Fiona’s Fury: Guest Post

Fiona’s Fury By Roxy Blue
Publication date: March 12, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Summary:

This chilling but hysterically sardonic thrill-ride is hard to put down. Smart, sexy, and deeply revelatory, it will send you on an enthralling emotional journey you won’t forget.

Fiona Turner, CEO of Fiona’s Flowers floral shop, hasn’t the time nor inclination to bother with men until she finally meets the face on the other end of the phone. 

Having remained friends, she never suspected her ex-husband, Quade, would morph into a terrifying, controlling, law-bending monster. 

When Fiona exhibits the first signs of wanting to move on in life, he threatens to take everything from her. 

A long weekend at a conference answers all of Fiona’s questions about floral supplier, Bo Thompson, except how she can possibly have him. She’ll never know what she’s missing unless she risks everything for love.

GUEST POST:

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated or did you always just know you

wanted to be a writer?

I was that kid who loved grade school creative writing assignments, and took it as an

opportunity to make my first attempts at writing something ‘adult’. The results of that were

incredibly dark at the time; one would have expected a budding young horror writer. All of my

creative writing teachers singled me out as a future author and were vocal about that.

Book Blitz: Mayan Blood (Stone Legacy #1)

Mayan Blood (Stone Legacy #1) by Theresa DaLayne
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: December 29, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Their empires have fallen, but their mythology lives on…

Zanya Coreandero is a seventeen-year-old orphan with only a single friend and no hope for a normal life. Diagnosed with anxiety and night terrors, no one believes her cuts and bruises are a result of an evil entity, and not a brutal case of self-harm.

With the only home she’s ever known being the isolated institution—where breakfast is a handful of medications, the psychiatry sessions are mandatory, and her every move is watched—the only relief is her red-haired roommate named Tara, who’s more like a little sister than her best friend.

Free will is strong, but destiny is stronger.

When Zanya is kidnapped, she meets a group of gifted Mayan descendants, each with a unique ability. Gone from a nameless castaway to the only hope of mankind, Zanya is forced to make a grueling decision: bond with an enchanted stone and save humanity from rising underworld forces, or watch helplessly as Earth falls victim to a familiar dark deity from her dreams. This time, he’s playing for keeps.

A wicked secret hides behind a handsome face…

When Arwan, a dark-eyed timebender, takes interest in Zanya's mission, it's unclear if his intention is to help, or if he's on a hell-bent mission for revenge. Wary of falling for another guy with major secrets and a tainted past, Zanya fights to keep her distance. If only her heart gave her a choice.

♥ ♥ ♥

Zombie Apocalypse- Who would you want to team up with? With Theresa DaLayne

Ahhh, the Zombie Apocalypse. It’s a favorite subject of conversation among me and my friends, in my house, and oh, just while I’m sitting by myself, plotting my own survival plan.

The fact is, if you can prepare for zombies, you’re prepared for just about anything. And I give a lot of thought as to whom I’d bring into my “group.” Yeah, if Rick were here, I’d be the new Maggie. Don’t get me wrong, Michonne is kick-ass in so many ways, but I don’t know how to swing a sword, and she rocks those dreads way better than I ever could—so Maggie it is.

But aside from the fearless leader and myself, who else would I hand pick to trust with my life? And I’m talking real-life people. Friends and family. Who would I take, and who would I trip on the way out? plays a role, and each role is equally important to keep the machine running, right?

Book Blitz: Hidden Scars (Hidden Scars #1)

Hidden Scars (Hidden Scars #1) by Amanda K. Byrne
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Sometimes the past won’t stay where it belongs.

Sara’s number one rule of dating: closed off, secretive men need not apply. Years of therapy helped her move past the damage done by her emotionally abusive boyfriend, and she’s ready to date again. Someone funny, laid back, and easy to talk to. All things her coworker Taylor isn’t.

Taylor’s quiet. Too quiet. He operates in permanent stealth mode, and he hides his secrets as well as Sara does. She doesn’t want to be attracted to him, but after a night spent in a hotel room together, trapped by a blizzard, she can’t deny there’s a fire-hot connection between them, waiting to ignite. Their working relationship inches closer and closer to friendship, until one day she gathers her courage and kisses him.

It’s the match Taylor was waiting for.

What starts as a sweet, fumbling friendship quickly becomes a passionate and intense affair. Just when Sara’s starting to feel safe in Taylor’s arms, his secrets come out, and she wonders if she’ll ever be able to stop looking over her shoulder.

♥ ♥ ♥



We’re all familiar with the alpha hero – the badass who doesn’t take crap from anyone, who never hesitates in the face of danger, who’s overbearing and bossy and uber-protective of the heroine. And we know beta heroes, too. They’re the sweethearts, the nice guys, the ones who make you laugh and make you feel treasured, who are kind and smart and basically the one you’d take home to your parents.

When I wrote the first draft of Hidden Scars almost three years ago, most of the heroes I’d written to date (or the ones I liked the most, anyway) were beta heroes. There’s something about alphas that just turn me off, and while I’d written one or two before, they weren’t my favorites.

Guest Post: My Rebellion Checklist

My Rebellion Checklist by Susan Soares
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Victoria Matherson's summer to-do list looked something like this:

1. Get organized for college
2. Complete summer job at Dad’s office
3. Spend a romantic summer with Adam

During the first week of her summer vacation, Victoria’s super planned life suddenly swerves completely off track. Her boyfriend breaks up with her unexpectedly, she gets in a near-fatal car wreck, and her parents announce the end of their twenty-year. 

 Victoria decides to live life messily, to take chances, and finally to rebel. Taking on the new name of “Tori,” she creates a checklist of rebellion:

#3 Get an extreme haircut
#6 Pierce something

which she’ll use to show everyone around her that all the changes to her perfectly organized life haven’t affected her in the least. Even though they have.

With the help of her quirky and cute co-worker Zack, Tori will check off the crazy items on her list and learn what it means to give up control and be free. But just how far will she go?

♥ ♥ ♥

Character Inspiration

This book and its character was totally inspired by my stepdaughter, Victoria. She was hanging out one day just sitting on the couch staring off into space as she looked deep in thought. Then she just started talking about things she wanted to do.

Like things she needed to do as soon as possible. Things like, dye her hair, pierce something, get a tattoo. I laughed because these things were pretty out of character for her. She kept listing things in similar fashion and I jokingly said, “It sounds like you’re making a rebellion checklist.” That was it.

Book Blitz: Saving London

Saving London by Taylor Dawn
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: June 9, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

The List. That Signified Finality.
The Journey. That Would Span The Globe.
The Sacrifice. That Would Decide The Outcome.
The Choice. That Could Unleash Evil On Earth.
The End Is Only The Beginning…

“You have terminal cancer.”

London Patterson, a seemingly healthy young woman, had her entire life ahead of her. That was until four little words brought everything to a screeching halt. As the shock and grief begin to fade, London decides to map out her last year and embark on an epic journey to complete a bucket list. She wants to do the things she’s been afraid to do in her life, step out of her self-contained box, and see the world. What she didn’t expect was for a mysterious stranger named Adam to breeze into her life like a breath of fresh air.

Adam offers to help London complete her list on one condition…that she sees it through to the end. Agreeing on those terms, the two set out on an adventure of a lifetime. But London soon realizes that Adam isn’t quite…human. Along their journey odd occurrences happen that cause London to question who or what Adam is and why he’s helping her.

Follow London as she checks off her bucket list in this inspiring new Urban Fantasy novel from Taylor Dawn.

♥ ♥ ♥

“What’s On Your List?”

Taylor Dawn

How are you using your time on this earth?

In the giant picture that we call life, many of us tend to forget what all of this is really about. We are so caught up with trying to find success and happiness, that we miss the things that are right there in front of us. We fail to do the things we’ve always wanted to do because they become daunting tasks that might involve some sort of pain, or even sponge too much of our time. But what if you found out today that you only had a certain amount of time left?

What if you were able to look at your life’s clock and see the remaining minutes tick by? Would that make you stop and think about the things you haven’t done? Would it make you kick it into high gear and get to it? I choose not to wait until I hear the tick of the clock hands as they pass by each number. So much so, that this entire premise inspired a book. A book that took on a new life and morphed into so much more than I could’ve ever imagined. So I ask you…what’s on your list?

I’ve had a bucket list for quite some time now. On it are items that some would say are completely out of reach for someone like me. What type of person am I? Well, I’m the person whose spine is partially made up of rods and screws. I’m the person who shouldn’t be able to do much, but I refuse to cave to the fact that I am not the same as I was years ago. My body may be broken, but my spirit burns bright.

Book Blitz: Eve Brenner: Zombie Girl (The Zombie Girl Saga #1)

Eve Brenner: Zombie Girl (The Zombie Girl Saga #1) by A. Giacomi
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: January 25, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Book Depository

Book Description:

Eve used to be an ordinary girl, from an ordinary town, with ordinary dreams, but her dreams rapidly turn into nightmares when one grave mistake leaves her a little less than human and a lot less average.

Eve’s not quite the same girl she used to be. She desperately clings to her humanity as new desires, new abilities, and new urges take over with each passing day.

Eve Brenner: Zombie Girl is a tale that takes you on an emotional and terrifying journey as Eve struggles to cope with her new life and find a cure for her strange illness before time runs out. She desperately clings to her humanity as she tries to control the monster she knows is lurking inside her.

Turns out living was the easy part.

♥ ♥ ♥

Where did the idea for the story come from?

Eve was born a very long time ago, in a dream. When I woke up from the dream I became obsessed with sketching her. Initially she came across as a sort of undead superhero. During my adolescent years I yearned for strong female leads in literature and film, but I often felt many female leads were either lacking or nonexistent.

She was my superhero for the next few years. I would spend time doodling and creating comic strips about her adventures. As the years went Eve’s story evolved into something less super and more human. I know what you’re thinking…it’s odd to say a zombie story is in fact a very human story. This is why I love zombies, they’re a metaphor for many things.

In Eve’s case the virus is a plague on her humanity, something stopping at nothing until the virus takes her humanity from her. This sort of notion starts with fairytales, which I am also heavily influenced by, the fact that good can win against all odds, the fact that hope can remain, you may even say “the force is strong in this one.”

Blog Tour: The Botanist

The Botanist by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

In the heat of the desert, Detective Cody Oliver inadvertently stumbles upon a strange garden adorned with exotic flowers. 

Upon closer inspection, he finds the garden is but a cover for the scores of bodies buried below. Soon, the small town of Mt. Dessicate plunges into chaos as journalists, reporters, and cameramen from across the nation descend upon the tiny, desert town to get a piece of the action.

Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears. She may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, dubbed the Botanist, and lived to tell the tale. 

If Cody can't piece together a timeline of the land the crime scene is located on, decipher how the woman's mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may lose the people he values most.

♥ ♥ ♥

Creating Believable Character Relationships

By L.K.Hill

As writers, we often talk about creating believable characters, but creating believable character relationships is a whole new level of difficult.

You have to start by creating two (or more) believable characters, which means they need to be flawed, human, well-rounded, and captivating. That’s a whole other discussion, but once this is done, you have to get your characters to interact in a way that’s not only believable, but also compelling to your readers.

The short answer is that the relationships have to be gripping, real, and believable. But how do you go about making them so?

There are three things that allow characters to interact believably. If all of these elements are present, your character relationships will be nearly flawless. (There are many kinds of character relationships: romantic and platonic, friend and enemy, strangers and familial. I’ll try to apply to all types.)

Book Blitz: Orenda (Orenda #1)

Orenda (Orenda #1) by Ruth Silver
Age Group: December 5, 2014
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: Fantasy
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Join forces with a parallel universe.

Dark forces, magical creatures, and the world Lil thought she knew collide when a dream transports her to the strange world of Orenda. 

Stunned and terrified, Lil comes face to face with her doppelganger, Willow, who possesses the ability to travel between the two worlds. 

Everything Lil knows logically says that Orenda can’t exist, but a small clue may be proof that it was more than an ordinary dream. 

With the threat of her sister in danger, Lil crosses dimensions but it may cost her even more than she bargained for.

A sword wielding girl, the eternal suit, and a parallel universe come together in this action-packed Young Adult fantasy adventure that will keep readers of all ages turning the pages.


♥ ♥ ♥

Swearing in YA Fiction

Teens swear. I think it’s naive to write a YA novel and use “dang”, “heck”, “shut the front door”, unless you are catering to an audience that’s twelve and you’re looking to capture that tween market.

I don’t believe every words needs to be a swear word but I do feel like if it’s natural for the character to say, they shouldn’t avoid it either. Reading the Shadow Falls series, I was constantly annoyed by constant use of polite words for swearing (heck or dang).

There were so many I felt pulled out of the story like I could be sitting there counting them. That series happens to be one of my favorites but I felt like the amount of “polite swear words” made the book geared towards twelve and up, instead of fourteen or fifteen and up.

Promotional Event: My Rebellion Checklist

My Rebellion Checklist by Susan Soares
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Victoria Matherson's summer to-do list looked something like this:

1. Get organized for college
2. Complete summer job at Dad’s office
3. Spend a romantic summer with Adam

During the first week of her summer vacation, Victoria’s super planned life suddenly swerves completely off track. Her boyfriend breaks up with her unexpectedly, she gets in a near-fatal car wreck, and her parents announce the end of their twenty-year. 

 Victoria decides to live life messily, to take chances, and finally to rebel. Taking on the new name of “Tori,” she creates a checklist of rebellion:

#3 Get an extreme haircut
#6 Pierce something

which she’ll use to show everyone around her that all the changes to her perfectly organized life haven’t affected her in the least. Even though they have.

With the help of her quirky and cute co-worker Zack, Tori will check off the crazy items on her list and learn what it means to give up control and be free. But just how far will she go?

♥ ♥ ♥



Character Inspiration:

This book and its character was totally inspired by my stepdaughter, Victoria. She was hanging out one day just sitting on the couch staring off into space as she looked deep in thought. Then she just started talking about things she wanted to do. Like things she needed to do as soon as possible.

Things like, dye her hair, pierce something, get a tattoo. I laughed because these things were pretty out of character for her. She kept listing things in similar fashion and I jokingly said, “It sounds like you’re making a rebellion checklist.” That was it.

Book Blitz: Revelations

Revelations by Jennifer Carole Lewis
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 30, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

For millennia, the lalassu have existed at the fringes of society, hiding in the shadows. But someone is determined to drag them into the light.

Dani has spent years fighting against her family’s urges to take on the mantle of High Priestess for the lalassu. Stronger and faster than any ordinary human, she has no interest in being a guide for her people. She likes being independent and enjoys her night-job as a burlesque dancer. But a darker secret lurks inside of her, one which threatens everyone around her.

Isolated and idealistic, Michael works as a developmental therapist for children, using his psychometric gifts to discover the secrets they can’t share with anyone else. When one of his clients is kidnapped, he will do almost anything to rescue her. The investigation leads him to a seedy little performance club where he is shocked and thrilled to discover a genuine live superhero.

Michael and Dani must join forces to save those they care about from becoming the latest victims of a decades-long hunt. But the fiery chemistry between them threatens to unlock a millennia-old secret which could devour them both.

The clock is ticking and they will be faced with the ultimate hero’s choice: save the world or save each other?

♥ ♥ ♥

Writing In the Cracks

There are days I dream of a quiet room with a wraparound desk, multiple monitors, a giant whiteboard full of index cards and a pleasant, but unobtrusive, sound system. Then there is the reality of trying to write at the kitchen table while supper is bubbling on the stove, my kids are threatening to launch a full on nuclear attack and my boss is texting me to do “just one more thing” for the night.

I am a full time mom and I have a full-time job. Which means that my writing must grow in the cracks of my life, like lichen on a cliff. I’ve had to learn to stop waiting for the “perfect” time, to say no to dealing with chores or last minute requests and teach myself how to write in small fits and spurts.

When I was in college and my first full-time job, I used to bemoan my lack of time for writing. I would come home and fling myself on the couch and curse that there were only two hours after supper. I whined that I didn’t feel creative in the evening. I protested that I needed long stretches of six to eight hours to commune with my muse. Looking back, I want to slap my former self and her delusions of being a special snowflake with her creative process.

Promotional Event: Waiting on Justin

Waiting on Justin by Lucy H. Delaney
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 31, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Can everlasting love grow amidst never-ending despair? Best friends Justin and Haylee learn early on that the answer is yes. Their parents would rather spend time drinking and partying than raising children, so the two rely on each other for the care and emotional support they need. Over time, Justin and Haylee become lovers despite the age difference between them.

Theirs is a forbidden romance that would destroy them both if discovered.

The older of the two, Justin is more than a little rough around the edges. He does everything he can to protect Haylee from as much abuse as possible, but when tragedy strikes there is nothing he can to do keep her from being taken into the foster system.

The system meant to save kids threatens to pull the two of them apart.

Haylee begs Justin to run away with her, but the powers-that-be force him into an inescapable corner. Blaming Justin for the distance that separates them, Haylee shuts out everything and everyone from her past - including Justin. She tries to forget him. She tries to replace him. But he is always there. So is her own addiction. When it finally gets the best of her, she finds herself utterly alone.

She soon discovers what Justin has always known: Their love was worth waiting for.


♥ ♥ ♥


A realistic love story, at least for me, is all about a guy loving a girl and doing anything, or almost anything, for her or to prove his love to her. I like heroes, no, I LOVE heroes. I'm not saying the woman needs to be witless and weak, I'm a strong, independent, capable female and still the thought of a man in charge, rescuing a woman, or doing crazy things for the girl he loves melts me to my core.

Call me anti-feminist, or old fashioned or whatever else you want but I love stories where the guy is head-over-heels for his woman. I kind of like the stories where the player gets played and all of a sudden he's smitten. Sometimes that works but my favorite are the good guys who get their girl in the end.

And by good I don't mean they have to be “good” they can be a bad boy, if their love for their girl is the real kind of love. It fascinates me how guys can love us ladies with all of our moods and quirks and stuff. Let's be honest, women are hard to love and a man who sticks by his woman is, to me, the best kind of guy, like Justin in my book, “Waiting on Justin,” sure he's a troublemaker but he is such a good guy for Haylee, but I'm a sucker for the good, strong, Mr. Darcy's in the world too.

Book Blitz: Base Branch series

Enemy Mine (Base Branch #1) by Megan Mitcham
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

When friends become enemies and enemies become lovers.

Born in the blood of Sierra Leone's Civil War, enslaved, then sold to the US as an orphan, Base Branch operative, Sloan Harris is emotionally dead and driven by vengeance. 

With no soul to give, her body becomes the bargaining chip to infiltrate a warlord's inner circle, the man called The Devil who killed her family and helped destroy a region.

As son of the warlord, Baine Kendrick will happily use Sloan's body, if it expedites his father's demise. Yet, he is wholly unprepared for the possessive and protective emotions she provokes. Maybe it’s the flashes of memory. Two forgotten children drawing in the dirt beneath the boabab tree. But he fears there is more at stake than his life.

In the Devil's den with Baine by her side, Sloan braves certain death and discovers a spirit for living.

♥ ♥ ♥

Justice Mine (Base Branch #2) by Megan Mitcham
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

For justice. For country. For love.

After witnessing her friend’s sexual assault, seven year senior, Magdalena Wells escapes an attack with a few bruises and a thousand questions. 

As a journalist in practice, if not in pay, Mags vows to utilize the skills she mastered in the Democratic Republic of Congo and answer every single one, just as soon as she gets the hell out of town.

Law Pierce’s aim is rest and relaxation after two years undercover in South Africa on an extended Base Branch mission, but restlessness puts him in trouble’s path. As a servant of justice, Law will do everything in his power to keep trouble safe. The fact that trouble’s petite stature and luscious curves stir his every primal instinct is a massive inconvenience he struggles to ignore.

Book Blitz: Hale Maree

Hale Maree by Misty Provencher
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 2, 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Hale Simmons’s life is already bottoming out and she’s only eighteen. 

Struggling on welfare, while trying to keep her alcoholic father on track, her dreams of having a better life fade a little more each day.

But, when her dad witnesses a brutal accident at the bar one night, it changes the entire course of Hale’s future.

Thrust into an arranged marriage with Oscar Maree, the playboy son of a wealthy man, Hale must learn to trust a stranger to give her the life she’s always wanted.

First, Hale needs to figure out if love can ever happen by accident.



♥ ♥ ♥

The Art Of Plotting

By Misty Provencher

I don’t know about you guys, but I began as a pantser and I’m constantly trying to perfect the art of plotting. I like the idea of it increasing the amount of writing I can produce in a day, creating a tighter book, and helping me to catch the loose ends even before I go into edits. I’ve been reading goobs of books on plotting and I’ve learned a few things that might help you too, if you’re on the same path.

1) Know this: index cards take the fear out of what can be an overwhelming process. I start each book by scratching down ideas on index cards. It doesn’t feel like plotting—therefore, it must not be. That little lie relieves the pressure of plotting on a big ol’ sheet of paper, knowing I’ve got to fill up the whole thing. I collect index cards the whole time I’m writing my current book, because I never want to be writing my current book. (insert my whine: it’s hard!) I’m always uber excited about the next though, and this gives me a way to have some work done on that next book when I get there. (Less whining!)

2) When I finish up the last book, I finally pull out my pile of index cards. Now’s the time to shoo the dogs and kids out of the living room or do the tablecloth trick to clear the kitchen table. I lay out all the cards and try to put them into a logical order. Some cards will be silly ideas of character traits or details about a setting, so they get stacked beneath the cards that depict the action that furthers the plot. Other cards will be duplicates (I let Larry Dog eat those). Everything gets sorted until I have a line of plot.

Book Blitz: We Own the Night (Night Songs Collection #3)

We Own the Night (Night Songs Collection #3) by Kristen Strassel
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: September 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Callie Chabot would stop at nothing to save her ex-boyfriend Blade Bennett from the clutches of vampire clan leader Talis de Rancourt, even if means becoming immortal herself. What she doesn’t know is that Blade has already defeated Talis, and he’s waiting for Callie in the afterlife.

Now Callie only has her creator, Tristan Trevosier, to turn to for guidance. But he’s too wrapped up in the debauchery of the Las Vegas rock scene to give a damn about the particulars of being undead. That’s enough to drive Callie crazy on its own, but female vampires are automatic clan leaders.

Not only does Callie have no idea how to wrangle a vampire clan, but her would-be followers have more to gain from her failure. They instead choose to follow Blade—and he’s hell-bent on making Callie pay for her bad decisions. Since he took out the existing clan leader, that automatically puts him at the helm of what should be Callie’s new clan.

That’s when seasoned rogue vampire, Cash Logan, shows up, shrouded in magic and mystery. No one is sure which side Cash is on, but Callie needs to take a chance on the one vampire who is willing to give her the answers she needs, no matter how dark and frightening they may be. Callie must trust her instincts and form alliances that may backfire. Cash shows Callie that playing nice is no longer an option, and that fixing her wrongs won’t always make everything right.

To take control of her clan, Callie must look to her rival to discover exactly what makes her a leader.

♥ ♥ ♥

Ten Things That Every Aspiring Writer Should Know

By Kristen Strassel

I’ve recently participated in a contest called Pitch Wars, which writers seeking agency representation submit their queries and first drafts to published/agented authors. I was so humbled to receive so many amazing submissions! The worst part of the contest was I could only pick two to work with. Two. I don’t have any kids, but my motherly instincts seem to scream the loudest in moshpits and Pitch Wars. I wanted to help everyone.

Since I can’t go through and line edit everyone’s manuscript, the next best thing is to share the most common feedback I gave on the submissions.

1. Get in your character’s head. Any character can set things down, sigh, look at things. I want to know what makes your character special on every page. I want her thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Make sure only your characters can tell this story.
2. Stay in the moment. If your character is under attack, she’s not going to notice how her clothes are wrinkling or minute details about her surroundings.

Book Blitz: Charming the Outback

Charming the Outback by Leesa Bow
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

When jaded city girl Maddy McIntyre packs up and leaves Adelaide for a new job in the country, it's not only a chance at a fresh start. Six months ago, the first guy she'd ever loved shattered her heart before moving home to Broken Hill. Deep down inside, Maddy is hoping that living in the same town will give her an opportunity to prove to Luke that she's one temptation he can't resist.

But when she arrives in Broken Hill, Luke White is not the same guy she knew in the city. And it soon seems very clear that he doesn't want her there. Although Maddy settles in quickly, excelling at work and partying with her new friends, she can't understand why Luke is remaining so distant. Particularly when all her instincts are telling her that they're meant to be together – and that he feels the same burning attraction.

As Maddy learns more about Luke's family and background, she begins to understand that his mixed messages are caused by balancing what's expected of him with what he really wants. Maddy gave Luke her heart long ago and, despite their differences, she knows she'll only ever be happy with her hot country boy. But how can she convince him that she's the risk he needs to take?

♥ ♥ ♥



I grew up in Broken Hill a town in far west New South Wales, Australia. Situated in a desert climate where hot dry summers are common, and so are the magical coloured sunsets. Dust storms are simply tolerated. I remember walking home from school in the middle of a dust storm and the red dirt whipping the bare skin of my legs.

During my childhood I also remember the freedom, and the need to explore. As a kid, I would take off on my bike for hours, exploring the outskirts of the town — and searching for Sturt’s Desert Pea — only to return home when hungry or the light was fading into night.

During my teens I played a variety of sport, and developed a sense of community within the sporting bodies.

When I met my future husband, dating became tricky. Small towns are renowned to have a gossip grapevine. The Silver City is a mining town and breeds tough young men, any you could meet at the local pubs on weekends. Despite their rough diamond image, it’s the simplicity of romance that makes many eligible country bachelors happy.

Book Blitz: Catch My Breath (Catch My Breath #1)

Catch My Breath (Catch My Breath #1) by Lynn Montagano
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 17, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Lia Meyers’ plan for a relaxing Scottish vacation is short-lived when one uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness lands her in the arms of a dangerously attractive Englishman.

The perfect opportunity for a much needed holiday romance? Wrong! Lia’s still reeling from the mother of all bad breakups, and she really doesn’t have the patience for Alastair Holden – despite his effortless charm and cute British accent.

Arrogant and totally inscrutable, he’s exactly the sort of guy she wants to avoid but can’t: the man behind the mystery proves just too tempting to resist.

Drawn to him, Lia is forced to battle with her own insecurities, and the closer they become, the more she recognizes her own weaknesses as she peels away his layers with every night they spend together. Discovering the past Alastair is so desperate to conceal, Lia must decide if they can heal one another together or if their deepest fears will tear them apart.

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No Review is a “Bad” Review

I had a nightmare recently that someone gave my book half a star. Not just one star but HALF a star. *whimper*

As a debut author, reviews are something I try not to dwell on. Do I want reviews? Yes. Lots of them. Good ones. Bad ones. Middle of the road ones. That means people are reading and having some type of reaction to the stories I’ve written. Any review is a form of publicity and as the saying goes “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

So what do you do when a review isn’t so glowing and fabulous?

Think of it this way. Anybody who reviews a book has spent time and energy thinking about it. They’re spreading the word. The beauty about a bad review is whatever it was about the story that particular reader didn’t like might be exactly what someone else loves. Seriously. How many times have I gone to see a big, loud special effects laden movie because some critic said it lacked substance? Too many to mention.

Blog Tour: Sister Surrendered

Sister Surrendered by Darla M. Grese
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Memoir
Release Date: April 11, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

When you’re a twin, loneliness is somewhat unfamiliar because you’ve always had each other. So when a twin passes, the other is left unprepared. Our loyalty was steadfast and our devotion to one another, solid. Our love was unconditional no matter what the circumstances.

I’m so grateful every day for the memories of the joy and laughter that we shared together. I know the bond that Kelli and I shared is impossible for anyone to replace. This memoir has become something so much more than initially intended. It’s become a documented journey barely scratching the surface of the love between two sisters. And surprisingly, it’s also become an outlet for me to speak candidly and honestly about my struggles with the cause of Kelli’s death.

This is a love story turned tragedy. An exposure of one of the greatest healthcare failures killing Veterans and civilians, and a cry for help to remedy the fiasco. I’ve stressed about who I would mention in this book, nervous that I would hurt someone’s feelings by not mentioning their names. But I’ve realized that it’s impossible to do.

Kelli had so many great friends, some I’ve never even met. I need each person to know who has taken the time to reach out to me in whatever capacity that if it weren’t for your heartfelt show of support and love, I don’t know that I would be able to muster the energy to even get up each day. Kelli, we did it.

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Sister Surrendered, my memoir, is a book that I wish didn’t exist. I wish I could replace the word Surrendered with perhaps prospered or flourished. But I cannot.

How did this happen? How did I lose a battle that I fought so hard for? Why did I settle the case? Why did I have to write my memoir that ended in such avoidable tragedy? These are questions I’m left with each and every morning, after nights filled with nightmares, sadness and feeling s of defeat.

Every story should have a great ending right? By the time we finish the last paragraph, we’re leaping to our feet, applauding and celebrating that happy, “feel-good” ending. And dammit I wish by the time you finished my book, you’d be doing the same. But the truth is, you’ll end up angry, sad and maybe even baffled. You’ll be left with questioning a system that’s now currently under fire in most media outlets, the Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Book Blitz: Double Negative

Double Negative by C. Lee McKenzie
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: July 25, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

"My life was going, going, gone, and I hadn't been laid yet. I couldn't go into the slammer before that happened." Hutch McQueen.

Sixteen-year-old Hutchinson McQueen is trapped in a dysfunctional family. Shackled by poor vision and poor reading skills, he squeaks through classes with his talent for eavesdropping and memorizing what he hears.

After another suspension from school and suffering through one of his mother’s violent attacks, he escapes to a friend’s house that turns out to be a meth lab. The lab is raided and Hutch lands in juvenile detention.

When the court sentences him to six months in a new juvenile program, he meets a teacher with Alzheimer’s who will change his life and hers.

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Five Things I’d Do Before I Published My Book

1. Have a professional website and/or blog designed.

Be sure the navigation is easy and the pages are easy to read.
Buy a domain name. Mine’s cleemckenziebooks. I wish it were simply cleemckenzie. The simpler the better.
Don’t use music. People often browse in public places and music isn’t always appreciated.
Be sure people can pull up your site on all their mobile devices.

2. Become visible on the Social Networking Media

Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Shelfari
LinkedIn
Amazon (Especially, become familiar with Authors Central)There are more, but these are ones I’ve chosen to focus on. You’ll have to choose the ones that work best for you.