Start of Something New

So I was thinking about when I first started blogging. I used to write these reaally looong posts, and besides JRM (my husband) and a few close friends, there were only like five of us suffering through them. (LOL!)

You're on the sides;
I'm in the middle holding on. :o)

Hart appeared first, then Rayna/Natasha (b/c we all have the same birthday), then Carolyn, then Matt--b/c I asked him to comment on my boy books post (link)--then Vickie and Anne, Stina and Katie, Jessica, DL, you...

Some have stopped blogging; some are doing other things. I've cut back to once a week...

But this is how we found each other and started supporting each other and critiquing one another's work. Blogging became this amazing writers' circle that I love and miss so much when I'm swamped.

Back then I was so focused on finding an agent, and now... well, just LOOK at how much has changed!

Feb. 2010 Leigh would never have dreamed I'd be where I am today, doing what I'm doing. But one thing I would have predicted is how important you guys would remain to me.

SO I've decided to start something new!

The first Monday of every month, I'm going to spotlight a writer-friend! I don't have a model for how, but my goal is to make it funny and different--little-known facts revealed in an entertaining way--to catch up and see what everybody's doing now.

(I need a name. Ideas? You say I don't need a name?)

Kicking us off is my prolific writer-friend and amazing cover designer Jolene Perry (Because I sorta stole this idea from her "Friend Friday"s)! Let's see what Jo's been doing...

Jolene
(Her name is often sung
to her... don't.)

LTM: Shortly after we met, I learned you live in Wasilla (AK), which to me says your life is a mixture of "Northern Exposure," "The Proposal," and "Insomnia." How much of each? And are you raising Ryan Reynolds' secret family?

JBP: YES! My life is exactly like those, which is crazy since NONE of them were actually filmed here... My life is much more "Northern Exposure" than anything else, but Wasilla IS a little bigger than Sicily, Alaska - we have a Target ;-) And Ryan Reynolds. He's hot, but a little needy... I know, you wouldn't think that. But it's true. He's always asking me to pet his abs, and the first few times it was pretty hot, but it's getting old...

(LTM Note: JBP's a bit braggy about her secret husband. Sorry.)

LTM: Sarah Palin can see Russia from her house, so of course, you can, too. When you go ice fishing, do you spy on them? What are they doing in Russia? Which one of your books is most popular in the former Soviet Union?

JBP: Night Sky (link) is the most popular in Russia because the ebook cover is sparkly... :-/ Fishing with Sarah - you know, you'd think she couldn't be more annoying when she's not on TV, but I'm here to tell you that ain't true...

(LTM Note: JBP did not deny being a spy.)

I've read it; get it!

LTM: You've co-authored several books with writers like Steph Campbell (My Heart for Yours), Nyrae Dawn (Dizzy), and Janna Watts (10 Weeks). All but one of those is a pen name... Which of these authors is a fake person?

JBP: HA!! I'm going to throw you here, because they're ALL real people. One of them just happens to be a recluse. Her true identity will remain faithfully hidden...

LTM: (follow up ignoring previous answer) Since one of these authors is really your split personality, what makes her easy and hard to work with?

JBP: I'm assuming you're referring to my reclusive friend, and I will say that if she and I were smooshed together, we'd almost make a fully functioning person ;-) Honestly, she's not online much, but she's like a sister and made of awesome.

(LTM Note: Smooshed is not a real word.)

LTM: It has become evident you have a shoe full of book babies. Tell us about your newest baby! And why you love her more.

JBP: Last night I pulled up four manuscripts that I've started and have half mapped out but haven't had time to write. One of my girls was running through this hilarious monologue as the teacher at her private Christian school prayed to baby Jesus and I laughed so hard I woke up my husband.

Haven't read yet; get it!

And after reading through what I had of those four, and telling myself - WORK ON ONE OF THESE NEXT - I fell asleep thinking about a different book... Yeah.

BUT the elusive Janna Watts and I are working on a book that we've both (separately) wanted to do for a while, so when she mentioned her idea, and I was like - OH! I've totally had that same idea! We started to throw it together - 3 SIDES TO A CIRCLE - is the working title of our college-age romance, and maybe I'll slap it up on GR, just for fun :-)  Man. Ask me about my babies, and you're gonna get an earfull... Right now I'm so thrilled that people are loving Dizzy. I adore Dylan and Ziah - and we all know that Nyrae Dawn writes a great boy. They play off each other so well, and the only other book I've written that's made me laugh this hard is Misplaced, which Nyrae and I wrote together, and will come out with Entangled Teen in Fall 2013.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME LEIGH!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you, my friend~

(LTM Note: Jo's books are seriously amazing. Every one I've read, I've LOVED.

Get FALLING: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Get DIZZY: Amazon * Barnes & Noble)

Up next month is the prolific, sci-fi indie superstar Susan Kaye Quinn! Mark it, Jan. 6. A Do Not Miss!

* * *

Finally, this week's my blog tour for ROUGE, which is 99 cents TODAY ONLY (link)! Here's where all I'll be (link). Wish me luck!

Click here for the schedule!

And have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

One Weekend, 99-cent eBooks

Looking for gifts without breaking the bank? How about 20 Young Adult books at 99 cents each now through Monday on Amazon? 

Buy some books for yourself. Gift books to others.

Books are still the biggest entertainment bang for the buck, and there's SO many great titles to choose from. 

Romance, adventure, humor, or contemporary? How about Sci-fi, fantasy, or mythology? We've got you covered! 

  

Get me!

Pick me!

 

Get me~

Get me!

Get me!

Choose me~

How about me!

Choose me~

Get me

Date me!

Pick me~

Pick me!

Me, naturally

Pick me

Get me

Get me

Choose me

Get me

Rescue me

Get me

Last, but not least~

And don't forget to enter my fun, Rouge-New Orleans giveaway (link) ending Monday. And have a great weekend, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Happy INDIE-giving!

Happy Monday before Thanksgiving, bloggy friends!

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday week, spending time with family, reflecting on the good things in our lives. I'm in the "gret stete" of Louisiana visiting with family and friends--some I haven't seen in two years (!). Good times.

I'm also taking part in the Indelibles' "Indie-Giving" event (link). It's a blogfest where we GIVE BACK to you, our friends and readers.

Indie-giving!

It's a way to say THANK YOU for the encouragement, for buying our books, and for being awesome supporters. I know I wouldn't be here without you guys.

Part of the event is to give away something. It can be anything from a piece of advice to a book to something else.

I actually started my give-away a few days early! On Friday I dropped the price of my new book ROUGE (link) to $1.99 for the week, AND for everyone who buys a copy and/or leaves a review or does any number of little things, you're entered to win three prizes from fun, New Orleans-themed swag or Amazon gift cards to iTunes gift cards!

Here's the link to my giveaway (link)!

It runs for the week, so hop over and check it out! And THANK YOU again for being so awesome.

As for advice, the best I've heard came from Anne Rice. She posted a video message on her Facebook page a while back to writers in which she said, "Writers write."

Basically, her point was no matter what, if you're a writer, just keep writing.

Coming Dec. 11, 2012

Maybe your books won't hit right away. Maybe the book you never expected to hit will--and she referenced Interview with the Vampire.

I would add, Find good critique partners who are also writers. Other writers are uniquely qualified and give the best advice and encouragement.

Finally, fellow Indelible Chelsea Fine (link) is revealing the cover for her third and final installment in the Archers of Avalon books (link) today!

Here's the synopsis for AVOW:

Scarlet remembers. Everything. Her past lives, Tristan, Gabriel, Nate: she remembers it all--including how to get to the Fountain of Youth. But time is running out.

Heather and Gabriel have been kidnapped by Raven, while the curse that has plagued Scarlet and Tristan for centuries has shifted, putting the star-crossed lovers in more danger than ever before. Water from the Fountain of Youth is the only thing that can save Scarlet and her loved ones. But the water comes at a price.

With lives--and hearts--at stake, Scarlet leads her friends on a dangerous journey to the Fountain of Youth. Where eternal life is possible, but death is certain.

Sounds cool,  yes? Check out Chelsea's other books here (link).

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Have a super week~ <3

ROUGE Blog Tour and Thanksgiving Giveaway!

I'm interrupting my schedule for a special #FF, which today stands for Friday Fun!

I'll be away next week for Thanksgiving, and the following Monday (11/26) is the kick-off of my Blog Tour for Rouge (link), and it's Cyber Monday!  

Thanksgiving Sale!

To me, it sounds like time for a Thanksgiving Giveaway!

Here are the DEETS:

*ROUGE will be ON SALE for $0.99 through Cyber Monday (11/26).

*In that time, grab your special, sale-priced copy (link) and enter to win fun prizes!
*Leave a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads, and earn more chances to win!

All you have to do:
-Email your proof of purchase to me at leightmoore@gmail.com and
-Send me the links to your reviews using the form below!

Prizes are:
*ONE $20 Gift Cards to New Orleans boutique Fleurty Girl (link) (or a $20 Amazon gift card if you prefer)

*TWO $10 iTunes gift cards (So you can create your own musical production!)

YES, that means THREE winners will be chosen! (If you already got your copy and left reviews, you can enter, too! Just fill in the information in the form!)

It's my way of saying THANK YOU! Both for reading my new book, for reading my first book, The Truth About Faking (link). and for simply being AWESOME reader- and writer-friends!

Have a great holiday~ <3

Hetty Locklear, Captcha, and a plug

Happy (bizzay) Monday, guys! 

First, I'm also posting today on The Indelibles blog (link), where I'll be introducing myself as a new member of that awesome group of independent authors.

Next, I am thrilled to help promote a great writer-friend's hilarious, sexy, fun new women's romance/urban fantasy novel. (I'm actually a little biased because I edited it.)

A New Adult Urban Fantasy, The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear is the first book in a new series. And it’s now out!

The main character, Hetty, is a 22-year-old, stumbling about in an effort to become a full-fledged adult. She struggles with self-esteem, weight, relationships, and making the transition between college and the real world.

Graduation from community college isn’t the magic elixir Hetty Locklear counts on for becoming an adult. Her parents, who work the Renaissance fair circuit, insist she spend part of the summer with them, but Hetty doubts pretending to live in the Middle Ages will help her find her way.

To make it worse, an entity haunts her at her dead-end job, warning her of a dangerous man she doesn’t know. The ghost leads her to a lover who has lots of secrets. He pulls her farther into peril and into a strange, hidden world of genetic experimentation.

New Adult Urban Fantasy with a contemporary sci-fi twist. Mature content.

Available as an ebook at Amazon / Amazon UK / Smashwords / iTunes / Kobo

Visit www.mpaxauthor.com for more links.

M. Pax is celebrating her latest release with a jousting tournament and contest at www.mpaxauthor.com. Cheer for the knights to help them win the grand prize, and you’ll be put in a drawing to win an ebook copy of The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear. Five will be given away. Huzzah!

In addition to Hetty, you might remember I'm helping with a PSA to end the use of captchas on blog comments.



Friends, if you're concerned that more people don't comment on your blog, it might be because you've got the Egyptian hieroglyphics turned on. 

Please, please, trust Blogger's spam guard. It really does work! I've used it for years.

Get me...

Lastly, I'll be brief. My new book ROUGE is now live! I'm so excited.

Where to get it, you ask? Why, at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords of course!

THANKS, guys! And have a great week, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Happy DAY!!!

Yes, it's another schedule interruption. And I'm sad to say, it's true confession time. I thought Veteran's Day was tomorrow... #patriotfail (I've been out of town!)

So before any of my blurg, Happy Veterans Day! I am so thankful for the family and friends, men and women, past and present who've served our country and protected our freedoms.

Thank You, Veterans!

And the other thing... well, I wanted to let you know ROUGE is now available!

On Amazon

Get it here: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords

(I'm also going to have it up on iTunes this time, but I have to borrow a friend's Mac to do that. So stay tuned!)

Early reviews are coming in.

The girls at Smardy Pants (link) did a fun rave that includes their dream character pix--I love it! (link)

My good friend and critter Brent Taylor (link) has the story of how I went all Independent with ROUGE. (link)

And lastly, sweet book blogger Cassie S. (link) is celebrating her one-year blogiversary with an interview and the first GIVEAWAY! (link)

Big Thanks to all these guys!

Have a great Sunday and holiday, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Loud and Sane

So ROUGE comes out in a week.

This release is different from TTAF in that I actually planned a release date, organized reviews way in advance, and have been telling people it's coming...

It's given me way more time to over-think the whole thing.

On Goodreads

Good bloggy friend Sarah Fine did a funny post last week about her brain's opposite responses to bad reviews (link).

It's hilarious, and it's making me think of my brain approaching release date.

Smart brain tells me to relax and get some work done. Sneaky brain is trying to freak out and throw up all the reasons no one is going to buy my new book...

My oldest daughter gave me some encouragement last week. It went like this:

Cat: What's wrong, Mom?
Me: I've got a new book coming out, and I hope people will want to buy it and read it.
Cat: Why wouldn't they?
Me: Well, I hope they don't think, "We've already bought one of her books. We're done with her."
Cat: Don't worry, Mom. If they're like me with the Warriors books, they'll buy it no matter how bad it is.
Me: Oh, well, I don't think it's bad...

Some of you might remember me talking about my first editorial "boss" Susan. Remember my post about the British-Irish-Jewish, very proper tea time observer? (link)

She had catch-phrases like "keep calm." (This was before those posters were everywhere.) She also commonly advised us not to "quietly go insane" when things felt out of control. (LOL!)

So Five Things To Do While I Wait for ROUGE to Release (besides quietly going insane):

#1-Family time! (You know, writer-friends, we don't get to do this enough. Bonus: my parents are visiting!)

#2-Make the bloggy rounds. (See what you guys are up to; always fun!)

#3-Finish critting Susan Quinn's newest MS. (Be jealous. It is AWESOME!)

#4-Meet Dr. Q. in person on Thursday. (Yeah, I am!)

#5-Finish my guest posts...

Also, if you're interested on 11/12, I'm participating in this:



It's a funny, "Down with Captcha" blogfest-party. Want to join? Sign up here (link).

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! Whatever happens, stay loud and stay sane~ <3

Friday Surprise!!! ROUGE~

whee! Here it is, bloggy friends...

The cover for my Brand-New Book is officially Revealed:

Avail. 11/12/12. Add it on Goodreads

Isn't it gorgeous? Again, I have to give it up for my lovely and talented writer-friend Jolene Perry (link) for creating my beautiful cover. She really is the greatest.

And a BIG THANKS to all the bloggy friends joining me today to share it with you and the reading world! ((HUGE hugs))

I canNOT wait for you to read this one, guys. ROUGE is so special to me because it's set in New Orleans, and it has many elements of my home state with which I'm familiar and love sprinkled in.

It's different from The Truth About Faking (link), just so you know. TTAF is very light and funny and up! ROUGE is more struggling to survive, to escape really bad stuff, to find a better life... So it's darker, more mature YA.

Here's the description:

Trapped in the underground theater world of 1890s New Orleans, Hale Ferrer has only one goal: escape. But not without Teeny, the orphan-girl she rescued from the streets and promised to protect.

Freddie Lovel, Hale's wealthy Parisian suitor, seems to be the easy solution. If only his touch could arouse her interest like Beau's, the penniless stagehand who captures her heart.

Denying her fears, Hale is poised to choose love until an evil lurking in their cabaret-home launches a chain of events that could cost her everything.

Release Date is Nov. 12! I don't have purchase links just yet, but I'll post everything that Monday for you guys.

Care to read an EARLY REVIEW? Visit my friend, critter, and bestselling author Hart Johnson's blog (link)!

And as always, THANK YOU so much for supporting me, for encouraging me, for helping me get this writing career off the ground. I love my reader- and writer-friends!

Have a super weekend, guys~ <3