Heather Sutherlin's Blog, page 9

The Sutherlin Swag Shop

Today I am so excited to introduce a new way for fans to get personal with their favorite Sutherlin books. Now you can share your love for the Light Series or Seen with the rest of the world by wearing exclusive gear from the Sutherlin Swag Shop.

We only have a few designs available now, but we plan to add more each month. Let us know what your favorites are and what you would like to see us add this summer. Tomorrow, LA will be here to talk more about our plans for the Swag Shop so stop by and get the scoop straight from the source.

Happy Shopping!

~ Heather

Meet LA

Hey guys, I want to introduce you to my fabulous assistant, LA. She’s been learning the ropes around here lately, trying to keep up with my creative whims and fantastical ideas. She’s the best sidekick a fledgling indie author could ever have. We have a lot of big projects we’re working on right now and I can’t wait to share them with all of you. I plan to spend the next three months writing up a storm so she’s going to be taking on some of the blogging and other fun stuff for me. You can catch her take on this wild indie life every Wednesday, but you’ll also see her on Twitter and Facebook once in a while, so be nice to her when she pops in, okay? Without further ado, here’s the fabulous LA:

Hello my name is LilliAnn. I am Heather Sutherlin’s daughter, her student, and now her assistant! I just turned thirteen last month.

I don’t exactly want to be a writer like my mom, but I luv reading, blogging, hanging out with my friends, and most of all I luv MUSIC!!!

All of us Sutherlin kids have had trouble reading while we were young but we all luv it so much now that we can’t hardly stop reading. If I dive into a book I won’t eat sleep or drink until it’s done (slight exaggeration). My favorite books have to be The Plundered Parent Protocol, the Percy Jackson Series, and of course A Light in the Darkness. All of those books are so inspiring and two of them are written by indie writers. My mom is an indie so I guess that makes me an INDIE KID.

When mom started blogging, well I didn’t even know what that was! I guess I do now. When my mom asked if I wanted to be a guest on her blog I totally said yes. I like blogging because I get to say whatever I want here and I get to type a LOT. How cool! Since I’ve started this I realized I want to do just what my mom’s doing with her blog, only with music. Maybe I’ll start a music blog.

When I was ten or so, I learned how to play ukulele and last summer I started learning guitar. Shortly after that I started voice lessons and I am loving every bit of it. I also write music. I love music because I get to tell people anything I want and the message feels stronger than it would if I was just telling someone. If you know me you know I will always be seen with ear buds in my ears listening to either Ross Lynch or K-love wherever I go. I am a music freak 24/7. Someday I hope I will meet Toby Mac and get advice about music to make my own music successful.

Next week I’ll tell you about what it’s like to be Mom’s assistant, but here are some of the projects we’ve been working on lately.

Creating playlists for The Light Series and Seen
Building a store for book merchandise. (You guys are gonna love this!)
Improving the website
Planning some author events

There are many more projects but I’ll tell you more later. So, check back here next Wednesday to see what I’m working on next. ; D

Rock On!

~ LA

A New Direction

I mentioned last week that I’ve been searching for a new design for my website. We worked on ideas for ages, it seemed, sketching out new headers and debating the overall direction of my website. The more we worked on it, the more we discovered that I needed a clearer picture of what I want readers to know about me and my work. It’s hard to look at yourself and try to sum up your entire persona in one image or phrase. That’s called personal branding, and I’m not sure I’m quite there yet. Still, I feel that we’re getting closer. Here’s how we came up with my new theme:

1. Each of my books (so far) includes a big forest scene and to me a forest is always full of mystery and adventures lurk just around the next tree. I wanted to capture that air of mystery and excitement. Also, my lovely assistant suggested that I reminded her of a tree. So, there’s that…

2. We looked at illustrations and clipart of trees, but none of them seemed to capture the mood we were going for. So, in the end we opted for a stock photo. This was when we knew we were getting closer to our goal. The dark forest with it’s rugged pathway bathed in light and beckoning seemed to fit perfectly with the image we had in mind. It would’ve been easier to brand with an illustrated logo of a tree/forest, but we’ll have to find some way to work out that dilemma in the future. (If you’ve got any ideas, PLEASE share them in the comments below!)

3. Next for the tag line. How on earth do I narrow my work down to one short sentence? I’m basically summing up my entire mission as a writer. Yikes! We played with a lot of ideas, but most of them leaned toward one story line or another. I needed something that would work whether I was writing YA fantasy or contemporary romance (hey! It could happen!) Finally we decided on “Escape to another world” because it seemed to sum up what I hope readers will feel as they read my books. Some readers want to experience reality in a deeper way, but I write for those of you who want to escape reality altogether.

In the last week I’ve been reminded once again that I have no natural aptitude for graphic design, no matter how much I wish it weren’t true. I love images and the idea of creating just the right picture to illustrate a thought or a concept to the world. I deeply wish I could design my own covers and all of my own branding material, but it is a TON of work and in the end I”m not very good at it. After fighting with graphics for the last week we’ve decided to start learning Photoshop, so that should be an adventure! I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

We have a lot more to reveal in the next few weeks. I think it’s time you met my incredible assistant, LA. She has been working hard to give me young reader’s perspective and I’ve put her to work researching the best of the best. I can hardly wait to show you all that we’ve been working on lately. I’ve invited her to introduce herself to all of you tomorrow and she’s getting her own weekly spot on this blog so that you can see a little more of the behind-the-scenes work that goes on in this indie life. So, come back tomorrow and say hi to my sidekick.

What do you think of my new website header? What else do you hope to find here on HeatherSutherlin.com? Leave your suggestions in the comments below and maybe you’ll find your wish is granted the next time you stop by to visit.

Happy reading!

~Heather

What Do YOU Want to See Here?

I’ve been thinking about updating my website lately, but I’m not sure where to start. So, I browsed through a few author websites and found that I’m not the only one whose site could use some TLC! That made me feel better. I roped my daughter into helping me surf the web for the best of the best author websites. We found a few really gorgeous sites and started making a list of our favorite things. Here’ what I’ve got so far:

We loved Trisha Leigh’s graphics. Her site is beautiful and fun.

Author Trisha Wolfe releases new bonus material when her street team helps her reach 50 reviews. I also love that you can tell what kind of books she writes just by looking at her page.

My music-loving daughter voted A.M. Hargrove‘s site the best because she included playlists for each of her books. Wouldn’t that be fun?

That’s as far as we’ve gotten so far in our search for the most fabulous author website. I’m sure some of the big name authors have fancy expensive sites (J.K. Rowling, cough, cough) but I’m just looking for what makes readers and fans want to come back for more. So, what do you think? Do you have any author websites you love to visit? What makes them memorable? What do you wish you could find here on my website? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and maybe I’ll be adding your request sooner than you think!

Happy web-surfing!

~ Heather

Advice to New Authors From the YA Author Club

This week the YA Author Club is sharing insights into the editing process. All the authors in the YA Author Club are indie authors, so our experiences apply most especially to those authors looking into self-publishing. I’m a few weeks behind thanks to my little sabbatical, but I’ll do my best to catch up now. Here are my quick thoughts on formatting and editing:

 Editing

I hate editing. I really do. However, an author who wants to be taken seriously will invest both time and money in the editing process. Even the most famous authors you could name have been through rigorous editing and may have worked with multiple editors before their books became best-sellers. My first search for an editor landed me a fabulous developmental editor who worked with me on the fundamental story structure and character development of A Light in the Darkness and To Light the Path. She was very thorough and I ended up with a line-by-line edit of my final work. She is incredibly talented and I came away from that experience a better writer. THAT, above all else in my opinion, is the mark of a gifted editor. Then again, it only works if you are paying any attention to what they are doing and actually taking their advice. Many writers want to fight every step of the way which is immature and ultimately bad for your business. Stop fighting and trust the person you are paying. If you don’t trust them, then find someone you can trust and then soak up every word they shower upon you and your manuscript. Even the criticism I found most painful and hard to swallow I ended up using to strengthen my book. For example, my editor disagreed with the premise of my second book, arguing against the very point I was trying to make with my main character’s actions and beliefs. I literally sat and cried over her comments, frustrated and confused about how to move on and doubting my own conviction in the power of my story. I sat trapped in this doubt and dark depression for weeks before I was finally able to move forward. I began to see that her comments were exactly what I needed to strengthen another character, Justan, who was himself doubting the validity of the main character’s plan. Justan is the character I least identify with and so his dialogue is always the hardest for me to write. When I realized that my editor was asking the same questions he would be asking, I knew just what to do. I followed her train of thought, her emotions, her frustration, and I used it to build a stronger character, intensifying the drama. When I’m writing the rest of the series, I’ll be able to come back to those conversations and see a bit of his side peeking through. That is invaluable!

In the end my editor and I discovered that we didn’t have the same vision for my work. She couldn’t appreciate the direction I was going with it and I respected her enough to not force her to see it my way. Books, like so many other art forms, are subjective. What inspires me may not inspire you. So, we parted ways and I moved on in search of an editor who could embrace my hopes and dreams for the series. I agonized over that decision, but in the end it all comes down to “who will help me reach my goals?” That is a question you must always ask as you choose cover artists, editors, graphic designers, marketing people, and a slew of other people who will become your team on this journey.

If you are looking for an editor, I happen to know a fabulous freelance editor who is available. Jessie Sanders from Stormy Night Publishing is a very talented editor with experience in small press and self-publishing. Maybe she’ll be the right fit for you!

Formatting & Self-Publishing

I won’t say much about formatting because I am still learning. Here’s my advice if you aren’t naturally gifted in this area: Use Draft2Digital. It will cost you nothing to sign up with them and you can thank me later for introducing you. Many self-published authors use Smashwords because they were the first big guy on the scene to hold authors’ hands as they made the leap. However, Smashwords is messy and infuriarating! Skip the style guide headache and the weeks/months of waiting for your work to be approved by Createspace and iTunes. Go straight to Draft2Digital and you will be so glad I sent you. Seriously! I upload my file, fill out a short form online, review my document and click approve. Done! Within 48 hours my book is live and available across the globe. Amazing! And I didn’t have to know a thing about formatting to do it. They have complex computer coding that cleans up my messes for me. I love that! Also, their reporting is beautiful! Real-time charts show me how many books I’ve sold across all titles and they’re adding more sales charts/graphs as they go. Tax time was easy with Draft2Digital thanks to their accounting system. Do I sound like a paid advertiser? Sorry. I just really love them and can’t imagine trying to do this all without them. They make it easy and I love clicking over to my account and watching my sales numbers climb.

Curious what other authors are saying about editing? You will find other experiences, tips, and advice from the YA Author Club. Just click on the links below. Best of luck finding what works for you!

1.
Laura A. H. Elliott
2.
Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series


3.
T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
4.
Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga


5.
Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
6.
K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed


7.
Gwenn Wright, author of Filter
8.
Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.


9.
Ella James
10.
Maureen Murrish


11.
YA Sci Fi Author’s Ramblings
12.
A Little Bit of R&R


13.
Melissa Pearl
14.
Terah Edun – YA Fantasy


15.
Heather Sutherlin – YA Fantasy

Poem In My Pocket

Today is national “Poem In Your Pocket Day”, a day for normal folks like you and me to celebrate poetry in the best possible way – by sharing it with others. Although I don’t normally write poetry, I just happen to have this one to share. I hope it strikes a chord with someone out there feeling stuck with their own heavy burdens.

Heavy Packages

By Heather Sutherlin

Why does it still hide there in plain sight?

It hurts to look at it, so I avert my eyes.

But inevitably someone points it out and sighs,

“How do you live with that?”

So, I box it up and hide it in a dark abandoned place

Until, unexpectedly, I stumble upon it

Tripping, falling back into the painful pit

And I cannot live with that!

You can’t hide it. You can’t fix it.

This is the torture the world calls “moving on.”

Only I’m trapped under this burden and it weighs a ton.

I guess I’ll try to live with that.

I want it to have never been!

I wish it could be the thing that never was.

Why can’t it be undone? Because,

I think I could live with that.

So, I’ll keep trying to see anything but it.

And you’ll please forgive me if I sometimes trip on it and fall.

The bruises will remind me that it’s so very real after all.

And I’ll learn to live with that.

How did you celebrate Poem In Your Pocket Day? Do you have a poem you would like to share with us? Please do! We’d love to hear from you.

Seen bookmarks

Well, I finally gave up on designing a stellar looking bookmark for Seen - and I’m so glad I did! Look at the lovely bookmark Leah Kaye Suttle made for me to share Seen with the world!

Isn’t that fabulous? I am totally fan-girling over her work, y’all. She’s not only talented but a lot of fun to work with as an author. I can’t wait to see what magic she cooks up next. Go check out her website and friend her on Facebook to see more of her incredible talent. And tell her I said hello!

If you want a signed copy of this sparkly new bookmark, stop by the Arkansas Literary Festival this weekend. I’ll be thereat 10am this Saturday sharing some writing tips and tricks at the Main Library on the fourth floor. Or you can catch me afterward at the Spine Shuffle where a handful of young adult authors will be sharing our work and answering questions. Stop by and say hi.

I’ll see you there!

Right2Write

Today I put the finishing touches on my presentation for Saturday’s Right2Write event at the Main Library. My three test subjects gave it 3 thumbs up! (Or is that 6 thumbs up? Hm…) Here’s a sneak peek at what I’ll be sharing at the Lit Fest workshop this weekend:

Many writers and lit professors would like to tell you the rules for writing. Although those rules seem to shift and change as time marches on, they are there nonetheless. It’s your job to sort them out and decide which rules you’ll follow and which you’ll break – or at least bend a little.

So, what are the rules to writing? I’m not sure I even want to start that conversation. There are, however, a few fundamental rules to writing success. These are universal whether you are a literary writer or a subversive genre writer. All writers who want to achieve any kind of success will find these three rules helpful. Curious?

Come see me at the Arkansas Literary Festival on Saturday and I’ll pull a few tricks out of the bag to illustrate the three universal rules to writing success. Can’t make it to the festival? Don’t worry! I’ll be back here on Monday to give away my secrets and to announce the winner of my book giveaway.

To win an ebook copy of SEEN, just add your email address to my newsletter signup. I’ll announce the winner on Monday!

Subscribe to My Newsletter

Getting Ready For Lit Fest

Only 4 more days until the Arkansas Literary Festival gets started with a bang here in Little Rock. There is literally something for everyone at this huge event. From Pulitzer prize winners to comic book artists, there is an author to inspire every kind of fan. There’s a cosplay contest, wine tasting, children’s theater, writing workshops, author panels on a diverse variety of topics, even a paranormal librarian slinging cocktails and telling tales. I CAN NOT WAIT! It’s going to be a blast!

I’ve spent the last week sweating every little detail of my presentation for Saturday and today I put the finishing touches on it all with a stack of  giveaways ready for the big day. Saturday at 10am I’ll be speaking on the 4th floor in the teen room with the title Right2Write, giving tips and tricks for how to organize your thoughts and turn those thoughts into some real writing you’ll be proud to show the world. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I hope you’ll all grab a few friends and come hang out with us. Afterward I’ll be participating in an event called the Spine Shuffle where you can meet a handful of YA authors from multiple genres and ask them questions face to face. It’s going to be a blast!

Want to see what else is going on at the literary festival? Check out this link. You can sort events by category or even by the day you’ll be able to attend. Grab a few friends and come out to play with the authors. I’ll see you there!

Author Spotlight: Melissa Pearl

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.

“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love.”


 Facebook Author Page:http://www.facebook.com/melissapearla...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaPearlG
Blogs: http://melissapearl.blogspot.com/ and http://yalicious.blogspot.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Pearl/e...
Goodreads Author Page:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Smashwords Author Page:https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
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Website: http://www.melissapearlauthor.com
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Interview:
1) What is your all-time favorite book and why?
Man – that is such a tough questions. One? I’m only allowed one? LOL.
One series that I have read over and over in my time is the Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers. Those books have it all – awesome romance, excellent action and tension, amazing descriptions, plus a deep message running through the books (if you’re into that kinda thing – which I am). They made me laugh, cry and fall in love. Haha Just my type of story.
2) Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters your book’s characters could relate to and why?
Hmmm – how do you answer that question without coming across as pretentious? My Time Spirit Trilogy has been compared to Twilight in the sense of an intense love story. I wouldn’t say my writing is super fancy, but I know how to tell a fast paced story with lots of emotion and tension.
3) Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?
Ooo – I have so many. Little moments between my characters are so precious to me. I can feel everything they are feeling and I love it. Here is a favourite of mine, which has also received some highlights. It’s a quote from Golden Blood (Book 1 in the Time Spirit Trilogy).
“How are you okay with this?” Gemma took a step back. “I can travel through time!”
Harrison shrugged and closed the distance between them. “Hey, I was cool with alien, this isn’t much different.”
“I’m a total freak!”
“Yeah.” He grinned as he threaded his fingers through her belt loops and pulled her towards him. “But you’re my freak.” His breath tickled her skin as he leaned towards her and whispered, “Face it, Hart, you’re stuck with me. I knew the second I touched you my life had changed…and you knew it too.”
It always makes me smile. Harrison’s reaction to Gemma’s revelation is perfect in my mind. Those two are made for each other and I love that he figures it out so early on.
4) What types of things/people/music inspires you and makes you want to keep writing?
I get my inspiration from all over the place. Movies are huge for me. I would love to see my stories on the big screen one day. I picture them that way in my head. I always get a tingle running through my body when I watch a movie with a really great kissing scene or an excellent action sequence… anything that makes my emotions start to bubble.
I am inspired by music as well – everything from movie scores to punk rock to country to alternative. I love it all! I even love my toddler’s music, although it’s not that inspiring, just fun to sing along to
5) Describe your typical writing day or week.
I get up an hour before my family each morning to work on my social media stuff. It takes that long to clear my e-mail, do any blog post stuff I want to do, work through my Facebook notifications and my Twitter news. Time zon wise, it’s the best time for me to do this as there is more traffic around the sites I use.
As soon as my son goes down for his midday nap, I race to my computer. Four out of five days, I spend my time working on my writing and usually one day a week or at least half of one of those sessions is used on admin type things – numbers, blogging, extra marketing stuff. I also get a two-hour sleep in every Sunday morning, so I use that time to write as well. If my husband ever goes out in the evenings, I write once the kids are in bed.
It takes every spare moment I have to keep up with my writing. Thankfully I adore doing it, so it doesn’t feel like hard work.
6) Is there a food or drink do you have to have when you’re writing?
I never eat when I’m writing. It would slow me down too much. I drink a lot of water, but if I’m really tired, I allow myself a small Coca Cola. The caffine boost can be useful sometimes.
7) Can you tell us what you’re working on right now (& possibly provide an excerpt & cover)?
I am working on a Young Adult Fantasy Trilogy. This is my first attempt into this foray and I’m having SO much fun. The first book has been edited, the second book has been written and the third book is in the planning stage. I’m aiming for June, July and August releases for the three books.
Here’s the cover and blurb for the first one:
Darkness is covering the land. As the city of Mezrah grows with power and greed, the rest of the world can only stand by and wait for their inevitable destruction. The only hope against this growing power is an ancient prophecy that people have stopped believing in.
Then a star begins to fall.
Princess Kyla of Taramon stopped believing in the power of light the day her father died. Trapped in a city she does not care for, under the watchful glare of her mother, the queen, she struggles to accept her fate.
Then a star begins to fall.
Jethro has loved Kyla for as long as he can remember. Learning that she was to marry his cousin drove a wedge between him and the feisty princess. Watching her from a distance is a torture he is unable to free himself from.
Then a star begins to fall, sparking an ember of hope and sending two seekers on a treacherous journey into the unknown.
Excerpt from Unknown (The Elements Trilogy: Book 1): (keep in mind this book still needs a final proof read)
“Jethro!” Kyla slapped him on the arm and leaned against the grate, patting her chest. With narrowed eyes, she shot him a glare. “So this is how it is now? You don’t have the decency to talk to me in public, but you do take time out of your precious day to come scare the life out of me down in this foul-smelling tunnel.”
A slow, easy smile lit Jethro’s face. “Where have you been?”
“Why do you even care?”
Jethro’s brawny frame leaned against the stone wall behind him. His eyes glimmered with a knowing smile. “Let’s see, a bow slung over your shoulder, a quiver full of arrows… so not hunting then. I’m guessing target practice,” he clicked his fingers, “in the clearing by the waterhole.”
Kyla bit back a smile.
“How’d you do?”
She raised her chin. “I would have split your arrow in two.”
Jethro’s dark eyebrows jumped up with approval as he nodded his head. “Is that all you got up to?”
“Jethro, what are you doing here?” Kyla snapped.
“I just came to warn you.”
“Of what?”
Jethro frowned, making Kyla’s stomach clench.
“Queen Elaina is wondering why she saw her daughter being chased out of the forest by a guard of Ashan when she should have been studying world history with her tutor.”
Kyla stood up straight and swallowed. “My mother did not see. She’s always at prayers this time of day.”
“She was delayed.” Jethro winced.
The blood drained from Kyla’s face. Biting her lips together, she pulled the bow over her head and cleared her throat.
“You might want to present yourself to her before she has every man in the castle looking for you.”
With a child-like groan, Kyla gripped the end of her bow and rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Slumping her shoulders, she spun away from freedom and started stomping towards the dungeons.
“You may want to go past your chambers on the way. Perhaps tidy up a little?”
She came to an abrupt stop and slowly spun back to face the boy she’d known since birth. “Excuse me?”
Jethro’s lips fought with a grin as he pushed himself off the wall and sauntered towards her. “Just because you hate wearing dresses doesn’t mean she won’t expect to see you in one.” He pointed at the attire she had stolen from her brother years ago. She kept it hidden in a trunk at the end of her bed and only pulled it out when she was sneaking from the castle. If only her mother knew how comfortable they were, she wouldn’t insist on mountains of material that were impossible to run in.
“You’re already in for her wrath.” Jethro tipped his head. “You will only antagonise her more by appearing like this.”
Kyla pushed her tongue against the side of her mouth then huffed. “You know I hate you.”
“With the fire a thousand suns?”
Laughter burst from her mouth before she could stop it. “And more!” She punched him on the arm, missing the familiar banter they used to share as children. The amount of times he had driven her to screams of rage with his playful teasing, but a few punches later and they had been best friends again. She often wondered what had happened between them and wished they could return to past days.
As if Jethro could read her mind, he stepped back from her, the playful smile replaced with a new seriousness she did not care for. “You should get moving.”

Golden Blood:  FREE
Gemma Hart never knows when her father is going to whisk her back in time. Her toes start tingling and she has a few minutes to find a secret haven where she can disintegrate and appear in another time and place. While “across the line,” her training and skills are put to the test as she completes a mission that will change history for the lucky few her father has selected.
Gemma’s parents are adamant that secrecy is paramount to her family’s safety. If people knew what they were capable of, they could be “used and abused”, as her mother always says. Afraid she might accidentally utter the truth and break the ancient oath of her people, Gemma spends her school days as a loner. Only one thing can throw her sheltered life askew… Harrison Granger.
Harrison never expected to talk to the strange Hart girl, but after a brief encounter he can’t stop thinking about her. He begins a campaign to chisel away her icy veneer and is met with unexpected consequences. As he slowly wins this girl over, he enters a surreal world that has him fighting to keep his newfound love and his life.
AmazonUS: http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Blood-ebook/dp/B0063N0XIM/ref=la_B0064I6S26_1_4_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356158640&sr=1-4
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Blood-ebook/dp/B0063N0XIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356158654&sr=8-1
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102113
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/golden-blood-melissa-pearl/1107485209?ean=2940032847168
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/book/id481663128?mt=11
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Golden-Blood/book-euqsycpp9UmNqJv3ntf__Q/page1.html
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/melissa-pearl/golden-blood/_/R-400000000000000546539


Black Blood
The second book in the Time Spirit Trilogy
AmazonUS:http://www.amazon.com/Black-Blood-Spirit-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B006M6M0WC/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Blood-Spirit-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B006M6M0WC/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/114579
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/black-blood-melissa-pearl/1108147729?ean=2940032948407
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/black-blood-time-spirit-trilogy/id492220620?mt=11
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Black-Blood-Time-Spirit-Trilogy/book-k7KgAlUAw0WT8KQ3zztPQw/page1.html?s=O6S48pQ_J0WTZeDcAXDlIg&r=5
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/melissa-pearl/black-blood/_/R-400000000000000583025

Pure Blood
Third book in the Time Spirit Trilogy
AmazonUS:http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Blood-Spirit-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0079R4IU0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Blood-Spirit-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0079R4IU0/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/133186
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pure-blood-melissa-pearl/1109506315?ean=2940033065417
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pure-blood-time-spirit-trilogy/id512427248?mt=11
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Pure-Blood-Time-Spirit-Trilogy/book-_WREC1L9wU-Eq9YQ-SWd1w/page1.html?s=__ucmcQUo0q_jCjwwueUwg&r=4
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/melissa-pearl/pure-blood-time-spirit-trilogy-3/_/R-400000000000000686822


Forbidden Territory (co-authored with Brenda Howson)
Mica and Lexy have been best friends and next door neighbours since they were eight years old. They share everything and have no secrets from each other until… Tom arrives on Mica’s doorstep – a gorgeous exchange student from England. And Lexy is smitten.

Suddenly both girls are keeping secrets. Mica is hiding news about Tom’s English girlfriend and Lexy hasn’t got the heart to tell her best friend that her brother Eli, the guy Mica is mad on, thinks of her as only a friend.
After a massive fight, the girls decide the best way to mend their friendship is to spend some quality time together. And what better way than to go camping away from their parents and why not invite along the guys they are crushing on.
So the four teenagers embark on a geo-caching expedition into New Zealand’s native bush expecting a long weekend filled with flirtatious fun; instead secrets are exposed as they stumble across a hidden marijuana crop and its gun-wielding watchmen. Forced apart they spend the next forty-eight hours racing blindly in opposite directions as they fight to find each other before the hunters do.
AmazonUS: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Territory-Mica-Lexy-ebook/dp/B008GDW3WG/ref=la_B0064I6S26_1_5_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356159408&sr=1-5
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Blood-Spirit-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B006M6M0WC/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1
Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/177572
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forbidden-territory-melissa-pearl/1112135191?ean=2940044693180
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/forbidden-territory/id543947682?mt=11
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Forbidden-Territory/book-ucR17wO8I0ChDzDlQ76hXw/page1.html?s=QmS2aRjlzECAUFhV7fpllA&r=2
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/melissa-pearl/forbidden-territory/_/R-400000000000000754734

 Betwixt
Beautiful, wild-child Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.
Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.
Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it’s too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?
AmazonUS: http://www.amazon.com/Betwixt-ebook/dp/B00A1M5NK4/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352063980&sr=1-5&keywords=Betwixt
AmazonUK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betwixt-ebook/dp/B00A1M5NK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352064093&sr=8-2
Smashwords:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/250476
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betwixt-melissa-pearl/1113732806?ean=9781479165919
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Betwixt/book-zJOYtWnoBEy_mCrpW6Jp0w/page1.html
Sony: https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/melissa-pearl/betwixt/_/R-400000000000000861663

Melissa Pearl is just one of the many fabulous writers in the YA author club we like to call the YA Indie Carnival. Check out these fabulous blogs and let me know if you find a new author to love.



1.
Laura A. H. Elliott
2.
Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series


3.
T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
4.
Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga


5.
Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
6.
K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed


7.
Gwenn Wright, author of Filter
8.
Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.


9.
Ella James
10.
Maureen Murrish


11.
YA Sci Fi Author’s Ramblings
12.
A Little Bit of R&R


13.
Melissa Pearl
14.
Terah Edun – YA Fantasy


15.
Heather Sutherlin – YA Fantasy