M.E. Sutton's Blog, page 12
December 3, 2013
Launch Day for LUCKY CHARMS: 12 Crime Tales
by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73
We wrote. We sweated. We waited. We revised. We waited some more.
But the waiting is finally over. As of yesterday, Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales has been released into the wild.
The idea of putting together an anthology was conceived back in early 2011 (I think) with an original release date of March 2012. The idea was to tie in with St. Patrick’s Day – thus the theme of “luck” for the collection.
You know what they say about the best laid plans, right?
It never occurred to me not to submit a story. I realized I was one of the “newbies” to the group. But these were my adopted “sisters” in crime writing. How could I pass up the opportunity?
At the time, my publishing credits were zilch. I’d submitted things, sure. But no acceptances. That was fine — but I found myself really anxious about this one. Had the answer been, “Thanks, but no thanks,” I really think I would have been devastated. And I faced a conundrum. Write new characters, or use Jim and Sally, my Laurel Highlands duo? Because of the aforementioned lack of publication, I decided to write new characters. How could I use series characters when the first story in the series was still looking for a home – and I had no idea when it would find one?
Except Jim and Sally had other ideas. I struggled with the story concept. It was good, but I couldn’t find the groove. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but in the quiet of my mind, as I stared at the blank computer screen, I heard voices in my ear. “That’s our story,” Jim and Sally whispered. “Why are you trying to give away our story?”
I caved to the pressure. And Idyllic Place for Murder would find a home, even if I had to release it myself. And readers are smart; they’d figure out the backstory, such as it was, right? I crossed my fingers and pushed “send.”
Fortunately, the judges agreed with me and the answer was a resounding “yes.” Plus, in the meantime, I released the first two books in the Hero’s Sword series. I published the first Laurel Highlands Mysteries story in Mysterical-e. I felt “on my way,” as it were.
Here’s a the beginning of Batter Down:
“Big day tomorrow, Johnny.”
Third baseman Johnny Pierce looked up. “Big day indeed.”
“You nervous?” Assistant trainer Mike Collins picked up some towels.
“Nah.” Pierce stood up and twirled his car keys. “As long as I have my lucky socks, what can go wrong?”
Want to know more? Maybe you have a mystery-lover for a friend or relative and you need a stocking stuffer. Or maybe you just want to make sure Santa gives you something fun for your own stocking or e-reader. The book is available in print and digital from a variety of retailers:
Mystery Lovers Bookshop: print and digital (through partnership with Kobo)
CreateSpace: print
Barnes & Noble: print and digital
Apple iBookstore: digital
Kobo: digital
And if you’re going to be in Pittsburgh on December 8, stop by Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont from 5pm to 8pm to lift a glass of bubbly with us, celebrate, and snag an autographed copy.
The party is going to be epic!
December 1, 2013
Book Blast: The Shadow of the Unicorn
Title: The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy (The Shadow of the Unicorn, Book #1)
Author: Suzanne de Montigny
Publication Date: December 4, 2012
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Number of pages: 157
Recommended age: 9+
Summary
A loud, hissing sound filled the air. The unicorns looked up, their eyes filled with horror.
Azaria, a unicorn colt, is intrigued when the young clairvoyant dinosaur, Darius, foresees a terrifying change in the world. When a giant fireball smashes into the earth, the unicorns struggle to survive the hurricanes and starvation that follow. Danger of a more sinister nature threatens when the creatures-that-walk-on-two-legs settle in the valley and their leader, Ishmael, discovers the healing power of the unicorns’ horns. Azaria, now a young stallion, must use his wits to save the herd from complete extinction.
* #1 in the Animals in their World list on Goodreads Listopia *
* #1 in the Christmas Stocking Stuffers list on Goodreads Listopia *
Winner of the 2013 Global E-book Award for Best Fantasy/Alternate History
Book Trailer
The Buzz
“Kudos to Ms. de Montigny for writing an original variation on the fantasy epic–unicorns intermingling with dinosaurs! The book’s themes include the humane and environmental concerns that Watership Down and the films of Hayao Miyazaki have in common. If you have a middle grader or are just young at heart, pick up The Shadow Of The Unicorn.” ~ 5 Star Review, Stuart W., Amazon
“The Shadow of the Unicorn is a must-read for all unicorn lovers, but even more so for the ones, like my self, who hadn’t read anything about them yet. It is a thrilling and encouraging story about a young unicorn that has to save his herd after a meteor nearly destroyed their environment and killed the dinosaurs. Suzanne de Montigny created a compelling universe with believable characters and a great adventure story to challenge them with. While the story finishes in this book, I can’t wait to read about the new adventures the unicorns will face..” ~ 5 Star Review, Antje H., Amazon
“This story pulled me in with a beautiful portrayal of a time and place where unicorns and dinosaurs live side by side. It moved me forward with unexpected twist and turns (a requirement in any good story). I found it hard to put the book down and was totally engaged in seeing the young characters (unicorns and dinosaurs) survive and grow because of the challenges they faced.” ~ 5 Star Review, NW Harris, Amazon
“I just finished reading The Shadow of the Unicorn. What a story teller Suzanne de Montigny is. She combined unicorns with dinosaurs and spun a tail of magic that kept me turning the pages, not to mention throwing in an evil that came in the form of a human! What an enjoyable story – and here I thought these mystic animals were extinct. I just didn’t know what to look for!” ~ 5 Star Review, Penny E., Amazon
“What a delightfully unique book. Unicorns and dinosaurs facing changing conditions. Darius is a young dinosaur capable of seeing the future. Azaria is a young unicorn who becomes a friend and learns from Darius. Yes, there are humans in this book. They are the villains of the story. Greedy beasts. I think both boys and girls will love this story. Very quick paced and easy to read. A delightful story, and I look forward to more from this author.“ ~ 5 Star Review, DM Lawrence, Amazon
Purchase
*Half of all proceeds go to the Third World Eye Care Society, a group of eye specialists who travel to third world countries with thousands of pairs of glasses and perform eye surgery for free.*
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes | MuseItUp
About the Author: Suzanne de Montigny
Suzanne de Montigny
Suzanne de Montigny wrote her first unicorn story at the age of twelve. Several years later, she discovered it in an old box in the basement, thus reigniting her love affair with unicorns. The Shadow of the Unicorn: The Legacy, is her first novel. Suzanne lives in Burnaby, B.C. with the three loves of her life – her husband and two boys.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest runs: December 2, 2013 to January 1, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Suzanne de Montigny and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 25, 2013
Book Blast: Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show
About the Book
Title: Tale of the Messed Up Talent Show (Madison and GA – My Guardian Angel)
Author: Melissa Perry Moraja
Publication Date: November 15, 2013
Publisher: Independent – Melissa Productions Inc.
Number of pages: 156
Recommended age: 6-12
Summary
Madison Wunderkind is a sweet, honest girl, who always seems to find herself in trouble with the principal. But this time she’s not alone. It all started three days earlier, when Sophia, the most popular fifth-grade girl at Gator Elementary, asked Madison to hang out and plan this year’s talent show. Instantly, Madison had become Little Miss Popular. But what Madison soon discovered was that being Little Miss Popular wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Her best friends were ignoring her. Her brothers were angry at her. And her guardian angel, GA, was irritated by her snobbish attitude. And if things couldn’t get more messed up for Madison, everything that could go wrong at the talent show did, sparking Principal Dimples to find out why! Find out what happens at Gator Elementary’s Talent Show. Will GA be able to help Madison? Or will Madison become Little Miss Lonely? Also, try and find one of GA’s feathers in each picture!
Purchase
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes
You can purchase the first book of the series (e-copy), Tale of the Slimy Spitball for only 99 cents until Christmas, December 25, 2013 from Amazon. Just click on the cover below!
About the Author: Melissa Perry Moraja
Melissa Perry Moraja
Melissa Perry Moraja, Founder of Melissa Productions, Inc., is an entrepreneurial mom, a multifaceted business woman, a creative producer, and an author/illustrator of numerous modern-fantasy children’s books and self-help books. Melissa also has published articles, appeared on television, been interviewed on radio, has spoken in front of hundreds of people, and held workshops at local schools, discussing creative learning, publishing and parenting. Her desire to make a difference in her four young children’s lives inspired her to leave her six-salary career at IBM in 2007 to become a full-time mom and children’s author. Melissa spends her personal time coaching soccer and softball, painting, and coming up with fun art projects for her kids. She also blogs for Working Mother blog, has guest blogged for Charlotte Observer Mom’s Charlotte, and has her own personal blog at Not Your Ordinary Psychic Mom. Melissa is also committed to building awareness and support for Type 1 Diabetes. Her twin daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes November 4, 2011. To learn more about Madison’s type 1 diabetes disease please read Madison’s Story.
Website | Blog | Facebook (Author Fan Page)
Facebook (Book Fan Page) | Twitter | Pinterest
* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *
Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest runs: November 25 to December 24, 11:59 pm, 2013
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Melissa Perry Moraja and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 19, 2013
Announcing CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE
by Mary Sutton / @mary_sutton73
Okay, here’t the big news.
My dear friend Annette Dashofy has her debut novel coming out from Henery Press next March. And today, Henery has released the office page, complete with cover art.
Yay!
I wish I could share the actual cover, but the most I can do is give you a link to the Henery Press site.
CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE by ANNETTE DASHFOY
Once again, congratulations Annette! Can’t wait to party on release date!
November 18, 2013
Change of Address
Most people have a lot of homes in their lifetimes. These days, a lot of us have internet "homes," too - spaces where we can interact with those whom we might never meet except for the magic of the Internet.
This has been my Internet "home" for a couple of years - 95 posts, blogged more or less weekly, so you do the math. However, they time has come for new digs. I've moved to another place in my writing career, and it is only fitting that my blog come with me.
I have a newly redesigned web site at marysuttonauthor.com, which now has my blog as an integral part. I think it looks fabulous (and if you want the name of a good web designer, let me know). I invite you to come and check out my new digs. All the old information and comments have been ported over there. I'll leave this site for archival purposes (some of my old Scrivener posts are still getting decent hits).
I look forward to keeping connected with you in my new corner of cyberspace!
Ooo, and be sure to come visit tomorrow. I'll be sharing big news for a friend of mine - very exciting stuff!
November 10, 2013
LUCKY CHARMS: Launch Information
If you're friends with a member of the Mary Roberts Rinehart (Pittsburgh) chapter of Sisters in Crime, you'll notice a lot of them changing Facebook and Twitter avatars to this:
Why, you ask? Well, that's because the official launch date has been set for our first anthology, Lucky Charms: 12 Crime Tales - December 2, 2013, Cyber Monday - and it's less than a month away. My story, Batter Down, is included and I couldn't be happier to be among such a talented group of writers.
From the back cover: Inside LUCKY CHARMS you’ll find twelve crime tales from the members of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Pittsburgh chapter of Sisters in Crime, Inc. You’ll dig into gritty police procedurals; enjoy a spangle of suspense; tuck into a cozy or two; and thrill to a cool touch of noir. Each story tells a tale of surprising good luck or of good luck gone sour. We invite you to brace yourself for an entertaining read.
To see a full list of authors and stories, see our chapter website.
As we wind down the publication phase, the marketing and launch activities have ramped up. Read on for more details.
Official Launch PartyThe launch party for Lucky Charms is set for December 2, 2013 at 7pm at Mystery Lovers Bookshop in Oakmont, PA. The authors will be in the house, signing books and popping the cork on some well-deserved champagne. Come down and celebrate with us, no RSVP needed! There will be books available for walk-ins, but if you want to make sure you have a copy…Print Copy PreordersMystery Lovers is handling preorders for the print version of the book, which retails for $9.99 on launch date. Copies can be picked up at the store, or mailed to you. Want an autographed copy, but you're not in Pittsburgh? No sweat. Here's what to do:Preorder your copy of the book here or call the store at 412-828-4877.On the last screen of the order process, specify that you want a personalized copy of the book.Mystery Lovers staff will make sure that your autographed book is sent to you!Please note that preorders must be placed by November 26 to receive an autographed copy.
Mystery Lovers' ships via USPS media, and charges $5.00 shipping on orders under $25 (and they have a fabulous selection of books, so browse around and support the best independent mystery-centric bookstore in Pittsburgh).Digital CopiesEbook copies of the book will be available at all major e-tailers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and the iBookstore. See the chapter website for direct buy links on or after December 2.Like us on Facebook!Stay on top of all information about the anthology by liking our Facebook page.
This has been a long, hard process - but a true labor of love. If you are anywhere Pittsburgh in December, we would love you to come celebrate with us. And even if you can't be there, pick up a copy in the format of your choice. I promise, you won't be disappointed!
November 5, 2013
Wasteland Blues – Cover Reveal
Of Mice and Men Meets The Odyssey in a Post-Apocalyptic Future
Having only ever known the uncivilized wake of nuclear and biological apocalypse, three friends and their wheelchair-bound hostage set out on a perilous fool’s mission–to cross from one side of the devastated United States to the other, in the desperate, half-believed hope of finding a rumored haven.
Spurred by a dark vision and the murder of their father, rageaholic Derek Cane and his over-sized, simple-minded brother, Teddy, flee the only home they’ve ever known, a struggling shantytown on the edge of the vast Wasteland. Heading ever eastward, they are accompanied by their friend, John, an orphan brought up by a fanatical religious order, and Leggy, a crippled old drunk who brags that, in his youth, he once traversed the Wasteland as a scavenger.
Wasteland Blues by Scott Christian Carr and Andrew Conry-Murray
Cover Art by Bradley Sharp
Post-Apocalyptic novel coming from Dog Star Books in March 2014
Wasteland Blues - Cover Reveal
Of Mice and Men Meets The Odyssey in a Post-Apocalyptic Future
Having only ever known the uncivilized wake of nuclear and biological apocalypse, three friends and their wheelchair-bound hostage set out on a perilous fool’s mission--to cross from one side of the devastated United States to the other, in the desperate, half-believed hope of finding a rumored haven.
Spurred by a dark vision and the murder of their father, rageaholic Derek Cane and his over-sized, simple-minded brother, Teddy, flee the only home they've ever known, a struggling shantytown on the edge of the vast Wasteland. Heading ever eastward, they are accompanied by their friend, John, an orphan brought up by a fanatical religious order, and Leggy, a crippled old drunk who brags that, in his youth, he once traversed the Wasteland as a scavenger. Wasteland Blues by Scott Christian Carr and Andrew Conry-Murray Cover Art by Bradley Sharp
Post-Apocalyptic novel coming from Dog Star Books in March 2014
October 28, 2013
NaNoWriMo and Other Stuff
So, brief update this week.
LUCKY CHARMS: 12 CRIME TALESWell, I might be jumping the gun just a bit, but a release date has been set for Lucky Charms - December 2, 2013. That's Cyber Monday for all you holiday shopping types (books of all types make superb gifts). The book will be available via all e-book outlets (Amazon, B&N, Apple, Kobo) and in print from CreateSpace. And, I'm sorry, but the cover is to die for (pun intended).
Cover for Lucky CharmsMy story Batter Down is included (written as Liz Milliron), along with eleven other fantastic stories. A little bit of suspense, a little bit of police-procedural, a little bit of paranormal. I am so honored to be included in such fantastic company!My major contribution to the project (aside from the writing) is formatting and compilation of the book files, a task I've been hard at work at all weekend. I'm pleased that we have a pretty solid print file, and only a few tweaks to make to ebook files. It's been quite the learning experience. At the same time, I've learned a ton so I can (maybe) use it for my own writing some day.
Launch festivities are in the works, so stay tuned!
NaNoWriMo Starts this Friday!So, NaNoWriMo kicks off this Friday. I've got my outline, and I've got my scenes mapped. I'll be drafting the first novel in The Laurel Highlands Mysteries and I'm super-excited to start. I'll be posting weekly word count updates here on the blog, so check back to keep up to date on my progress. And feel free to crack that virtual whip if I'm slacking! To be a NaNo "winner," I need to put down 1,667 words per day, every day from November 1 to November 30.
Wish me luck - should be a wild month!
October 14, 2013
The Hardest Writing Job Ever
Over the weekend, I completed what I consider to be the hardest thing I've ever written.
I planned an entire novel.
Now, this is not to say I wrote the novel. But I planned it. I sat down with Structuring Your Novel, by K.M. Weiland and thought about things like plot points, and pinch points, and a three-act structure. I wrote a twelve-page narrative of how this story was going to go, and then turned that into a list of 64 scenes.
It was tedious, time-consuming, and exhausting.
"But wait," you will say. "Haven't you done this before? Don't you do it all the time?"
Well, yes - and no.
Much of the other things I have written to date are much shorter. The Hero's Sword series, for example, is almost all novella length. So while I do write a "road map" (that's what I call these things - I'm not sure they are what a literary agent would call a treatment or synopsis, but it's my map to the story) for those, they usually don't exceed five pages.
All of my Laurel Highlands Mysteries stories have been short stories or novelettes (6,000 to 12,000 words). So while I've worked out the story question and key plot elements, I've never done a full-blown road map.
This was different. This was sitting down and saying, "Okay, what needs to happen? What needs to happen before that? How is this scene going to flow into the next one? How does this plot point affect the story?"
I wrote. I changed. I moved paragraphs. I rewrote. By the end, my brain felt like a wet sponge.
Yes, it's harder than writing the actual story. It's still not a true "outline" - I'm still what they'd call a "pantser" at heart (someone who makes it up as she goes). But I think I'm going to be very glad I did it.
I have, on a couple of occasions, compared this to a construction project. You draw plans. You measure. You write up lists of required materials and tools. And you do this all before you start, not in the middle. The purpose is to do everything you can to make sure you have what you need before you start and minimize those middle-of-the-project trips to Home Depot because you didn't buy enough dry wall (I mean, it might happen anyway, but you're doing your best).
You are also trying to make sure that you lay a firm foundation, so your masterpiece doesn't fall in on itself when you're done.
I'm also taking an online scene writing workshop. Based on today's homework, I finished just in time. I'd never be able to complete the work without what I finished last night.
The next step? Write the darn story. That will happen in November as part of NaNoWriMo. My hope is that since I've planned out all of the scenes, the actual writing will go much smoother because, well, I'll already know where I'm going. I might take a side trip or two, but it shouldn't derail me completely. At least I hope not.
So onward! Wish me luck - I'll let you know how I did at the end of November.
Image courtesy of Linus Bohman; used under Creative Commons.
