Lesley Grigg's Blog

NaNoWriMo Mojo

Writers reJOICE! It���s the month we all get to hunker down and release that novel that���s been hiding inside us for who knows how long. November is National Novel Writing Month, and the goal is to get 50,000 words down in 30 days, but I say--forget the rules and just WRITE! Use this month as motivation to get writing NOW and pack up all those excuses with the Halloween costumes.

Novel #2 has been a WIP for over a year now, so it���s time for me to get the story back on track. While I���m already 25k words in, the next few weeks will be dedicated to the last 25k to fulfill my goal of a finished first draft by the end of the year.

WE CAN DO IT!

A Love Note to Readers

Dearest readers,

Thank you, gracias, merci beaucoup! All your reviews, likes, retweets, positive messages, and well wishes are what inspire me to keep writing, posting, and sharing my adventures with you. To show my oodles of gratitude, here���s a look into some of the inspirations behind my work. PLUS, a never-before-seen tidbit from the working draft of my next novel! Because I love you all that much!

Enjoy!

Local Author Expo

Northampton Library in Richboro, PA is hosting a Local Author Expo for writers to meet readers and chat about what we love best... BOOKS! I���ll be there talking about Remember, signing books, and handing out free stuff. Hope you can check it out!!

July 11, 2015 from 2PM-4PM
Free Library of Northampton Township
25 Upper Holland Road, Richboro PA

REVIEWS ARE IN!

As part of the ongoing process of sharing my novel, Remember, with the world, I entered it into one of Writer’s Digests contests, and now I have just received their rave review!

The response from friends, family, and Amazon reviews have been wonderful, and now Remember has received high marks in structure, pacing, voice, development, appeal, and more from a leader in the industry! I’m proud to share their review with you and hope to continue to hear from fans!
 
“Wow! This is a fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. The reader is hooked from the first page, and you never let the reader go. There are so many great things with this story, it's difficult to know where to begin.

The chapter lengths are great! There is just enough in each chapter and yet there isn't any extraneous information. Everything is very focused. The plot pace ebbs and flows nicely. This is all perfect for this target market, who doesn't have a lot of time to read.

It is very tricky to write a story that goes back and forth in time and space without losing the reader in the transitions. You handled this beautifully.

Overall, this is a wonderful book for the YA market. I can't wait to see it with a publishing house.”

--Judge, 22nd Annual Writer’s Digest
Self-Published Book Awards

A Month to REMEMBER

It’s April! April is not just about spring showers, budding flowers, and warmer weather--all of which are fabulous, but there’s much more to this month. April is a time of rebirth...and my birth! So what if my friends and family laugh at me for celebrating the entire month. I love April and everything it brings, so I’m going to celebrate and I’d like you to join me.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that all I wanted for my birthday were book reviews--32 reviews to be exact. REMEMBER has been out for about nine months now and so far the reviews have been spectacular! Let’s keep it going during this month of celebration and make it a month to REMEMBER!

To sweeten the deal, I’ve decided that I’d like to present two lucky reviewers with a gift. That’s right, all you have to do is write a review and then you’re automatically entered to win! Don’t worry if you’ve already reviewed, you’re already entered now too! Don’t think you have to give a five-star review either. Just share your honest opinion of the novel and your name will be among those whom I am thankful for and want to thank with a chance to win an awesome prize.

Since REMEMBER takes place in the Mecca for movies--LA--I will be giving away movie tickets! You have until the end of the month to post a review on any of the sites below. During my birthday weekend, I’ll randomly chose one name from the list of reviewers and alert the winner on April 14, 2014. Since this is a month long celebration, another name will be chosen and announced on April 30th. Two chances to win two tickets to the movies, just for sharing your opinion of my debut novel!

Thanks, good luck, and HAPPY APRIL!

Please post a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads.


Note: While this post is dated April 1st, this is NO joke :)

32 for 32

Another year, another birthday, another goal to reach. As I get older, birthdays are more about tracking progress than counting years. Where have I been, what have I accomplished, how have I grown--mentally, spiritually, and emotionally? Thinking back on all the blessings of the past 32 years, I’m more than grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way and the times I’ve been holding the reins.

Publishing my first novel, REMEMBER, was one of my major highlights of the last year. What better way to help celebrate my birthday than to celebrate the birth of something that came from my heart and soul. One of the goals for this year is to help my book to grow as much as I have. It warms my heart to see and hear the wonderful things readers have been saying about my debut novel, and so I have made it my birthday wish to hear from more REMEMBER fans.

Book reviews are incredibly important to spreading the word about a novel, and so I’m hoping to reach at least 32 honest reviews to match the 32 years I’ve strived to live an honest life. Click the link below to read what others have to say about the story, and please share your own thoughts and help make my birthday wish come true.

Thanks for your review!

REMEMBER CAST: Dr. Ormond

What’s a paranormal story without a little touch of evil? In REMEMBER, Dr. Ormond may be portrayed as the creepy doctor with supernatural powers, but we also see another side of him that evokes more empathy.

1. Full Name: Dr. Jack Ormond
2. Nicknames: Dr. Creepypants, Dr. McSnarky, Dr. Telepathic, Dr. Crazy, Dr. Weird, Dr. Strange, Dr. O
3. Age: 40s
4. Physical description: brown eyes, greyish-brown hair, balding, tall, lanky
5. Career: Doctor
6. Hobbies: Medical Testing, Research
7. Education level: Doctorate degree, Medical School
8. Family, friends, and love interests: Wife - Julie Ormond; Son - Max Ormond
9. Style of clothing, accessories: business casual, scrubs, lab coat
10. Where do you live? California

Your Past
1. Family dynamics: I thought I had a happy marriage. My wife could get a little bossy at times, but we were both successful in our careers, we were about to have a baby, and out of no-where it all went horribly wrong.
2. What kind of grades did you get? I was top of my class, but never received the recognition I deserved.
3. Were you teased, the teaser, or neither as a child? Sure, doesn’t everyone get teased about something at least once in their life? I had to rise above just like everybody else.
4. Any significant trauma? My wife ripped my heart out and served it to me cold.
5. Any emotional upheaval? The connection I had with my son was the most gratifying and heartbreaking relationship of my life.

REMEMBER Cast: Billy

Everyone loves Billy, or at least they should. This lovable nerd is smart, funny, and a personal favorite character in REMEMBER.

1. Full Name (and meaning): William (Will, desire, protection)
2. Nicknames: Billy
3. Age: 17 
4. Physical description: brown hair, grey/blue eyes, skinny, average height
5. Career: Student, Craft Service Assistant
6. Hobbies: reading comic books, playing the tuba, star gazing
7. Education level: High School
8. Family, friends, and love interests: Mother - Betty; love interest - Neviah Ambrosi
9. Style of clothing, accessories: nerdy-casual, jeans, superhero t-shirts
10. Where do you live? California

Your Past
1. Family dynamics: It’s just Mom and me. My dad passed away when I was young. We get along okay, I guess, at least when she’s not shaking her head in disbelief of some stupid thing I just did.
2. What kind of grades did you get? I guess I’m pretty smart. Kids copy my homework.
3. Were you teased, the teaser, or neither as a child? Some guys try to tease me, but it doesn’t really matter. I keep to myself, mostly, anyway.
4. Any significant trauma? Do broken hearts count?
5. Any emotional upheaval? When my dad died it was pretty traumatic, but we kinda saw it coming because he was sick for a while. Other than that, professing my love for Nev, and telling her boy-toy Wynn that he’s basically a jerk for almost dumping her were also pretty nerve-racking experiences for me, but I’m not sure if my emotions were particularly upheaved.

REMEMBER Cast: Wynn

Meet Wynn: the bad-boy New Yorker turned sweet and sassy Midwesterner that steals Nev’s heart. While a majority of his role in REMEMBER is told in flashbacks, this interview provides a little more insight into who he truly is.

1. Full Name (and meaning): Wynn Miller (friend)
2. Nicknames: My friends in NY used to call me Wynnsical since I picked up girls by playing the piano.
3. Age: 18
4. Physical description: dirty blond hair, green eyes, tall, athletic build, haphazard hairdo
5. Career: Student, Supermarket Cashier 
6. Hobbies: Horseback riding, piano 
7. Education level: High School 
8. Family, friends, and love interests: Godfather - Dan Miller; Girlfriend - Neviah Ambrosi; Friend/Horse - Tango
9. Style of clothing, accessories: Cowboy casual, jeans, button downs, cowboy hat and boots 
10. Where do you live? Originally from New York, then escaped to Oklahoma before moving to Santa Monica, California

Your Past
1. Family dynamics: My parents weren’t around much, and they tried to send me to military school when I was always getting into trouble in NY. It wasn’t until they were both gone that I realized how much they meant to me. I moved to Oklahoma to live with my Grandma for a while. She was tough, but I learned a lot from her. When she died, I moved to California to live with my Godfather, Dan. He’s a jerk, but I think he means well.
2. What kind of grades do you get? Not the best, but I get by.
3. Were you teased, the teaser, or neither as a child? I may have said some unpleasant things to kids in school before, but once I moved to Oklahoma my Grans did her best to set me straight. I like to think it worked.
4. Any significant trauma? Surprisingly, no, I must have tough guardian angels. 
5. Any emotional upheaval? Having both my parents die at the same time was pretty traumatic. Especially since things weren’t the best right before they left. Dealing with that was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Once I met Nev, things started to get a little more emotional for me, in ways I never thought possible.

REMEMBER Cast: Neviah

Now that REMEMBER has officially launched, I thought I would introduce some of the main characters to give a little of their personal backgrounds and a little preview of what you may expect from them in the novel. A few characters share their points of view in the novel, so I decided to interview each of them, and for the next few days I’ll post their answers here. Enjoy!

1. Full Name (and meaning): Neviah Ambrosi (Prophetess, seer into the future)
2. Nicknames: Nev
3. Age: 18
4. Physical description: Hazel eyes; long, dark curly hair; average height and weight; fit frame 
5. Career: Student, Production Assistant, Vet Assistant
6. Hobbies: Theater, horseback riding
7. Education level: High School
8. Family, friends, and love interests: Mother - Ruthie Andrews; Step-father - Joe Andrews; Sister - Pelia Andrews; Father - Derek Ambrosi; Boyfriend - Wynn Miller; Friend - Billy
9. Style of clothing, accessories: Inde rock/casual; a horseshoe necklace that was given as a gift from someone very special
10. Where do you live? Malibu, California

Your Past
1. Family dynamics: I’m very close with my mother and step-father. Though the relationship with Dad feels a little strained, I understand why things are the way they are, but I will always try to make him proud. I’m very excited about having a little sister and look forward to imparting all my wisdom on to her.
2. What kind of grades did you get? I would say I’m above average, but I’m not overly concerned with getting straight As. 
3. Were you teased, the teaser, or neither as a child? Being more shy and modest than some, I’ve been known to be teased for being “normal” and for my simple style.
4. Any significant trauma? Currently I’m in the hospital for unknown reasons, and I’ve lost the ability to talk and ask for information. Instead, I use my recent memories to piece together what happened.
5. Any emotional upheaval? My parents are divorced, and while I believe it’s for the best, a range of emotions still come in waves from time to time. Since I’ve been in the hospital I’ve also lost contact with my boyfriend, Wynn, and can only hold on to our memories until I find him.