R.S. McCoy's Blog, page 5

Book Review: Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore

I snagged this book at BookCon last week. It was one of many free books being given out that day, but unlike most of the books I passed at BookCon, this is one I actually really wanted. Reincarnation is one of my absolute favorite fantasy concepts, and I've had a reincarnation story on the back burner for nearly five years now. (I can never seem to figure out how to get it right.) So at BookCon, I was stoked to not only receive this ARC copy of Reincarnation Blues, but to meet the author (who is just the nicest guy) and get my book personalized and signed. Score all around!Ignoring my epic TBR pile (I think it's pushing fifty books, yikes!), I eagerly dove into Reincarnation Blues the first chance I got. This story isn't really a story, but like the movie Inception, is lots of stories within each other. The main character Milo is one of the oldest souls, and has lived 9,995 lives at various times (past and future). While he lives as a human, he doesn't remember his other lives except as instinct or wisdom, or sometimes, a supernatural power allows him to remember glimpses. But he never remembers Suzie. Each time Milo dies, he is greeted in the afterlife by Death, or one of them. She likes to be called Suzie. Over the course of their thousands of interactions, Milo and Suzie have fallen in love, and now face the difficult decision of how to proceed once Milo maxes out his lives at 10,000. They decide he must achieve Perfection, though it's extremely difficult. Throughout the story, Milo is dipping in and out of human lives, some kind of funny, some kind of sad. Some are horrific and some are really interesting and enlightening. We get to see snippets of his past lives and his memories of Suzie and glimpses of starships and colonies on various planets. It would be easy to get lost in all the changes in time, characters, and location, but Poore manages the shifts with total ease and elegance. Milo's voice is distinct and interesting, and each new life he lived was a joy to read (especially the one with Kim and Libby--I'm never going to get over it). Each story and lifetime was crafted with such skill, it was a glorious thing to unfold. Reincarnation Blues is by far one of the best reads of 2017 and I am so much better for having read it. (Though I now know I will never pull off a resurrection tale to match Poore's craftsmanship...)Reincarnation Blues will be released August 22nd. Be sure to grab a copy. I have a feeling it's going to be one of the biggest books of the year!

A Book Girl at Book Con

This past weekend, I attended my very first large-scale book event. While I've participated and attended dozens of signings as an author and reader, this was far beyond the scope of any event I've ever attended. Here's my thoughts on BookCon:1. It was HUGE. Like a good nerd and fangirl, I spent the weeks prior to BookCon familiarizing myself with the exhibit floor, attending authors, panels, and everything else I could think of. But seeing it on a computer screen and standing there in person were two vast worlds apart. It. Was. HUGE. The queue area alone was larger than two or three high school gyms. And that's just for people to stand there! The actual exhibit floor was so massive, I instantly got lost. I spent the first hour just wandering around taking it all in because I was so, so, so overwhelmed. Each booth had it's own flooring, wall decor, book stands, signage. It was a kaleidoscope of texture and color and design and my poor eyeballs couldn't decipher it. 2. There were a ton of people!As in, there were thousands of people. And even on the huge exhibit floor, there wasn't enough space for all those people. I was bumped and shoved and pushed and thankfully everyone was relatively polite about all of it, but still! So. Many. People. And, as people tend to do, they formed lines for every little thing. Want a coffee? Line! Want to enter to win a pen? Line! Want an ARC? Line! Want to spin a wheel? Line! Want to go to the bathroom? Line!You couldn't do *anything* without standing in a line of at least 20-30 minutes, and some of them were over two hours! Because of the line situation, I personally opted out of all the speakings and panels. Even an hour before the start, there was a line out the door and hundreds of people already falling into line behind them. 3. I didn't meet any of the authors I went to see :(BookCon is a huge, huge event, and my silly naive self did not realize the scale of it, even as I prepped to go. I packed up books of all my favorite attending authors and showed up ready to meet them. But you had to buy a ticket in advance! Weeks in advance! And they were all sold out now. I was crushed. I mean, I get it. It's a huge event and that's the only way to really manage it. But I wanted to meet Maggie Stiefvater and Marissa Meyer and Leigh Bardugo and all the rest. I didn't expect to find them locked down tighter than the White House and no way to access them aside from the one-hour paid signing. It just didn't click, and I'm super bummed that I'm such a dummy and didn't figure it out in time. 4. There weren't that many authors there!I know. You're like, um Rachel. It's a room of authors! But really, it was mostly publishers. And I mean publishers of *every* kind. There were non-fiction and childrens, coffee table books and reading apps, and several large booths of various language books from China, Korea, and somewhere in the Middle East. Even for the publishers that published books by authors I loved only had an author or two present at any time, and sometimes none. Since I didn't get to see the authors I wanted to see, I decided to try to meet and buy signed books from new-to-me authors. It turned out to be harder than I thought!5. I got some books!Despite the chaos, the lines, the bumping and all the rest of it, I still walked away with a stack of books!Here's what I got:1. A book plate of All The Crooked Saints2. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden3. Mort(e) by Robert Rupino plus bonus novella and tote4. ARC of Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore5. ARC of The Walking Land by Callie Bates6. Would I go again?Yes! Even though it was *super* expensive (Parking in NYC was $65!) and I didn't meet my favorite authors, I would still go back and do it all again. I had such a blast chatting with other book lovers, seeing the scope of major publishing companies, and checking out new-to-me authors and new-to-me books. BookCon is a temple devoted to the worship of books, and I am a happy member of it's congregation. Can't wait for next year!

An Interview with Brian Anderson, the Indie Author Paving Roads

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brian Anderson, the indie fantasy author who just made a record-breaking deal. Read on to see what happened and why it's such a big deal for all indie authors!RSM: Welcome, Brian! You recently received some great news! Can you share with us what happened and why it's such a big deal for the indie community?BA: Absolutely. I recently signed a contract with a six-figure advance for an audio-only deal with Audible Studios. After a bit of research, my agent believes I’m the first INDIE AUTHOR to earn six figures for audio rights only. I think it shouts to the world what we as indies can achieve. When I say that I’m surprised to be the first, it’s not false modesty. There are scores of indies who are far more popular than I am and who are as talented as any writer you are likely to come across. My hope is that it changes the conversation about what we are all worth as writers. And that it gives us, whether indie or traditional, more bargaining power. After all, we are all in the same boat, regardless of the way we choose to publish. You see, I don’t give much thought to my status as an “indie author”. It’s a designation critics use to categorize us. Among my peers, I’m just another writer. Still, I would be extremely proud if this paves the way for others like myself. The talent out there is amazing. And they certainly deserve the recognition and respect.Check out the official Press ReleaseRSM: Congratulations on your major accomplishment! What made this book special/different from your other titles?BA: Actually, it’s the sequel to my first series, The Godling Chronicles, which did very well as an audio book and was the series that launched my career. I’ve been promising my readers for a couple of years to delve back into that world. But I didn’t want to do it until I could come up with the right story-line. A few months back, it came to me and I decided it was time. I had just wrapped up the Dragonvein series, so the opportunity presented itself.I guess what made this deal different is that it’s four years later and my steady sales have shown the publishers that I am worth the risk. Also, the popularity of audio books has exploded. Readers who love a good story, but simply don’t have time to sit down and enjoy a book, are finding audio to be a wonderful alternative. The narrators are incredible and the production is tip-top.RSM: This is a great reminder to all of us to continue making our books available in all formats, not just ebooks. How did this awesome deal come about? BA: When I told my agent that I was writing a Godling Chronicles sequel, she contacted the audiobook publisher for the original series. I wanted to give them first shot at an offer. We had asked for a modest advance and a decent royalty rate. Unfortunately, they weren’t as receptive as we had hoped, and countered with something I just couldn’t accept.She then sent it to two other audiobook publishers. One made an offer that contained a nice royalty rate, but the advance was far less than what we wanted. So Laurie thanked them, explaining our reasons for declining. To my amazement, an hour later they returned with a far more generous offer, along with a request to counter any further offers made by other publishers. I must say, I was taken aback. And I started to think that we might get exactly what we were asking for. Audible had requested the weekend to put something together, so we agreed to wait, and asked the other publishers to give us until then.Let me tell you, that was one long weekend. By the time Monday rolled around, I was on pins and needles. Of course, the entire day went by and I didn’t hear a peep. Finally, I gave up and sat down on the floor in my living room with a bowl of ice cream, trying to take my mind off it. It was then my agent called.She told me that Audible had just contacted her about their offer. The words that came out of her mouth were so stunning that I had to make her repeated them three times before I was sure I had heard her correctly. Six-figure deal…two books…audio rights only. I burst into tears at that point. Yeah…big tough guy. The other publishers naturally bowed out.RSM: Hey, it's a big, big deal! I'm sure it took a while to sink in. How did your expectations differ from the results?BA: I realized that audio was becoming a true force in the literary world. My income from it has increased dramatically over the past few years. And after Dragonvein Book One became a top-five finalist in 2015 for Audible Fantasy Book of the Year, I figured I had a good enough track record to get a decent offer. But this….it was completely unexpected. Though it shows how both audio books as well as indie works are becoming more important. They wouldn’t have made the offer if they didn’t think they could get a return. They’re really stepping up their game. And I think it’s great.RSM: Who is your agent and how did you two find each other in the great big literary world?BA: Laurie Mclean with Fuse Literary. They are true innovators who see the value in indie authors and are willing to work with them on their terms. Mark my words, other agencies will be following their model in a few years.I was introduced to Laurie through Michael J. Sullivan. I was on a blog radio show with Michael and Hugh Howey and had contacted Michael afterward to ask for some career advice. He graciously agreed. Coincidentally, he was familiar with my work through the success of my audio books.  I owe Michael a debt for the introduction. Laurie is not only a wonderful agent, but a great person in general.RSM: I'm so happy you've found someone who can be a champion for your books! What would you like to tell other indie authors who are just starting on the road to publishing? BA: This is the part where I’m supposed to say something like, “Never give up,” or “If you keep chasing your dream, you’ll make it.” Instead, I’ll tell it like it is.  If you want commercial success, be prepared to work harder than you have ever worked in your life. Most writers cannot keep up with the grueling pace of indie. Hell, there are times I feel like I want to quit. You can’t simply write a book and hope for the best. Independent publishing means you are the one responsible for everything. Where the Big Five have teams of people working on a single release, you have yourself and those who you have the money to pay. To make it as an indie author will test all of your abilities to the extreme.You see, things have changed in indie publishing. With access to professional editing, top-notch cover art, innovative marketing tools, and a wealth of practical knowledge at your fingertips, indies are producing books that are as good as anything the big publishing houses release. The bar is much higher than it was only a few years ago. And the level of talent is staggering. If you want to succeed, you must be willing to sacrifice time and resources. Because if you don’t, the next writer will. “Good enough” is no longer good enough.But as hard as it is, the rewards are wonderful. The indie community is filled with some of the best people I’ve met in my life. And the fans are awesome too. I’ve made some great friends and had experiences I wouldn’t trade for anything. So if you are wondering if it’s all worth it? Definitely.RSM: If you could change anything about your publishing path, what would it be?BA: I really don’t think I’d change much, if anything. The mistakes I made along the way were not bad enough to derail my career. And I was able to learn from them rather than repeat them.When I started out, indie books were just beginning to gain popularity. Most of the resources available today simply did not exist. Some of my missteps were nothing more than trying something new and finding out it didn’t work.  RSM: What are you currently working on and what's next for you?BA: Naturally, I’m working on the sequels. But I’m also about to release two more Akiri novels with my co-author, Steven Savile. Also, I’m working on a new project entitled The Vale Chronicles. This one is a bit of a departure from my typical work. It combines a bit of Urban Fantasy with many of the familiar tropes of an RPG. I’m pretty excited about it.RSM: Sounds like an interesting read, for sure. Anything else you'd like to share?BA: Only that without the readers who love and follow indie fantasy, none of this would be possible. I cannot adequately express my appreciation of them. When the traditional world was treating indies like the poor cousins of literature, they told us to ignore the insults and keep going. In the end, they give me all the validation I’ll ever need. Thank you so much for sharing your books, your journey, and your success with us, Brian! I hope you'll keep us posted on all your future endeavors!

The Lightning Luminary Only $.99!

I'm so excited to announce The Lightning Luminary is on sale today for only $.99 (usually $3.99)! The Lightning Luminary for $.99Talia Stanley may look like the typical wealthy New Yorker, but she's hidden her secrets for more than a thousand years. One of the last surviving members of an ancient race called Luminaries, Talia has suppressed her ability to control lightning in exchange for safety.And for generations it worked. Talia's hermit lifestyle protected her from strong Luminaries that want her power. All that changed the day Mason Rathbone walked into her life.A good-looking artist, Mason is just the guy to get Talia out of her penthouse apartment and show her what it means to live again. But just as she starts to get comfortable, Talia gets sucked right back into her vicious past.Excerpt:Talia was no stranger to fish. She grew up in a small fishing and farming village, after all. But never before had she had any reason to eat it raw.Sometime in the third century, she’d resided in what was now the western side of Turkey. Back then, it had been the Byzantine, one of the strongest and largest regimes, but like everything else, it waxed and waned with time.Talia hadn’t had much to do with it then. It was the first time she’d gone into hiding. Whereas before, she’d tried to lose herself in the politics or arts of Athens, Talia had fled to the untamed forests, far from the villages and cities she’d known. For the first time in her life, Talia had a taste of loneliness.Physically, she looked seventeen or so, a slight young woman as she’d always been, as she probably always would be. Talia hadn’t looked like the type of person to survive on her own in the wilderness, but she was more than capable.Like a film playing in her mind, she remembered standing on the edge of lake, her feet sunken in the cool mud. With her hands spread wide before her, she called to the lightning to strike the lake. Once, twice, again and again the strikes came. She was less practiced back then, still reliant on full strikes rather than the trickles of energy she used now, but it was enough. The bodies of fish floated to the surface, bubbling up like tar.It was easy to wade out and collect a few. She cooked them over a fire made from lightning, never even considering to eat them raw.And now, with Mason Rathbone at her side, and the dog named Bruce at her feet, Talia relished the sensation of cold, raw fish sliding down her throat. The acid of the soy sauce beautifully accented the earthiness of the salmon. The wasabi ignited her tongue and nose in a way that made her eyes water. Talia smiled as the flavors mixed in symphony.“Like it?” Mason’s features were lit with excitement. His eyes shimmered and remained on her, only looking away long enough to dip his sushi into the soy sauce.Talia nodded and covered her mouth. “Delicious,” she admitted. With the tip of her chopstick, she pointed to another piece. “What’s this one?”“Saltwater eel. And these two, red snapper. These are shrimp. Those are flounder. And this one’s the urchin.”“Urchin?”“Yeah, it’s like this spiky sea animal kind of thing. I think it’s similar to a starfish.” He shrugged when he couldn’t tell her more.“I know what it is. I just never thought to eat it raw.” Talia had collected them as a child. She and her sister would skim the rocky shore in search of them, always in competition to see who could find the most or the biggest.Talia reached across the shared ceramic plate and embraced the urchin piece between her chopsticks.“Really?” Mason asked, his eyebrows sky high with surprise.Talia answered by dipping the bright yellow urchin into the little dish of soy sauce, spilling deep brown into the stark white rice. She stuck the sushi in her mouth so fast a drip of soy sauce rolled down her chin.Before she could catch it, Mason lifted his black linen napkin. He wiped her chin so gently, she could scarcely feel it. Talia swallowed down the urchin and whispered, “Thank you.”Mason cleared his throat. “Soy sauce is deadly. It stains everything,” he teased, as if he cared a bit about her sweater.

What it Takes to Write a Book...

This week, I completed (hopefully) the final stages of my latest book,House of Birds and Beasts. But what does that really mean? I see every day on Facebook authors excited to have finished writing a book. It's a big deal! And here's why:1. Last July, I started jotting down ideas related to a new project. I knew I wanted it to do with magic, twelve Houses, a slave/maji system. I started creating characters and drawing world maps, just putting my ideas onto paper for fear of losing them.2. In August, I started writing. I completed the first four chapters in a straight shot, writing eight hours a day, six days a week, plus weekends and evenings when my kids were in bed or my husband was at work.3. In September, I started critique swapping with a narrow group of authors. There were about five or six of us, posting a chapter one at a time and critiquing each other. After each critique, I modified and made changes, getting each chapter as clean as possible before moving on to write the next. I kept going until finished the first twenty-three chapters in December.4. In December, I started my first rewrite. At this point, it had become clear that my current trajectory wasn't working. I knew I needed to get on the right path before continuing (otherwise I would have had a whole book to fix rather than half). Cue four weeks of cutting, saving, pasting, rewriting, critiquing, editing--on repeat.5. In early February, I was ready to continue writing. I wrote the last ten chapters, posting for my critique group and critiquing their pieces each week until mid-March.6. In late March, I started the first round of edits. I went through my 120k-word book with a fine-toothed comb, cutting out unnecessary words, improving descriptions of setting and character. I used feedback from beta readers, critique group, and market research to figure out worked and what didn't.Finally, I put together a query letter, had it critiqued mercilessly, and sent out queries.7. When the first round of queries was met with resounding silence, I started a second editing process, cutting 9k of non-critical scenes, extraneous words, redundant exposition, and unnecessary plotlines. This process took me to the end of May.Totals:Time spent writing: 10 monthsHours spent writing: 1,600Words written: 150kWords removed: 30kRewrites: 2Final word count: 111kI write this not as a sob story or a brag, but to show just how much time and effort and work goes into writing a book. Those worlds and ideas and characters don't write themselves, and authors give a piece of themselves to everything they write. It's all for you!

Sparks Saga Omnibus Now Available!

Yes, you read that right. My debut novel and all it's sequels are now available the super handsome omnibus!So what is the Sparks Saga? It all started in 2013 with my first novel Sparks. Okay, so it wasn't my *first* novel, but the first one I thought worthy of seeing the light of day. There are few other, older works that are destined to remain desk fodder for all of time.But this one! This one was different. I knew it from day one. Back then, I was working through cancer treatment and had just received the news that the treatments weren't working. I was devastated and starting thinking about how I was going to spend my last months. Somehow, I decided to write a book.In weeks, my cancer scare had been written off as a false alarm (hooray!) but I was too invested in this story to give up. I made sure to include all my favorite literary elements: strong heroines, flawed heroes, exotic locations, rich cultures, slow-burn love, unlikely friendships, and crazy plot twists.After doing gobs of research, I decided to self-publish, and still, I somehow did it all wrong! In the years since, Sparks has been edited a dozen times, proofread another dozen times, and has received three different covers. It was joined by the sequels Spirits and Schism, and to this day, brings a tear to my eye just to think about these characters.So who are they?Lark has to be first, of course. He's the main character and the POV character. He's a fourteen year old mind-reader with a knack for archery and a rough home life in a small village. Desperate to survive, Lark's father sells him to a traveler. And they end up at a school!Avis is Lark's mentor at the school, and he's pretty hard on him. Even after working together for years, the two don't get along. Still, Avis has a way of winning everyone over.And then there's Khea. She's small, sweet, and has a nasty bite. And for this series, she's the one with all the power and ability. Only through a connection with Khea is Lark able to accomplish any of his miracles.Want to dive in to these amazing characters?Get the Omnibus:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071HRRZCSOr get Sparks for Free:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H62TKWY/*As always, reviews are appreciated!

Upcoming Signing: Kiss and Tell Author Event

I'm super excited to be signing books at the Kiss and Tell Author Event on July 29th! Eeek! I was so overwhelmed with reader love at the Baltimore Book Fest and I just can't even wait to dive back in and meet new faces!As part of this lovely signing, I have two pairs of free tickets to giveaway to readers! That means you!So, if you live or work or play in the Philly/Allentown area and want to attend the Kiss and Tell Author Event for FREE, then simply comment with your favorite character from any of my books! That's it! I'll choose a winner some time next week!

My Best Books of 2017 (so far...)

Each year, I set a goal to read fifty books. That's about a book a week, nothing crazy, but this year I've really struggled. Between my elbow surgery and writing two books, I just haven't been as committed to my reading schedule as usual.However, now that things have calmed down a bit, I can finally sit back and take stalk of those books that I have read so far in 2017:The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani ChokshiThis Savage Song by Victoria SchwabThe Scorpio Races by Maggie StiegvaterDaughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini TaylorThe Iron King by Julie KagawaThe Monstrumologist by Rick YanceyThe River of Doubt by Candice MillardSo yeah, it's only seven, rather than fifteen or twenty, but hey that's something! And here, in no particular order, are my thoughts:1. Best overall read: The Scorpio RacesSo I loved The Raven Cycle and was fully prepared to love this book. But it started slow and it's super literary and I just wasn't sure about it. And then, somehow, it got good. Like, REALLY good. And now I want to erase my memories and go back to reread this one for the first time. It's such a subtle, delicious fantasy with stellar characters and unbelievably amazing writing. It makes me a believer in literary fiction.2. Almost-best overall read: Daughter of Smoke and BoneIt's easy to see why this book became an instant classic among YA and fantasy romance readers. It has super mind-blowing world building with resurrections and races and wars. There's super fantastic end-all-be-all romance and the author's writing is on point. I really loved this one.3. Best fantasy: The Star-Touched QueenWhile I really wanted to like this book 100%, I ended up only at 85% or so. It was the little cousin of ACOTAR, with so many similarities, it was almost a little strange. But, what saved this book was the amazing setting and world-building. The Indian infusion into a somewhat tired romance trope was really refreshing and I loved getting to dip into Maya's world.4. Best plot: This Savage SongSo there's a city with three kinds of monsters and they don't get along and each one feeds/attacks in a different way and for different reasons. Are you kidding me? It was so delicious to dive into the amazing, twisty plot. So much fun and just all around badassery.5. Best action: The MonstrumologistThis book was not at all what I thought it would be, but it was still crazy good. The anthropophagi were sufficiently creepy and scary and awesome, and Will Henry makes a great narrator for their attempts to neutralize the population. With grenades and dynamite and old rifles, it was definitely a refreshing change over swords and arrows.6. Best characters: The Scorpio RacesHello, Puck and Sean are life. All of it. I can't even with these two. I'm still swooning about it weeks later. I suggested this one to book club and they're reading it for the May meeting. It's THAT good!7. Best setting: This Savage SongThis was a tough one, but I have to go with V City and the badass monsters that live there. Just super cool with their crazy eyes and eating sinners and a big wall between the two halves. Just wow. Super wow.8. Best nonfiction: The River of DoubtSo, it's no secret I'm not much of a nonfiction reader. At least, not at book length. I rarely find a single topic that can hold my interest for that long. While this was not a normal read for me, nor one I would have continued if not bound by book club, I did find it rather unputdownable toward the end.9. Best writing: The Scorpio RacesEvery word, every sentence, was perfection. No lie. Just stunning that someone can keep up that level of literary mastery for an entire book. I bow to you, Ms. Maggie. Simply breathtaking.10. Best cover: This Savage SongI mean, hellllloooo. It's the violin. That swoon-worthy violin. Is there a sequel to this book? Because I need more of this violin and this whole book.What books have you read lately that were the clear winners on your reading list?

A Day in the Life of Author RS McCoy

Ever wanted to know what the writer's life was like? Check out this peek into my nutty life!!1. Sneak out of bedMy husband works late nights and early mornings, so I usually have to sneak out of bed to keep from waking him. I slip on some yoga pants or sweatpants, take my thyroid hormones, and sneak toward the bathroom.2. Kids are up!At least one of my kids usually hears me moving around. And BAM! There they are with their cute little face and cute little jammies asking for hugs and kisses. It's the best.3. Mad dash to get ready for school.From here, it's a blur. The kids get dressed, feed the dogs, pack for school, and brush their teeth while I make lunches, get ready for the gym, and make a cup of coffee. I throw my gym snacks in my bag and we head to school.4. Gym!At least four days a week, I hit the gym. That means 25-30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical, 10-15 minutes of weights (to rehab my elbow), and 10-15 minutes of yoga (to help my back). Then hurry home for a shower!5. Writing.At 10:00 or so, I sit down at my computer for the first time and check emails, update social media, and work on promotions. Then I *finally* get to start writing. I make a note of my starting word count and try to add one thousand new words. Sometimes this can be quick (half an hour) and sometimes it can take a while (two or three hours).6. Walking.Every time I complete one thousand words, I walk a lap around my small neighborhood. It's only about 20 minutes, but it gets my blood circulating and my mind to clear. I get to breath in fresh air and walk along the harbor in the sea breeze listening to some of my favorite bands. By the time I get back, I'm ready to write again.7. More writing!I complete this writing-walking pattern for the rest of the day. I shoot for a minimum of two thousand words but sometimes accomplish as many as four thousand.8. Back to Mom-mode.At 3PM, I pick up my kids from school, throw a snack at them, and head to the park. In the winter months, New Jersey is particularly harsh so we stay indoors doing puzzles and reading books. Now that it's spring, we are super excited to go outside. The kids get to burn some energy and I read on a bench (again by the harbor, again in the sea breeze).9. Dinner, baths, bedtime.In the evenings, my husband and I make dinner, clean the house up a bit, give the kids baths, and read them a few books before bed. They each get to pick two books to all read together, give lots of hugs and kisses, and finally get to bed at 7PM.10. Quiet evenings.After the kids are in bed, I have a few hours to work on writing critiques for my critique group (a process I consider vitally important to being an author), finish reading a few chapters in my weekly read, and watch a show or two with the hubs.11. Bedtime!I'm a stickler about getting to bed at a reasonable hour. You'll rarely find me up after 10:30PM, but usually earlier. I'm one of those people that needs crazy amounts of sleep, and I hate to be tired.It's a busy day and a busy life, but I get to do all the things I enjoy, spend time with the people I love, and work toward my goals. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Guest Authoring at Book Club

Last summer, one of my awesome neighbors bought a paperback of Blossom and the Beast. She is just a super nice lady and I figured she was just trying to be supportive. When she finished reading last fall, she caught me mid-walk around the neighborhood to ask me a bunch of questions. She was so excited and impressed and it was such a cool feeling to have a real live person express their support of my books right to my face. Hooray!Little did I know that she would go to our local Book Club and recommend it for the next month's read. And they picked it!For those who don't know, I live on a military base. All my neighbors are military wives. Our husbands all work together. Our kids all go to school together. And all of the sudden, they were all reading one of my books together!I would go to the gym and someone would tell me they were halfway done and they couldn't believe what was happening! Or the lady serving my husband lunch in the galley would ask him when the next book was coming out because they needed it! It was a super super super cool feeling.And finally, yesterday, I was invited to a local winery to meet with the Book Club as their guest author and talk about my writing and my books. They asked about my pen name (RS McCoy), why I started writing (a distraction during cancer treatment), how they can see my books become movies (magic fairy dust), and when the next installment will be released (this summer).All in all, it was a really fun and rewarding experience I hope to repeat many times in the future. So, I'm putting a button on my website so any book club and request a Skype meeting (since I can't be in all places) for their local event. I'm stoked to start branching out this way! I seriously have the best job ever!!!!!**Book Club Sign Up**