S.A. Larsen's Blog, page 27

Splash into Summer $250 Giveaway!

Summertime is FINALLY here!!! I know for those of you who live in warmer climates the summer months probably lean to the hotter side, which you may or may not prefer. But for those of us who live in snow for seven to eight months of the year, summer RAWKS!

The scents of blooms in the air . . . warm sun rays caressing your skin . . .  and the way . . . Sorry, you lost me for a second. Anyway, who couldn't use some extra cha-ching to extend a little relaxation during this time of year?

Welcome to my featured giveaway!SPLASH INTO SUMMER$250 Cash GiveawayJune 1st to 20thEnter to win $250 in PayPal Cash or a $250 Amazon Gift Code

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Your chance to win $250 is made possible by this fabulous group of authors:

Sponsor List
I Am A ReaderLori's Reading CornerBound 4 EscapeJulie Coulter BellonRockin' Book ReviewsKrysten Lindsay Hager authorLaurisa White Reyes, AuthorJ.E. GraceB. Kristin McMichaelHelen SmithS.A. LarsenSimple WyrdingsAuggie @ auggietalkAuthor Kim CresswellJeanBookNerdGlistering: B's BlogAuthor Erin RichardsJennifer Faye, sweet romance authorCoupons and Freebies MomMy Life. One Story at a Time.Author D.E. HaggertyWishful EndingsKimber Shook

Giveaway Details
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card Ends 6/20/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers, and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

GOOD LUCK!

Video Game Adaptations! SOMNIA ONLINE ~ Initializing by KT Hanna

Hi Alleywalkers! Do I have a treat for you. From the moment I read about this story I knew sharing it with you was a must. Dudes, it's like a video game adaptation! Yeah, and it's got this dark fantasy, Scri-Fi vibe going on. It's just so different. At least, I think so. But read on to make that determination for yourself.
Enjoy!
SOMNIA ONLINEINITIALIZINGby K.T. Hanna
Publisher: Amaranthine Press
Released Date: May 15, 2018

Discover the class you were born to play.
Wren, a seasoned healer, is dismayed when Somnia Online automatically assigns her character, Murmur, to the Enchanter class. Determined to overcome the unexpected setback, she assembles her guild, intent on the coveted #1 spot. Twelve keys stand between her and victory, but finding them is only part of the puzzle.
Armed with telepathic abilities, Murmur rises to the challenge. However, old rivals have followed her to Somnia Online desperate for revenge. Intricate quest lines become more dangerous as NPCs absorb powerful artifacts, and Murmur begins to wonder just what sort of AI controls the world.
Murmur questions her sanity as the real and virtual worlds mesh together. Everyone is keeping secrets from her, even the AI, and Murmur’s determined to uncover them.

Available through Amazon
ExcerptA skeleton shambled to the left, its bones creaking softly as it jangled about. Straight ahead was a spider with ridiculously long legs, and off to the right was a cluster of so mething she couldn't make out. All of the mobs she could see were yellow, probably at least level three. But if she didn't try, she'd never know.

Feeling reckless , she cast minor suffocation and pulled the skeleton toward her. The fact that the spell manag ed to convince an undead creature it was being strangled was quite amazing. It let out a cackle and jangled over to her as she backed up, hoping to let a third tick hit before it reached her. This time her spell was hitting for five and four. A slight incr ease was at least something. The skeleton flailed a wooden staff in the air and Murmur hoped against hope her hit points would outlast it.

Then it was upon her, three ticks of her Damage Over Time down. The thing was tall and gangly and she realized these skeletons had to be locus , too. Even its empty sockets glowed, like some type of magic possessed it. Considering it was a walking skeleton, that probably wasn't far from the truth. It swung at her, and barely missed when she managed to dodge. She could fee l the heaviness of her body, and the unwillingness with which it made the movement. That was probably her one dodge for the next twenty. She'd better make it count.

Killing a skeleton was far more difficult than a beetle. For one thing, it was already bloo dy dead. That blasted staff hurt too, though not as much as the pincer claws had. It made Murmur wonder if locus could bruise. Finally, after what seemed like an age, she managed to hack its skull off. She leaned forward and looted the mob. It had twelve c opper on it. Maybe skeletons were a good idea for a while with or without her quest. Not only that, the staff it had been wielding was hers as well.

“Score," she muttered to herself, aware she was probably grinning like a loon. Sure, her staff skills were n't up to par but she was sure it wouldn't take too long. It's not like melee did most of her damage or anything.
KT Hanna has such a love for words, a single one can spark entire worlds. Born in Australia, she met her husband in a computer game, moved to the U.S.A. and went into culture shock. Bonus? Not as many creatures specifically designed to kill you. KT creates science-fiction, fantasy, and LitRPG like it’s going out of style, with a dash of horror for fun! She freelance edits for Chimera Editing, plays computer games, and chases her daughter, husband, corgis, cats, and snake.No, she doesn’t sleep. She is entirely powered by the number 2, caffeine, Chipotle, and sarcasm.
K.T. can be found in the following places: WebsiteFacebookTwitterPatreonAmazon
Thank you for sharing your work with us, KT! All the best to you!
Alleywalkers, what's your favorite video game adaptation story? 
 

MMGM~Some Very Messy Medieval Magic by C.Lee McKenzie

Hi! *flailing wave* It's me. For today's MMGM, I'm handing over Writer's Alley to a wonderful writer and friend. Please give C.L. McKenzie a warm Alleyway welcome! She's celebrating the release of her latest middle grade book.

Hi Sheri. I was going back in ye olde archives, trying to remember how long we've been in touch. Quite a while it turns out. Remember being a MOD? 

Haha! Yes I do remember our old days at YALitchat.

Great days. Great fun. And here we are still talking books and writing and promotion. Thanks so much for giving me this space on your blog today. 

You are so welcome. I'm going to step back and let you tell the readers about your latest middle grade book. Have fun!

IWSG~The Road To Wisdom & A Favor

I was going through old posts the other day and found this one. I've pasted it below for your convenience. It was a perfect find for me with what's been going on with my writing, lately. In short, I've been working on this manuscript for just over ten months. I'm at the end. I can see the homestretch - the last four chapters. But then, out of nowhere, I realize that I've veered so far off from my original main plot that I must go back to the beginning to restate and reinforce the main plot. 
#GRRR!!!
My brain was already done with this manuscript and had already mentally sent it to my editor. 
After sound advice from some amazing author peeps I know what I must do - rewrite the synopsis alongside the manuscript to see where the holes are and to alter the main plot. Then I can finish the last four chapters and send it off. 
Here's that post I found from 2015. (

MMGM~DRATS! Foiled Again! by K.L. Lantz & Giveaway!

Hi Everyone! It's been a while since I've participating in Shannon Messenger's MMGM, but here I am. And wait 'til you see the awesome middle grade read I have for you. *Make sure you scroll to the bottom of this post to enter for your chance to win one of 2 ARC copies of DRATS. FOILED AGAIN! + a snazzy keychain or a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

DRATS. FOILED AGAIN!by K.L. Lantz
Description: Robert Gilbrinkle is blind in one eye, which makes dodging punches in his Anti-Hero Maneuvers class especially difficult, but his lack of depth perception is the least of his troubles. Nox Academy’s senior project deadline is fast approaching, he's failing three classes, and, naturally, his evil twin Rupert keeps trying to kill him every chance he gets. 
But the real trouble begins when Robert’s pathetic superpower--a very unwicked superwink that fixes anything broken--starts to evolve. The kids at Nox used to laugh and call him "Rob Repairman" but nobody is laughing now. His wink threatens anyone who threatens him. 
Robert has always known where he stands - on the other side of the hall from Rupert. What haunts him the most is the revelation that maybe he and Rupert aren't as different as he thought. Battling a common enemy brings them closer than either twin can handle, but the lives of their friends are at stake and the thirst for revenge is strong. Maybe even stronger than their disdain for each other.
With the playful cartoonish style and broad crossover appeal of Disney’s SKY HIGH, and the coming of age heroic drama of Matthew Cody’s POWERLESS, Robert’s story will resonate with kids from 8 to 14 who love to escape to that comic book world of good vs. evil and often wonder where in the midst of that universe they fit in. Now, let's meet the author.
Hi Katrina! I'm thrilled to have you share your thoughts in the Alleyway. Tell us, w ere you a reader as a child or did you have someone special read to you? Did you have a favorite book or story? Yes, reading was my escape from the meanness of the bullies around me, a lot like Robert in the story. I read the whole school library in junior high, and while I don't remember most of the titles, I will never forget the life lessons they taught me. My mom gave me Anne of Green Gables when I was in fourth grade, and my reading teacher gave me The Girl With the Silver Eyes. I still love both those books!
Anne of Green Gables...one of my favorites! Where did this idea come from and how did you develop it?  I don't know if other writers experience this, but I'm often inspired by movies, particular the kind with lots of action! It was six or seven years ago that I watched Disney's Sky High, and immediately started trying to imagine a school for villains. Instead of having the kids go away to a boarding school, I played with the idea of them living in a villain community hidden deep in the forests of Florida. What kinds of jobs would their parents have? What would that home life look like? And what if you plopped a normal person like Robert right in the middle of that environment? Drats, Foiled Again! was born. Robert is a twin, but rather than a baseline of Good that gives us the idea of an "evil twin," Robert is the odd one--the good twin. After writing Drats, Foiled Again! from his point of view, I knew I had to write the twin book, Bombs Away! from Rupert's point of view. So that is coming this summer.
What two super heroes adequately describe your main character? What two villains adequately describe your main antagonist? Robert's got the penchant for reading of Peter Parker and the survival instinct of Bruce Banner. Rupert is a Lex Luthor-like supergenius, but with great hair. He's also obsessed with technology like the Big Hero 6 villain, Robert Callaghan.
What do you think readers will learn from this story? Drats, Foiled Again! deals with the inner struggle between good and evil, so I've included Family Discussion Questions in the back of the book to encourage dialogue especially between parents and kids. I feel parents are vital to helping kids find their identity on the spectrum of good vs. evil, and have a special interest in helping them to navigate what constitutes "good" and what constitutes "evil."
That's awesome. Those family questions are a great way to get the entire family engaged in the reading.  
  Any thoughts about author platforms or the ever-changing publishing world you'd like to share? Actually I want to talk about Impostor Syndrome. Amy Cuddy in her book, Presence, made me aware of its role in my writer life. Impostor Syndrome is the feeling that, even after multiple proofs of your goodness and capabilities in the form of success, you're just a fake and you don't belong up here with the other successful people. Amy Cuddy demonstrated in her book that Impostor Syndrome is rampant in our professional and academic worlds, but I think it especially applies to authors. Think about the distinction between calling yourself a writer or an author, and how many people in our field hesitate to say, "I'm a writer," or, "I'm an author," even after they've written an entire book. Or the conferences where even the nametag ribbons feed our inferiority complexes. You can choose one that reads, "author" or one that reads, "writer." 
Many published authors still feel pretentious putting on that "author" ribbon if they haven't been published through a big press or won an award or been featured on a big, important list. After years of observing and blogging about the writing/publishing industry, I realized I had Impostor Syndrome bad! The need for validation is real, but what I've learned is that the most powerful and lasting validation comes from within. So, to other writers and authors, however you see yourself, I want to say this: believe in yourself. Believe that, if you feel compelled to write, what you have to say is worth saying. You are not a fake, not an impostor. Whether you haven't published yet, have self-published, or published with a small press, none of that defines you or your talent. We write because there is something inside banging on the outside walls for release. We are writers. We are authors. To borrow a line from The Greatest Showman, "We are glorious!"
Can you leave us with one valuable piece of writerly advice you want to offer to aspiring writers. You are already a writer. Aspire, but don't think of yourself as an aspiring writer. You're already there. You write, therefore you are. 
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us! Wishing you loads of success with this book.


K.L. Lantz was born in Mesa, Arizona. She's a desert girl who finally found her home in Southern Utah after quite a bit of wandering about. She's a student at BYU with a passion for neuroscience and literature. She writes books, paints, dances classical ballet, and homeschool her five boys, all of whom love superheroes. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Operation Awesome Blog



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So readers, if you were a villain what villain would you be? 
ME: I'd be Maleficent

YASH 2018 Spring Edition! Young Adult Books to #WIN!

Welcome to this year's Spring Young Adult Scavenger Hunt!
*thick wooden door panels crack and clunky hinges clank as I open the door*


YAY! You've found me. I'm so glad you're here. 
I'm S.A. Larsen, but feel free to call me Sheri.I'll be your guide for this stop of the hunt.

~HERE'S A FEW FACTS ABOUT ME~
I'd love to visit Greece.

Introducing The Spring 2018 YASH Teams!

What's a YASH Team, you ask?
Well, it's just about the most amazing and exciting opportunity for readers to mingle online with their favorite young adult authors and even possibly win some books! YASH stands for Young Adult Scavenger Hunt. During the hunt new and upcoming YA releases are spotlighted, fabulous prizes are given away, and authors even release special (top-secret) bonus material! 
This year there are 120 authors broken up into six different teams. The blog hop begins Tuesday April 3rd @ 9:00 AM PT and runs through Sunday, April 8th @ noon PT.
To play, either start on my blog or head directly over to the YASH website . There you’ll find a list of all the authors participating as well as an answer sheet you can print off to gather the info you’re hunting for and to keep track of any bonus contests you may have entered.
Here are this year's teams:
TEAM BLUE
TEAM RED
TEAM GOLD
TEAM GREEN
TEAM PINK
TEAM PURPLE THIS IS MY TEAM. GO TEAM PURPLE!
Hop over to Goodreads to peek at all the books being offered up during this week-long book hunt. And psst...if you visit THE LIST you can even vote for the books you'd like to read like Marked Beauty!
So get ready to hop on the online book hunt starting Tuesday!

Making The Best Of It~IWSG

A huge 'THANK YOU' goes out to this month's Insecure Writers Support Group's co-hosts Mary Aalgaard, Bish Denham, Jennifer Hawes, Diane Burton, and Gwen Gardner!
I've decided to wrap a recent adventure I had into this month's optional question: How do you celebrate when you achieve a writing goal/ finish a story?
*TAKE A BREAK and/or DO SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR BOX*
Sounds logical, right?
Technically, I didn't achieve a writing goal recently. I did have a new book released for each of the past two years. And I really never took an official break or a reward or what-have-you. This really isn't a break either. Call it more of another diversion in life. Our family car dealership has been getting busier, so I decided to be more hands-on at the dealership - paperwork and all that fun office stuff.
BUT . . . a few weeks back, the dealership needed drivers to pick up some vehicles we purchased and deliver them back to us. (Quick FYI on dealerships: one way most used dealerships purchase vehicles for sale is through live or online-live auctions.) An out-of-state-adventure sounded like a DO SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR BOX  reward. I also considered it research. #wink-wink
Before the crack of dawn - think it was 5:00AM - I took off from central Maine with two other drivers, heading for New York. Where in New York you ask? I honestly knew this answer before the journey. After, I didn't even care. 
Here's the deets in bullet point form:Left central Maine at 5:00AMArrived at New York dealership at 11:03AM (Yes, we were driving a tad fast.)Dude at the NY dealership greets us, and we tell him we're there to pick up a Honda Pilot. He response, "Uh, that vehicle shipped to Utah yesterday."We respond with *deer in the headlight eyes*He leaves to check again.We all scowl at each other.Dude returns and says, "You'll think this is funny. The vehicle is here. It was just the keys that got shipped to Utah."Yeah, we thought that was funny. #NOTSays, "No worries. I'll have a new key made up right now."90 minutes later we still have no key.Dude comes back and says, "Your key is almost ready." CREDITWe're now considering hot-wiring the Pilot.Continues, "Oh, and the Pilot is technically not here at the dealership. It's at the airport down the road."Now we want to ram this guy's face into the table. But we don't. Because we're nice Mainers.We sit for a few more minutes, but the other two drivers with me still have an hour and a half left to drive South to pick up another vehicle. This delay already puts them at getting back to Maine around 10PM. The NY dealership agrees to drive me to this airport to get the Pilot, so my other two drivers can head out.As they are leaving, the other dude shows up with the newly made key.YAY! We toss confetti! #notreallyThe three of us drive to the airport. Look for the gray Pilot. Can't find it.Perfect.We finally determine that the vehicle is supposed to be black, not gray, and we find it.We toss snow into the air instead of confetti. That's all we had available. Don't knock it.I jump in the Pilot, while the other two drivers finally get to leave for their next destination AND . . . the Pilot's battery is DEAD!Can you imagine if my other two drivers would have left me there alone with some strange salesman dude that I don't know in NY??? OMGosh... I'm telling you. I have angels. It gets better. The dealership won't let us borrow jumper cables. #seriouslyWe finally get the vehicle started, the two other drivers leave to drive another two hours south and then back to Maine for another ten hours of driving, and I head to a gas station.Can't turn the Pilot off.I'm afraid if I do the battery will die and I'm all alone. So this means I have to drive eight to nine hours without stopping to PEE! NEXT: a two hour delay in traffic. I drive 3 miles in two hours. #ugh PARTICIPANTSI will end your misery here. I did eventually get home. Around 9:30PM. And no, I never did stop to pee. I am a champion.
Ever have an Out Of Your Box Adventure like this?

Elements of a Mystery & Amber Hart's WICKED CHARM

Hi Everyone!

How many of you enjoy reading mysteries?

*raises of hands*
Shouts of "Ooh, me!"

Perfect! Because today I have a special guest who's, not only celebrating the release of her brand new book WICKED CHARM, but she's here to explore what makes up a good mystery. Read on as young adult author Amber Hart shares her thoughts on writing a mystery. Take it away Amber...
Mysteries are meant to invoke that what’s-going-to-happen-next, feeling. The most important elements of a mystery novel, for me, are that they’re unpredictable, exciting, and razor sharp. They keep you guessing. What difficulty will arise? Who is responsible? And setting is a big factor for me. The settings are usually eerie. Deserted roads. Sleepy islands. A sprawling, empty house. The setting itself becomes a living thing, with a heartbeat of its own. For Wicked Charm, it was a spooky swamp in the deep, dense woods. 
Let’s not forget that the characters are sly. A mystery never fails to give you a mischievous character. You can’t figure out what they’re really up to, and that’s a good thing. Parts of them are hidden and secrets are everywhere, little breadcrumbs to keep you going—the story unfolding at a slow but entrancing pace. Which makes everyone is a suspect. You can’t help wondering if each character has an ulterior motive. They probably do. Most do. The main characters in Wicked Charm, Willow and Beau, both live where all of the murders are happening, and especially for Beau, this is problematic since he’s connected to the victims. The characters often get inside your head. They cut straight through and make you think. I wanted the reader to question everything they thought they knew about Willow and Beau, and the other characters as well. There are often surprise twists. It was important to me to keep the budding friendships, romance, family ties, and eerie setting, while still making the reader look over their shoulder, wondering what’s coming next. The killer could be anyone. Even Willow or Beau. You’ll have to read Wicked Charm to find out. 
Thanks for having me and allowing me tell you a little about Wicked Charm! I hope you love it as much as I do.
You're welcome, Amber! Such an intriguing view into writing mysteries and how those elements draw readers in. Thank you for sharing.
Now, let's take a peek at her beautiful book baby. From the moment I saw this cover (& read the blurb) I knew it had to appear on Writer's Alley. 
GOODREADS
Wicked Charm by Amber HartPublication Date: January 30, 2018 Publisher: Entangled Teen

Nothing good comes from living in the Devil's swamp.

Willow Bell thinks moving to the Okefenokee area isn't half bad, but nothing prepares her for what awaits in the shadows of the bog.

Girls are showing up dead in the swamp. And she could be next.

Everyone warns Willow to stay away from Beau Cadwell—the bad boy at the top of their suspect list as the serial killer tormenting the small town.

But beneath his wicked, depthless eyes, there's something else that draws Willow to him.

When yet another girl he knew dies, though, Willow questions whether she can trust her instincts…or if they're leading to her own death.

Amber Hart resides on the Florida coastline with family and a plethora of animals she affectionately refers to as her urban farm. When unable to find a book, she can be found writing, daydreaming, or with her toes in the sand. She's the author of several novels for teens and adults, including Wicked Charm, the Before & After series, and the Untamed series. Rep'd by Stacey Donaghy of Donaghy Literary Group.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 
For more on Amber and her fabulous new book baby, check out her other tour stops or visit her on social media.

So readers, what's your favorite mystery novel?

IWSG & Brenda Drake, Author of Assassin of Truths, on Character Growth

Once again, we arrive at the first Wednesday of the month, where the Insecure Writer Support Group poses a question for us to ponder. Thank you to this month's co-hosts - Stephen Tremp, Pat Garcia, Angela Wooldridge, Victoria Marie Lees, and Madeline Mora-Summonte! This month's questions is: 

What do you love about the genre you write in most often?


PARTICIPANTS I write in a few genres, but I'll go with writing fantasy-adventure for middle grade. Writing adventure into a story, especially for this age group, gives me a sense that even the unthinkable is possible. I love discovering what new twist my subconscious stirs into an old conflict or life-challenging theme. Add fantasy into that mix, and I find explosions of possible ideas. So much so that often I can't make up my mind which idea to choose. *This may or may not be the reason I haven't finishing The Shifting Hollow - book II in the Motley Education series.*

So writers tell me: Have you ever found yourself with too many ideas for a novel? How did you sift through them and choose? Did you map out more than one tale using these ideas?
FEATURED POST!
GOODREADS Assassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3)By Brenda Drake 
Publication Date:  February 6, 2018
Publisher:  Entangled Teen

The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers.

And it’s not your normal bump-in-the- night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. The kind that include an evil wizard hell-bent on taking her down.

Gia can end his devious plan, but only if she recovers seven keys hidden throughout the world’s most beautiful libraries. And then figures out exactly what to do with them.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of falling in love. But when an impossible evil is unleashed, love might be the only thing left to help Gia save the world.

Let's give Brenda and her brand new book baby a warm Alleyway hello!
Brenda has been gracious enough to share a bit of her writerly wisdom with us. I posed this question to her: 
What was your method for 'growing' Gia throughout her search and what are some ways young writers can use to emotionally grow and mature their characters from the beginning of a story to the end?
Gia’s growth in the Library Jumpers series starts with Thief of Lies, continues during Guardian of Secrets, and then finishes with Assassin of Truths. In the first book, Gia, though athletic, feels unstable after being pulled into the Mystik world. By the end of the book, she’s gain some strength. 
The opening of the second book has Gia trying to fit into her new role as a Sentinel (magical knights charged with protecting humans from the creatures traveling across the gateway books) and searching for the Chiavi (seven keys). She’s dealing with new relationships, a deteriorating relationship, and trying to get herself out of some sticky situations. When we reach the end of the book, she’s ready to take charge and do what she has to save both worlds.
In the third and final book, Gia almost has all the Chiavi and is ready to fight for what’s right. She takes charge and is on more steady ground. She gets beaten down several times but she keeps getting up. She’s a warrior and is ready for the final battle even though she has little chance of winning the fight.
Interesting, the book covers for the series shows Gia’s growth. The first book has Gia’s back to us as if she’s uncertain about things. The cover for the second book has both her and a guy on it. She’s a little more confident, but she needs help still. The guy represents support. With the third book, we find Gia alone on the cover again. She’s facing us and is ready for the battle.
When writing a series, you have to start out with your protagonist facing a problem and uncertain how to solve it. In book two, your protagonist must learn something from book one and grow more confident or stronger, but not steady in her new role yet. Book three should show your protagonist taking control and ready for the change/battle/romance/whatever the problem was in book one. Show your reader the character’s mindset in the beginning, middle, and end. At each point, there should be some growth and the series should end with the character changed for the better. Don’t make your character’s growth too fast. She should change gradually over the entire series. 
Is there a character in a book or series you’ve recently read that you feel had a great character growth? 
Great question & fabulous advice! Readers - any answer for Brenda?
Other Books In The Series GOODREADS
Brenda Drake grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother's animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. With kids of all ages populating Brenda's world, it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical for both younger readers and the young at heart. And because she married her prince charming, there's always a romance warming the pages. Her favorite books are The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, Kings Row by Henry Bellamann, and Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. When she's not writing, she hosts workshops and contests for writers such as Pitch Wars and Pitch Madness on her blog, and holds Twitter pitch parties on the hashtag, #PitMad. In her free time, Brenda enjoys hanging out with her family, haunting libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or just reading someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads  
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