E-copy of Mafia Secret--We Have a Winner!!

There were 23 entries for an e-copy of Angie Derek's 'Mafia Secret.'

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Kathryn M. Romeo!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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Four For Friday--Angie Derek

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a e-copy of Mafia Secret!

This week's post is by Angie Derek from her novel, Mafia Secret.

   

Lessa Noelle from Mafia Secret

My name is Lessa Noelle and everything in my life was perfectly on track. I have good friends and a job I love, but then I got a stalker who threatened my job working for the Orlando Mermaids cheerleading team. And then a perfect stranger shows up with shocking news about my real father. Not about the man who I had grown up believing was my dad, but someone else who claims to be my real father. As I try to get to know my new family, I'm left wondering, can I go back to the way I used to be knowing what I know now? I don't believe I can.

1. My surefire way to beat the winter blues is...

to head to the beach. Even if it is actively storming, there's nothing like watching the waves crash against the shore to remind you that the world is full of life and change.

2. My New Year's resolution is...

to live every day with no regrets.

3. One of my favorite things in life is...

to dance. When the music takes you and you just start to move. It's the only time I can stop thinking and just feel.

4. My best karaoke song...

would have to be Criminal by Britney Spears. It has a whole new meaning to me now.

Be sure to visit Angie on her Amazon Author Page!




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Kindle Copy of Green Light Delivery--We Have A Winner!!

We have a winner!!

There were 45 entries for a Kindle copy of Anne E. Johnson's 'Green Light Delivery.'

 Thank you to everyone who participated. 

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Pernille Meldgaard Pedersen!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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Four For Friday--Anne E. Johnson

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a Kindle copy of Green Light Delivery!



This week's guest post is by Anne E. Johnson,

from her novel Green Light Delivery, a humorous noir-inspired science fiction adventure, published by Candlemark & Gleam.      

                               

Ganpril Webrid

Webrid is a carter, like his mother and grandfather before him. He pushes his metal cart around the dirty streets of Bargival on the planet Bexilla. He’s also a Yeril, a large, hairy species with a reputation for, shall we say, a lack of cultivation. Webrid is an extreme case.

1. My surefire way to beat the winter blues is...

Sittin’ at Joolo’s Skinny Dip Club, at a front table so I can feel the heat comin’ off the stage. Them Entra ladies hang onto the dance poles with their suction cups, man. If that don’t defrost your brisket, nothin’ will.

2. My New Year's resolution is...

New Year’s Resolution? Ain’t that where you decide you’re gonna be better than the year before? Eat healthy or exercise or stop bettin’ your mortgage payments on the Brekkoro Loping Car Races?

Naw, that ain’t my scene, the whole New Year’s resolution thing. I just live day to day. No point missing out on the fun.

My friend Zatell, she has a rocket. Her New Year’s resolution should be to learn how to land it without crashing. I still get backaches thinkin’ about every time I’ve ridden between planets with her. Don’t tell her I said that. She has like thirty little hands, and she gets all slappy when she’s mad at you.

3. One of my favorite things in life is...

Lunch break, definitely. I find an alley without too many weirdos and freaks in it, sit on my cart lid, breathe in the smog, and have a coupla spicy janz rolls and a supersize bag of deep-fried pah chips. And maybe I stop in someplace for a bowl of Valestin Hundred-Proof. A little Val-Hundred keeps a man goin’ all afternoon, know what I mean?

4. My best karaoke song is...

You kiddin’? I could drink two whole bottles of Val-Hundred and not be drunk enough to do karaoke. My pal Stravin, though, he’s a different story. We meet pretty regular at Reeko’s Pub, and I can tell you, he has some interesting ways of blowin’ off steam. Probably ’cause he spends all day down in his lab, inventin’ high-tech science gadgets. That’ll make anyone crazy.

So, anyways, Stravin likes to do that song that was so big awhile back. I think it’s called “Kiss Me with Both Your Mouths, Hold Me with All Your Arms.” One o’ them interspecies numbers. Stravin’s all covered in white feathers, and believe me, he’s been known to shed some plumage when he boogies to that song. Not a bad voice, actually, for a brainy type.

You can find out more about Anne E. Johnson on her website. http://anneejohnson.com/

You can purchase Green Light Delivery

- from the publisher: Candlemark & Gleam 

-on Amazon 

- at BN.com 

And watch for the sequel, Blue Diamond Delivery, scheduled to come out in June, 2013!

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Touch of Death Swag--We Have a Winner!

We Have A Winner!!!

There were over 106 entries for Kelly Bradley Hashway's awesome Touch of Death Swag! Thank you to everyone who participated.

And now, what you've all been waiting for....Drum roll, please...

Sheila Deeth!

Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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The Clover Key--The Inspiration

(Source)

When I started writing in 2008, my intent was to write children's short stories. I eventually branched out into adult short stories, and I've dabbled in poetry. I had no desire to write a novel.

Then, I cyber-met Courtney Rene and she became one of my critique partners. I was privileged to read      A Howl in the Night during its infancy. Chapter by chapter, I watched her novel grow and I was intrigued. I thought that if I could write a chapter at a time, maybe a novel wouldn't feel like such a tremendous task. But what would I write about?

One day, while reading an interview in O magazine by Jonathan Lethem, I read a sentence that resonated with me.

I want books to be old and to have this weird talismanic property where they've had different owners, and they convey a sense of history. 

I read it over and over. I wrote the sentence and taped it to my wall (eventually pinning it to my cork board.) It was the kind of sentence that sang to me, flashed at me, made me forget everything else and play with the feeling it evoked. The kind of sentence that says, "There's a story here somewhere..."

I stared at that slip of paper every time I sat down to write, but still, there was no clear story in my head.

Then, one day a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go to London. Ummm...YEAH! Hubby said I could go, as long as I didn't go to Scotland without him. My friend and I made a date far enough in advance to save up the money. She told me to surf the web and find all the tourist attractions I wanted to visit. While lost in the UK on the internet, my ADD kicked in, and I researched my mother-in-law's maiden name. I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool if there was an actual castle?"

Well, there is a Buchanan Castle, but it's in total ruin. Check out this link for the site record. There are some grand photos of the place before it fell to disrepair.

Check out this site for some wonderful photos of the ruined castle.

I looked past the total devastation and pictured myself walking through those halls, trying to imagine the grandeur. And then, I read the history of the castle:

The last Laird of Buchanan died in 1681 and the house and estate were bought by the 3rd Duke of Montrose (of the Graham family). The original castle on the site was the ancestral seat of the Clan Buchanan, and burned down in 1852. The current building was built by the 4th Duke of Montrose in 1854. This new house replaced Mugdock Castle as the official seat of the Clan Graham - no Buchanans have ever lived in this building.  

And there it was. It all came together for me. All I had to do was ask myself, "What if?"

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Four For Friday--Kelly Bradley Hashway

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of some awesome swag!

This week's guest post is by Kelly Bradley Hashway

My name is Jodi Marshall. I used to think I was a normal girl, home-schooled and growing up in a single-parent household, but that was before I met Alex. Now I'm a seventeen-year-old Ophi, a necromancer born under the 13th sign of the zodiac. I also happen to be descended from Medusa and the Chosen One who needs to save the entire Ophi race from perishing at the hands of Hades. How's that for pressure?

1. My surefire way to beat the winter blues is... curling up in Alex's long-sleeved t-shirt. :)

2. My New Year's resolution is... getting the other Ophi to stop using zombies as servants. Who wants a zombie cooking their food? I mean besides it being totally gross, it's just not right.

3. One of my favorite things in life is... my family, even if I can't be around them anymore.

4. My best karaoke song is... "Zombie" by the Pretty Reckless. It pretty much sums up my life.

________________________________________


Want to learn more about this character and author? 

Visit Kelly's Amazon Author Page.

________________________________________

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A Howl in the Night Giveaway--We Have a Winner!

Drumroll, please?

Kelly Hashway!

Thanks to everyone who entered. Didn't win? There will be a giveaway every week. Make sure you stay connected so you will know when to enter.

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The 'Write' Environment

Whether it's at the kitchen table, alone in your vehicle, at a desk, or while sitting on a park bench, having a designated space to write can make all the difference in your productivity.

If you're anything like me, it may take up to thirty minutes for your muse to stop flitting around and focus when you're ready to write.

(Source)

Setting up my work every time I want to write is time-consuming, and when only able to steal away tidbits of writing time, every moment is precious. There's nothing worse than having to put all your notes, scenes, and chapters in one big pile every time you need to set the table for dinner. Sorting out that pile again is a huge time-waster and enough to chase your muse into the living room to watch reruns of

Teletubbies

If you must work on the kitchen or dining room table, in your vehicle, or on a park bench, you may want to invest in something like the Wonderfile.

I find that leaving my work-in-progress on my desk and opened to the last scene I worked on is like a constant reminder to get back to work. Before doing anything, I like to read over the last few pages of what I wrote to jump start myself.  BUT that doesn't always work--sometimes while I'm reading, my muse skips away to eat a giant bowl of Heavenly Hash ice cream. 

(Source)

There are times, like when I'm doing dishes or while on hold with a parts supplier, that a designated writing spot isn't necessary for my muse to poke me in the ribs and an idea or scene pops into my brain. While I may write those ideas down, I need somewhere to organize all those pop-ups. We all need a place to put those little slips of paper and notebooks without worrying about splattering gravy on that awesome battle scene that took a week to get 'just right.'

We need a place where all of our tools are easily accessible. No one wants a perfectly constructed sentence, a jewel of dialogue, or a climactic revelation to float away into thin air while you rescue your favorite pen from your child's backpack or plead with your husband to log off that fishing website.

By sitting down at your dining room table, your spare room, or even your converted closet,

(Source)

Isn't this the cutest little nook?

your mind, and your muse, will be trained to know it's time to get to work.

We need a spot to turn on our favorite creative music, or if you prefer, a place to enjoy total silence where we are free from distractions--a place that tells your family, "Do not disturb me, please. I'm working."

Setting up your own space shows others, and yourself, that your work is serious and your work space is off-limits to curious hands and eyes. It's also a good place to handcuff that free-spirited muse. 

(Source)

Do you have a designated space for creating?

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Four For Friday--Courtney Rene

Four For Friday is a weekly feature where guest authors choose one of their own characters to complete four sentences. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway. You could be the lucky winner of a signed copy of 'A Howl in the Night!'

This week's guest post is by author Courtney Rene.

Abigail Staton is a sixteen-year-old girl that currently is not sure of where she lives. Lately she has lived with her mother and recently re-found father, but after issues arose at home, she temporarily relocated to a friend’s house. However, that also failed to work out for several reasons, the least of which included the prison like environment, well meant or not. Abby has many talents, which include academic excellence, shape shifting into the form of a wolf, and a lovely pheromone filled scent of which she is unable to smell. She likes to read, take long walks in the woods, and curl up in the shade of a tree for long naps. Please feel free to contact her at: ctnyrene@blogspot.com

1. My surefire way to beat the winter blues is.... The sun is definitely my preferred element, so when I feel a bit down during the winter, I like to take a lovely run through the woods, in wolf form of course. The snow crunching under my feet, the sting of the cold in my nose, the peace in the quiet air, can perk me up pretty quickly. This is a wonderful activity to try to get out of those grey winter blues.

2. My New Year's resolution is...to try to get a handle on my new craving for meat. I’m a vegetarian for Peter’s sake. But seriously, a rabbit wanders into my line of sight and I want to catch it, tear it apart and devour it, which is actually really gross. Plus raw meat is really giving me fits. What is it about that stuff that has my wolf self drooling like a waterfall? This year I will get control of that though. I will.

3. One of my favorite things in life is...a nice sun warmed spot outside in the cool green grass. It doesn’t matter what form I am in, human or wolf, I love laying in the sun. Now that my eyes have adjusted to their new and improved sight the sun doesn’t hurt them, so I am spending as much time out in the warm rays as I can.

4. My best karaoke song is... I found this awesome retro band from the 80’s called Duran Duran. They have the funnest song ever called Hungry Like a Wolf. If you haven’t heard it before, go and You-tube it or something. Right now. Its fab.

________________________________________

Want to learn more about this character and author? 

Visit Courtney's Amazon Author Page


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Happy NEW Year!

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, Productive, and Prosperous

2013

Well, we made it!

Either the Mayans were wrong, or we misunderstood something. In any case, the world did not end, giant meteors did not crash into the Earth, and zombies did not eat my brains. (Although, after the Christmas Craziness, I could have sworn a few chunks of gray matter were missing.)

It's a new year. Time for a fresh start. No, I don't mean I'll be telling you about my New Year resolutions. I don't believe in them. My thoughts on resolutions

I'm talking about my new really cool calendar!

Oh, yeah, and a few new features on this blog:

~Holiday Fun Facts. Fun Facts seem to be very popular, so I've continued the posts this year. I've already covered all of the calendar months and decided to write about popular holidays. I hope you enjoy the posts and possibly learn something new.

~Page Tabs. I cleaned up the blog a bit. If you haven't noticed, there are now tabs at the top of the page to make finding a particular type of post a little easier for you.

~Behind the Keyboard is where I'll talk about the journey and process of writing.

~The Clover Key. Since I'm sooooo close to completing my first YA novel, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about the novel. I'd like to do posts about the characters, the settings, and include relevant pictures and information about my research.

~Last, but not least, is my favorite new feature. Four For Friday will be a weekly post by authors of both children and adult fiction who will answer four questions in character. I'm hoping this feature will be enjoyable to everyone involved. There may even be monthly prizes!

Don't worry, I'll still do some book thoughts and market news and the occasional random ranting post that spews from my brain into my fingertips, but I'm really excited about the new features.

So, what do you think? Is there something that doesn't interest you? Is there a feature you would like me to add? 

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