the railing of the ship. Messing around on the rails was one of the first things they’d told us not to do when we got on board. Even sitting on them in the middle of a calm day was suicidal at best. But to sit there in the middle of a stormy night was nothing short of a death wish."I was not!" Mariana cried."You were all like, 'Oh, Danio, save me Danio!'""Well, I...I-don’t be such a jerk!"As Mariana spoke she spun to face Dani and shoved him hard. Dani’s laugh turned into a yell of surprise and he tumbled backward off of the railing! I gasped in horror. Every second now was critical. If someone went overboard we were supposed to immediately throw them a life preserver and then run and tell a crew member. But not a single one of them did anything! The one in the chair uncrossed his legs and recrossed them with a different one on top. The guy on the stairs threw back his head and laughed! Charlie quickly stuck his head over the railing and then pulled back and shivered. It was as if Dani hadn't gone overboard at all."Oh my god!" I gasped. They must have been in shock. That was the only reason they weren't rushing to save Dani. I ran across the deck, at the very least, I could throw the life preserver in and hope he was still alive to use it.They all jerked around to look at me. They acted more surprised to see me than they were about Dani falling overboard. Mariana gasped and backed against the rail. Charlie stepped to the edge of the overhang and Football Guy jumped off of the stairs to his feet. The guy in the chair was on his feet in an instant. I hardly even saw him move; one second he was sitting and the next he was up. He stepped in front of the others, almost protectively."That's Jennifer." Charlie spoke softly like he didn't want me to hear, but the wind carried his words right to me. "She's in one of my classes."The guy in front smiled. "You're up late."They were acting like nothing had happened! This was insane!"What's the matter with you?" I cried. "We have to do something!""Do something?" He almost looked genuinely confused. "About what?""She just..." I gestured to Mariana. "She just pushed Dani overboard!"He had the audacity to laugh. "It's raining, you know. And dark. You're mistaken."Hungry for more? Find the first four chapters on Elizabeth's blog...

And now, what you came for, the new cover!

In addition to the new cover, courtesy of the amazing Strong Image Editing, a bonus chapter, from a different POV as been added to Semester Aboard, along with a glossary! It has also been edited one more time, just for good measure! It's available from Amazon and Smashwords!












Drowning in Fire by Arielle Caldwell Once again, Marya with Strong Image Editing, has done an amazing job with a cover! She had done each one for The Nerita Torlan Trilogy by Arielle. “Drowning in Fire” is book two in the series.

The Nerita Torlan Trilogy, Book Two

Synopsis:
Nerita is tortured and put through more pain than she ever imagined could happen. Ahlic has captured her and locked her in a room where there’s no chance of escape on her own. He forces her to watch the murder of a friend. She strikes a deal to try and save lives but Ahlic is not the bargaining type.

After escaping, Ahlic forces her to endure a traumatic loss and haunts her in her dreams. More powers emerge from her, shocking everyone and leaving them slightly afraid. While on her own, a witch shows her the future and tells her grave news. A battle rages in her heart; unsure of how to handle the revelation.

She seeks Ahlic...but not to destroy him. Feelings she can’t control drive her to insanity and lust. Will Nerita give in and fall for what she’s been trying so hard to destroy?

About Arielle:
Arielle Caldwell began writing in grade school but never pursued a career in it until early 2012. She started writing poetry in middle school and progressed to books a few years later. She is a proud Cajun from Louisiana but was raised in Pensacola, Florida. Shortly after graduating high school, she joined the US Navy where she met her husband and became the mother of two wonderfully crazy little boys. After separating from the military, she decided to go to college in Texas. A year later, she moved back to Pensacola when offered a job at the naval base as a civilian contractor. She is currently juggling college, work, family, writing, managing her website, Arc Indie Reviews, and being a columnist for APSS, the new Small Publishers of America newsletter. She loves going to the river with her family and friends or to the water park for a few hours. Her Kindle is overflowing with books, she loves rock music the most, and she loves to sing and dance with her children around the house. Her first series, The Nerita Torlan Trilogy, has two books currently released. “Burning in Water” is her debut book, also being book one in the series with “Drowning in Fire” book two, released as well. Book three is “The Awakening” and in the works. “After-Ending” is her dystopian novel that has a planned release of beginning to mid 2014. She resides in Pensacola with her husband, two kids, and their Great Dane, Scooby.

Contact Arielle:
Facebook: AFCaldwellsBooks
Twitter: @ArielleCaldwell
Publisher: Nevermore Press
Halo City by Mary Ting
Synopsis:
When a massive group of angels known as nephilim—half human, half angel—had been found by the Royal Council, they were taken to Halo City. Instead of cleansing the Earth with a flood, which had been done before, the Royal Council created a place just for this group of angels. While they were being taken, one of the Twelve, named Aden, rebelled and convinced many alkins to join his cause—to live freely among the humans and take over Crossroads.

After the fall of Aden and his followers, Michael was taken to Halo City to heal. Not only did Michael had a difficult time settling into his new environment, he had conflicting issues regarding his past. Upon meeting the alkins, a particular one by the name of Davin refused to give up on helping him deal with his struggles. Together, they discovered a strange being that would appear at the Crossroads at unexpected times. Souls wandering there is nothing new, but this one aged as time passed. Mystified, they both searched for answers while refraining from telling the Twelve about her. Who is this being that had enraptured Michael’s attention? And will Michael finally forgive himself and find the happiness that he yearned to have?

Add Halo City to your Goodreads shelf.Halo City is available for purchase at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.
About Mary Ting: M. Clarke also known as Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.
Author Contact Links:Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Website
Alchemy (Prophecy Breakers: Book 1) by Sheena Boekweg (Author) , Melanie Crouse (Contributor) , Sabrina West (Contributor) 
Synopsis:"Do you want me to be dangerous?" he asked, his voice husky and low.
I gulped, and for a moment I was incapable of speech. But he was quiet, waiting. "No. I don't."
"Then I'm not dangerous at all," he murmured. His gaze moved from my eyes to my mouth. "You've never been safer than you are at this moment." I shivered as his breath tickled my skin. Our lips were mere millimeters apart when the sky shattered in a kaleidoscope of colored light.

We didn’t know how much we had to lose until we were infected with magic. Sam was in love, Juliette was the main caretaker for her siblings, and Ana and her dad planned the best parties in New York. But we lost it all when we were shipped to Chebeague, an exclusive school for newly infected mages.

Everyone knows about the mages, those who survive the infection and end up with magical abilities. We’ve seen the power of magic, the high-paying jobs, and the world fame. But we never saw the cost. We didn’t know we’d be forced to give up everything: sanity, family, even the right to talk on the phone.

We didn’t know mage was just another word for prisoner.

Add Alchemy to your Goodreads shelf.Alchemy is available on Kobo.com or on Amazon.com in ebook or paperback. About the Authors:
Sabrina West, Sheena Boekweg and Melanie Crouse never dreamed they would actually create a book worth publishing when they started writing together. Alchemy was merely supposed to be an exercise in flexibility. And it has been that, but it is so much more. Friendships that span the American continent have been forged, and unforgettable characters have been created.
Writing this first book in the Prophecy Breakers was a fun-filled adventure, and we hope that reading it is just as fun for you...

Sheena Boekweg (writing as Sam) is the author of the award winning novel, Funny Tragic Crazy Magic. Look for her next novel, Waxling, this January. She is a mom of three living in West Jordan, Utah. facebook.com/SheenaBoekwegYAAuthor @SheenaBoekweg BoekwegBooks.com.
Sheena Boekweg is a staff member at Flash Fiction Online. She has received an Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future Contest, and The New Era Magazine accepted her work for publication. Sheena is a mom of three living in West Jordan, Utah.

Sheena's Facebook Page Sheena's Goodreads Author Page  Sheena's Amazon Author Page @SheenaBoekweg
Melanie Crouse (writing as Ana) lives in the gorgeous state of Maine with her (usually) delightful family. She is the CEO of the craziest household in the Western Hemisphere. Lately, both of those full-time jobs have collided, creating chaos on a colossal scale. Which is just the way she likes it.
In her spare time, Melanie likes to play the piano, swim, hike and teach preschool. Whether she has spare time or not, she manages to read prolifically, which probably explains more than it doesn't.
She loves her family dearly, and wishes with all her heart that her teenage children weren't so embarrassed that their mom writes "kissing scenes."

Look for her next novel, Hidden Magic, coming soon.

 Melanie's Facebook Page Melanie's Goodreads Author Page.

Sabrina West (writing as Juliette) is a writer and wildlife biologist living in San Diego, California. There, she wanders the streets searching for rare shorebirds, quality espresso, and elusive snippets of dialogue and imagery. Her short fiction has appeared in markets such as the Santa Clara Review, Cover of Darkness, and Strange, Weird and Wonderful Magazine. She also has a story upcoming in Kayelle Press's Night Terrors Anthology.
 Sabrina's Goodreads Author Page

Meet all of us at: http://theprosers.blogspot.com/
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you've all enjoyed meeting these ladies and reading about their books! Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Make sure you come back Monday for an author interview with Ms. Allyson Gottlieb, one of the ladies planning to attend UtopYA Con 2014. For another great author attending the con, visit Felicia Tatum's guest post from Monday and enter to win her books!

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

Jo

Book Review - Looping in Limbo

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you another Indie review. If you've followed the blog for a while, you may remember last year when I asked Indie authors to sell me their books for my Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway. Yes, I'm planning another round this year so keep your eyes peeled! I don't write scathing reviews and if I can't finish a book, I won't bother at all. Things that keep me from finishing a book are: Poor writing, bad formatting, or a story I just can't sink my teeth into. So, of the books I agreed to review, many have been discarded; but, there are still quite a few I've written reviews for and still a couple to go. What's coming? Well...

Intrusive Memory by Leonardo Anthony Noto
Forever Love by Deborah Armstrong
*Remember, these may or may not make it to a review. I don't know because I haven't started them yet.*
and
The winner of my Rafflecopter contest for a review not long ago, The Tower's Alchemist by Alesha Escobar.

I'm also currently reading a surprise book that I'll be posting a review for next week. I don't want the author to know just yet so I don't wanna ruin it! Make sure you come on back for that one. *grin*

Those reviews will most likely appear in a clump at some point down the road. I read more than one book at a time and I keep up with my favorite trade authors along the way.

But enough of all that! Here's the book on the chopping block today:

Title: Looping in Limbo (Lainey Tidwell Series)
Author: Ginney Etherton
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance
Length: About 185 Pages
Amazon Link: $2.99 Kindle

Description:
She was prepared for the storms. But it's the calms that could crush her.

As her first season as a professional caddie winds down, Lainey Tidwell struggles to keep her dream alive at Singing Bluffs Resort. She may have a knack for guiding golfers around hazards on the links, but the unpredictable, nervewracking bouts of low-season blues are harder to avoid.
Worries about money, men, and her unchecked mouth take their toll on this independent, yet conflicted, scrapper. Like a golfer with the yips, Lainey can't shake doubts about caddying all winter at a small-town coastal resort. Beautiful surroundings... nasty weather, down-to-earth townfolk... a pretentious golf world, disgusting cohorts... good friends  ̶  more influences than one "Short Grrrl" can handle.

Looping in Limbo follows the continuing career and distracting love life of Lainey Tidwell, bitchin' girl caddie extraordinaire, that began in Looping for Love.

Let me start off by saying, I think the cover on this book could use some work. While it fits the story beautifully, a different approach might drag more readers through the door.

On to the review!

I purchased Looping in Limbo back in December on Amazon after the author pitched the story and I read a sample. It hooked me right away and I was keen to start reading. While the cover didn't wow me, the story inside had me from page one.

From a reader's perspective:
I was intrigued by a romance novel that centered around the game of golf. I've learned so much about the sport from this book I think I could follow along watching it and understand the lingo pretty well. What I liked about it was the author didn't go on and on with lessons. Rather, the lingo was worked into the story and surrounded by scenes you could picture firmly in your mind to glean the meaning. Lainey cracked me up on a number of occasions. She isn't your typical girlie girl and comes across with a strong personality. From her thoughts and actions in the story, I think I'd have her as a friend. There's a scene where she visits Seattle and the city was portrayed very realistically; right down to the EMP Museum.What I didn't like was the inability of the story to keep me hooked. I often put the book down and sought out other things to read instead. Why? Because the tension was lacking. It was almost like watching someone breeze through life. While it's a relaxing read, I wasn't too concerned about what was going to happen next.

From an editor's perspective:
This is one of the best examples of writing I've seen. That's not a comparison to just Indies, but all books I've read. Besides the tension issue, there were no pronoun mix-ups, few punctuation oopses, and no grossly misused words. I found a few errors, but most people probably wouldn't notice them. I'm hardwired that way, so they jump out at me. This book gets top marks.

Rating:
1 Star for giving me an awesome main character in Lainey
1 Star for teaching me something I didn't know and great descriptions
-1 Star for lack of tension
-1 Star for lack of concern
1 Star for excellent writing
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars! A recommended read if you're looking for something to kill time.

While you're here, don't forget to check out the guest post from Monday by author Felicia Tatum. She also has an awesome Rafflecopter giveaway going on so be sure to enter to win copies of her books!

I hope you all enjoyed this review!

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

Jo

Nom De Plumes

Happy Hump-Day, good people of the blogosphere! I can't believe it's Wednesday already. Time sure does fly when you're working your tuckus off. Today, I'd like to talk to you guys about pen names; also known as a Nom De Plume. Without beating around the bush, let's get going!


Why in the world would an author use a pen name?

Well, in my case, I use one because I don't want crazy people beating down my door if they don't like what I have to say. A couple of my books (the Mystic series, for one) teeter on the edge of calling people out for their crap and show what it's like to live on the other side of judgment. Another one has violence (and a lot of it) that a lot of folks say left them gasping for air as they read (Yassa). But, there are authors throughout history that used pen names to meet other goals. Here are a few:
Dr. Seuss.Stephen King (aka Richard Bachmann)J.K. RowlingJonathan Swift (aka Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq.)Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte (aka Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell)Charles Dickens (aka Boz)Benjamin Franklin (lots of akas - mostly female names!)Anne Rice (aka A.N. Roquelaure)
So why did these authors choose their pen names?

For publishing reasons, of course. One was chosen because the publisher thought the author's books wouldn't sell as well if people knew it was a woman who wrote them. Back in the days of the Bronte sisters, women didn't write and they felt they had no choice but to submit as men. Sometimes pen names were chosen to allow the author to publish more frequently or even to get published at all (their real name may have been damaged in some way). Anne Rice said she didn't want anyone to know she'd written a naughty book. But, beyond that, she wanted to see if it was her name making her sales or her excellent writing. Makes sense to me.

So, if you're an author, and you use a pen name, why? Is it to hide who you really are, to break into a genre only (usually) written by a certain gender, or is it something simpler like a state of separation?

Inquiring minds are dying to know.

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

Jo