Author Heather McCorkle

Friday Creature Feature~Banshee

2012-01-27T08:23:00.000-08:00

The weight of death is thick upon the air, much like the humidity before a hurricane. Only this weighs on my soul instead of my hair and clothes. And it’s cold, oh so very cold. There is an edge to the sensation that is almost painful. Even the scents of the forest and the presence of the trees surrounding me can’t bring me comfort tonight. It isn’t just one death, it’s many.

The underbrush clears and the trees give way to a valley. Dark wings are thick upon the air, blotting out the moonlight. But enough filters through that I can see the carnage painting the valley in a gruesome scene. I blink and the scene fades, leaving only a peaceful valley of flowers closed up tight against the darkness. But the scene will return, of that I have no doubt. My visions are never wrong.

My song fills the night, a mournful cry that raises up to the stars. I sing for the souls that will soon be carried upon the wind.

This work of fiction is original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me. Picture credit: Desktop Nexus Wallpaper.

Wednesday Writing Goals~ABNA

2012-01-25T08:25:00.000-08:00

In between editing and cover designing I spent last week preparing to enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. I went back and forth on whether or not to enter for a while. I love being indie and having my own press and that won't change. However, a bit of traditional success and marketing for a different novel sure wouldn't hurt either. The best of both worlds, so to speak, one feeding the other.

For those who don't know, ABNA is a free contest with a great opportunity. There are two winners, adult fiction, and young adult. Each gets a $15,000 advance and contract with the big six publisher Penguin. If you're wondering whether or not to enter, you should! But do it quick, there are a limited amount of spots and they fill up fast.

But beware, the competition if extremely fierce. There are some outstanding writers entering. Your manuscript should be highly polished as well as your pitch because you'll need both. This first round is on the pitch alone, which has me sweating bullets a little. Did you enter? If not, did you reach your goals for last week?

Teaser Tuesday~Born Of Fire

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Today’s teaser is from my channeler novella, Born Of Fire:

The anxiety stirred not only her power awake, but her unborn son’s as well. It spread throughout her body in a rush that was almost scalding. She gasped for breath as she struggled to bring it under control.

Born Of Fire is the story of the night Aiden was born. Fans of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll who want to know more about the leading man are in for a special treat with this one. And for those who haven’t read either yet, Born Of Fire will give you a good taste of the series. The novella is free right now on Smashwords, but hurry, it will go up to .99 cents next week!

Your turn, got a teaser for me?

Monday's Muse~Rebel Writer's Pledge

2012-01-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

My inspiration this last week has been coming up with my post for the Rebel Writer’s Pledge. The pledge is the brain child of SA Larsen, writer and all around fabulous lady. It is a way for us writers to declare out goals, cheer each other on, keep hope alive, and keep one another on track. And it’s a blog hop! We have to list our writing/life goals and highlight one to add to the main pledge page. For each writer goal I’m putting a personal goal as well. Here they are:

Rebel Writer Pledge 2012

#1 Writer: I pledge to support my fellow writers and authors as much as possible by buying and reading my author friends’ books and by helping my writer friends on the Monday night #WritersRoad chat. Personal: I pledge to spend as much time with my husband as I do with my writing, and to talk to my sister and mother more often.

#2 Writer: I pledge to meet my deadlines for my press, turning in two more books this year. Personal: I pledge to exercise at least ½ an hour five days a week.

#3 Writer: I pledge to market my buns off but remember that writing has to take precedence. Personal: I pledge to ride my horse more so he gets rid of that fat hump on his neck. Oh yes, I noticed it buddy. (this one is in bold for SA Larsen. It's probably the most important one for me to remember. ;)

The rest of the Rebel Writer’s pledges: Sheri Larsen, Samantha Verant, Kris Yankee, April Plummer, Carolyn V, Shannon O’Donnell, Susan Oloier, Sharon Mayhew, Leigh Moore, Melissa Sugar, Sophia Chang, Stina Lindenblat, DL Hammons, Rebekah, Kelly Hashway, Margay, Stephen Tremp, PK Hrezo, Yelena Casale.

Friday Creature Feature~Behir

2012-01-20T08:37:00.000-08:00

Nothing lies below the long expanse of Cliffside that stretches before me, yet I cannot help but look again. Bright sunlight bathes the green valley below, beckoning to me. It would feel so good to warm my scales in its yellow brilliance. Something moves beneath my tail. Whipping my thirty eight foot long, serpentine body around, I dive back into the cave. All four of my eggs lay as still as green jewels. Maybe I imagined it. To be sure, I wrap my body around them, touching each gingerly with one of my dozen legs.

After a long moment, the largest of the eggs wobbles in my claws. I lower my head next to it, running one of my horns over it. A pecking noise followed by vibrations travels through the highly sensitive nerves along my horn. Two more of the eggs start to quiver. I draw back to watch.

A long crack stretches down the side of the first egg and a small nose pokes through. After a few more good shakes the entire egg splits in two and my first born emerges, his red tongue flicking out to taste the air for the first time. Behind me rocks tumbled as something scuttles into the cave mouth. Baring my fangs, I turn back prepared to fight, but it’s only my mate. He sidles up beside me and together we watch as our young come into the world.

This work of fiction is original and my own (drawing included). Please do not copy or reproduce it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. I'm no artist (clearly, lol!) but I had to give it a shot.

Wednesday Writing Goal~New Endings

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last week my goal was to start writing a new ending for my third book. My muse finally came out of hiding and I got a great start on it. I'm so excited about how this series is coming together. It's turning out so much better than my original vision for it was.

How about you? Did you achieve your writing goals for last week? How are you doing on staying motivated in the new year?

On a side note, congratulations to Amy Del Rosso who won a copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll during the Indelibles Book Blogger chat! If you're stopping by Amy leave me a comment with a way to get a hold of you.

Tuesday Writing Tip~Conferences

2012-01-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

With the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest fast approaching and submission season back in full swing, I felt compelled to give a writing tip about submitting and conferencing. First you must write an excellent book, of course, but the key after that is to be prepared.

Tip: When attending conferences or submitting, come prepared. Bring a well polished query letter, synopsis, and up to the first fifty pages of your manuscript (though ten is usually enough). Bonus tip, when going to agent or editor meetings, bring a notepad and take notes based off what they say. Just be sure to stay engaged and make eye-contact periodically.

How about you, any writing tips to share that are related to submitting or conference going?

New Release Celebration for S.R. Johannes

2012-01-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

This week I'd like to celebrate the new release of a novel by one of my favorite authors who also happens to be one of my favorite people. Sorry, I don't have a cover photo for you today, that's coming Wednesday, but I couldn't wait to celebrate! Please welcome S.R. Johannes!

S.R.'s new book, On The Bright Side, is a hilarious road to guardian angeldom paved with so much drama and due-paying that it makes middle school look painless.

As if the devil’s food cake at her wake and the white fat pants she’s stuck wearing for eternity weren’t bad enough, fourteen year-old Gabby is quick to discover that Cirrus, the main rung of Heaven, is a far cry from the Pearly Gates. Here, Skyphones and InnerNets are all the rage. Until Gabby finds out she has to protect Angela, her school nemesis, in order to move up through the training levels of heaven. Problem is, Angela is now hitting on Gabby's should-have-been boyfriend.

Thanks so much for joining us! So S.R., what inspired you to write this novel?

S.R.: It was Dec 08 at Christmas time. I had just finished reading Cynthia Leich Smith's Eternal and Lisa Schroeder’s “I Heart You, You Haunt Me”. I was subbing Untraceable to agents and needed to pass the time. I started to think about an angel book and wonder, what if the reader got to see the perspective of the angel who was longing for life again. So I played with flipping the roles. The book started out as a deep YA.

In the spring when other dark angel books started to sell I started to figure out how I could make it different. I wondered if I could do a book about death in a humorous way and make it younger. The question became “what if an angel is forced to protect someone she doesn’t like?" Brought back all the times I wished I could be a fly on the way, listening to my crush and eavesdropping on my frenemies. Then I thought about the opposite of death. What if a girl didn't want to be a cool angel? What if she just wanted to be human again?

That became much more interesting. I knew if I was going to do a middle grade, I needed it to be less heavy and more fun and light and hip. Something more like Meg Cabot or Ally Carter.

On the Bright Side is funny and light even though death, loss, forgiveness, and the fear of moving on are at its core.

Death in a humorous way, I love that fresh take on it! But death has to be a tough subject, even with humor. What was the toughest scene to write?

S.R.: Originally I had a scene where Gabby went back and visited her mom to say goodbye. It was a beautiful scene and tugged at my heart strongs because I am a mom. But I had editorial feedback that if my book was going to be tween, it could not be too heavy. I hated cutting that scene but they were right and I really wanted to stay on the humorous side.

I can see where that would definitely darken it. With the success of your young adult novel Untraceable, why switch to tween now?

S.R.: I feel like tweens are just getting into the ebook market. But more importantly, I need/want to honor this book. I worked on this book for over 3 years and it got so close so many times, I felt I owe it to Gabby -and Grace -to put out the books I started - before starting something new.

In addition, my marketing curiosity about tweens called to me. I’ve been told tween market does not exist. I’ve been told to age up or age down. I think theer are girls out there in that awkward 10-14 range who don’t want to read MG and aren’t allowed to read YA. Most books have 12 or 15 year olds. I wanted a book to target those girls. There are not nearly as many indie pubbed MG and tween authors as there are YA and adults. I wanted to be first to market and test the waters.

Characters are the best motivation, I love that! Thank you so much for joining us S.R., it's been a pleasure. Readers, if you'd like to know more about S.R. you can find here at the follow locations:

The Indelibles Launch Contest Winners

2012-01-13T08:33:00.000-08:00

Today's creature feature has been postponed so that I can announce the winners of the massive Indelibles launch contest. For those who missed it, I've joined a fabulous group of author called the Indelibles and for our launch we gave away a Kindle Fire and eBooks of our novels to the winner. And each of us also did a separate giveaway on our own blogs. First, in case you haven't checked the Indelibles blog yet, the grand prize winner of the Kindle Fire and a copy of one of the titles from all of the Indelibles is:

Chris Fenimore

Huge congratulations to Chris, I hope you enjoy your new Kindle Fire and all of our books! And now for the winner of the eBook of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll:

Celina Ortiz

Congratulations to Celina! I hope you enjoy The Secret Of Spruce Knoll. Let me know if you have a Kindle or a Nook and I'll get that gifted to you right away! Thank you so much to everyone who participated and a big welcome to all my new followers. I hope you'll stick around because with the release of my next novel in February, Channeler's Choice, I'm coupling up with author Christine Fonseca to do another massive giveaway that you won't want to miss.

Wednesday Writing Goal~Anthology Short

2012-01-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, I've been working on a short story for an anthology, and I finally finished it! I'm absolutely psyched and can't wait to share this one with all of you. The Indelibles and I are putting together an anthology from the eyes of one of our male characters. Many of you Spruce Knoll fans will be excited to know that my short story is told from Fane's point of view. I loved getting inside his head and I hope you will too. The anthology, In His Eyes, releases February 14th and it will be free as long as we can get the big corporations to cooperate!

How about you, did you achieve your goals for last week? What are they for this week?

Teaser Tuesday And Contest Winner

2012-01-10T08:58:00.000-08:00

Since I'm late, I'll cut to the chase. First, the winner of my birthday celebration giveaway is:

Angela Brown

Congratulations Angela! You've won a signed paperback of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll. I've sent you an email and as soon as I hear back from you I'll get that off to you!

Today's teaser is from Born Of Fire (A Channeler Novella) which is now available FREE through Smashwords and Wattpad (and hopefully soon through Amazon, they're currently charging .99 cents but I've advised them it's free elsewhere and asked them to drop the price):

Her head hit the headrest as the force of acceleration sucked her back into her seat. The engine of the Subaru whined in protest as Kevan struggled to keep it between the lines of the road. The speedometer needle bounced above ninety-five and kept going as the Subaru hugged the curves.

Your turn! Do you have a teaser to share from your current work, or a novel of yours?

Introducing~The Indelibles

2012-01-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

My muse this last week, and several more before that honestly, have been a fantastic new group of authors that I've joined, the Indelibles!

Who are the Indelibles?

“We are indie authors who write middle grade and young adult fiction. We are dedicated to leaving a permanent mark on the world with our stories and words. We are The Indelibles.”

Each week, we'll explore fun, fabulous, and fierce topics for today's teens, drawing on pop culture and themes from the books we write. We're going to be doing a massive contest for our launch~which is today!~and one lucky winner and follower of the Indelibles blog will win a Kindle Fire. Yes, really! We'll also be having a "Blogger chat" on January 11th and a writer/author chat on the 18th to answer questions about self and indie pubbing. See our blog for details.

For my portion of the launch celebration I'll be giving away an eBook of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll to one person who comments and follows the Indelibles. My portion of the contest will end this Thursday and I will announce the winner on Friday.

Welcome to . . .

INDELIBLES ON FIRE!

How do you enter to win the Kindle Fire?

The Blog Hop will take you to each of the individual Indelibles’ Blogs (which all have exciting giveaways of their own, by the way!). At the bottom of this post, there will be a KEYWORD and a LINK. Make a note
of the keyword and then click on the link to take you to the next blog on the hop . . . where there will be another keyword and another link . . . on and on until you get to the end.

How to complete the Blog Hop:

1. Visit every blog on the hop by following the links at the end of

each post.

2. Make a note of the keywords at the end of every post: they will

form a phrase.

3. Go to the Indelibles blog and enter the phrase into the form.

Everyone who emails us the correct phrase AND who has both followed us on Twitter and liked us on Facebook will be entered into a random drawing for the Kindle Fire.

Good luck! And thanks for celebrating Launch Day with us! The next stop on the hop is Stacey Benefiel. Contest ends this Thursday at 12:01am and the winner will be announced later that day on the Indelibles blog. KEYWORD: ARE

Friday Creature Feature~Adaro

2012-01-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

Their vessels cut great swaths through what serves as my sky, darkening my world with their monolithic crafts. Behind them they leave a trail of dark substance that glitters with the colors of the rainbow. But it is no rainbow. From experience I know that if this substance is inhaled through the gills it can choke and even kill my kind. Fins extended, I kick my legs and swim to the right of the craft, avoiding the dangerous, glittering trail.

But the trail is not my greatest concern. The massive net that stretches from the stern of their craft to depths most cannot swim is what worries me. It moves through the water catching everything larger than a clown fish in its path. Lobster, octopus, a few turtles, and even sharks are all trapped within it. If the intruders escape with their trap my kind will go hungry for a week, at least.

Trident in hand, I swim for the surface. They will not get away if I can help it.

All rights reserved to this work of fiction. Reproduction or copying in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit is prohibited. The adaro is a legend that spawns from the Soloman Islands. Sorry no picture today, I'm working on my visualization skills!

Wednesday Writing Goal~Fail!

2012-01-04T09:29:00.000-08:00

I did not make my Wednesday writing goal for last week. *hangs head in shame* With all the beta reading I've been doing I just can't keep up with my goals for my own work. But I desperately love doing both and don't want to give either up! That's it, the 'day' job has just got to go. LOL! Don't I wish!

The good news is, I'm very close to making my goal so on that note, I'm off to work as hard as I can on it before going off to the time-consuming soul-sucking abyss, I mean 'day' job. ;)

How about you? Did you reach your writing goals for last week?

Tuesday Writing Tip~Paying It Forward

2012-01-03T09:06:00.000-08:00

As the new year get's into full swing I'm reminded to throw out the old and bring in the new. There is a lot of that to do in writing; editing, habits, stories that need to be retired or started, that kind of thing. One habit I will not be throwing out though is paying it forward. While it may or may not contribute to one's success, I feel that paying it forward is a vital part of any business, but even more so in the publishing industry. We are all in this together and we must support one another.

Writing Tip: Support your fellow writers and authors. Beta read for someone, join a critique group, buy books, talk about the books you love to support the authors.

Tonight at 7:00pm PT I'm hosting a live chat with the fabulous author Denise Grover Swank over at the Indie Elite blog. If you haven't read her books yet you're missing out. Her adult paranormal novel, Chosen, was one of my favorite books of 2011. I hope you'll stop by to help me support this wonderful lady and fabulous author. Who knows, we may even give away prizes...

Monday's Muse~Indie Book Fair

2012-01-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! My muse for last week was from the wonderful Susan Kaye Quinn who supports excellent authors and put together this fantastic Indie Book Fair. If you're looking for an excellent book, look no further. Did you find a newKindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree? Browse the Indie Book Fair and find a new ebook to break in that reader!

These great new bookswere released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking achance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out my previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-publishedor small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get theword out about our books]

Note: Links are givenfor Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Clickon the author’s name for additional purchasing options, includingpaper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)

Slaveto the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Hollandlongs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, everypitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to beseen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to beBritain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe andeverything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor couldresist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own columntracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be asuccess, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. Butwhen Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to coverall the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for herdream job. $0.99on Amazon

TheGolden Sky by ElisaHirsch (Memoir)

Thenight I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after wewere homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl andanother baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birthdefects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a reallynice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that,totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rockand roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl(an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged womanwho still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris(a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogueskunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husbandanother chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of ourson? $2.99 onAmazon

SomeoneElse’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)

JasonVanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans.Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most ofhis movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it justisn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past,attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon

Historical Romance(Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012

Asimple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride hedoes not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fionatakes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings drawnear, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.

Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Greek cuisine, smog anddomestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expectingwhen she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen toplay in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' careerand her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer andplots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, theobstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy thatawaits ... $6.99on Amazon ALSO: Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen

Sherwood. The name immediatelyconjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybethat sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-commystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In herusual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplotafter another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Ratherlike the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, fliesinto Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in theother she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start anew life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff ofNottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hoodhimself... You'll just have to read it and find out. $2.99on Amazon

Short Stories andAnthologies

The Initiate (CloudProphet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)

Overa thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic withthem. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates everyten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced intobecoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay withher boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will herlack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to apainful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)

Prepareto be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. Theseeight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies,and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author'scommentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99on Amazon

{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th

Justin time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind youngadult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view ofour favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and somewere dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable,swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to GoodreadsTBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES includeaward winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K.Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, LisaNowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, CoryPutman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein,Cheri Lasota

Transcendent: Tales ofthe Paranormal byLani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawkgirl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as thedécor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Alongthe way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlightwith a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget tobring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendentincludes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newestnames in young adult fiction. $0.99on Amazon

Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction)

When everyone readsminds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someonewho can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t betrusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the bestfriend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearlykills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family andan increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s draggeddeep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyoneshe loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance)

When a photo shoot endsin tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret.Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrusther into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. Whathappens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself andthe shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timidmouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental andphysical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)

Sixteen-year oldDesolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold andlonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where sheBecomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi isforced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—thatshe has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, hascreated her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want tochange—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance)

Worldsdivided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.
An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to herplanet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boyfind his soul mate.
Piece of cake! $0.99on Kindle

The Secret of SpruceKnoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)

Followingthe tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knollto live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entiretown of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group ofpeople who immigrated to the small Colorado town when theywere driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fateof the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alonehave the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learnsshe not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden,his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though. $4.99 onAmazon

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling)

WhenPsyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the mostbeautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love withthe one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer intothe arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tendertouch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come toexpect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance)

Winter Sky believes sheis everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. Asseer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against thedarkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm shealways thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon

Untraceable by S.R. Johannes (adventure)
Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. .99 cents on Amazon

Friday Surprise Giveaway

2011-12-30T08:50:00.000-08:00

The holidays still have me in their grip today so sorry peeps, no creature feature. I promise I’ll be coming back strong with them next month though so be ready for some fantastic shorts. It isn’t Christmas or New Year’s that has me in its clutches today though. Today I celebrate having survived another full year on this lovely planet of ours. I have much to be thankful for and reflect upon this year. One of the greatest of which, is all of you.

With that in mind, I’d like to celebrate my birthday by doing a giveaway to thank you for being part of what has made this year so wonderful. I’ll give away a paperback copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll to one commenter (being a follower is not required but I’d love it if you followed). The contest will be open for one week and the winner will be announced on February second. If you’d like extra points you can get three by adding The Secret Of Spruce Knoll, Channeler’s Choice, and In His Eyes (anthology) to your Goodreads to-read list. In His Eyes is a great anthology coming out in February that I have a short story in. This short is for you fans who have been wanting to know more about Fane! Plus it's full of shorts from other fantastic authors that you won't want to miss.

End of the Year Wednesday Writing Goals

2011-12-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

I have so many this week I'm not sure where to start. I am editing the short, Born Of Fire, which I hope to release at the beginning of January for all of you (for free, yay!). And my goal is to have the editing and formatting completed this week. A bit of steep goal, but I'm determined to get it done. Then I'm beta reading for two people and my goal is to have their manuscripts done by the end of the week too. I have definitely taken on too much, but what the heck I figure go big for the end of the year.

How about you, any big writing goals you'd like to accomplish before the end of the year?

Teaser Tuesday~Hard Truths

2011-12-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

Today's teaser is from The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel.

A staggering relief bubbled through Eren. She launched to her feet and straight into his arms. False hope held no hooks in her heart, though. As much as she wanted to hear it, she knew he wasn't going to tell her it had all been a mistake or a joke. The blue energy that had leaked out of her and threatened to make her explode had not been a hallucination.

Okay, your turn. Leave me an excerpt of something you're working on, something from a book you've wrote, or are reading. Don't have an excerpt? Then just let me know what you thought of mine.

Monday's Muse~Release Date!

2011-12-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

My muse last week was a big one with a big announcement. The second book in the channeler series, Channeler's Choice, has a release date with Compass Press: February 27th! *throws streamers and breaks out party hats.* Okay, maybe it's a bit early for party hats, but I'm excited! And here is the lovely cover that I've been dying to share with you:

From the moment I saw the picture for the cover I knew it was perfect. This captured not only the essence of Eren and Aiden perfectly, but also that of the novel. It blew me away. And after design, it was even more amazing and perfect. I hope you love it as much as I do! Check back soon for a big contest to celebrate. Here it is on Goodreads if you'd like to put it on your 'to-read' shelf.

Happy Holidays 2011

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

For those waiting on my creature feature, I'm sorry to disappoint, but the craziness of the holidays and other exciting projects has kept me from being able to write one this week. By the echo of few voices across the net, I know most of you have been busy as well. So I will bid you a very happy holidays and let you be on your way. I'll see you next week after the fun and festivities. Many great things await us in 2012 and I for one can hardly wait. Be safe and happy!

Wednesday Writing Goal~Gifts

2011-12-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

Since my manuscript has been off to my editor this month I've been working on a very special writing goal, and I finally finished it! Well, almost finished. Now it's in the editing process. What's special about it though is that it will be my holiday gift to all of you as it will be free. It's a short channeler story, Born Of Fire, that gives you insight into Aiden's history and character that you won't find anywhere else. I was hoping to have it out by the holiday but it looks like I won't quite make it. I want it to be perfect for you all so I'm working very hard on it.

I'm shooting for a January upload onto Smashwords and Wattpad, and of course I'll have a PDF file available for those who don't have ereader and just want to read on their computer. While it will be a late gift, hopefully it will be perfect for all of you who have ereaders hiding under your tree! The cover is by CP Design, hope you love it as much as I do!

Tuesday Writing Tip~Editing

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today's writing tip is about editing. With more and more authors choosing the independent path, the importance of editing and not getting in a hurry are more vital than ever. You are the last line of defense between your novel and the world. Don't let it go out into such a cruel place without making it into a lean, mean, fighting machine. Once you hit publish it's out there for the world to see, agents, publishing house editors, everyone. It can make or break you even more so than querying.

Tip: Put your manuscript through the ringer; critique partners and/or beta readers, and if you are going indie, use a good freelance editor after you've put it through the paces. Golden bonus tip #2: Don't be in a hurry to put it out there until it is polished to perfection.

Monday's Muse~Vampire's Trill

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like to wish a happy release day to Vampire's Trill, a novel by author Lorelei Bell. She's been gracious enough to give us an excerpt but here is about about Lorelei to start us off:

Lorelei: When not at my day job, I work on my novels, inventing new characters and places/worlds where they dwell. My writing has been compared to Anne Rice's more gritty novels, but with a humorous twist in the tradition of Charlaine Harris.

My interest in vampires came in my teens watching the old horror classics of “Dracula” on TV late at night. As a result, I was considered odd because of my interests in the macabre, horror/vampire movies—way before it was 'cool'. I wanted to create a heroine who has to learn who and what she was from the beginning and throughout the series, rather than plopping my readers in the middle of things and doing a lot of back story.

Here is the excerpt:

I landed on something solid, yet it wasn't flat. It had form.

I clearly had some sort of form myself, now — thank you! Meanwhile, landing knocked the breath out of me, and it took me a while to pull it back in. There’s nothing quite as scary as being unable to get air for a few seconds. Whatever I was laying upon also took one giganticbreath and let it out with a deep groan. My panic rose anew. I thought I was lying on a bear.

I looked up and saw Tremayne's face above mine. As his head rose from its reclined position, I realized I lay right on top of him, chest to chest, as though we had both landed exactly this way.

“Oh, sorry,” I said as I pushed up. My hands grasped each of his wide, muscular shoulders, my legs were sandwiched between his thick thighs putting my knees in a decidedly awkward position against him. Oh Momma! It was too late to remedy this situation, and my panic cord had broken.

“Not at all. You can be on top any time,” he smirked. Hands grasping my waist, he helped me sort of roll off him to land awkwardly on my butt. Oow.

Face burning, I threw him a well-deserved scowl. Then, someone's muffled voice caught our attention. It seemed to be coming from underneath Tremayne. He rolled to the side, and underneath was Rick, sputtering swears that nearly burned my ears.

“You stupid blood-sucking pantie wipe!” Rick fumed as he slowly rolled over and struggled to his knees, his body bent in half.

“Uh-oh, you crushed the leprechaun,” I said.

“Sorry, sorry,” Tremayne said, dipping down. He grabbed Rick by the back of his coat and hoisted him up with one swift motion. Righted and standing on his two feet, Rick looked as mad as a rumpled leprechaun could look. I wasn't sure why Tremayne was so accommodating, apologizing again and again, but it probably had a lot to do with the fact that leprechauns were magical. I guessed that if Rick were truly mad, he could do something to Tremayne. Something nasty.

In the next moment, I lost sight of Tremayne and felt, rather than saw him move with lightning speed somewhere in front of me. We were in a dark place. My eyes were trying to adjust. I saw red and purple lights flashing, mostly, above me, and they seemed to bombard the walls that surrounded us. I didn't look up to see where it came from. Instead, my focus was on Tremayne whose body blocked my view of something that was in front of him. Hunched over, he was in a fighting pose. Growling from both Tremayne and the other creature in there with us filled the chamber. In one swift move, Tremayne had slammed someone, or something, up against a stonewall.

“Holy crap! Come here, darling,” Rick said with a hoarse squeak. He didn't touch me, but I launched away from the fracas that was going on mere feet away, and slammed into the opposite wall.

“Sorry. You okay?” Rick asked in a soothing tone. I realized he'd used his magic to move me quickly out of the way of something long and undulating.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Stunned, but fine.” What's a little bump on the head if it saves me from real danger? I turned my attention to the affray. “What is that?”

“I'm not quite sure yet, but it is buuuutt ugly.”

Their struggling breaths and hissed curses in some other language filled the room, if it were a room, I couldn't yet tell. I couldn't see everything, because Tremayne's huge body was in the way, but slowly I made things out in this weird light, I saw enormous leathery wings, like Vasyl's. They flapped a few times and then cruel, clawed fingers curling into Tremayne's unprotected back. It wasn't until I looked down that I saw a greenish and brown mottled tail coiling around his legs. I was thoroughly confused. Was he fighting an ancient vampire, or a giant snake— or both? Then I realized it was two tails, not just one. It serpentined about Tremayne's body. It was large enough to crush him, but I had a feeling it was merely toying with the big vampire.

Then, they broke apart. Laughing.

Congratulations to Lorelei on this latest installment in your series!

Spruce Knoll Contest Winners

2011-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

The Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour has come to an end but the journey is far from over. I can’t thank you all enough for your amazing support and excitement for both my book and my cause. The journey has only begun as I plan to donate a portion of the proceeds from this novel until 12-12-2012. I’m honored to have taken the first steps of the journey with all of you though. I wish I could award each entrant and supporter, but alas, I must pick only two for now.

Winner #1:

Theresa Milstein 1st place

Theresa you’ve won a signed hardback of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll, a swag bag, and an endangered species adoption of your choice from this list ($50 donation by myself to the charity and a certificate of adoption and symbolic stuffed animal).

Winner #2:

Vickie Reljin 2nd place

Vickie you’ve won a signed paperback of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll and a swag bag (I don't have any contact info for you so be sure to leave me a comment with a way to contact you, no worries, I won't post it!).

Now I feel a bit like a game show hostess. J Congratulations! Leave me a comment with your email address ladies and I’ll be in touch to find out your mailing address. For those who didn’t win, don’t worry, I’ll be doing another big contest in February to celebrate the news I’ll be revealing soon, as well as the release of my friend Christine Fonseca’s upcoming release, Dies Irae.

Last Stop On The Tour

2011-12-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

Today is the last stop on the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour. I'm kind of sad because it has been a lot of fun and the support shown to both my book and my cause has been so amazing that it has left me speechless at times. But the giving doesn't end with the tour. I'll be donating a portion of the proceeds of all sales of the Compass Press edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll until 12-12-2012.

I hope you'll drop in on my author friend Lisa Nowak as I chat with her about prairie dogs, then come back and enter the contest on this link (or you can click on the sidebar picture for the contest). Entries will be closed at midnight (Pacific Time) tonight and the winner will be announced tomorrow.

First place prize is a signed hardback of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll, a copy of The Gift by Cecelia Ahern, some fun Spruce Knoll swag, and a symbolic endangered species adoption of the winner's choice (a $50 donation to the charity by myself, and a stuffed critter and certificate to the winner).

Second place prize is a signed paperback of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll and some fun Spruce Knoll swag.

Friday Creature Feature~Tiger

2011-12-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

Today is the second to the last day for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour. You can find me over at book blogger Candace's place talking about orcas. Then be sure to come back and enter the contest on the sidebar!

Sunlight dapples the jungle floor ahead of me, creating the perfect cover. While itchy in the sweltering heat, my orange and black coat is the perfect camouflage in this thick undergrowth. But the jungle doesn’t go as far now days as it used to and my prey is advancing toward the edge of the foliage. Normally I wouldn’t follow it so close to the edge of man’s territory but my cubs haven’t eaten in two days and the smaller one is getting weaker by the moment. I can’t let them down.

The stench of blacktop and exhaust assaults my nose. The deer is heading straight for it and she is only yards away from the last of the trees. I launch into a full run, using my tail to steer me through the thinning bushes and trees. Legs pumping furiously, she dodges and weaves, just barely escaping my claws.

Blinding sunlight encases me as I burst through the jungle canopy. Smooth black rock, hot from the unfiltered sun, burns my paws. My nose wrinkles from the stench that crawl into it and down my throat. The deer’s hooves make echo out a strange noise as she flees across the stark black land. Heart sinking, I turn back to the jungle to face my cubs empty handed.

This work of fiction is original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. Sadly, tigers have moved up to the critically endangered list as there are only 3,200 of them left in the wild. In only a few years, they will be extinct as a wild animal if nothing is done. They are a huge part of why I'm donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of my novel published through Compass Press.

Stop Along The Tour And Contest Winner

2011-12-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

For today's stop along the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at author Erica Chapman's place with some new info on white tigers. We're nearing the end of the tour so be sure to check back in after you visit me at Erica's and click on the link on my right sidebar to enter the contest!

In other great news, the winner for LK Gardner-Griffie's new release celebration is:

Tanya

Congratulations to Tanya, you've won a paperback copy of Misfit McCabe and a paperback copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll! LK should be emailing you shortly.

Wednesday Writing Goals 12-13

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Before I get to the writing goals, today for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species Tour, I'm over at author Christine Bryant's blog chatting about giraffes. I hope you'll stop by! We're getting close to the end of the tour so don't forget to come back here and click on the button on the right sidebar to enter.

This last week while on vacation I was working on a special writing project that I hope to have finished very soon. It falls somewhere between a short story and a novella and I plan on releasing it for free hopefully before the holiday as a gift to all of you. If you've ever wondered what really happened to Aiden's parents then you are really going to want to read this! My goal was to get at least 2,000 new words written on it by the end of the week and I'm thrilled to say I did! My goal for this next week is to finish the first draft, put it through my editing process, then send it off to my beta.

How about you? Are your writing goals surviving the holidays or have they been post-poned in all the festivities?

Tour Stop Dec. 13th And Gift Ideas

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today on the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at Talli's Roland's place and at Carolina Valdez Miller's place. Hope to see you at both! Two stops means two chances for more entries/points for the contest!

And now to the fun gift ideas! My good friend, and author of Between, Cyndi Tefft has put together some fun gift ideas for fans of her novels. That means you Aiden's Angels! I'm not just featuring this because her main character shares a name with my main character (and hotness traits) but because she is a fabulous lady who deserves my support! For starters, you can get a signed copy of Between right from Cyndi's blog. Signed books are always great gift ideas and many authors, including myself, offer them on their sites.

But if you're already a fan, or know a fan, then you'll definitely want to check out what Cyndi has put together on Cafe Press for Aiden's Angels. The items on there are definitely going on my wish list! :)

Monday's Muse~Good Friends

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

My Seattle trip to visit my Critique Sisters and meet new friends was fantastic! Though the weather was wet it wasn't nearly as wet as I expected, and I had a wonderful time. Celebrating the holidays with friends makes all the craziness worth it and all the hardships of the year melt away.

I wish I could celebrate with each and every one of you in person, but for most of us, we'll have to settle for social networking celebrations! I'm so thankful for all of you though, I hope you know that. As for what's feeding my muse on the literary front, I'm reading a signed copy of Between by Cyndi Tefft.

Today on the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour you can find me over at The Fiction Enthusiast with my friend Christie chatting about cougars. You know you can't resist that!

Release Celebration And Tour Stop

2011-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at my good friend Saba's blog talking about the polar bear, one of my favorite creatures! I hope you'll drop in. And now for my author friend Lisa Nowak's fabulous new release. If you need a gift for a guy this season, look no further!

Getting Sideways: Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy.

Haven't read the first book? Running Wide Open is on sale now for 99 cents. Running Wide Open: Book 1 in the Full Throttle Series Cody Everett has a temper as hot as the flashpoint of racing fuel, and it's landed him at his uncle's trailer, a last-chance home before military school. But how can he take the guy seriously when he calls himself Race, eats Twinkies for breakfast, and pals around with rednecks who drive in circles every Saturday night? What Cody doesn't expect is for the arrangement to work. Or for Race to become the friend and mentor he's been looking for all his life. But just as Cody begins to settle in and get a handle on his supercharged temper, a crisis sends his life spinning out of control. Everything he's come to care about is threatened, and he has to choose between falling back on his old, familiar anger or stepping up to prove his loyalty to the only person he's ever dared to trust.

Praise for Running Wide Open: "It doesn’t matter if you are a racing fan or not, Running Wide Open will captivate you and capture your heart." – Cari J, Amazon reviewer.
“The roar of engines practically explodes off the page in this compelling, heart-thumping debut. Cody Everett is a straight-shooter with attitude, smarts, and whip-cracking wit; he doesn’t pull any punches, and neither does author Lisa Nowak. The collision of Cody and the world of stock car racing makes for a great story, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. Running Wide Open is a book not to be missed.” - Christine Fletcher, author of Tallulah Falls and Ten Cents a Dance.
"The racing is easy to understand and does not get in the way of a rattling good story. I still couldn’t put it down on a re-read." – Elisabeth Miles, Amazon reviewer.
"We race stock cars during the summer and even though this is a recommended read for Young Adults, we are seniors and enjoyed every page. We can hardly wait for the sequel to come out. MUST READING!" – Maxci Jermann, Barnes and Noble reviewer.
"I say read this book, it’s fun, it’s beautiful, it’s a very cool read that will give you a feel-good state of mind. Awesome read." - L.E.Olteano, Butterfly-o-meter Books.

Author Bio: In addition to being a YA author, Lisa Nowak is a retired amateur stock car racer, an accomplished cat whisperer, and a professional smartass. She writes coming-of-age books about kids in hard luck situations who learn to appreciate their own value after finding mentors who love them for who they are. She enjoys dark chocolate and stout beer and constantly works toward employing wei wu wei in her life, all the while realizing that the struggle itself is an oxymoron. Lisa has no spare time, but if she did she’d use it to tend to her expansive perennial garden, watch medical dramas, take long walks after dark, and teach her cats to play poker. For those of you who might be wondering, she is not, and has never been, a diaper-wearing astronaut. She lives in Milwaukie, Oregon, with her husband, four feline companions, and two giant sequoias. Connect with Lisa online:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lisa_Nowak
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LisaNowakAuthor
Google +: http://bit.ly/LisaNowakGooglePlus
Blog: http://lisanowak.wordpress.com/
Subscribe to her newsletter for updates about coming attractions: http://bit.ly/LisaNowakNewsletter

December 10th Stop Along The Tour

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at my good friend Christy's (of Erica and Christy) blog chatting about the breathtaking emerald hummingbird (yay two people picked it!). You have to see this amazing creature to believe it! I hope you'll stop by to say hi, and of cAourse to get another point in the contest!

Don't forget, if you're in the Seattle area, today I'm appearing at Tully's coffee shop (the one on Western Avenue) at 3:00pm for a meet and greet. Of course I'm happy to sign for anyone who brings their books along! I'll be armed with swag!

Friday Creature Feature~Sea Turtle

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I am at author Christine Fonseca's blog talking about sea turtles, and over at author Karen Hooper's blog talking about manatees. Trust me, you don't want to miss either of these fun creatures or the chance for more points in the contest! Before you go, I've written a creature feature on the sea turtle though.

The dark thickens as I dive deeper into the abyss, encasing me in a pressure that is both comforting and suffocating at the same time. My shell protects me though and it takes only moments for my body to adjust. It's the black that takes longer to get used to, the deceptive way it makes you feel as if you're the only thing alive in this world. Yet there is danger in succumbing to that belief...

Lights glow in the distance; blue, yellow, orange, and green. They are beacons in the black, drawing me to that which I seek. The water around me quivers with the distant call of a blue whale, rattling me in my shell. My quarry dives deeper, escaping the path of the oncoming pod, leaving glowing trails of light behind them. A flap of my flippers propels me after them. In only a heartbeat I'm amidst them, surrounded by their soft blue glow. Their almost ethereal-like tentacles surround me like beautiful seaweed. The tentacles tingle against my shell, reminding me to pull my sensitive slippers and tail out of their reach.

Seaweed they definitely are not. These are the elusive box jellyfish, deadly to most, but dinner to me.

This work of fiction is original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. Sadly, sea turtles are on the critically endangered list and are disappearing in the wild.

December 8th Tour Stops

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today there are two stops along the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour, which means two more chances for another entry/point in the contest! First I'm over at my author friend LK Gardner-Griffie's blog talking about the arctic fox. For the second stop I'm over at my book blogger friend's blog, Melanie McCullough, talking about the emerald hummingbird, which is a breathtaking creature you have to see to believe. I'll be dropping in on both to stops to chat with peeps so I hope to see you in both places!

To see what's up for grabs, and to enter the contest, click on the button on the right sidebar for the tour.

Talli's How To Build A Man Book Release

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

For those checking in on my stop for the Spruce Knoll for endangered species tour, I'm over at Simon Larter's blog today. Come on over to learn about hellbender salamanders and to get an extra point/entry in the contest. On to my feature! If you don't know who bestselling author Talli Roland is, then you're in for a treat because she is one of the most supportive, fun people I know. First a bit about her new release, How To Build A Man:

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

You can find Build A Man at these retailers:

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Now for a bit about the fabulous Talli:

Talli Roland has three loves in her life: chick lit, coffee and wine. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine). Despite training as a journalist, Talli soon found she preferred making up her own stories – complete with happy endings. Her debut novel, The Hating Game, was an Amazon Top 100 bestseller and shortlisted for Best Romantic Read at the UK’s Festival of Romance, and her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as a 2011 Amazon Customer Favourite. Build A Man is her latest release. Talli blog is here and she can be found on Twitter here.

Since she's far too modest to say it, I have to tell you, she's an outstanding author and you'll love her books! So if you love chick lit, great humor, and excellent stories, go order your copies now! You won't be sorry.

Tour Stop And Teaser Tuesday

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today for the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at my good friend and author Roland Yeomans blog. Roland's blog is always a fun place to drop in, not to mention, you'll have a chance to gain another entry/point for the contest!

Now for the teaser. This is from page 52 of the Compass Press special edition:

Aiden went very still. After a painfully long silence, Eren reached over and touched his arm. He turned to her, revealing eyes that were filled with regret.

"What is it? What do you know?" she asked.

"I want to tell you everything but it isn't my place. It kills me not to talk to you about it, you have to believe me, please," he said.

Monday's Muse And Tour Stops

2011-12-05T08:11:00.001-08:00

There is so much wonderful stuff going on this week that I hardly know where to start. For those looking for my Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour stops, I'm over at my author buddy Danyelle Leafy's blog chatting about snow leopard, and on my critique sisters blog with Linda chatting about ring-tailed lemurs. Remember, both tour stops are an opportunity to gain another point/entry so I hope you'll stop by! Then don't forget to come back here and click on the tour/giveaway button on the right sidebar to enter.

The books and coffee photo is my inspiration as I'm doing my first unofficial author appearance and signing this coming weekend! I'm attending the Women's National Book Association (Seattle chapter) Christmas party this coming Saturday with my critique sisters, then I'll be off to Tully's coffee shop for a meet and great (the unofficial appearance and signing) with a few friends in Seattle. If you are in the Seattle area this coming Saturday around 3:00pm, stop in at Tully's coffee shop and say hi! I will have a few copies of my book on hand and of course some swag to give away. Go here for the official announcement and address (it's the one on Western Avenue).

My final exciting announcement is that today is the release day for my friend Magan Vernon's novel, How To Date An Alien. If that title doesn't make you want to read it, this great cover will:
I hope you'll join me in celebrating with Magan and stop by her website to congratulate her. When you stop by her site be sure to click on her blog link and enter her fantastic giveaway. An eBook version of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel is among the many prizes!

New Release by the Fabulous LK Gardner-Griffie

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

For those wondering where I'm at on the Spruce Knoll for Endangered species tour today, I'm over at my friend Jessie Harrell's place. I hope you'll stop by to learn more about dolphins and get an extra entry in the contest! Today please welcome my friend and fabulous author, LK Gardner-Griffie. She has a new release out in the outstanding Misfit McCabe series. LK and her main character Katie are her today to tell us all about her new novel Tattered. Take it away LK!

LK: First of all, I'd like to thank Heather McCorkle for hosting the Tattered tour today. Heather and I met on Twitter, but got to know one another better through another blog tour to help a mutual friend celebrate signing with an agent. As writers we learn to celebrate every single success! Heather recently launched her debut novel, The Secret of Spruce Knoll and right now is doing a blog tour of her own with a special edition of her novel and some of the proceeds will go toward helping endangered species, so definitely check that out while you're here.

For today's prize of a paperback copy of Misfit McCabe along with The Secret of Spruce Knoll by our host, Heather McCorkle, simply comment on this post.
To get a free ebook copy of Misfit McCabe:

Put together the puzzle and write down the code. Each day will give another part of the coupon code. Please note at the top whether it is for eBook or Print.
Once you have collected the entire code, go to Smashwords and purchase Misfit McCabe input the code and download whichever ebook version you need for free.

To get 50% off the print version of Misfit McCabe:

Put together the puzzle and write down the code. Each day will give another part of the coupon code. Please note at the top whether it is for eBook or Print.
Once you have collected the entire code, go to Griffie World Store and purchase Misfit McCabe input the code and receive 50% off the purchase price.

To win the KINDLE FIRE

Support this tour by commenting on each of the daily stops -- It's only 11 days, not even as long as the 12 days of Christmas.
And since Heather was nice enough to help me promote my new book, please check out Heather's tour (all stops are listed under news/events) and her author page on Facebook.

Tattered is the third novel in the heartwarming young adult series, Misfit McCabe. A little about the book:

What do Sunday afternoon court proceedings, cheerleader tryouts, and a book burning have in common? Katie McCabe is back in action.

After her nemesis Harvey is found guilty and sentenced to community service, Katie wants to believe her troubles are over, but Harvey won’t rest until he gets revenge. When blackmail rears its ugly head, she’s caught between friends and enemies putting her growing relationship with Tom at stake. Books go up in flames and Katie’s world rains down in tatters.

I'd like to introduce Katie McCabe, the fourteen-year-old main character of Tattered and she's going to talk about the character pictured in the puzzle below.

Katie: Hi! Thanks for having me on your blog today, Heather. I was really excited when I found out I got to go on the tour too. The cute guy in the picture is Tom Pike. He's a junior and the captain and quarterback for the football team. Okay, I know what you're thinking... typical jock, but you're wrong. Tom is the nicest, sweetest, most sensitive guy I know, and it doesn't hurt that he's hunky. And... I'm not used to saying this, 'cause it's kinda a secret, but he's my boyfriend.

I promise not to go all mushy on you and gush for the next fifteen minutes on what a fabulous guy he is -- he is, and that's all I need to say about that. Tom was the second person I met, outside of family, when I came to town. The first was the despicable Harvey Denton, Jr. (Ugh!) but I don't have to talk about him right now. But he kinda comes into the story of how Tom and I met. Harvey's mom made him show me around town and over at the park I saw these guys tossing a football around. Before I could really check them out, I mean say anything to them, Harvey showed his true colors and I punched him. Tom congratulated me for being the first person to put Harvey in his place. Then he offered to show me the way back when Harvey went off and left me.

I recently learned that Tom's parents are really strict... I thought Uncle Charley and Sarah were strict, but they are NOTHING compared to Tom's folks. *whispers* They don't like me much. I guess it didn't help when I got into an argument with them before I knew who they were. Maybe I should give them some credit because Tom is such a good guy, but I like to think that he's such a good guy in spite of the way his parents are. Anyway, I know that when you get to know him as well as I do, you'll like him just as much.

LK: Put the puzzle below together for part of the code to receive 50% off Misfit McCabe at the Griffie World Store. And make sure you visit Eisley Jacobs on tomorrow's stop on the tour. And for all details on the tour, the prizes, and the stops, please visit Griffie World.

Stop Two Along the Tour

2011-12-02T08:02:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry to say that I don't have a Friday Creature Feature for you today. I had planned on a great one as I'm going to be featuring endangered species (real critters!) this month. But I'm sick and my head is so fuzzy I can't form sentences very well. You don't want to know how long it took to write this short post.

But I won't let you go completely emptied-handed. Today on the Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour I'm over at my friend Theresa's blog, Tales of Teaching Tribulations and Typing Teen Texts. Whew, I'm exhausted just typing that. We're featuring the panda so come on over to learn more about it, and to get an extra entry/point for the contest! Then, to enter, come back and click on the sidebar button for the contest.

Winner of the New Author Blog Hop Giveaway

2011-12-01T08:17:00.001-08:00

Thank you so much to everyone who entered to win a copy of Spruce Knoll through the New Author Blog Hop giveaway. I was blown away by the amount of people who entered. You peeps made my month. :) I won't keep you in suspense. The winner of the first copy of the Compass Press edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel is:

Persephone

But if you didn't win don't worry, there is another great giveaway going on right now during my tour, Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species! To enter click here. Then I hope you'll join me over at my good friend Elle Strauss's place for the first stop along the tour.

Last of the I Love Dark YA Blogfest

2011-11-30T08:25:00.001-08:00

To read my entry for the last day of the I Love Dark YA blogfest (which is the dark YA novel I'm most looking forward to) go here!

Spruce Knoll For Endangered Species

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

To celebrate the release of the special edition of The Secret of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel from Compass Press, I'm doing a special giveaway. Tomorrow the mini-tour for this novel begins and so do your changes for winning a prize.

From December 1st~17th: The Spruce Knoll For Endangered Species tour and giveaway is occurring! Between it's publication date and 12-12-12, a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of each Compass Press edition of this novel (all formats) will go toward my favorite charity that specializes in saving endangered species. My goal is to raise at least $10,000. Together we can make a difference. To see a list of the tour stops, click on the News/Events page.

1st place: *A symbolic adoption of an endangered species ($50 donation by me. Symbolic stuffed animal and adoption papers sent to the winner). You get to choose the species here.

*A signed hardback of the Compass Press special edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel
*Great swag

2nd place: A signed paperback of the Compass Press special edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel
*Great swag

Prizes will be mailed on December 19th (as long as the winners get their addresses to me quickly) so hopefully they'll arrive in time for the holiday! To enter, be a follower and leave a comment on this post.

To earn extra points/entries:
+1 for spreading the word on Twitter, Facebook, or other social networks.

+2 for writing a blog post about the contest and/or for placing a link on your sidebar (leave me a comment and I'd be happy to send you my tour button).

Happy Book Birthday To Untraceable

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Teaser Tuesday is postponed to celebrate the book birthday of my friend Shelli (S.R.) Johannes's Untraceable. This is one book you don't want to miss, trust me (and I LOVE this cover)! Here's a bit about it to show you why:

16 year old Grace was reared in the wilderness. Her first pet was a bear named Simon. Her first potty, an oak tree. And, her first swing, a forest vine. Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her everything he knew about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.

When Grace's dad goes missing on a routine patrol, unlike everyone in her sleepy mountain town, she refuses to believe he’s dead. After finding a Cheetos bag and stolen government file, Grace is convinced she’s one step closer to proving all the non-believers wrong.

Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to emerge from an epidemic that’s spreading like wild fire, threatening everything and everyone she’s ever loved.

There is much fun to be had on Shelli's tour. Check out this link to learn all the stops on the way and to learn more about Untraceable, then add this one to your holiday shopping list!

Monday's Muse~Supporting Authors

2011-11-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to be participating in a great giveaway in support of four debut authors. There are many ways to win so be sure to read through all the details. Here they are:

Support Four Debut Authors and Snag $125!

On November 28 and/or 29, purchase 1 or all 4 of the debut author’s books listed here. Then forward proof of purchase (the receipt Amazon sends you will do just fine) to: motionsrider@yahoo.ca and get up to 4 entries into a draw for a $100 Amazon gift card! It’s that easy, no reviews, no hoops to jump through. Just a great .99 book or two. Or three or four. AND, if the person who wins the $100 Amazon Gift Card has purchased all 4 books, an additional $25 Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to the winner!

On top of that, 2 random commenter’s picked from 2 of our participating blogs will receive $5 gift Amazon gift cards . So, be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think of the promo, the books, or the authors. Winners will be chosen randomly, one entry per person, per book. All winners will be announced on December 7th on Wringing Out Words.

The books:

Between by Cyndi Tefft

It just figures that the love of Lindsey Water's life isn't alive at all, but the grim reaper, complete with a dimpled smile, and Scottish accent.

After transporting souls to heaven for the last 300 years, Aiden MacRae has all but given up on finding the one whose love will redeem him and allow him entry through the pearly gates.

Torn between her growing attraction to Aiden and heaven's siren song, Lindsey must learn the hard way whether love really can transcend all boundaries.

Until Dawn: Last Light by Jennifer Simas

When darkness falls, whose side will you be on?

For the past six years, Zoë has been anything but “normal.” Struggling to accept her immortality and thrown into a war that’s been waging in the shadows for over a thousand years, Zoë must now become who she was meant to be, joining the other Chosen to save what’s left of humanity. When the endless night falls over the Earth, will she be able to save the one man who reminds her of what it is to be human, or will it be too late?

Until Dawn: Last Light is a story of death and despair, love and longing, hope and hopelessness, and the ability to survive and keep going even when it seems impossible – when you want nothing more than to give up.

The Kayson Cycle by Jonathan D. Allen

A stranger enters a dying town and makes a desperate plea…

The Kayson Cycle introduces the Kayson Brothers, a pair of faith healers who once wowed crowds in a traveling show but went their separate ways after a night in which a healing took a dark turn. Jeffrey Kayson disappeared into the wilderness and William Kayson, wracked by guilt, moved to the failing mining town of Calico Hills to build a nice, quiet life – one that has lasted for over ten years.

His quiet, predictable life crumbles when a mysterious stranger walks into his tavern bearing a proposal to find his long-lost brother and do the one thing that William has sworn to never do again - have his brother heal a woman. William soon learns that he can’t escape his family – or his destiny.

Includes an exclusive sample chapter of The Corridors of the Dead. Please note that this is a Kindle Single, and around 6,000 words in length.

Sundered by Shannon Mayer

A miracle drug, Nevermore, spreads like wildfire throughout the world allowing people to eat what they want, and still lose weight. It is everything the human population has ever dreamed of and Mara is no different. Only a simple twist of fate stops her from taking Nevermore.

As the weeks roll by, it becomes apparent that Nevermore is not the miracle it claimed. A true to life nightmare, the drug steals the very essence that makes up humanity and unleashes a new and deadly species on the world that is bent on filling its belly. Locked down within their small farm home, Mara and her husband Sebastian struggle against increasingly bad odds, fighting off marauders and monsters alike.

But Sebastian carries a dark secret, one that more than threatens to tear them apart, it threatens to destroy them both and the love they have for each other.

Now Mara must make the ultimate choice. Will she live for love, or will she live to survive?

Don't forget, you can win by purchasing the books and forwarding proof to motionsrider@yahoo.ca or by commenting on this post, so be sure to leave a comment. Best of luck to all of you and happy reading!

Friday Creature Feature~Selkies & Tangled Tides

2011-11-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

Today’s Friday Creature Feature is special because it is in celebration of the release of Tangled Tides, by Karen Hooper. There is a war going on amidst the sea creatures and those of us participating in Karen’s tour are taking sides. Take a look at this amazing cover. Doesn’t it make you just want to pick it up?! Here is a bit about the book:

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

I can hardly wait for my copy to arrive! Join in the fun and stop by Twitter where Karen is giving away a signed copy along with some fun sea creature giveaways. To enter all you have to do is tweet using the #TangledTides hashtag, choose a side (mermfolk, selkies, gorgons, or sirens) and why. You can learn more about Karen at her Author Website and can find Tangled tides on Amazon, B&N, and Goodreads.

And I choose selkies! Why, because they're one of my favorite Irish legends. :) I can hardly wait to read about them in Karen's book.

I Love Dark YA Blogfest~Life Changing Novel

2011-11-23T12:51:00.001-08:00

Today is sadly the last post for the I Love Dark YA blogfest. I've been having so much fun and have met so many amazing people. For today's post we have to choose a dark YA book to feature that has touched our lives. I've chosen the very first dark YA book that I read as a teen. The only reason I read it was because it was required reading, and I'm so glad it was because it opened my eyes and changed something inside me.

Friendship, love, hardship, tragedy, and learning to accept people as they are, The Outsiders has it all. It was a classic then and still holds the title today. What dark YA novel has touched your life?

Scroll down to see my entry for the New Author Blog Hop, and enter the giveaway!

New Author Blog Hop And Giveaway

2011-11-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm honored to be participating in Saba's~from Of Thoughts and Words~New Author Blog Hop. I'm to provide details about my book and links where it can be found, and as the special edition from Compass Press has just released, the timing couldn't be better. Here is a bit about my YA urban fantasy, The Secret Of Spruce Knoll:

Following the death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know, the entire population are channelers—magical people who immigrated there when they were driven out of their homelands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world, and as it slowly dies, they are going extinct—and they alone have the power to save the earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though.

As Eren and Aiden’s relationship develops, so too does a mystery in Spruce Knoll. The town holds many secrets—and many dangers. It soon becomes apparent that the untimely death of Eren’s parents was no accident and that her life might be in danger too. Only time will tell if Eren can embrace her unwanted power and protect the only family she has left.

This is a special edition that contains an extra chapter and deleted material not published in the Abbott Press version. But what makes this version special is that a percentage of the proceeds from every copy of the special edition sold~digital and bound book~will go to my favorite charity that specializes in protecting endangered species. I hope you'll join me in trying to raise $10,000 for the charity by December 12th of 2012 by ordering a copy of the special edition for yourself or your loved ones. You can pre-order a signed paperback by clicking on the 'buy link' on the left sidebar. Or, you can purchase the eBook from Amazon or Barnes and Noble now. Look for my tour and another giveaway starting December 1st! Together, we can make a difference.

If you'd like to win a copy of the paperback of this novel, all you have to do is be a follower and leave me a comment. The winner will be announced December 1st! To see the other great authors participating in the blog hop, and to enter even more contests, check out Of Thoughts and Words.

Tuesday Writing Tip~Most Important Tip

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last week was a rough one for me and my writing for many reasons. My friends helped pull me through it though (yes you!) and I emerged on the other side, perhaps not unscathed, but I emerged! As writers we all go through rough patches where something is challenging us, rejections, editing, outlining, that first draft, or outside forces. This tip~and you wonderful people~got me through it.

The most important writing tip ever: Never give up. The moment you do, that's the moment you fail. But if you never give up, then you can never fail. Friends will be there to pull you through. Don't be afraid to talk about it or even ask for help.

One of the helping hands that lifted me up and made me smile last week was Christie from The Ficiton Enthusiast who wrote this sweet review of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll and blogged about my upcoming giveaway. How about you, any writing tips of your own to share?

Monday's Muse~Helping Hands

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

This beautiful snowy view out my window with the bald eagle kept me going and inspired me despite the fact that I felt like I was stuck in an eternally burning pit with demons snapping at my heals (formatting will do that to you). It was a rough week to put it lightly. But all is well, and I’m back on track. Whew! For anyone who has every had one of those days (weeks, months, years), I’m raising a glass of wine to you tonight during the #WritersRoad chat on Writing Helping Hands. I hope you’ll join us. It’s a half hour chat followed by a half hour word war (writing sprint). Click here to join us at 6pm PT.

These last few weeks I’ve been reading Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. I had trouble in the beginning. The writing just didn’t pull me in and the striking (and numerous) similarities between this and a friend of mine’s book (Across The Universe by Beth Revis, which I loved by the way) were too hard to ignore. The deeper I got into the book though, the more I realized how different the two novels were, and the more drawn in I became. Soon I couldn’t put it down. Both books are wonderful and unique in their own way and they are a great example of how two similar books can both be successful. I must admit though, the end~or lack thereof~of Glow made me want to throw it against the wall. I don't normally need a nicely wrapped up book, but this is the kind of ending agents normally hate (and reject books for), so it kind of ticks me off to see them allowing it for some and not others.

What inspired you last week? Reading anything good, or have you read either of these books? If so, what did you think?

On a side note, today is the official launch day of the printed version of Clockwise by Elle Strauss. She's doing a great giveaway, details here.

Friday Creature Feature~Baku

2011-11-18T08:11:00.001-08:00

Blankets rustle as he thrashes in his sleep. Moonlight glints across the sweat that beads upon his brow. Beneath closed lids, his eyes flutter as if trying to escape. A groan that borders on a scream slips from his lips. The sound stirs the ever-present hunger, making my heart pound out an eager rhythm as my three-toed feet carry me across the room. My eyes flick up from the rapid rise and fall of his chest, to his furrowed brow. Despite his obvious distress, he doesn’t awaken at my approach.

Caught up as he is, he is helpless, at the mercy of the nightmare that holds him hostage. My timing couldn’t be better. A smile turns up my lips beneath my trunk-like nose. In one easy step I’m upon the bed. Still, is eyes do not open. I move next to his head and lower my nose to his brow.

With the ease of inhaling, I draw in the darkness that clouds his mind. It fills the pit that my stomach has become, sating me in a way nothing else can. His nightmare flows into me until finally his thrashing halts and he breaths easy, finally slipping into a restful sleep.

This work of fiction is original and my own. Please do not copy or reproduce it in anyway without permission and linking back to me with credit. This is based off the myth of the Baku, a creature who eats nightmares.

I Love Dark YA Blogfest Casting Call

2011-11-16T08:03:00.001-08:00

Today for the I Love Dark YA Blogfest we're picking one of our favorite dark YA novels, casting it, and giving it a soundtrack. There are a ton of YA novels I love, but because I'm strapped for time~and because I thought you might like to know who I'd cast~I'm going to pick The Secret Of Spruce Knoll.

Vanessa Hudgens are Eren Donovan. Her hair is a bit light since Eren has truly black hair, but that can be fixed. Otherwise, she has the same slightly exotic look, and despite some cheesy roles, she can act (no seriously!).

Taylor Kisch as Aiden Moldovan. Need I say why? *sigh* Those hazel eyes are just perfect and his ability to play a lost, slightly sullen teen is unparalleled. Okay, maybe not, but I'm smitten, what can I say? Sure, he'll be too old by the time the movie is ever made, but a girl can dream.

I've always thought Michelle Rodrigues would make the perfect Aunt Sylvia. It's time someone gave the lady a role besides a bada** with a gun. Don't get me wrong, she plays that role fabulously, but I have faith she can do so much more. Besides, Aunt Sylvia is a bit of a bada**.

As for the soundtrack, that's easy. Avril Lavigne in her dark days did music that inspired all throughout writing the channeler series. So what do you think of my case and soundtrack? Is it what you envisioned or not?

The Endangered Species Mission

2011-11-15T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Spruce Knoll for Endangered Species tour is over but the mission isn't. Until 12-12-2012 I will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll (through Compass Press, with the cover shown below. Copies sold here on this site DO count toward the donations), in every format, to my favorite charity that protects endangered species.

It breaks my heart to think that our children's children may not have creatures in the wild such as tigers, sea turtles, amur leopards, gorillas, Sumatran rhinos, emerald hummingbirds, and so, so many more. The world is changing, and not for the better where these creatures are concerned. But with awareness and help I know we can turn the tides and leave a better world than the one we found.

My goal is to raise $10,000 for the charity. It may not sound like that many books, but I know it's a stretch for an indie author. But I figure I might as well reach for the stars and hope my minor success can be a major success for endangered species. I hope you'll join me in donating, or just by purchasing a copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll so that I may donate for you. Together we can make a difference.

Writing Tip Tuesday~Extra Eyes

2011-11-15T06:30:00.000-08:00

This week's writing tip is one that I didn't always embrace. It can be hard for us writers to share our babies with others. There is a lot of fear in handing over your work to someone else for their critique. However, it is essential to having a truly polished novel. Your critique partners, beta readers, or editor will catch things you can't.

Tip: Find someone whose opinion you trust and have them read your novel, or at least key chapters of your novel, to help you with it.

If you don't know anyone then it might be time to join a writer's forum, find other writers on Twitter (the weekly #WritersRoad chat on Twitter every Monday night is a great place), blogger, or even on Facebook. Reach out, there are always people who are willing to help.

Monday's Muse~Special Tour

2011-11-14T09:04:00.001-08:00

Last week I was deeply inspired by the amount of friends who wanted to be part of my mini-tour for the release of the special edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll. Thank you so much to all of you, I'm touched. The tour will be from December 1st through the 17th. This tour is dear to me as it is the launch of the novel that will help save endangered species. Between it's publication date and 12-12-12, a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of each Compass Press edition of this novel (all formats) will go toward my favorite charity that specializes in saving endangered species. My goal is to raise at least $10,000. It's a lofty goal, I know. But I figured why not reach for the stars?

Of course there will be prizes on this tour! Entrants must be followers of this blog. Winners will be drawn December 18th and announced December 19th. An extra point/entry will be given to those who follow the blogs that are stops along the tour (one extra entry/point for each that you follow) so let me know who else you follow that is on the tour. To see a list click on the News/Events tab above. There are a few dates still available if you'd like to be part of the tour!

1st place: *A symbolic adoption of an endangered species ($50 donation by me). You get to choose the species here.

*A signed hardback of the Compass Press special edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel

2nd place: A signed paperback of the Compass Press special edition of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel

Prizes will be mailed on December 19th (as long as the winners get their addresses to me quickly) so hopefully they'll arrive in time for the holiday! So mark your calendars, and come back in two weeks for the big celebration! What inspired you last week?

Dark C.A.R.M.A. Book Birthdays

2011-11-11T08:03:00.001-08:00

We're interrupting Friday Creature Feature to bring you the fabulous Dark C.A.R.M.A. tour! Three of my friends are having a book birthday today and you don't won't to miss these amazing books. Be sure to stop by the link above to enter the giveaway. But first, a bit about their books:

Become, by Ali Cross: Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

Bound, by C.K. Bryant: When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

Exhiled, by Rashelle Workman: Stubborn, sixteen-year-old Princess Venus of Kelari wants one thing, to become a kelvieri, that is, until someone exiles her to Earth, kills her irrihunter and takes her family.
Now she wants revenge.

First she’s got to get home. But before she can return to Kelari, the Gods have commanded her to help an arrogant boy named Michael find his soul mate.

Only she doesn't know the first thing about love.

I Love Dark YA Blogfest Week 2

2011-11-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

This week during the I Love Dark YA blogfest we're supposed to write a 500 word short on this photo. Here goes:

The hatch protests with a horrible screech as it opens for the first time in ten years. Pale sunlight pours into the tiny opening to the surface world, blinding even it's softness. But it's beautiful, warm on my skin. I have forgotten how it looked, how it felt. But it isn't the bright, beautiful yellow I remember. It's white and muted, like it used to look on cloudy days.

With limbs that shake from anticipation, I climb the hatch ladder. The natural light hurts my eyes, forcing me to shade them as I take my first steps onto the surface. Peeking through my hands, I see that the world is now washed out shades of gray. Where is all the green? Gone, all gone. My eyes sting with tears.

A twig snaps, a hollow, dead sound. I am not alone.

Now I'm off to visit the other blogfesters! I hope you'll join me.

Teaser Tuesday And Swag Pack Giveaway

2011-11-08T08:42:00.000-08:00

Before we get to Teaser Tuesday, I need to announce the winner of Kristie Cook's Soul Saver swag pack from her Genesis tour giveaway! And the winner is:

Anonymous: christina.irelan@gmil.com

(I'm not sure if that's your complete email address so be sure to leave a comment so Kristie can get a hold of you). Congratulations to Christina!

Now for Teaser Tuesday. Today's teaser is from The Secret Of Spruce Knoll page 14:

Eren's knee hurt and her elbow stung, but she forgot about them both in an instant. Above her hovered the most amazing hazel eyes framed by a shock of tousled brown hair streaked through with black highlights. It was a boy, and he was lying on top of her. She fought a flush of embarrassment and lost.

Okay your turn! Leave me a teaser from your work in progress, or from what your reading if you would like!

Monday's Muse~Snow

2011-11-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

Last week the snow was my inspiration. The way it blew in and blanketed the world around me, heralding the arrival of winter, seemed to reflect what is going on in my writing life (for those who are wondering, this view is out my back door. I know, I'm so lucky!). Things are a whirlwind of activity with my special edition of Spruce Knoll coming out at the end of this month, but in a good way. I'm starting to get ready for preparing my mini blog tour in December so if you'd like me to stop by your blog leave me a comment! The focus of the mini tour will be Spruce Knoll For Endangered Species.

I'm reading Glow by Amy Ryan. The writing style reminds me of the way sci-fi used to be written, with a bit of detachment. While tons of people love this style, I'm not one of them so it hasn't exactly pulled me in yet. I'm hoping it will grow on me though. It has kept me reading after 50 pages so I have hope!

What inspired you last week? Reading anything good, or have you read Glow and have a different opinion?

Friday Creature Feature~Aatxe

2011-11-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Screams ring out above the cacophony of the storm, shooting down my ear canals like tiny daggers that snap me to attention and stir my ire. Hooves kicking up earth, I charge from my cave into the thick, black night. Rain pelts my hide, soaking me in an instant, but it matters not. I shake droplets from my curved horns to keep them from running into my ears. Slipping and sliding through the mud, I run for the road.

More screams echo, this time both human and horse, giving me an extra boost of speed. Lightning slashes the sky overhead as the road comes into sight, making it look like a ribbon weaving through the trees. At the head of a carriage, horses stomp and rear, striking out at human figures who are attempting to subdue them. Swords clash to the right of the wagon as a man fights to protect his carriage and cargo. More human figures are attempting to pull a woman from within the carriage.

Anger turns my vision red, giving the night an eerie glow. A fierce cry rumbles through my throat as I charge. These thieves shall not be allowed to harm my charges.

This work of fiction is original and my own. Please do not copy or reproduce it in any way without first asking permission and linking back to me with credit. The aatxe is based off a legend from the Basque people.

I Love Dark YA Blogfest~Favorite Read

2011-11-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday this month I'm joining my co-hosts Christa, Kelly, E.R., YAtopia and many other blogger friends in celebrating my love of dark young adult novels. So you won't see my Wednesday Writing Goal posts for a month. But the timing is great since I know many of you are busy with NaNo. Each week we have a different theme. You don't want to miss all the stops because it will be a ton of fun and we'll be doing a giveaway at the end of the month. To see what the themes are, and who is participating, click here.

This week we're blogging about our favorite dark YA novel (s). There are so many great ones that I had a lot of trouble choosing so I'm featuring three.

The first is Crank by Ellen Hopkins. It is the epitome of dark. In fact, it's a subject most people don't want to touch and Ellen tackled it beautifully. Any and all of Ellen's books fall under this beautifully dark category. She isn't afraid to go where others won't tread and I respect her tremendously for that.

The second is Under My Skin by Judith Graves. Judith takes an overly used theme, breathes exciting new life into it (no pun intended), and makes me want to read about vampires and werewolves again. Her wonderful, edgy novel puts a unique twist on the paranormal and will surely re-kindle your love of the genre.

The third is a series that I have just recently discovered and was blown away by how much I liked it. The Gone series by Michael Grant is all about dark. It has been described as "if Stephen King had written The Lord Of The Flies," and I must say, that is a perfect description. With graphic scenes of violence, it isn't for the faint of heart but it is definitely for those seeking a thrill ride packed with paranormal elements.

If you read dark YA, what's your favorite novel?

Open Minds Launch Party

2011-11-01T00:37:00.000-07:00

Teaser Tuesday is postponed until next week so I can join in the launch party celebration for Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn. This book is just as fantastic as its cover. Check out my review of it on the Indie Elite blog. It's a dystopian YA novel of a different (and fantastic) new flavor.

To celebrate I'm joining several bloggers in sharing a story about keeping open minds. I've always been one to keep an open mind, from birth my mom says. My eyes see the world differently I've been told. To me there is no separation of the races, sexes, lifestyles, or even beliefs. As long as it's legal and doesn't harm anyone, I've never had a problem with diversity in any form. I seem to crave it, in fact, as to me, it spices up life. And I do love my life spicy. Living this way has introduced me to amazing people and has allowed me to grow as a person. I am a black belt twice over, I was a reserve police officer, am a Sergeant in a correctional facility, have been to St. Lucia, Jamaica, Japan, Canada, and to many of the U.S. states including Hawaii. Even more important, I've had friends of nearly every race, creed, lifestyle, and genre (for my writerly friends). Having an open mind has opened my life in wonderful ways.

To join in on Susan's celebration, and win some fantastic prizes, be sure to check out her site, follow the tour, and check out the hashtag #OpenMinds on Twitter. Do you have an 'open mind' story you'd like to share?

Monday's Muse~The Crow

2011-10-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

Autumn itself is a huge inspiration to me. I love the rich, golden colors, the crisp feel to the air, the smell of apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin, and of course the taste of candy corn. Pumpkin is probably my favorite food, ever, and Halloween is definitely one of my favorite holidays. It doesn't hurt that I'm a huge scary movie fan. There was plenty of all that around to inspire me last week!

There is one special movie that always comes to mind on Halloween for me, The Crow. The original one with Brandon Lee, son of the legendary Bruce Lee. I was a huge Brandon Lee fan and was devastated when he died filming this movie. During October he is always in my thoughts.

Speaking of my favorite holiday, I'm off to celebrate. No trick or treating for me, just a bowl of popcorn and the latest scary movie (which I've really been looking forward to! And certainly a time to re-watch The Crow). I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween.

Friday Creature Feature~Zduhać

2011-10-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

As I finally lay claim to sleep my spirit slips free from the cage that binds it to this realm. I rise up from my body and my ethereal form slips unhindered through the roof of the house and out into the night. Clouds roil over head, painting the sky charcoal gray and black. Electricity hums in the air, setting my spirit to vibrating. It is no ordinary storm that brews, I know that in an instant. There is a darkness within it that sets my spirit on edge worse than the promise of lightning ever could.

Rain starts to fall, passing through me and leaving me chilled despite the fact that I've left my body back home. It isn't the kind of chill that affects flesh, it's the kind that reaches deep inside you, the kind that comes from the grave. Rising higher into the clouds I spot the first twisted face of a demon. My mind conjures the weapons my earthly bound body prefers, a sword and knife. Though they are spiritual in make, they will work as good as the real thing against my enemy.

The demon's eyes fall upon me and it let's out a scream that ends in a thunderous boom. Lightning cracks overhead as he descends toward me. Joy fills me as I rise to the battle. I shall not allow this storm to threaten my people for this is what I was born to do.

This work of fiction is my original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. The zduhać is based on a Romanian legend. Cover credit: Movie, Ninja Assassin.

Wednesday Writing Goals and News

2011-10-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

I reached my editing goals for book 2 last week! I'm so close to finishing that I'm getting that surge of energy that always comes to me at this stage, love it! The editing on this one hasn't always been this smooth so I'm thrilled that it is finally flowing and coming together.

Those of you who follow my author page on Facebook have read the hints that I have a big announcement coming and I'm finally ready to announce it. This holiday season I'll be releasing a special edition of The Secret of Spruce Knoll through Compass Press in both paperback and eBook. It will have a prologue that wasn't in the Abbott Press version, a lovely new cover (designed by myself at CP Design), a new lower price, and something special. I'm not breaking from Abbott Press, in fact, it's the only place you'll still be able to get a hardback copy (of the original version) of The Secret of Spruce Knoll.

The something special; a percentage of the proceeds from each sale of the special edition of The Secret of Spruce Knoll: A Channeler Novel (released by Compass Press) will go to my favorite charity that specializes in preserving endangered species. My goal is to raise $10,000 next year for the charity and I hope you'll help me by purchasing this new edition of The Secret of Spruce Knoll for yourself or loved ones this holiday season. It will be available late-November but you can pre-order a signed copy now if you would like and I will ship it as soon as it is available.

I'll also be doing a blog tour to spread the word about the special edition and the campaign to save endangered species. If you'd like to be included in my tour just leave me a comment and I'll be sure to contact you!

Cover by CP Design.

Teaser Tuesday~What Lurks In Spruce Knoll

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

This week's teaser is from Chapter 2 of The Secret of Spruce Knoll. My main character Eren is about to discover just what she's facing in Spruce Knoll

A sound came from the forest, disrupting her from her self-pity. Looking up, she went very still. Had it been a twig breaking? It was probably nothing more than a small animal scurrying about the forest~a rabbit or something. But what if it was a bigger animal? Who knew what lived in the woods beyond the deck. She was being a silly city girl, and she knew it. Ignoring her rising fear, she turned her attention back to the stars.

Okay it's your turn! Let me know what you think and/or leave me a teaser from your work in progress or from whatever you're reading! Be sure to come back tomorrow for a big announcement. :)

Monday's Muse~New Author Blog Hop

2011-10-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Last week my inspiration came from a fellow author, the wonderful Susan Kaye Quinn. And in the spirit of New Author Blog Hop (brought to us by the lovely Saba from Of Thoughts and Words) I wanted to spotlight Susan today. I've been reading Susan's indie debut (she previously published traditionally with Omnific publishing, a sweet novel by the title of Life, Love, And Liberty), a young adult dystopian titled Open Minds. I won't get into the novel too much because I'm doing a review of it over on The Indie Elite blog next week but I will say it was amazing! Here is just a teaser about it:

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can't read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can't be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf's mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she's dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where being forced to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

To say Susan is remarkable seems inadequate. Not only does she write outstanding novels, she has designed aircraft engines and worked for NASA (yes, seriously). On top of all that awesome sauce, she is a sweet, giving person who supports others. Trust me, this is one author you don't want to miss out on reading. I'll be sharing more about Open Minds soon on The Indie Elite and I'll be celebrating Susan's launch by joining in on the Open Minds tour next month. I hope you'll join me! I'll be joining in on the New Author Blog Hop (during the date listed on the button) with another great new author to introduce to you next month!

Genesis Book Launch

2011-10-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today I'm celebrating the release of Genesis with author Kristie Cook. This novella is a companion to Kristie's popular paranormal novels, Promise and Purpose. Here is a bit about Genesis:

A father who reveals his truth.
Twins who take different paths—one light, one dark.
Angels who have plans for them both
And Demons who do as well.
So the Earthly battle for souls ignites…

A tale that is over 2,000 years old, this is the story of the Amadis beginnings.

Please welcome Kristie to tell us a bit more about Genesis:

Kristie: It’s a bit different from the other Soul Savers books. Although the fantasy world I created is the same, the real world is not. After all, it takes place over 2,000 years ago, around 200 B.C. So it required a lot of research to understand life in Greece during that era. For each stop along the release tour, I’m sharing something I learned and how it ties into the story.

Today we explore marriage customs. Most wedding ceremonies took place in January and began after dark. The bride was carried to the groom’s home with a procession of family and friends carrying torches and playing music. The bride would eat a piece of fruit from the groom, symbolizing that the man would now provide food and basic needs for her.

Fathers arranged marriages for their daughters, who married at about age 15 to men who were 30 or older. Can you imagine?! Ew! Divorce was allowed and common. I wonder why…

In Genesis, marriage is more about the commitment and lifestyle of the man and woman. The main characters don’t participate in ceremonies, but they do know life as husband and wife. There’s a reason for this, but I won’t give it away. I can tell you, though, that the wives were not betrothed, nor were they teens. In fact, the only character raised in the traditional Greek society has something to say about this.

Thank you, Heather, for being a stop along the tour. You’re a most gracious hostess! Lovely readers, you can be entered to win a Soul Savers swag pack simply by commenting below. Your comments also gain you entries to win the Grand Prize at the end of the tour. For more details about the tour, stop schedule and the Grand Prize, visit the tour page.

You're very welcome Kristie, thank you for stopping by! Before you learn more about the tour, here is a bit of background on this fabulous author:

Kristie Cook is a lifelong, award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, with the first two books, Promise and Purpose, available now and the third book, Devotion, coming February 2012. She’s also written a companion novella, Genesis, coming October 2011.

Besides writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband, three teenage sons, a beagle and a puggle. She can be found at:

Author's Website & Blog: http://www.KristieCook.com

Series Website: http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth

Tumbler: http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/kristiecook

Friday Creature Feature~Yeti

2011-10-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

Snow squeaks under foot, the freshly fallen flakes pushing up between my toes. The landscape is powdered with white, making the sharp-peaked mountains look smooth and easy to traverse. But even with my wide feet that distribute my considerable weight across the frozen particles, travel is anything but easy. These mountains are treacherous even to my kind.

The snap and pop of flags whipped by the ever-present wind reach my ears and I know we're almost there. But in these mountains sound can travel in disorienting ways. A sniff into the wind brings me the scent I'm seeking. To be sure I open my mouth and taste the air as well. It chills my fangs instantly, but an instant is all I need. I motion to my siblings to follow. As we round the corner I see the flags of every imaginable hue dancing upon a line strung between rocky outcroppings. They are more than just decoration in this colorless mountain range though, they are prayers from the hopeful and unfortunate.

We stick close to the low part of the pass, avoiding the shadow of the mountain to keep our approach unnoticed. Our kind blend so well with the snow, they'll never see us coming. The mountain pass ends at the top of a cliff overlooking the stone walls of an ancient monastery. My siblings and I drop from the cliff, landing amidst the praying monks. Shouts of delight ring out, echoing through the mountains, as we lay our golden tributes upon their alters.

This is an original work of fiction, please do not copy it in any form without permission and linking back to me with credit. Picture credit: motion picture The Mummy: Dragon Emperor.

Wednesday Writing Goal

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

You know that great feeling you get when you're only a few chapters away from finishing a round of editing? I've got that feeling! *happy dance* Good thing this isn't a vlog, you SO don't want to see my happy dance. I didn't just make my goals last week, I blew past them! When I finish this round I'll be revisiting a special project for a few weeks, then I'll be free for two months to work on my new book. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to return to it. I love working on the channeler series but there's nothing quite like writing fresh words.

Did you make your writing goals for last week? What are your new goals? Do you love writing a new book or are your best times spent with your manuscript during editing?

Tuesday Writing Tip~Deleting

2011-10-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Cutting sentences, paragraphs, or even chapters from your novel can be a painful process, but it doesn't have to be. I kept hearing the advice that I needed to cut the prologue from my novel because~according to agents and editors dishing out the advice~no one reads prologues anymore. I disagreed, fought against the advice, and probably got more than a few rejections because of it. Finally I caved and deleted it, but I discovered a way to keep it relatively painless. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't delete prologues because I still love them both as a reader and a writer, but the deleting part is easier for me now.

Tip: Keep a file of all the things you delete that you'd rather not, or think might come in handy later. Here's the real gem in the tip; you can use deleted chapters or prologues later as promotional material released on your blog or website.

Monday's Muse~Beautiful Things

2011-10-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

Life can get so difficult and hectic that we get caught up and forget to slow down and appreciate it. I was reading a friend's post on sunsets and realized how long it's been since I saw one. It was July 15th during my vacation. That doesn't seem like that long ago, but the only reason I managed to find time was because I was on vacation. The craziness that is life catches back up quick and steals the beautiful moments away. I'm going to do my best to make sure I try to steal as many back as I can. :)

Those are the moments that help us get through the dark ones writers go through. You know the ones I mean, harsh critiques, agent or editor rejections, scathing reviews, or powers forbid, parting ways with your agent or publisher. Many of my friends~and even myself~are going through some of these, you may be among us. To help keep inspired during such times, remember the things you love most about writing, remember the beautiful moments in life. Let those things fuel you and keep you going to fight another day.

Join us tonight at 6:00pm PT on Twitter for the #WritersRoad chat for our topic on Winning The Battle: Keeping Your Spirits Up. I hope you'll drop in to share on the motivation, learn how others keep going, or give tips of your own.

Friday Creature Feature~Xecotcovach

2011-10-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

The world spreads out below me, breathtaking in its majesty. Valleys lush and green offer sustenance to a herd of grazing beasts who flinch and scatter as my shadow passes over them. Mountain peaks break up the air currents, making me work for the joy of flight, but I revel in the challenge. Fish leap up the tumbling falls of a river, tantalizing me despite my late lunch. But it isn't a snack I'm searching for on this pristine spring day, it's the source of a dark tale that I must witness for myself.

Beyond the river smoke curls up from the edge of the forest, drawing me toward it. There has been no lightning and the weather hasn't been anywhere near hot enough to have caused a fire. This can only be one thing; the terror that I have heard the wind whisper about. I dive low to get a closer look.

Strange creatures standing on two legs are attacking the forest, working together to cut down the ancient trees that have provided shelter to so many for centuries. Some of the creatures are burning boughs that others are chopping from the desecrated trunks that lie prone upon the ground. Such a travesty cannot be endured. I will make these creatures see the horror of what they're doing, perhaps if I take their eyes…

This work of fiction is based off Xecotcovach, a Mayan legend. The writing is original and my own. Please do not reproduce any part of it without asking permission and linking back to me.

Wednesday Writing Goals And New Ventures

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

It has been far too long since I did a Wednesday Writing Goal post and I'm dying to know how everyone's progress has been going. I'm nearly finished with the latest pass of editing on the second channeler novel. It isn't time to throw confetti yet, but I'm getting closer. It will be to my editor by January easily and that means as long as all goes well, it will be releasing in March!

A few more exciting new ventures have been keeping me crazy busy too, one of which I'm ready to announce, the other~almost. You might have noticed the new button just below my blog header, the one titled CP Design. I began searching for cover designers for the other secret venture a few months ago and was blown away by how few are out there. Sure designers that use basic templates are plentiful, but I didn't want to end up with a cover that was similar to anyone else's. That would be worse than wearing the same dress as your rival to the prom. I found a few good designers but I realized, it wasn't anything I couldn't do myself with the right program. And the idea for CP Design was born.

My goal is to create excellent, professional quality covers (and other services such as bookmarks, business cards, blog headers, etc.) at an affordable price for authors. I've been into design for a long time and honestly I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to do this. I just finished designing my first cover and realized that I love doing it. Don't worry, I won't stop writing~ever~I'm just branching out. So how have you been doing on your goals? What are they for next week?

Tuesday Changes

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we writers get so caught up in social media and other things that we forget to make time to write. Unfortunately, I have fallen victim to that recently. As much as I love my social media (okay let's be honest, I'm a bit addicted to Twitter and Blogger), I have to pull myself from the writing time-sucking miasma just a bit and well, write.

To do that I will no longer be posting the re-occurring Twitter Tuesday post. I'm so sorry, I know there are a lot of you who love it and have come to rely on it for links. But it's tremendously labor intensive and took away more of my writing time than I would like to admit. Have no fear though, my good blogger friend and author Elizabeth Craig does a weekly recap of the best tweets on Twitter that puts my post to shame. If you don't follow her already you need to! And every now and then I might still let you know about a few really good tweets that I don't want you to miss.

Tuesdays I'll now be alternating between Teaser Tuesday (teasers from either my own novels or whatever I'm reading at the time. Of course you're encouraged to leave me a teaser of your own!) and Tuesday Writing Tips which will be a short post with one writing tip (and I'd love it if you posted your own tips in the comments on those days!). I hope you'll still join me on Tuesdays for these new re-occurring posts.

Monday's Muse~Kick A** 2011 Debuts

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

My new blogger friend, Christina Lee, is hosting a blogfest called Kick A** 2011 Debut Author Spotlight that I just had to be part of. Honestly there have been so many great debuts this year that I hate to have to narrow it down so I'm going to break the rules and list a few of my favorites for you.

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes, a mystery with a dash of paranormal by Denise Grover Swank. Many of you have already heard me sing the praises for this novel. It was touching, daring, and made me laugh so hard I cried. She has a new book out (Chosen) that I can hardly wait to read!

Celestial Seduction, an erotic romance novella by Jessica Subject. Jessica has a wonderful way of blending sensuality with sci-fi that I have rarely read accomplished with such seamless grace.

Born to Be A Dragon, a middle grade fantasy by Eisley Jacobs. This was a touching fantasy that made me wish I had kids to read to. If you have children that love dragons then you'll want to read this to them! Book two will be releasing soon, can't wait!

Unveiled, a young adult fantasy novella by Trisha Wolfe. The author pulled me into a world that intrigued me, one I am looking forward to spending more time in with a future novel that she has in the works. You'll want to read this novella to get background on characters that I have no doubt you'll fall in love with just as much as I did.

Possession, a young adult dystopian by Elana Johnson. I've read a lot of dystopian novels lately, so many that they start to blur together, but Possession is both a cut above and a unique concept that stands out from the others. A sequel to Possession is scheduled to release next year!

These authors inspire me to write better and that is a gift. To learn more about these outstanding novels, click on the author's names. To see what everyone else picked for the Kick A** 2011 Debuts Blogfest, click on Christina's name. One of the blogfest participants is giving away a signed copy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll (I can't telll you how honored I am :), Portia Sisco, who's link you can find on my right sidebar. Enjoy your reading!

Phantom Island Pep Rally

2011-10-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

This week I'm welcoming a special guest to my blog to help me celebrate the release of my good friend's books. Krissi Dallas started out in self-publishing and her novel was so wonderful that it gained the attention of a traditional press, which has since picked it up, and now it's releasing! One of Krissi's students (did I mention she's a teacher?) is here with us to cheer Krissi on, get us pumped up for her novels, and to give us the inside scoop on one of Krissi's characters.

Welcome to my site Arley, thanks for coming!

Arley: Hi, Heather! It’s so exciting to be a part of the Phantom Island Pep Rally on your blog! My name is Arley Elon and I’m sixteen years old! You met Hannah on Monday at Yelena Casale’s blog, but you have to know that I am Krissi Dallas’s FAVORITE cousin (haha). When Krissi started writing the Phantom Island series, she named characters in the series after all ten of her first cousins, who vary in age from ten to twenty-three years old. My character’s name is Elon – after my middle name – and she is based off a younger version of myself through Krissi’s eyes. Krissi has been a very influential person in my life – especially when I was younger. Without Krissi, I wouldn’t be who I am today. She pretty much hooked me on reading - all starting with the famous Harry Potter series. And now I can’t stop reading! Without books I would be lost. She also inspired me to start writing my own stories!

Arley and Krissi at Pine Cover Family Camp a few years ago about to play a nighttime scavenger hunt:

Arley and Krissi during Krissi's birthday party.

Arley: Krissi always had a way of making adventures out of the little things in life. For example, getting a snack out of the pantry was a top secret mission for the CIA. Sitting in the hammock together became a hot air balloon ride on a crazy adventure. And when Kelly Clarkson came out with the song, “Miss Independent,” a spontaneous hand puppet show was born. (GIRL POWER!) With Krissi, imagination has no limit. And that’s probably one of the reasons her books are so INCREDIBLY amazing. She has detail to a “T” and you feel like you’re experiencing what the characters are experiencing. As a junior in high school, boys are definitely on my mind and, seriously, the way Krissi describes Gabriel, the Island hottie…ugh! Why can’t he be mine?! The character of Elon is a Geodorian in the book – she’s in the Earth tribe (like Heather McCorkle) and really looks up to the character of Whitnee. But in real life, I see myself as an Aerodorian (Wind) like Whitnee (and like Krissi herself). The Phantom Island books will keep you wanting more every minute! So go on… READ IT. You don’t want to miss out on this adventure. And definitely go read more about my cousin, Krissi Dallas, over at Tee Tate’s blog on Friday!

Thanks for giving us the inside scoop Arley. You're right, I don't want to miss out on any part of this amazing lady's adventure. I hope you'll mark this link to Tee's blog for your must stop places on Friday everyone!

I hope you'll join me in ordering the first of Krissi's novels from her very own The White Island Shoppe. Until December this is the only place you'll be able to find them!

I'm a Geodorian, what tribe are you? Find out here.

Teaser Tuesday

2011-10-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

It's teaser Tuesday week! Which means it's time for me to share another bit of my work. This teaser is from Chapter 2 of The Secret of Spruce Knoll:

Sanctuary existed on a back deck that overlooked a massive expanse of aspens. Her aunt had called it the Mayan forest and described it as a place belonging solely to her people. Eren didn't really care who it belonged to, only that it smelled refreshing and sweet and that it meant she wouldn't be bothered by anyone.

Your turn! I'd love to hear a teaser from your work, be it published or a work in progress. Or if you don't feel like sharing your work, you can leave us a sentence or two from whatever you're reading.

Monday's Muse, Contest Winner, Blogfest

2011-10-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

On my sidebar you might notice a new button to purchase a signed copy of a paperback of my novel. This is due in part to having to cancel my author appearance that was planned for today in Seattle. To start to make it up to those who were going to attend I'm offering the signed copies for sale for a limited time. My author appearance has been rescheduled (same place) for Saturday December 10th, 3:00pm~4:00pm. On to today's post... My inspiration last week was all the amazing bloggers who turned out to celebrate and support banned books. The massive amount of support for banned books was overwhelming. You peeps rock! Since I know many of you are dying to know who won the Banned Books Week Giveaway here on my blog I'll get right to it. Congratulations to:

Julie Tuovi at Pen To Paper who won her choice of one of the banned books pictured on the left, or any book by one of the authors who has a book pictured above.

In appreciation of everyone who entered, if you didn't win I have a bunch of great Spruce Knoll swag that I'd be more than happy to mail off to anyone who would like to leave me their email address (don't worry I won't publish it).

More chances to win contests are coming up in the very near future. One of which will be right here on my blog during a very special contest next month. Also occurring next month is the I Love Dark YA blogfest, during which there will great posts and contests. Click here to sign up to join in on the fun!

Friday Creature Feature~Wyvern

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Air fills my leathery wings and lifts me higher upon its warm currents. The cool, clean scent of freshly fallen snow pours into my nostrils and chills my throat, but it is a welcome sensation on this long flight. Prey has fled in the wake of the harsh winter that has laid claim to my lands. Each day I have to fly farther and farther to find food.

Huddling in a group of trees nestled against the mountainside, I see a group of deer. My shadow passes over them before I can turn though and they flee. Another meal lost due to my haste and desperation. Ah but one remains behind, limping along.

I pull my talon-adorned feet up tight, cocking them for deployment as I whip around. It doesn't stand a chance in the deep snow, not with that limp. Wind whistles over my scales as dive, my long neck thrust out like an arrow. My talons sink deep and gain a solid hold. Never slowing, I lift the deer from the ground and sting it with my tail, sending a numbing poison into it that will make its death painless. At last, my children and I will eat well tonight.

This work of fiction based off a mythical creature is original and my own. Please do not reproduce any part of it without without asking permission and linking back to me. The artwork is by Stanley Morrison who graciously allowed me to post it. He also does amazing card art for Conquest of Arthenia which you can check out here. To see more of his beautiful work click here or on his name.

September Debut Author~Elle Strauss

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to present to you this month's featured debut author, Elle Strauss. Her time travel young adult novel, Clockwise, just released and it sounds fantastic! Because Elle is so awesome she's doing a giveaway to celebrate. Here are the details:

To celebrate, Elle Strauss is giving away five debut books by authors that you can meet on her blog tour which is happening now.

LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden
THE CLEARING by Anne Riley
THE SECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL by Heather McCorkle
PERILOUS by Tamara Hart Heiner
THE HATING GAME by Talli Roland

How to win? Sign up for Elle’s newsletter to enter. For extra entries just comment on any blog in the tour. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more chances you have to win. Five books, five days, five winners!

Now I'd like to introduce you to Elle. From your blog I know your cat Tiger inspired you to write a YA novel about a girl who could time travel. What I'm dying to know is why?
Elle: Sadly, Tiger is no longer with us, but at the time, it started with a dream. (I know, so many books do!) I’d dreamed that Tiger could talk and it was very emotional when I woke up because he’d said that he loved me (Oh so sappy!) Since I was already interested in the dynamics of time travel (I’d written one and shelved it. Sorry, for all these parenthetical statements!) I outlined a story where the cat could talk only when it went back in time with the protag. Obviously, that version of the story didn’t take, but it did sprout the first draft of CLOCKWISE. I gave Tiger a cameo just to thank him.

I'm so sorry about Tiger. :( That's awesome that you gave him a cameo in the novel though! While I know from your blog that you love red wine and dark chocolate (we're so much alike!), when you're writing, what is the one thing you can't do without? Or is the answer in the question? ;)
Elle: Well, I don’t eat when I write and that has nothing to do with self-control and will-power, and everything to do with a slight germ phobia (before you laugh, Contagion, anyone??) I have absolutely no problem drinking, though! Daytime it’s Soy Latte and at night there’s a good chance you’ll find me with a glass of red.

I saw that movie and totally still get the shivers thinking about it. What was your favorite part of writing Clockwise?
Elle: That’s a hard question. CLOCKWISE was actually quite hard to write. I didn’t know then what I know now about structure, plus with a time travel element you actually have two 3 act structures going on that have to meld into one overall story structure, so there was a lot of hit and miss going on. But I’d have to say writing the budding romance between Casey and Nate in the past was fun. They had so many obstacles to overcome.

Ah romance, that is indeed so much fun to write, and read! I'm going to be mean and make you pick favorites. Who was your favorite character to write and why?
Elle: I’d have to say Casey. She is the one I spent the most time with and got to know inside and out. It’s like she’s a real person, ya know?

I know exactly what you mean. Any closing thoughts to leave us with?
Elle: Thanks so much for having me, Heather and for being part of my blog tour!

It was my pleasure Elle. I wish you the very best of luck with your novel and can't wait to read it! You can't go wrong with Clockwise because Elle has already joined the ranks of the Indie Elite, a special group of independent authors who's work is a cut above. Join me in ordering it here. Learn more about Elle and enter her contest here, and learn more about the Indie Elite here.

Twitter Tuesday~New Agents And More

2011-09-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to make it on Twitter nearly as much as my tweeting addiction demands so I apologize for the small selection of tweets that I have for you. But they're good ones! This first one is from agent Jill
Corcoran on closing to queries and getting published:
@JillCorcoran CLOSED TO QUERIES +UpPDATED: THE HOWs AND WHYs OF GETTING PUBLISHED nblo.gs/mWqHa

Agetn Sara Megibow tells us that reviews sell books, and proves it by adding a few based on reviews she read:
@SaraMegibow good reviews DO sell books! I added UNHEADS by @SophieFlack and AMPLIFIED by @AuthorTaraKelly to my BUY pile based on recent PW reviews.

This book sounds awesome, you want to win it, trust me!
@HeatherMcCorkle Win an arc of GLOW by Kathleen Ryan: tinyurl.com/3sh787l via@cvaldezmiller Great looking sci-fi YA! #WritersRoad #writecampaign

Writer's Digest brings us word of another new agent:
@WritersDigest New Agent Alert: Barbara Scott of Wordserve Literary - Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities for new write... ow.ly/1eJAxJ <http://t.co/cGOtQZGY>

Agent Vickie Motter brings us an update on her agency:
@Vickie_Motter What's going on over at Andrea Hurst and Associates? Interviews! Twitter! Classes! New
services! Find out more: http://ow.ly/6qh3C

In case you missed it, I did a guest post on Chuck Sambuchino's blog,
and I've giving away a book:
@WritersDigest 7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Heather McCorkle - This is a recurring column I'm
calling "7 Things I've Learned So...ow.ly/1eKcMD <http://t.co/wOMKluS7>

I'll go my best to have more tweets for you next week. Let me know if I
missed any really good ones, including yours!

Monday's Muse~A Friend's Manuscript

2011-09-26T09:21:00.000-07:00

This week I had the distinct pleasure of reading a friend's manuscript so that I could give her feedback before she started querying widely. I've read a lot of really good books this year but I've got to tell you, her manuscript is the best one I've read so far. I was so blown away by it that I can hardly wait for it to get picked up by an agent and publisher so all of you can read it too! I feel so honored that I got to be one of the first people to read it.

Though this is her first step into the realm of fiction, my friend is an accomplished non-fiction author of self-help books for parents and children. Go follow her now so you can get ahead of the pack because her first young adult fiction novel is going to rock the YA world!

Now back to my own editing and reading Spirit Bound by Rachelle Mead (which is getting really good by the way!). Don't forget to click on my links to the right for chances to win books, and to celebrate banned books week by honored banned books. If you can, join us tonight on the #WritersRoad chat tonight at 6pm PT for a discussion all about banned books. What inspired you last week?

Banned Books Week Hop And Giveaway

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm post-poning the creature feature to take part in a very important blogfest honoring banned books. It was brought to my attention by the fantastic I Am A Reader Not A Writer blog.

Nearly every one of the great Ellen Hopkins's novels has been banned somewhere. She writes about things that challenge kids today, sex, drugs, prostitution, terrible things for sure, but things kids are dealing with whether we like it or not. Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak, about a girl who is raped, is banned in many places. Others may surprise you such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The House of Night novels by P.C. Cast, The Golden Compass novels by Philip Pullman, and the Vampire Academy novels by Richelle Mead. There are so many more that it saddens me to go on. I've recently learned that my own novel, The Secret of Spruce Knoll, will not be carried in my most local bookstore because of an intense scene in it.

I understand parents reluctance to have their children read about certain subjects, and their desire to teach them about it themselves. But there are kids who don't have parents who can or will teach them and often the solace of books is the only place they can find answers to tough questions, feel a sense of connection, or understand they aren't alone, or that they have a choice. Banned books have helped me know I wasn't alone when I was a kid and I have no doubt they'll continue to help others.

In support of banned books week I'll be giving away the winner's choice of any one of the books pictured on the left (or any book by an author who has a book pictured below). The contest is open to followers of this blog and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment below. For extra points you can tweet or post on Facebook about the giveaway (+1), place a link on your sidebar (+2), or blog about the contest and link back to me (+2). This giveaway is open from September 24th~October 1st. Be sure to click on all the other links below and enter their giveaways as well!

Happily Ever After

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Does your novel need to end in a happily ever after scenario? That's a question we discussed this week on the #WritersRoad chat and people came up with many different answers. The general consensus was that most people liked a happy ending, they wanted it to feel natural, as if it wasn't forced by the author. But there were many different version of what exactly a happy ending is.

Some genres are more likely to have a happy ending while others are not. Cozies almost always tie up neatly with things turning out well for the protagonist in the end. One never knows with sci-fi and fantasy (which I discovered is a big reason I love it so much), and horror almost never ends well. So it's clear that there are some genre-related expectations. Does that mean we have to follow them? Heck no, we're fiction writers after all. But it is good to be aware of what the industry may expect.

It took me a few books to realize I wasn't the one who got to decide how the ending turned out. This hit me when I came to the end of a fantasy trilogy and had no idea which decision I should have a particular character make. Then it hit me, it wasn't up to me, it was up to her. I allowed her to make the decision she would have made~true to her character~rather than force something else on her. That was the moment I knew happy endings weren't a necessity, staying true to the story and the characters, was.

Teaser Tuesday

2011-09-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

For my Twitter Tuesday fans, sorry but I'm throwing a new re-occurring post into the mix. No worries, you'll still get your Twitter Tuesday updates, it will just be every other week now instead of every week. There were weeks I was struggling to find tweets for you and I also decided that I wanted to add in a little something for the readers among my followers. But I'd love for my writer friends to participate too. I'll put a teaser of either my novel or something I'm working on, then I'd love your comments and links within your comments to your own posts on your teasers!

Here we go. This teaser is from my debut novel The Secret of Spruce Knoll:

Eyes on the road ahead of her, she crossed the bridge without slowing~and was blindsided. The second she hit the blacktop on the other side of the bridge, a figure stepped into her path. Whatever it was must have been downwind and moving very fast; otherwise, she would have noticed it. She and the figure tumbled to the ground in a tangled heap.

Now it's your turn! Let me know what you thought and share a link to yours! And don't worry, Twitter Tuesday will be back next week.

Monday's Muse~First Appearance

2011-09-19T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last week I was inspired by friends, coffee, and good books. My critique sisters are having me over on Monday October 3rd to visit and have a belated post-release party for The Secret of Spruce Knoll. But it isn't only their generous spirits that have been inspiring me lately, it is all of yours. I'm touched by each of you who has purchased my book, said kind things about it, put it on your to-read list, or who has just dropped by here and followed. Thank you all so much. *wipes away tear.*

My visit with my critique sisters in Seattle Washington will also be my first unofficial author appearance. I'd like to invite all of you who will be in the area to join us at Tully's Coffee in Seattle Washington (the one on Western Ave. Click on the store name for a map) to chat, have coffee, or even get your copy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll signed between 5:00pm and 6:00pm. I'll be armed with fun swag and hope to see many of you there as I'd love to meet you in person.

So tell me, what inspired you last week?

Friday Creature Feature~Vila

2011-09-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

The air crackles about me, lifting my long hair and teasing it with it's electric touch. I float effortlessly, buoyed by the wind until the very clouds themselves are tickling at my feet. On the back of my tongue the metallic tang of a coming storm, my storm, settles and sets my mouth to watering. Inspired, I begin to sing. Curious about those I'm considering bestowing the blessing of rain upon, I part the clouds and look down.

Atop the hill that overlooks the tinder-dry village I see the offerings. Trees are wrapped in bright ribbons, plates of fresh fruits and cakes have been laid out. These gifts please me greatly for it means the men of the village have kept their word to me. I cut my song off in mid-chorus. It wouldn't do to enchant any of the villagers and make them neglect themselves for the beauty of my voice, not after they've pleased me so.

Throwing my arms wide, I send lightning crackling in each direction, tingling out from my fingertips. My power shakes the sky, drawing from it a massive boom of thunder. My gift of life-giving rain begins to pour from the clouds.

My writing is original and my own. Please do not copy of reproduce it in any way without asking permission and linking back to me with credit. This is a work of fiction based off a mythical creature.

Author Blog Bounce & Interview Stops

2011-09-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

One of my author friends, Trisha Wolfe and Omnific publishing is hosting an Author Blog Bounce where readers and authors get the chance to meet new authors. It sounded like so much fun I just had to take part in it. *waves to new peeps visiting* To learn about me click here and to learn about my debut YA urban fantasy The Secret of Spruce Knoll, click here. Don't forget to leave me a comment though because I'd love to meet you all!

In other news: Yesterday my good friend Tina Moss had me over for an author interview on her blog. We talked about everything from my debut novel to writing tips. I hope you'll stop by.

Today my good friend Lisa Gail Green was brave enough to have the antagonist from The Secret of Spruce Knoll, Luke Moldovan, over for an interview. He's deliciously shudder worthy so I hope you'll drop by to learn more about him.

If you don't already follow these ladies I highly recommend them. Not only are they both a blast, they are wonderful people who love books, authors, and never hesitate to support both. :)

September Feature Author~Denise Grover Swank

2011-09-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I've been singing the praises about September's featured debut author all over the internet. A short while ago I just finished reading Denise Grover Swank's novel Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes and I LOVED it. Seriously, I've already started buying it for all the ladies I know. I'm honored to have Denise here with us to chat about it.

Hi Denise! Your novel was not only a great mystery with a touch of magic thrown in, it was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I laughed so hard I cried. What inspired you to write such a touching, funny, and exciting book?

Denise: I'd just finished Chosen which is much darker and edgier and decided I wanted to write something that was lighter and humorous. Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes is more like my family blog, There's Always Room for One More. I used to take my children's zany often disastrous adventures and put a humorous spin on them. But I'm a widow with small children so I would sometimes interject things I struggled with. I think Twenty-Eight is a combination of my old blog posts with a sweet, funny, endearing main character who finally decides to live her life. In some ways, I guess Rose is a bit like me.

Knowing that adds so much more, love that! I'm going to have to read it again (with pleasure)!What was your favorite part of writing Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes?
Denise: Wow, that's hard. Honestly, I think it was the scene when Joe finds her drinking on her front porch and teaches her the rules of drinking (as well as giving her her first kiss). I was on Twitter and Facebook that night asking people to help me come up with the rules. And also encouraging them to drink with me. (I had a glass of wine.) I turned it into a competition seeing which social network had more people joining me. Twitter won, of course.

How fun! Our Twitter peeps are the best! I loved Rose, she was reluctantly innocent, adventurous, and never gave up. But I'm curious, who was your favorite character to write?

Denise: Rose, Her enthusiasm to embrace what little life she thought she had left was inspiring to me-- and still is. But I also really liked Mildred, her eighty-two year old neighbor across the street. She'll be in the next book in a bigger capacity. And truth be told, although Momma's only in the book in the first two chapters, I had a lot of fun coming up with things she erroneously told Rose. I think my favorite was that Momma didn't let any computers into the house because she took the brand name Gateway to mean the gateway to hell.

That was one of my favorite things about Momma too! I know you have a great looking paranormal thriller, Chosen, coming out later this month, but can you tell us if you have anything more in store for Rose from Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes?
Denise: I plan to write Sacrifice, the third book in my Chosen series and then hopefully write Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons for NaNoWriMo. Technically, I'll be cheating a bit since I've already started it and have about two chapters. So shhh... Let it be our secret. I have three Rose Gardner Mystery books semi-plotted out. I plan (at this point) to write one a year.

No worries, I won't tell a soul. *hides computer and clears throat...* Thanks so much for joining us Denise. Any closing thoughts to leave us with?
Denise: I had always heard write your story and don't worry about trends. So I wrote Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes and sent it out into the publishing world and heard over and over and over "great story, great voice, not for me." But I also realized Twenty-Eight doesn't fit neatly on a book store shelf. It's not just a mystery, yet it's not a true romantic suspense. Then there's the tiny bit of women's fic and not to mention the humor. But when I considered taking any of those pieces out, I lost the heart of the story, Rose's story.It just wasn't the same. My gut told me to keep it and I'm so glad I did.

I'm so glad you did too because it was amazing, so amazing that it convinced me traditional publisher make mistakes and pass up fantastic books. I loved Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes so much that you made a fan for life in me and I'm looking forward to reading everything you write! :) I hope you'll all join me in pre-ordering Chosen here and I hope you'll pick up Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes too because you'll love it! And today over at the Critique Sisters Corner I'm spotlighting another friend with a great book out, Talli Roland. I hope you'll stop by to check it out too!

Twitter Tuesday~Agent Advice & Critiques

2011-09-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

I caught a lot of great tweets for you last week! The wonderful and frank Audry T brings us this great post about why we should plot:
AudryT Are you a pantser-by-default? Get off your ass and start plotting: terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/03…

One of my favorite blogs talks about when to do research:
LTWFblog Let The Words Flow When to do Research? Before the first draft, or after? wp.me/pF0gi-1Tf #amresearching #amwriting #amwriting

Agent Sarah LaPolla stresses the importance of reading our manuscripts aloud:
sarahlapolla Sarah LaPolla by julichilliard: Writers: Read your work aloud. If you trip over too many words or poorly constructed sentences, it's time to rewrite.

Agent Sarah LaPolla brings us a tip on dialogue:
sarahlapolla Sarah LaPolla by julichilliard: #writingtip If it's obvious who is speaking, you don't need dialogue tags. Narrative is much cleaner when you remove unnecessary "said."

My critique sisters and I are hosting another critique session:
HeatherMcCorkle First Paragraph Critiques: tinyurl.com/3j8upbj Need help with yours? Stop by and leave a comment! #writecampaign #WritersRoad #writing

Agent Vickie Motter highlights a learning opportunity:
Vickie_Motter NEW Webinar. Let instructor and agent Andrea Hurst show you how to structure your plot, with an included critique: bit.ly/qAVPPC

Agent Diedre Knight stresses the importance of networking:
DeidreKnight The flip side of how small the writing/pub world is? Network like crazy b/c you never know when a relationship will develop or help. #pubtip

Writer's Digest highlights a great conference:
WritersDigest Check out the Hampton Roads Writers Conference in Virginia Beach, Sept. 22-24 tinyurl.com/3qaaafp Agents in attendance

Agent Jill Corcoran brings us a post by Agent Rachelle Gardner on a "No" response:
JillCorcoran Can I be honest, I love Rachelle Garder's post When No Response Means “No” rachellegardner.com/2011/09/when-n…

Still here? Get clicking! Well, okay, you can comment first if you like. :) Let me know if I missed any great tweets!

Monday's Muse~Stolen Moment

2011-09-12T05:38:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this picture just make you sigh? Well, okay, maybe not the guys who are reading. ;) Anyhow, you can see where my mind was last week as I tackled more revisions of book 2. Don't be deceived, though it's a strong undertone throughout the novel, romance is certainly not the main theme. But writing moments like the one pictured above are my some of my favorite scenes to write, I must admit. There is a lot of action, indecision, and confusion in the second novel.

I'm reading Spirit Bound~a Vampire Academy novel~and am enjoying it, though I'm starting to think editors at publishing houses care less about editing as a series goes on. There is a bit of lag time, telling, and 'ly's' in this one. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a huge fan of the author and so far would still recommend this book. I'm doing my best to read like a reader, not a writer. But I'm making a mental note to do my best to keep my editor engaged and interested in editing throughout my series.

Before I go I wanted to say welcome to my new followers. I'm honored that you've chosen to follow and hope you'll visit often. So, what inspired you last week? What are your favorite scenes to read or write?

Friday Creature Feature~Umber Hulk (First Platform Campaign Writing Challenge)

2011-09-08T22:46:00.000-07:00

The door swings open on creaky hinges and every eye in the tavern turns toward me. The looks they cast from beneath their brows are filled with disgust. Such harsh scrutiny is undeserved, considering the room is filled with ogres, orcs, goblins, and the like. They scarcely have room to judge me, yet they do. I know I look alien to them, what with the gigantic pinchers that protrude from my antennae-adorned head. Next to my massive exoskeleton-covered body even the ogres in the room are dwarfed.

There's not enough room between the tables for me to squeeze through so I don't bother. I don't want to see the horror on their faces if I were to try. Though I'm an insect-like creature who enjoys feasting on flesh, I still have feelings. My eyes can see a hundred directions at once, it doesn't take long to figure out the person I'm looking for isn't here.

Creatures clear out of the tables closest to me and retreat into the room. Knocking over vacated chairs that crowd too close, I turn back to the exit. Darkness welcomes me, unjuding, comforting. The door swings shut against snide comments and rude jests.

I'm part of Rachael Harrie's Platform Building Campaign for writers and our first challenge was to start with the phrase 'the door swings open', end with the phrase, 'the door swings shut', and keep our entry under 200 words. It was tough but fun! If you enjoyed this you can vote for it here (#351). My writing is original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. This is a work of fiction.

Contest Winners And Wednesday Writing Goals

2011-09-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

Since I know many of you are dying to know who won the Tour of Secrets contest I figure I better start with that. Thank you so much to everyone who participated and entered. There were a massive amount of entries with points all contestants earned together totaling over 200. I want to reward you all for spreading the word about my novel so please, everyone, feel free to leave me your address in a comment (don't worry I won't publish it) and I'll be happy send you signed bookmarks, postcards, and stickers, cause I love you that much. :) On to the winners. . .

The first place prize of a $50 gift certificate to B&N, swag bag, and signed copy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll goes to:

Kristie Cook!

The second place prize of a signed copy of the Secret of Spruce Knoll and swag bag including: Spoiled by Jessica Cocks and Heather Morgan, Will Grayson Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, and A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young goes to:

Ansley!

The third place prize of a signed copy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll and a swag bag goes to:

Julie!

Congratulations everyone, I hope you enjoy your books.

As for my Wednesday #WriteGoal peeps, how did you do on your goals last week? I finished my chapters and made it to page 200 on my editing so I'm stoked! My fingers are crossed that you met your goals too. For those looking for help on the opening paragraphs of their novels drop by my crit group's blog, the Critique Sisters Corner today to drop your name into the hat for a free critique! We still have spots open and would love to help. Also today I'm being interviewed over at my good friend (and fabulous author) Jessica Subject's blog! She asks me some tough questions you won't want to miss.

Twitter Tuesday~Agent Advice

2011-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Twitter Tuesday is chalked full of agent advice! Diving right in, agent Sarah LaPolla warns us about the 'ly's':

@sarahlapolla Sarah LaPolla Writers: If you want to emphasize an action or emotion by adding "truly" or "really," please curb that impulse.

Agent Sandy Lu gives us her thoughts on word count:

@sandylunyc Why do I keep getting 180,000+ words #queries? Sorry, no matter how good your writing may be, that number is just too overwhelming for me.

Agent Sara Megibow drops a thought about word count as well:

@SaraMegibow It's such a relief to be reading this 55K YA submission. Seems like all YA submissions recently have been 80K.

Jane Friedman's famous list of best tweets for writers:

@JaneFriedman I've curated this list for 2+ years to help you find best links to writing advice: Best Tweets for Writers: bit.ly/qlH6MT

Editor Heather Howland of Entangled Publishing reveals their wish lists:

@HeatherHowland Check out my submission wish list and send me something awesome! RT @entangledpub: Wish List: September 2011nblo.gs/mqsL1

Writer's Digest brings us the stories of how several authors go their agents:

@WritersDigest How These Writers Got Their Agents (And What You Can Learn From Them) - bit.ly/mZJisN

Writer's Digest shares how to elevate our characters:

@WritersDigest: How to Raise Your Characters Above the Status Quo - http://bit.ly/qnGPer

Hopefully more than one of those is helpful to you. If I missed any great tweets feel free to leave me a link. Be sure to come back tomorrow when I announce the winners of the Tour of Secrets, and reveal a bit of a giveaway for all of you!

Monday's Muse~Helping Libraries

2011-09-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

This isn't a pile of garbage, it's a pile of soaking wet books from a library in Upper Jay New York. Though much of New York escaped hurricane Irene mostly unscathed, the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay New York did not. Their inventory was devastated by flooding. The children's and young adult books were the worst impacted as they were on the lower shelves so the children could reach them. Why would such a sad sight inspire me, you wonder? Because of the response of the online reading and writing community.

When author Kate Messner came across this little library in her travels and saw this sad sight, she responded by blogging about it and reaching out to others for help. To read her entire story go here. Like Kate, the moment I heard about this I had to do something. Thankfully, Kate has given us all the info we need to direct our efforts. A local bookstore is helping the library by hosting an auction of donated signed books. I've donated a signed hardcopy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll to be auctioned off. They are also accepting monetary donations to help replenish their book stock. If you're an author who would like to donate a copy for auction you can send a signed copy of your novel to:

FOR SILENT AUCTION

The Bookstore Plus

2491 Main ST.

Lake Placid, NY 12946

Even if you choose not to help the Wells Memorial Library, in this ever tightening economy chances are there is a library in your area that could use your help. As authors and book lovers it is up to us to help keep our libraries alive and thriving. Visit your local library when you can and become involved.

Friday Creature Feature~Tangie

2011-09-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

The outline of a lady breaks up the shadows the moonlight is casting upon the beach. The sight of her draws me with a magnetic force that I couldn't fight even if I wished to, and I do not. She is so gentle looking, tender and soft. Ladies shouldn't be wandering around the lochs of the Shetland Islands alone, she has sealed her own fate. I gallop across the sands, slowing as I grow near so as not to frighten her away too swiftly. Though she jumps in surprise and tenses to run, she hesitates. They always do. Few ladies can turn from the lure of a white horse, so noble and grand looking.

Her eyes widen as they trail to the seaweed and shells tangled in my mane. A cry escapes her lips as she takes a stumbling step back. She has recognized me for what I am. Now the fun shall begin. My lips draw back in a grin and she screams at the sight of my fangs. The sound, though piercing and loud, is music to me as the horns are to the hounds.

Long hair flying, she turns and runs. Sand flies from my hooves as I give chase. She darts left and right, more stumbling than trying to out-maneuver me. Her panic is a delicious scent that fills the air. It adds spice to the meal I am about to receive. I lope along at an easy pace, drawing out the game and savoring the hunt. Tonight I shall feast well.

My writing is original and my own. Please do not reproduce or copy it in any way without permission and linking back to me with credit. This is a work of fiction based on a Scottish myth.

Wednesday Writing Goals And Last Tour Stop

2011-08-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't reach page 189 on my editing because I found myself writing yet another new chapter! That makes four new chapters total, and in random places throughout my manuscript. *sigh* I can't complain though, it is deepening both the characters and the plot and making the entire novel better overall. That alone is worth the extra time it is taking me. I have until January when I plan to send it off to my editor so there is no rush, which is always a good way to revise. Rushing never leads to anything good!

My new goal for the week is to get this final new chapter done (oh please let it be the last new one!) and reach 200 pages on editing by next Wednesday. It's a lofty goal I know, but I have a lot of ground to make up. And with the Tour Of Secrets ending today I should have a bit of free time on my hands. Speaking of which, today is the last day to enter the massive giveaway for the Tour Of Secrets. Drop in on the last stop of the tour at the fantastic Readergirls book blog then come back here to enter (not on this post but here). I love these ladies, they are so incredibly supportive and they review the BEST books. If you aren't following them, you need to be. The winners of the Tour Of Secrets contest will be announced next Wednesday but today is the last day to enter!

How did you do on your writing goals for the last two weeks? Have any new ones to share that you'd like me and my readers to help you stick to? Remember to check in on Twitter with me under the hashtag #writegoal at any time and I'll be happy to throw some encouragement your way!

Twitter Tuesday & Live Chat Announcement

2011-08-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's post is a two parter. Tonight I'll be over at the fabulous YA Bound blog doing a live chat all about the Tour Of Secrets. That means you can ask about myself, my writing, my novels, just about anything! And there will be a swag bag with a signed copy of The Secret of Spruce Knoll given away to one chatter during the chat so don't miss it! It starts tonight at 6pm PT. You don't need an account of any kind, you can just sign in using your name, nice and easy. Click here to join in.

And now for Twitter Tuesday! This first one is from Chuck Sambuchino about pitching to new agents:
ChuckSambuchino My first post as a Writer Unboxed contributor: Should You Pitch (and Sign With) a New Agent? The Pros and Cons: bit.ly/qP9Efu

Don't miss agent Sara Megibow's chat on Thursday!
SaraMegibow In honor of my son going back to school (finally, right?) - I'll run an #askagent here on Facebook on Thursday.... fb.me/1eNxpS5J7

Author Melissa Garrett spreads the promotional love:

MelissaGarrett_ Self-published authors, click the link for details on how to be promoted on my blog: writinghood.com/writing/exposu…

Agent Sarah LaPolla gives us title advice:
sarahlapolla Writers: Stop naming your books "Awaken" or something similarly common, boring, and overused.The lack of creativity reflects poorly on you.

Writer's Digest brings us another great conference:
WritersDigest Check out the Hampton Roads Writers Conference in Virginia Beach, Sept. 22-24 tinyurl.com/3qaaafp Agents in attendance taking pitches

Agent Nephele Tempest spotlights a contest:
NepheleTempest RT @gothamwriters: Call for entries: Microstyle Writing Contest - The Art of Writing Little - Entry is free bit.ly/Microstyle

Agent Vickie Motter spotlights a contest:
Vickie_Motter RT: YA Highway: ~YA Highway First Lines Contest!~ j.mp/o5bJgsvia @AddToAny

Agent Sarah Megibow retweets author Elizabeth Craig's tweet on advances:
SaraMegibow I ALWAYS want clients to earn out! RT @elizabethscraig An agent on advances(&whether there's such a thing as too much): rachellegardner.com/2011/08/author…

And of course I had to mention a book giveaway:
HeatherMcCorkle Want to win a copy of GLOW by Amy Kathleen Ryan? I know I do:tinyurl.com/3sd292a via @DarkFaerieTales #WritersRoad #writing

That should keep you busy until tonight. Hope to see you over at YA Bound for the live chat and giveaway!

Monday's Muse~Rooftop Terrace

2011-08-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

Though this is a rooftop in Rome, not Colorado, it inspired me for last week's new chapter that is going in my revision of Book 2. It shared enough of the elements and inspired the right mood for me. In this chapter my character comes face to face with one of her greatest fears. This chapter flowed onto the pages as fast as my pencil could write. I love it when that happens!

Yesterday I finished reading Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank and today I'm singing it's praises all over the internet with glowing reviews. This is a must read, and that's something I don't say very often. I laughed, I cried, I laughed so hard I cried. If you enjoy compelling characters, a good mystery, romance, and a touch of paranormal then you have to read this. It is one of the best books I have read so far this year, seriously. I'm already buying copies as gifts! Next up is Born To Be A Dragon by Eisley Jacobs, the first middle grade novel I've read in a long time. I've been looking forward to it so much!

As for music, I'm loving the soundtrack to Sucker Punch. The entire soundtrack is by female artists who rock. Gotta love the girl power. ;) What inspired you last week? A great read, or great music perhaps?

Today on the Tour Of Secrets I'm at author and good friend Krissi Dallas's blog giving away a secret about my main character. I hope you'll stop by not only to find out the secret and get more points for the giveaway but to meet Krissi. She is an amazing person who I'm honored to be friends with.