MASSIVE GIVEAWAY!!!

So, you know when you reach out for help and get flooded with it? Well that's what's happened here. Some amazing authors have pitched in to help promote my book by donating some amazing books. Trust me, you won't want to miss this.

Because I have SO MANY prizes, we're going to have 3 winners. The first place will receive 3 prizes. 2nd and 3rd will each receive two. So, since I know you didn't come to listen to me ramble, let's get to the prizes.

1. Signed print copy of DAEMARKIN: DEMON'S VOW (continental U.S. only. Anyone outside U.S. will receive e-book)

For as long as sixteen-year-old Zade can remember he’s dealt with the thing locked inside, another soul that can use his body . . . if he lets it.

As long as he stays away from the nearby villagers, he can control the soul’s strange powers—and its hunger—powers he needs to keep the encroaching creatures of the nether realm from finding the demon gate and destroying the valley where he lives.

But when Zade saves a village girl from monstrous wolves, he loses the one tool that aids his control: the villagers’ fear of him.

Now they won't leave him alone and his darker side is getting stronger—a side hungry for blood, and it doesn’t care if that blood is demonic or human.

2. A CHANGE OF PLANS by Donna K. Weaver (Print copy if in continental U.S.)

When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old Colorado high school teacher wants is to forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. What she plans is a vacation diversion; what fate provides is Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and its temporary friendships, her emotions come alive.

However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he navigates, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn came on the cruise to forget. But Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs off in a panic.

Things are bad enough when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise’s snorkeling excursions in American Samoa. However, paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped. Lyn’s fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

3. FACELESS by Monica Millard (e-book)

Have you ever experienced that one moment that made you stop and take notice of a person you see every day, but never truly saw before? That’s what happened to me the day Eli Markham walked away from the school bully, instead of fighting.

It wasn’t the first time he’s done this, but it was the first time his eyes found mine in the crowd and held me captive. Now, I can’t get him out of my head and I’m seeing him everywhere.

Problem is, I’m not the only one taking notice of him. Someone, something, has got him in its sights and they want him bad. Bad enough to try to frame him for the murder of the bully he walked away from.

As his alibi for that crime and then another, I’ve stumbled into the crosshairs of the monster that’s after him and losing isn’t an option for it.

4. Signed copy of ZOMBIES AT THE DOOR by Charlie Pulsipher (An e-book will be sent if outside the continental U.S.)

*Get ready for a funny Advice & How-To guide to the coming Zombie Apocalypse using humor and practical knowledge together to help you survive*

We all know it can happen, will happen. Be prepared and have a laugh at the same time. This basic manual will make sure you are ready to face the zombie hordes and walk you through where to meet, find weapons and food, and set up camp. It may even give you hope as you huddle in the bathroom stall at the mall.

Seriously though, don't go to the mall!

Learn the glow stick technique to distract zombies or how a paper bag might save your life or at least keep you from seeing the bitey end that's coming. Are dentist offices safe? Can the game of baseball stop the zombies from attacking? Is petroleum jelly something you should have in your zombie kit? Find out now.

*Add to the knowledge you've gained from Max Brooks, A. R. Wise, Bryan James, Laurence Sutton, Karim Theos, and many more while you laugh at your own lack of preparation*

5. Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL BRIDGE by Charlie Pulsipher (An e-book will be sent if outside the continental U.S.)

A novel that spans worlds and genres, breaking rules at every turn. Imagine Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings meets Stargate.

Kaden could use his Egg, a shell of light only he can see, to transport himself across the emptiness between universes to distant worlds, but he’s afraid. This Egg may have saved his life once, but it failed to save another and the worlds it leads to are full of hidden dangers.

Aren’s sight reaches deep into the souls around her, exposing more than she ever wanted to see in friends, family, and strangers alike. When she turns her gaze on Kaden, his Egg responds, sending them spiraling across space and time to a world where dragons, elves, dwarves, and peculiar gods dwell. Separated, lost, and alone in a world on the brink of war, these teens must come to grips with their unique gifts if they ever want to see Earth again.

6. Print copy of SOULLESS by Crystal Collier (if within continental U.S.) OR SOULLESS and MOONLESS in e-book form.

The Soulless are coming...

Alexia manipulated time to save the man of her dreams, and lost her best friend to red-eyed wraiths. Still grieving, she struggles to reconcile her loss with what was gained: her impending marriage. But when her wedding is destroyed by the Soulless—who then steal the only protection her people have—she’s forced to unleash her true power.

And risk losing everything.

MOONLESS is Jayne Eyre meets Supernatural!

In the English society of 1768 where women are bred to marry, unattractive Alexia, just sixteen, believes she will end up alone. But on the county doorstep of a neighbor’s estate, she meets a man straight out of her nightmares, one whose blue eyes threaten to consume her whole world—especially later when she discovers him standing over her murdered host in the middle of the night.

Among the many things to change for her that evening are: her physical appearance—from ghastly to breathtaking, an epidemic of night terrors predicting the future, and the blue-eyed man’s unexpected infusion into her life. Not only do his appearances precede tragedies, but they’re echoed by the arrival of ravenous, black-robed wraiths on moonless nights.

Unable to decide whether he is one of these monsters or protecting her from them, she uncovers what her father has been concealing: truths about her own identity, about the blue-eyed man, and about love. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with the man of her dreams and risk becoming one of the Soulless. 

7. One of the following (Winners Choice):

• Blue Dragon's Eye Photo Glass Pendant/Necklace/Keychain

• Rubber Shuriken

• 3 Ninja Throwing Knives (Won't look quite like the picture)

All right. Ready to find out how to win these AWESOME prizes! Just enter in the rafflecopter contest below. Each part will give you so many entries and on Feb 6, 2015 three WINNERS will be chosen. So don't forget to check back in then!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back from Outer Space with AWESOME News!!!

 

So, after being gone FOREVER, I've decided to come back with some Awesome News!!! My book is being published!!! You know, the one I've been working on forever. The one I started this blog so I could submit it for critiques, the one I've spent years developing.

That's right.

Daemarkin: Demon's Vow will be released on January 15th! It's available for Amazon Kindle pre-order now, but if you want a paperback it will be available January 15th. I've posted a link on the side, but here's another, just in case. Daemarkin: Demon's Vow.

 

And a little blurb just to let you know what it's about.

 

For as long as sixteen-year-old Zade can remember he’s dealt with the thing locked inside, another soul that can use his body . . . if he lets it.

As long as he stays away from the nearby villagers, he can control the soul’s strange powers—and its hunger—powers he needs to keep the encroaching creatures of the nether realm from finding the demon gate and destroying the valley where he lives.

But when Zade saves a village girl from monstrous wolves, he loses the one tool that aids his control: the villagers’ fear of him.

Now they won't leave him alone and his darker side is getting stronger—a side hungry for blood, and it doesn’t care if that blood is demonic or human.

 



CURSED!!

For years I've had the worst luck when it comes to agents.

Within a month of requesting my manuscript one agent had a family tragedy and stopped being an agent. Another ran into work trouble and got buried in issues that ended up causing her to have to back off from submissions for a while (including fulls she'd requested).
After the third one had a problem I decided maybe I should look into indie. The more I learned about it, the greater I liked the idea, and so, thinking this was the way for me, I jumped in. I went editor shopping, combing through a dozen or more to find one that would fit with me.
And I did!
She was awesome, great work, great price, and fast turnarounds, and willing to do multiple rounds to make my book the best we could. I was thrilled.
And then the curse struck once again.
A week before she was supposed to have my MS back to me she emailed me to say she'd been in the hospital and hadn't been able to get as much done as she needed to. She wasn't going to meet the deadline.
I simply told her to get better and keep me updated when she would have it done. A week went by, and then two.
Still nothing.
And finally an answer--though not the one I wanted.

She had died.

Yep. Definitely cursed.

At first I was shocked and horrified. I kept thinking how much pain her family must be going through and wishing them the best.
And then the anger hit. She'd never finished my manuscript. Now I had to start all over. Again! I'd have to find another editor, get them to take me on, figure out if we worked well together. It was like living in a nightmare where what you want is constantly out of reach.

I had to run some errands and so I went, alone (a rarity with 3 kids whom I homeschool), and the anger just kept building.

This book will make it out there. Cursed or not, I will not just let it sit on a shelf gathering dust.
I will miss my editor, but it will not stop me.

So editors beware. I hope your luck is good, because I'm going to strike again.

Finding Inspiration EVERYWHERE!

We’ve all heard the advice—once you get done with the first book write another one. It’s great advice. After all once you’ve finished a story, gotten through the editing, and sold it there will be people who will want to see more from you. Agents look for authors who have more than one story in them. Give enough stories or a good enough story and people remember your name and will pick up your next book based on your name alone. So even before selling your first novel writing another one is a fantastic idea.

But what happens when you just can’t think of another one? What if things aren’t sparking in your brain and you don’t know where to turn to get that next killer idea?

People say there are ideas all around. At the grocery store. In the way a spouse or child says something. Books. Movies. But how are you supposed to take those ideas and turn them into something you can actually use?

Sure we’re writers, we’re creative, we let things percolate, but sometimes those fleeting ideas just aren’t good enough for a real story.

At least, they aren’t the way they are now. But what if you added to them? Transformed them into something that stunning?

Let’s take an idea of someone walking into a grocery store, grabbing an armful of candy bars and cutting in line to get out. Is this a story?

Yes, though not a very interesting one at the moment. Other than it making you frustrated and perhaps even angry with them, no one cares that person cut in line or why they’re buying candy bars.

But let’s take that person and put them outside the store and then let’s jump in their head. They drive up, running late for a meeting with children.

Still not that interesting.

But what if those children were refugees? Possibly from another planet? What if this was the first time they’d ever been on Earth and this person had to keep them quiet and happy so the rest of the world didn’t find out about them?

That moment in the store may never get put into a book, but it can certainly spark the idea for one. All you have to do is start asking hypothetical questions. Answer them. Think about them. When you get an answer ask more questions. The story will start to take shape, whether it’s Sci-fi, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance, etc. Every person will come up with different answers to the questions and form a different story. Just don’t let yourself stop asking the questions.

It’s all about seeing things in a different way.

Talking about seeing things in a different way, here’s something a friend of mine came up with the other day. They took an ordinary pepper and turned it into . . .

 

Bowser

Frankenpepper

Little Babushka

Hulk

Kermit the Frog

Ogre

Oscar the Pepper

Popeye

Teenage Mutant Ninja Pepper

 

 

AND

The Grinch!

Hope you enjoyed. I know I did.

 

Want a leg up to get published? Attend Conferences. Here's a FREE one.

90% of people who write a book won’t ever get it published. A depressing fact but a fact all the same. The reason is simple. They don’t take the time to learn the craft. If you’re reading this you’re already ahead of most of those people.
If you want another leg up ATTEND CONFERENCE.
Of people who attend writing conferences 80% go on to be published. That’s a heck of a lot better odds than the 90% who don’t, wouldn’t you say.
Now I know conferences can be expensive, some ranging over a thousand dollars for a few days.
Luckily for you I know of one that’s FREE.
That’s right, free. There’s no fees, no booking hotel rooms, and no traveling.
Why? Because it’s completely online. It starts on Aug 13 and goes through the 14. There will be agents moving among the forums, helping polish work and possibly requesting manuscripts. It’s also a great place to learn about craft and to get help from people to hone your skills. This year they also have a $1000 cash prize for a first page contest. Come check it out. I guarantee it’s worth your time.
www.writeoncon.com

Liebster Blog Award Nominations!

Crystal

I was nominated for this award by Crystal Collier, a great friend of mine. Apparently I'm supposed to tell everyone 11 random things about me and answer 11 random questions. So, here they are.

11 Random facts about me:

1.       I love chocolate but am allergic to it.

2.       I have 2 children who take turns driving me crazy (sometimes they gang up).

3.       I once had a swarm of bees so thick you couldn’t see through it fly over my head.

4.       I can fix just about anything (and if I don’t know how google does).

5.       I have weak ankles.

6.       I lose weight when I’m pregnant.

7.       I love surprising people with things they didn’t expect to get and watching their reaction.

8.      I work every day to make my mind sharper and learn something new.

9.       I love animals and can’t help caring for them when they’re injured.

10.   My best friends are people I can ask how to kill someone and they don’t look at me strangely. (Aw the world of writers. You have to love it.)

11.    I prefer silence to noise (though with 2 kids a husband, three cats, one dog, and a million neighborhood kids constantly in my 1000 square foot house silence doesn’t happen much).

 

 

 11 Random Questions:

1.       What is the best book you've ever read?
Dragon’s Milk by Susan Fletcher: Mostly because this is the book I read a million times as a kid. It’s also the book that made me want to write.

2. What is your sport of choice? To play or watch?

Soccer! But only to play. I once took out a guy twice my size. I know, this isn’t football you’re saying. But we were both running toward the ball, I realized I couldn’t stop before hitting him so I turned sideways. He went down. I stayed up. (I once also hit the referee in the butt with the ball.)

3. What's the coolest place you've ever visited?

The worlds in my head. That counts, doesn’t it?

4. Favorite song or artists?
At the moment? Okay. Hmm . . . Well I really like Bruno Mars’s Just the Way You Are

5. What's your biggest pet peeve?

Tags! I hate them in books. Too many and I feel like I’m being slapped out of the story by a dead fish.

6. What is your brand of geek? (Or obsession?) 
If you’ve met me at all you know. I’m completely obsessed with stories.

7. What movie do you have memorized, word for word?
Pretty much anything I’ve watched more than once. My brother and I used to play a game where we’d see the movie and quote it the next time we watched it, each taking different characters.

8. If you could choose one myth to be true, which would it be: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy?
Santa Claus. Definitely Santa Claus. Who doesn’t want a jolly fat guy squeezing down their chimney to leave presents (plus it would mean I don’t have to buy so many for my kids)

9. What food is your nemesis? 
Chocolate. Oh, how I love the taste. Unfortunately I’m allergic.

10. Which army would you choose to defend your home? Ninjas, or Cowboys? 
Ninjas. Duh.

11. What is your favorite or most embarrassing nick name? 

I think I only have one and that hasn’t been used since sixth grade. It’s Raquel.

 

Now for my questions.

 

1.       Who is your favorite author? Why?

2.       Have you ever done anything you think is insane? Would you do it again?

3.       Did you ever have an imaginary friend?

4.       Who is your hero?

5.       Have you ever read something that changed your life?

6.       Did you ever believe you could fly?

7.       What is the strangest thing a child has ever asked you?

8.      Dogs or Cats?

9.       If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

10.   What is your dream vacation?

11.    Are you right or left handed?

And the people I've nominated (if you want to be nominated leave me a comment and I'll link to your blog):

M.R. Buttars
Julie Ann Bateman

Fantasy Editing's Spread the Word Giveaway

Everyone likes free things, right? Well from today until June 8th I'm holding a Free 50 page Edit Giveaway over at www.FantasyEditing.com

Come on over and check it out under the Trapped in the Story tab. The entry form is in the sidebar on the right.