Heather Sutherlin's Blog, page 11
February 18, 2013
Scandalous
Recently author Larisa Walk asked authors to share something scandalous or quirky about one of their characters. I had to think about that for a while. I have quite a few quirky characters including one kid who sees visions of a mysterious girl and sketches her obsessively, and a girl so caught up in the man she sees in her dreams that she leaves behind the love of her life and almost dies! But scandalous? Ha! My characters are as clean as fresh fallen snow. They are nearly perfect. Sure they may whine or complain, but they are basically good. But… they aren’t ALL good. I mean, what’s a good adventure story without a villain, right? My main characters may be offered sainthood, but my villains are down and dirty. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that they are truly scandalous. And yet, I never really cover those nitty gritty details in my story. So, today I’m digging in to what makes my villains tick. What makes them so mean and nasty? I’ll give you a sneak peek in today’s Share the Love Scavenger Hunt Clue:
Click here and scroll down to find today’s clue
You’re looking for SEEN and then here’s what you’ll do
Read about Margo and tell me this quick
What makes her evil? What makes her tick?
Want a bonus entry? Have you seen the long list of prizes we’re giving away on the 28th? Wow, it’s getting long! A ton of great books from some fabulous authors. We have a lot of chances to win. You gain entries by commenting your answers to our clues here on the blog, but you can also win on FB with our daily games. So, for today’s bonus entry, Share the Love by sharing the link to our FB event either on FB or twitter. You can visit my Twitter page and retweet my announcements to make things easy. Don’t worry, we’re keeping track of who follows through. Don’t forget to #sharethelove!
Heather
February 16, 2013
Share the Love, people!
I know Valentine’s Day is over, but we are just getting started with our Share the Love Scavenger Hunt. We’ve got so much planned that we decided to spread out a little. My good friend, author Felicia Tatum, and I are joining forces in a new Facebook event to Share the Love. On February 28th we’re giving away prizes ALL DAY LONG! You will want your name drawn, I promise you! So, get busy hunting those clues, posting your guesses, and sharing the love with your book-loving posse. Here’s today’s clue:
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue
Don’t worry, dear readers,
We have prizes you!
The date has been set,
We’re ready to cheer.
Choose the prize you want most
And then post it here.
That’s right. We want to know which of our prizes you’re dreaming of winning! (Oops! I gave it away.) So, visit the FB event page and scroll through our prize selection. Then, come back here to post your answer under comments. Want a bonus entry? Share the love by inviting your friends to join the fun. You can post our event link on your Facebook page or click the “Invite Friends” button on the event page. Be sure to let us know that you shared the love so that we can count your bonus entry. Happy Hunting!
February 15, 2013
Author Spotlight: Laura Elliott
Laura A. H. Elliott
Laura A. H. Elliott, best selling author, loves writing about enchanted road trips, shadow worlds, and alien romance while eating lots of popcorn. She lives in a tree house on the central California coast. After twenty-plus years as a freelance graphic designer/animator with clients including E! Entertainment Television and The Los Angeles Times, she crossed over into the world of publishing non-fiction and followed her heart to the world of fiction. She is the author of the paranormal romance Shadow Series (also available in audiobook format), the sci-fi romance Starjump series, and stand alone literary romance novel Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale. Her latest release is Shadow Slayer, book 2 of the Shadow Series. Moon Killers, book 3 is due out this spring. She’s also due to release her first adult title later this year. She’s happy to have been included in the new adult anthology Midnight Surrender.Blog
Amazon
Goodreads
Laura A. H. Elliott’s Books:
Winnemucca,
a small-town fairy tale
13 on
Halloween (Shadow Series #1) FREEAudiobook
Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2)Audiobook
Moon
Killers (Shadow Series #3) Spring 2013
(Shadow
Series #4) Fall 2013
Transfer Student (Starjump Series #1)
The Seven Caves & Other Spine-Tingling Short
Stories
Winnemucca a small-town fairy tale (YA literary romance)
When fear’s as blind as love, how far would you go to find your own happily ever after? One mistake will change Ginny’s life forever. One answer will set her free. Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie. To solve the riddle of her past, she must outrun everyone who wants a piece of her future–including a man determined to see she never has one.
Transfer Student (Starjump #1) (YA Sci-Fi Romance)
Two Worlds–Two Teens–One Wish
Rhoe and Ashley would never be friends.
Even if they lived on the same planet.
But, they’ll become so much more.
They’ll transfer.
Earthling Ashley’s world revolves around winning daily popularity contests at Beverly Hills High School and surfing competitions with sweet scholarship prizes that will finally help her break free of her control-freak mother. Meanwhile on planet Retha, Rhoe misses his dad, loves his mom’s home-cooked Glechy crag with a side of ory sauce, is desperate to heal his sick brother and wants more than anything to win The Retha New Invention Competition. But Rhoe’s invention teleports him across the universe with an unintended side effect, Ashley and Rhoe transfer. They swap lives when they make the same wish at the same time.
Popular-surfer-turned-boy-geek alien Ashley must handle life on Retha as Rhoe complete with webbed feet, low-gravity, and an obsession with Yuke, all the while being hunted by Rethan spies and resenting her hairy, flat chest. Boy-geek-turned-popular-surfer Rhoe must fit in at Beverly Hills High School as Ashley, compete in The Laguna Beach Invitational without becoming shark food, dodge boys’ affections, cool his preoccupation with Tiffany and his new body, and find the healing rocks he believes will save his brother’s life.
If only it were that simple. Some wishes can’t come true. Some have to.
(THIS ENHANCED EBOOK CONTAINS LINKS TO THE MUSIC, STORIES, PHOTOS & VIDEOS THAT INSPIRED THE STORY.)
13 on Halloween (Shadow Series #1) FREE (YA paranormal romance)
Roxie has the best night of her life until the popular kids decide they want to celebrate her birthday in a way Roxie never expects––in her attic, with a gift that’s out of this world, and a pact to never tell a living soul what happens next.Twelve-year-old Roxie wants to be like Adrianne, the popular girl who gets everything she wants––a flock to prowl around the mall with; invitations to parties; and for Hayden, the cutest guy in the eighth grade to, you know, notice her. When Roxie invites all the eighth grade peacocks (code word : popular kids) to her first ever thirteenth birthday party on Halloween, they all come and give her a gift that’s literally out of this world. Roxie astral projects to Planet Popular where she becomes seventeen instantly and gets everything she’s always wanted, but nothing is as it seems. Being a high school peacock is complicated and Roxie will risk everything to be who she thinks she wants to be. Oh yeah, there’s Prom, doppelgangers, a mysterious map, and lots of bad peacocks too.
BONUS EXCERPT! Two Chapters of Shadow Slayer, Book 2 in The Shadow Series
13 on Halloween, (Shadow Series #1) is now available as an audiobook on iTunes, Audible or Amazon.
Shadow Slayer (Shadow Series #2) (YA paranormal romance)
Shadows will do anything to become human. You see their influence everyday. You say things you don’t mean or do things that aren’t like you. You look, different. Friends you’ve known forever suddenly never call.As a freshman, Roxie just wants to fit in which is impossible because she barely runs into her friends at her huge high school. Adrianne’s disappearance and Hayden’s attention rock Roxie’s world. But nothing rocks it like the most gorgeous guy at school, Drew. And nothing is more important to Roxie than astral projecting back to Planet Popular to solve the mystery of the map. But that changes when Drew invites Roxie to homecoming. Hayden warns her that something’s wrong. Why would a guy like Drew like Roxie anyway? Drew must want something. Hayden’s right. Drew is…different. Planet Popular was just the beginning. Part of a bigger world, the Shadow World. There’s a war brewing between the world of humans and the world of shadows. When the shadow invasion begins at Roxie’s high school, she’ll not only fight for her life but the lives of her family and friends, when she discovers she’s the Shadow Slayer, the one human who can save Earth from the shadow onslaught. But, Roxie can’t even kill a spider. Oh yeah, there’s an evil English teacher, an enchanted play, a sword of Sandonian steel, a homecoming of horrors, and seven magic words too. Audible (Audiobook) |iTunes
February 14, 2013
Day of Love
Happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t have a Valentine today? No problem, because we’re sharing the love here all month long with our Share the Love Scavenger Hunt. Also, we’re giving away extra prizes today in honor of Valentine’s Day. Want to know how to win? Follow the clues, share the love, and win big!
Do you like jewelry? Sparkling things divine?
Follow the clues and mine shall be thine.
I’m Author of the Day on A Love 4 Lit
There you will find a wee little hint
Come back then and tell us here
The name of two characters I hold dear.
Okay, I know this one is a bit more tricky, but you could win some real treasure – a custom charm bracelet from Cassie’s Creations filled with book cover charms from each of my books. You could even order more charms later to add to the collection! I’m also giving away free books today to those who share the love! To grab your share the love bonus points, just share this post on Twitter with my twitter name @HeatherSutherli at the end or share on FB with friends and then come back here to let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to comment with your guess on today’s clue. Best of luck and happy hunting!
Heather
February 8, 2013
YA Author Club: Barnes & Noble
Happy Friday! This week in the YA Author Club we’re all chatting about our experience with Barnes & Noble. I had a bit of trouble putting into words how I felt about this topic, so I snuck over to the blogs of my fellow club members, Bryna Butler and T. R. Graves, and scoped out their responses to this week’s question: What has Barnes & Noble ever done for you? Reading through their responses I am finally able to put my thoughts into words.
Nothing. I suppose that’s only one word. Allow me to elaborate. When I first published A Light in the Darkness, I was thrilled to see my book listed on Barnes and Noble’s website. To me, that was the pinnacle of success – having your book listed at Barnes and Noble. I live just down the street from our local B&N store and I have many a time walked past their large Nook displays. It was easy for me to dream of all the Nook sales that would soon be pouring in now that my own book was available for their high-end device. Then, a week went by and then a month. No sales. It has now been six months and I have sold a grand total of two books on Barnes and Noble’s site. TWO!!
Ahem. Where was I? Oh yeah! Disappointed. I was deeply disappointed. That is not to say that my book hasn’t sold. That would be different. If my books weren’t selling I would think “maybe I’m not such a great writer after all.” But that is not the case. I have had some success at Amazon and it seems to be growing, increasing momentum with each passing month and each new title I place out there in the market. No, this is a problem with Barnes and Noble and how they do business. You see, Amazon makes it easy for everyone to buy, sell, interact, and enjoy ebooks. They have multiple ways to encourage us as writers and you as readers to know each other, to share with our friends, and to recommend new writers to one another. On my Amazon author page you can even see a snippet of my blog or host a discussion about my work. I can even add a calendar of events showing where I’ll be for book signings or author talks. It’s remarkable and yet so very simple as though Amazon brought us together. “Author, meet reader. Reader, here is the author you were searching for. Say hello. Chat. Buy a book or two. Tell a friend. We’ll be right here when you need us.”
Oh wait. This was about Barnes and Noble. Well, you can see that I’m clearly not impressed with them. So, why are my books still listed with B&N for Nook? Well, remember that little discussion about KDP Select? The gist of it is this: I want my books to be available to as many readers as possible. I am willing to lose out on a few dollars here or there in commissions in order to be certain that the reader who is searching for my book can find it when and where she needs it and be able to enjoy it on her (or his) device. If I can’t place my book in their hands, then it seems to me that writing it was a bit pointless (not to mention the hundreds of other hoops I’ve jumped through to get it published.) So far my books are available for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, and in print on Amazon. (You can find them here.) Sony will be next, I think. If there is a platform where you would like to see my books, please let me know. I’m doing my best to get into your hands. I promise.
And if you love Nook and buy a lot through Barnes and Noble, please let me know that, too. I appreciate hearing from all of you!
Happy reading!
Heather
February 7, 2013
Books for a Buck!
Tomorrow begins an event so epic, so colossally awesome, I could hardly keep it secret. But now it is finally here! I will shout it from the roof tops!
Bestsellers * Award Winners * Hot New Releases
30 authors offering 35 titles at an amazing 99¢ price (limited time offers)
That’s right, the Books for a Buck blog hop has arrived! For two days a crew of incredible authors have lowered their prices, placing their bestselling titles at 99cents – for TWO DAYS ONLY! Snatch these up while you can, readers! Some of my favorites are listed on there and I’m going to add the rest to my kindle. Don’t use kindle? No problem! Just choose the author you’re interested in and follow their link. Their books will be listed on their website along with all their available formats. My YA fantasy books, A Light In the Darkness and SEEN, are both listed this weekend at 99cents for the hop and you can find them in all major retailers which I keep listed under the My Books tab.
Want to check out the other incredible authors featured in this Books for a Buck blog hop? Here are the books listed by category:
Young Adult
Defy the Stars by Stephanie Parent (romance/verse)
Ghost Hand by Ripley Patton (paranormal)
Seen by Heather Sutherlin (fantasy)
Sally Singletary’s Curiosity by JM Cataffo (fantasy/mystery)
Blue Sky Days by Marie Landry (contemporary)
Duplicity (Spellbound #2) * 1st book NOW FREE! * by Nikki Jefford
New Adult/Upper Teen: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Treason (Grimoire Saga #2) * 1st book NOW FREE! * by S. M. Boyce
The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear by M. Pax
ReVamped by Ada Adams
Troll Or Derby, a Fairy Wicked Tale by Red Tash
Neverlove by Angela Brown
Flight (The Crescent Chronicles, #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Vaempires: Revolution and Vaempires: Zombie Rising by Thomas Winship
What Kills Me by Wynne Channing
Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford
New Adult/Upper Teen: Contemporary Romance
Preservation (Preservation, #1) by Rachael Wade
The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder
Make It Last by Bethany Lopez
My Paper Heart by Magan Vernon
Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Horror
Day of Sacrifice Omnibus by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Fall for Me by K. A. Last
The Forever Girl by Rebecca Hamilton
Reunion by Jeff Bennington
Red Fox (Experiment in Terror #2) * 1st book FREE! * by Karina Halle
Guardian Of Fate by L.J. Kentowski
Ember’s Curse by Gena D. Lutz
FEARLESS by Tawdra Kandle
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Perfection Unleashed by Jade Kerrion
To Ride a Puca by Heather McCorkle
Contemporary Romance and Chick Lit
The Reunion by Elizabeth Aloe
The Game Changer by Marie Landry
Broken and Mending by J.B. McGee
What are you waiting for? Go grab some great books at fabulous prices! Oh wait! I almost forgot today’s clue for the Share the Love Scavenger Hunt. Here it is:
Visit the hop and you will find
a few new reads that are one of a kind.
Come back and tell us about one that looks nice
The best part of it is, they’re all just the right price!
Want a bonus entry? Share the love by telling your friends on Twitter or Facebook about the Books for a Buck bloghop. You can use the buttons below to help you out. Then, remember to post it here so we’ll know to award your bonus entry. Happy Hunting!
Share the Author Love
This month we’re celebrating book love with our Share the Love Scavenger Hunt. It is never too late to jump in and play along. You can win free books and other swag!
So far all of our clues have been about me and I’m starting to feel a little narcissistic. So, today I want to share some of the authors I love. I often post book reviews or author spotlights on this site that showcase fabulous indie authors who are breaking out onto the publishing scene. You can find them easily on my site menu to the right under “Indie Authors”or under the list in the sidebar titled “Indie Authors I Adore”. Today I’ll be tweeting about my favorite indie authors and sharing the love for their books using the #sharethelove hashtag. I would LOVE for you to join me. Do you have an indie author you adore? Please share it on twitter, FB, or even just tell a friend. Authors can’t make a living and write more books for you to love if their books don’t sell. We rely on readers to Share the Love with friends and family and even the general public through book reviews. If you want your favorite author to keep writing, then tell them so by sharing a book review or a tweet. It will make their day and maybe even send them back to the keyboard for another day.
Ready for today’s clue? It’s a bit tricky because there isn’t a direct link. Here’s a hint: you will find the answer here on this page, but still have to follow a link for the answer. Here it is:
Some authors, I adore.
Others can be such a bore.
Discover those I love the most
Then comment here their books and boast.
Share the Love for bonus points by tweeting about an indie author you love or want to read. Then, comment here with a copy of your tweet. If you share your twitter name, I’ll retweet your comment!
Happy Hunting!
P.S. BIG news is coming tomorrow, so come back and visit for more fabulous fun and FREE books!
February 6, 2013
Inspired to Write
Today I’m sharing one of my secrets to writing fantasy over on my friend Christine Locke’s blog. I thought that would be a great place to hide the answer to the next clue. So, here it is:
Christine asks what inspires me most,
So, I shared what compels me.
It may not be eloquent or worth a boast,
But it’s the power that propels me
To write.
Stop by and say hello. I would love to hear what inspires you, so please leave a comment on her blog and share it with us. Then, come back here to comment with the answer to today’s clue. I would love to give you a bonus entry for sharing the love, so Please share Christine’s blog post with friends on Twitter or Facebook. Then, come back and let me know so we’ll get your name entered for prizes. Happy Hunting!
February 5, 2013
Meet Your Hostess
Today I’m placing the finishing touches on something BIG for this weekend. That leaves me little time for our Share the Love Scavenger Hunt clues this morning. So, let’s cut right to the chase:
Today I want you to know a little more about me,
But not about the awards I’ve earned.
So, take a second to follow the link
Post a comment, tell us what you learned.
(Did I mention poetry is not my forte’? I’m a novelist, people!)
For bonus points today, you can Share the Love by sharing our Scavenger Hunt with friends on FB or Twitter. Be sure to mention that you did so in our comments section and if you leave your twitter name, I’ll follow you 
Happy Hunting!
February 4, 2013
Guest on RG2E
Happy Monday! Today I’m visiting readers over at The Reader’s Guide to Ebooks (RG2E) and I would love for you to stop by and say hello. As a matter of fact, I think you’ll find the answer to today’s Share the Love Scavenger Hunt clue over there. Here it is:
Follow the links and read what I say
Clicking on through is the only way
Find one of my pins and mention it here
You’ll be granted a point, so you’ve nothing to fear.
Want bonus points? Easy peasy! All you have to do is share this on Facebook or Twitter with your friends and mention it here. You’ll be granted Share the Love bonus points. Happy Hunting!
