Why I Hate Writing & FOUND

(Y'all realize ^ ^ ^ that's me being intentionally provocative, right?) I know, what??? 

Here's the deal, and I'll keep it short. I love being a writer. I couldn't do anything else, and it's all I've done professionally for almost 20 years.

But it wasn't until 2009 that I started writing novels.

When I did that, it was a lot like when I went from being a full-time professional, career gal in a bustling, busy office surrounded by fast-moving people... 

...to being a full-time, professional Mom, in a quiet home, alone with a beautiful little baby girl who didn't smile at me for three months.

(If they smile before three months, it's gas. Read the book, people. #nerdmom)

Flower says, "What, I'm
not lively enough for you?"

Writing novels is awesome! I love it! And it is looonely.

Spoiler Alert: I'm a pretty social person.

In the past, I've had jobs in public relations and marketing. I was a journalist, which requires you to talk to people...

Writing novels is not like that. And some of you like it that way!

But what about the rest of us?

Well, it helps to get connected, of course. I'm not intimidated about reaching out to other writers (I blame my past work experience), but even for me, that isn't always successful.

For one, writers need to write.

Social media and writers' groups are FAB, but to do this job (write novels), one has to be alone for a good amount of time. And writers don't always coordinate their schedules with each other. (Read: never.)

Some writers are grumpy, mole-type people, who really don't want to make friends. I get that. Sometimes I feel like a grumpy mole-type person, too! And I hate to say it, but outside the group here, I've bumped into some writers... who aren't very nice for whatever reason.

I'm a Cancerian, and I'm sure writer-friend Tami Hart Johnson (link) can tell you better than me why that makes me scamper back into my shell quicker than... something really fast.

Luckily, none of you guys are like that. ((hugs))

So I'm just thinking out loud over here, coming off a new book release. It's quiet. And I actually have promos to do for the publicity blitz coming...

Y'all know I've joined a few writer's groups, The Indelibles (who are fantastic!), Indies Ignite (who are up and coming!), and most recently YA Confidential (who are hilariously helpful!).

We'll see if I can balance this. And of course, YOU, my bloggy reader- and writer-friends, supporting each other since Feb. 2010.

I guess, what do you guys think? And if anybody's looking for a group or if there's a group that needs a member(s), you can put it in the comments. I encourage you to team up! Don't be scared off by grumps or meanies. We've got to have friends in this tough business.

I'm so thankful for mine~

Now what's this FOUND?

From Stacey Wallace Benefiel, the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, comes a New Adult trilogy set in the Society world.

Penny Black hasn’t had it easy. Just about everything you’d expect to happen to a harassed foster-kid turned junkie has happened to Penny. 

Add in the mysterious power to rewind time, conducting events around her, and it’s a wonder she held up on the streets for so many years. 

Now, at seventeen, the New Society has found her. Finally, Penny is where she belongs. But that doesn’t stop the visions, or the need to protect the victims shown to her.

*The Penny Black trilogy is a companion to the Zellie Wells trilogy and not a continuation of the series. (It's set 18 years in the future with a new cast of characters.)

*Due to language and sexuality, FOUND is recommended for older teens. (Most of the characters are out of high school and preparing for college.)

Purchase links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

Coming soon to the Apple iBook store and in paperback!

Haven't read the Zellie Wells trilogy yet? Pick up all three novels together for $6.99 at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes. Or get the first novel, Glimpse, for FREE at all ebook retailers.

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

Wattpad and New Science Fiction!

First, a HUGE Thank You! to everyone who helped kick off my new book The Truth About Letting Go (link) last week.

**It's over in the sidebar now --->

It was really cool sharing Thursday with you all, seeing the cover everywhere and reading what people think about my newest baby. 

I put more of my guts into this one, and the response has been... touching. *sniff*

Moving right along!

Over the weekend, I followed the lead of some writer-friends and joined Wattpad (link)! 

I'm still learning my way around, but it's cool because you can go there and read all kinds of works in progress and samples of writer's works... 

I uploaded the first chapters of my three published books, plus something brand new! If you're there, let's hook up! I'm here (link).

Now, bring on the sexy Science Fiction!

(Quick note! The "brand new thing" I put up on Wattpad was Ch. 1 of that south Mississippi sci-fi I've been telling y'all about.)

But anyway, this is where I tell you about two awesome writer friends' cool new books!

The first is Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaux's (link) third installment in the Cassa series.

Super-sexay!

CassaStorm by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Science Fiction - Space Opera/Adventure

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, his only struggles are occasional rogue pirate raids and endless government bureaucracies. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, shaking Bassan to the core and threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could be on its way back. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

Release date: September 17, 2013. 

This next one is actually NOT a sci-fi book... 

Add me!

Edge of the Falls (link) by good friend and fellow Indie Ignites member Nazarea Andrews (link) is more of a dystopian thriller.

Here's the description:

Sabah has spent her entire life Outside, looking in. She’s used to the danger—the acidstorms, the predators. Even the Mistress is dangerous.

She learned a long time ago what dangers she is willing to live with.

But change is coming to the house on the edge of the waterfall, and Sabah will have to choose between the boy she grew up loving and a life that she is willing to live. When a ban-wolf—a mutant–saves her life, everything Sabah knows about her world will change. And the secrets that have dictated her life will finally come to light.

This new gripping young adult romance is releasing on Kindle and Nook on March 12, 2013. Add it on Goodreads today (link)!

Doesn't that sound super-awesome?? Here's what you need to know about Nazarea:

Nazarea Andrews (link) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Connect with Nazarea on Twitter (link) and Facebook (link)!

So loads of great new books coming out. Get your reading glasses ready!

And have a super week, reader- and writer-friends! As always, you made my last week and weekend~ <3

What's The Truth About Letting Go?

Well let me tell ya! 

First, reader-friends, I could not be more excited to share my newest book with you. Here's what happened...

Get me!

So I started this one back in 2010 right after I finished The Truth About Faking (link).

It was back when Patrick Swayze got cancer and died so fast. Remember that? Well, for whatever reason, it started my writerly wheels turning...

I started thinking about major shocks like losing a spouse or a parent and how different people deal with trauma differently.

Some people withdraw, some people soldier on like nothing happened, and then some people get really mad and start acting out.

That's where the story starts.

Ashley's the daughter left behind, and in her case, her dad was a writer for a national health magazine--a modified stay-at-home dad. So they were extra-close.

Her mom withdraws into her own world of grief, her brother goes back to college, and Ashley's left all alone, hurting and angry. And since her dad was a local celebrity, she gets to deal with her grief in front of a large audience.

She doesn't deal very well.

She's edgy, and she keeps having urges to break things. One reader-reviewer said she was like the female version of the bad-boy. I guess that's a good description.

Anyway, so The Truth About Letting Go (link) is a companion to Faking, but it's not a sequel. The books can be read out of order. It just takes place in the same location and has some of the same characters.

It is a kissing book--in case you didn't guess by the cover (LOL!). Remember that steamy Valentine's Day kiss? That teaser-excerpt is her first kiss with Jordan.

Here's the link if you missed it (link).

I'll put the excerpt of her first kiss with Colt below.

The different paths Ashley's struggling with taking are sort of embodied in her relationships with these two characters.

So here are the links to where you can get it:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * Kobo

Add it on Goodreads.

And here's that excerpt:

I feel Colt laugh, and he looks down into my face. That’s when he seems to realize what I’ve been acutely aware of for the last several minutes—our bodies are pressed together.

“It’s awesome, yeah?” he says. “Adrenaline rush.”

“Yeah,” I breathe. “I guess.”

I’m not sure if he’s going to kiss me until he does. His mouth covers mine, and energy mixes with the alcohol flooding my body. Our tongues slide together, and I grip his shirt so I don’t collapse. 

Every single bit of this is wrong, and there’s no way I’m stopping it. It’s back, that good feeling. The sadness has been pushed out again, and in its place is this rush, this rush of adrenaline like Colt said. 

He pulls back and smiles at me. “We’re going to start dating. Now. You’re my partner in crime.”

~~~

Finally, THANK YOU! So much for reading and encouraging me along the way all these years. I wouldn't be here without you, friends! Have a super weekend~ <3

YA Heroes, Grits, & Matthew MacNish

So The Truth About Letting Go (link) drops Thursday...

I've decided the only cure for my nerves is more cowbell. Just kidding--it's another writer-friend interview! 

On deck, Matt MacNish of the Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment (link).

Matt and I met in early 2010 because I'd written a post asking what teenage boys liked to read, and I wanted male commentary.

I didn't know any male bloggers, so I started trolling the comments of my other bloggy friends, and I found Matt, Alex Cavenaugh (link), and DL Hammons (link). I know, the Dream Team, right? 

Well, we ended up being great friends, and now it's time for Matt to be in the hot seat. Let's geaux!

LTM: Back when we first "met," you told me how you'd lost your mom at a young age, then you were sent to live with some relatives you didn't get along with, and eventually you ended up in military school.

Share with the readers what it's like to grow up as EVERY male love interest in EVERY YA novel. You were getting all the poonanny, weren't you. Confess.

Hey, girl, you write YA?

MRM: Hah! This is all mostly true. My mom died when I was eleven, and my dad was useless, so my little sister and I moved to Minnesota to live with an aunt and uncle. By ninth grade they had kicked me out of the house, and it was off to boarding school.

I was an angry little punk, so it only took me a year to get expelled from the “nice” boarding prep school, and then it was off to, not military school, but an “emotional growth reform school for at risk teens in bumblefunk north Idaho” (that’s not exactly what it said on the brochure).

The thing is, though, before that school, I was a total dork. I was in the fencing club, I played the hell out of D&D and video games, and I spent my weekends reading fantasy and designing maps of cities for my role playing games. It wasn’t until they sent me away to boarding school that I discovered booze, weed, and partying. 

Oddly enough though, it was being into all that naughty stuff that finally gave me the balls to talk to girls (but no, I’m not giving you kiss and tell details, you’ll have to read my books to find out how awkward teen romance really is).

(Whatever. Nobody's buying the dork story, MRM. You were baggin' all the babes. We know.) 

LTM: Jessica Bell (link), who has the same name as my first cousin Jessica Bell, said at times emailing with you and me is like being a guest on a morning talk show. Knowing Jessica, I'm not sure that's a compliment. But assuming it is, what would our talk show be named?

I'm still going with "Leigh and Matthew in the Morning!" a'la...

MRM: M&M and LTM Be Droppin’ Gems.

(He says in his best "dork" voice. Whatever, Mr. "I'm a Dork," that idea's way cooler than mine.)

LTM: Since we're on news now, and I'm a former hard-hitting investigative journalist, I'm going to blow your cover and reveal that you were once an actor in the field of adult entertainment.

Exhibit A for the defense.

*Big reveal!* It's why you changed your name from Matthew Rush to Matthew MacNish. Care to comment? Tell us, what's the hardest part about working in the adult film industry?

MRM: LOL. First of all, do NOT do a Google image search for Matthew Rush if you are not 18, or if you are at work. I'm not kidding. (*serious face*.... Now back to the interview!)

But seriously, that's not me. My real name is Matthew Rush, though. Being an aspiring author of books about teens, it didn't seem appropriate to use a name so famously associated with someone so ... fit. Anyway, MacNish is my paternal grandmother's maiden name, and it's damn cool. So I adopted it as my pen name. I have some short fiction published under it.

The hardest part of working in the adult film industry is probably the pectoral muscles. Or maybe the glutes.

(And I was going to guess the fluffers. I've heard those guys are so demanding... But, yeah. That's "not you." You're also "a dork." Whatever. Much like hips, pictures don't lie.)

LTM: Moving right along. You started the Q3E (link) as a way to demonstrate we have the same brain when it comes to critiques. What am I thinking right now? Go!

MRM: You are imagining a scene from the sequel to Rouge (link), which is going to be called Rogue, and you’re picturing Hale, who has now become a cat burglar in order to help Beau support her and Teeny in Paris, while she removes her skin tight leather pants and gets ready to do some heavy petting and deep sighing with her lover.

Wait. Were we talking about critiques?

(First, stop trying to confuse the readers! There's no such thing as Rogue! Second... what? No! I am not frantically scribbling down what you just said or brainstorming cover ideas to match it...)

LTM: I wrote a post once about driving my then-seven-year-old daughter home one night and her watching the heat lightening and how it reminded me of being a kid. You directed me to a similar piece of flash fiction you wrote about a little boy watching the moon, and it was gorgeous and touching... 

Just how many ladies do you make cry with your lovely writing? 

MRM: Man, I miss being a kid. I believe you’re talking about "Babysat by the Man in the Moon," which you can read at Bryan’s blog (link). You can read all my short fiction here (link).

Reading the story itself will probably tell you more about my writing than I can in this answer, but I have no idea how many ladies cry at my writing. I do believe though that sadness, and the expression of grief in general, is one of the most beautiful things about writing. I don’t believe in therapists; I write instead.

And if "Babysat" made you cry, wait til you read "The Deafening Silence."

(That's me right now. Silence. Oh, wait. My earpiece was off... Was I singing off-key? No, seriously, MRM's writing is gorgeous. Check it out~)

LTM: On that note, in addition to being a former actor, you were also formerly a DJ and music producer. Was your DJ handle LL Cool M?

MRM: It's true. I used to own a record label, a small independent underground label in Minneapolis called Butterbeat Records. My partner was the talent. I just wrote the checks. But anyway, he used to play at a lot of raves, and one night he opened for Daft Punk, who opened for Richie Hawtin (this was before they were famous), and that was pretty damn cool, getting to meet them all.

Yeah, you know me!

(I bet! And since you refused to answer my question, I'm giving you the DJ name Mad Panda. You're down with MPP...)

LTM: Finally, you and I have established we have a common ancestral link to Mississippi--yours being in Meridian and mine in Liberty. 

My husband likes to say all white people from Mississippi are related. If my Mammaw were alive, I'm sure she would've already established that my husband and I are cousins of some number. I'm sure us, too.

Finish this analogy: Mississippi cousins are to writing as cornbread is to...

MRM: Yep. My dad was from Meridian and was supposedly related to both the author John Grisham (our family’s branch spells it Gresham) and the composer Frances Scott Key. The Rush hospital in Meridan is apparently named for a relative of mine.

Unfortunately, I’ve been mostly estranged from that side of the family for some time. It’s kind of sad, especially since my dad passed away in 2008.

As for the analogy: Mississippi cousins are to writing as cornbread is to grits.

(Mmmm... grits. Now I want some shrimp. This is the part where the Louisiana relative comes over, and it gets really good...)

LTM: OK, finally finally, get serious now. I know you're involved in like 15 blogs and you're co-hosting the A-Z Challenge in April (link). You're also working on a new book. So tell me the premise of your new book. Is it about how a super-popular blogger devised a master-plan to take over the publishing universe and give all his best friends (and possibly cousins) huge, seven-figure deals? And when can we expect it out?

MRM: My new MS WIP, which has the working title Running from Ruby Ridge, is what I call a YA Contemporary Psychological Thriller with elements of Magical Realism (I know, long winded genre, I’m working on it). It’s about a kid who’s been bouncing from foster home to foster home for years and finally gets shipped off to a behavioral modification program by his probation officer.

Long story short, he and another kid escape, and the story follows them as they try to survive on the road and get away from the psychopath who abuses them but also saves them.

I’m revising and expect to have it to betas soon, but I’ll probably query it this spring and see if I do any better than with the last book.

(Wow. And wow on that genre. I think your dork claim is officially debunked. And no word on the book deal? No? Not even for a cousin?)

Well, that wraps up this month's installment of Leigh & Matthew in tha... I mean, that's all we got, reader- and writer-friends! I'll be back Thursday chewing my nails. Til then...

Have a super week~ <3

Letting Go some Valentine's Kisses!

Happy Valentine's Day, reader-friends! Ready to get your smooch on???

The Indelibles' Indie-Kissing event has arrived, and for my entry, I'm giving you a kissing scene from my brand-new book The Truth About Letting Go (link), which releases in one week...

*breathes into bag*

This scene is the first kiss between Ashley and Jordan, and it's when they first discover their chemistry. (Their prickly romance is a main conflict in the story.)~

He grabs me around the waist, easily lifting me off the floor and through the door into his room. He puts me down, but his arms are still around me. They’re warm, and I’m surrounded by the smell of fresh-cut grass, the creek. My eyes travel from his blue shirt to his face, and his expression changes.

“Jordan, I—”

He leans down and cuts me off with a kiss. Soft, warm lips press over mine gently. I only hesitate for half a second before reaching up and weaving my fingers into his hair. I open my mouth, and the flavor of mint grows stronger as our tongues slide together. A burst of energy floods my chest, and suddenly, I’m kissing him again, faster, like I can’t get enough. He’s keeping my pace, and for the first time in months, the painful sadness is gone. In its place is this new feeling, this tense anticipation. I love it, this excitement canceling out that wretched sadness.

Our mouths break apart and we both gasp. He presses his forehead to mine, but my eyes are still closed. I’m smiling.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, pulling me into his chest. “I didn’t mean to—”

But I don’t want to hear that. I reach for his face again, pulling it down to mine. I want more of the good feeling. He lifts me, and my hands stay on his cheeks as I kiss him again and again. A noise comes from his throat, and it’s like gasoline on a fire. All of me is hot and desperate. I barely notice as we fall back onto his bed, me on top, my fingers searching for the buttons on his new shirt. They’re easy to unfasten and soon, I’m sliding my hands over his smooth chest.

I know, H-O-T, right? Well, then Jordan drops a bombshell a few paragraphs later that changes everything and sets up the basis of their ongoing "conflict."

But yanno. You'll have to read the book for that part (*wink*).

Want to WIN a free copy of The Truth About Letting Go (link)? Leave a comment here (link)!

To visit the rest of the Indie-Kissers, go here (link).

And have a lovely, lovey, weekend, reader- and writer-friends! *smooch* <3

New Book, Kissing, & Dragons!

Happy Monday, reader- and writer-friends!

I'm fresh off a weekend, mini-writing retreat with great writer-friends Susan Quinn (link) and Magan Vernon (link). I'm sure there's a post coming from that.

In the meantime, the Romance is in the Air giveaway hop, sponsored by Inspired Kathy (link) continues!

Win prizes! Click here~

You can WIN a shiny, copy of my new book The Truth About Letting Go (link), which releases Feb. 21! Enter to WIN and see all the participants (who are also having giveaways) here~ (link)

~~~

What's this? Click here...

Reminder: On Thursday, Valentine's Day, we'll all be posting kissing scenes for IndieKissing! More info here (link)!

Now, what's all this about Dragons? Well, let me tell you...

Today I'm also celebrating the release of Heather McCorkle's fantasy novel, The Dragon Empire! On today's stop, Heather is answering the following question:

The world you created in The Dragon Empire is very elaborate. How did you keep track of everything?

Heather: I created a notebook and put everything about the world in it. I wrote up pages on each type of dragon, each island, each character, the different creatures and cultures, and even drew maps of the world. It was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!

B&N / Amazon / Goodreads

Here is a bit about it:

On Yacrana dragons are the advanced species. But advanced doesn't always mean civilized...

There's trouble in the Dragon Empire, the kind that could start a war between dragons and the races of people. Hidden factions of dragons believe they should rule the lesser races, not simply stand aside and allow them to develop as they will. Having lived so long in peace, the Emperors turn a blind eye, many oblivious that such attitudes even exist.

Despite being only an architect class, emerald dragon, Grendar is willing to risk banishment and death to stop that which his rulers refuse to see. The hope of peace lies not within the scaled breast of a dragon however, but within the hands of a group of people. But if the hidden factions have their way, these people won’t live to fulfill such a destiny. With a reluctant seer at his side, Grendar must leave his precious Empire for the outside world to save those that will one day save his kind.

While The Dragon Empire is for ages young adult and up, it does contain mild violence and some difficult subject matter. 

~~~

So exciting!

Have a super, loving week, reader- and writer-friends! I'll be back Thursday~ <3

Romance is in the Air... WIN!

Valentine's Day is coming, and tons of fun celebrations are happening.

Last year, I signed up to be a part of the Romance is in the Air GIVEAWAY hop, sponsored by Inspired Kathy (link).

Prizes at every stop!

It's cool because you could win something at every stop!

Here at my stop, you'll get a chance to WIN a copy of my shiny, new book The Truth About Letting Go (link). (I know! It doesn't come out til Feb. 21! Crazy.)

[Quick Note: I've added Chapter 1 to the Goodreads page if you'd like a sneak peek. (link)]

Also, I'm going to make it SUPER EASY to enter, reader- and writer-friends. Random number generator will be used to pick TWO lucky commenters on Friday, Feb. 15!

So leave a comment, leave your email address, and Good Luck!

And if you're interested in following this blog, please do so! I can also be found here:

Amazon Author Page * Facebook * Twitter * Tumblr * Goodreads

Thanks for playing, have a super weekend, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Click Here (link) for the full list of all the places you can enter to WIN!

Volition is coming!

Back when I was still working as an editor, I had the privilege of working with writer-friend Elle Struass (link), a.k.a., Lee Strauss.

At the time, she was finishing up Perception (link), the first book in a science fiction romance series. It is awesome! (See below.)

She's now finishing up Book 2, Volition (link), and squee! It sounds awesome, too! I can't wait to read it.

Here's the cover and info and how you can WIN a $200 gift card:

Add me on Goodreads!

What doesn't kill you...

Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody. They're in love. Or at least that’s what he tells her. 

Her memories have returned but her feelings are dreamlike—thin and fleeting. Her heart can’t be trusted. Just look at what happened with Taylor Blake.

Senator Vanderveen’s new team of cyborg agents are in hot pursuit, and a reward for their capture is broadcast nationwide.
Record breaking cold and snow hinder their escape. Someone dies helping them.

And their fight for survival has only begun.

Add it on Goodreads. 

To celebrate Lee Strauss is giving away a $200 Amazon, Nook or iTunes gift card!

Read on to find out how to enter.

VOLITION is the exciting continuation of Noah and Zoe's story from Perception.

 Eternal Life is To Die For

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a
genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans.

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t.  He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically.

Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn.  She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.

 Want to read PERCEPTION? It's available on Amazon, Kobo, itunes, and Nook.

About the author:

LEE STRAUSS

Lee Strauss writes historical and science fiction/romance for upper YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff under the name Elle Strauss. To find out more about Lee and her books check
out her Facebook page. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/elle_strauss To find out about new releases sign up for her newsletter at www.ellestraussbooks.com

Click here to enter the giveaway!

Technology, Kissing, & The Book

Stop the Presses! Leigh's using technology!

Yes, I love technology...

I mean, other than my word-processing software, of course. Or my Internet browser.

Okay, or my smartphone...

The point is, my resident-genius writer-friend Susan Quinn (link) told me how to use Google Drive to create a spreadsheet for you lovelies who'd like to help with the launch of The Truth About Letting Go (link) on Feb. 21!

It is coming, and I am so excited, and I can't wait to share it with all of you, and *squee*!

Anyway, so here's the deal, if you already said yes on this blog or my Facebook page (*hugs*), or if you'd like to say yes now (*bats eyes*) please enter your email address in the blank below!



This will create a nifty spreadsheet for me to email all of you the cover, description, links, etc., in one fell swoop. Is that cool or what?

It also means you'll automatically be added to my "best buddy" list. And I promise I will not sell your information. Unless I really, RILLY need some chocolate.

Next is a quickie plug for a super-fun Valentine's event! It's called IndieKissing, and it's hosted by the writers' group Indelibles (link). 

Sign up to join in!

Anyone can join! Just post a kissing scene from your current WIP or any of your books, and link back to the Indelibles (link) site. You can also do any kind of promotion or giveaway you'd like, so have fun with it!

I'll be posting the first kissing scene from The Truth About Letting Go, and it is H-O-T! I'll also be giving away a free copy of the book--squee!

Can't wait to see what you guys post!  Click here to sign up!

Now for THE BOOK!

Great writer-friend Jessica Bell (link) has a new novella out, and it is awesome!

I got to beta read this back in December, and I was completely absorbed. The details are all below, so I'll just say it's written journal-style, which I love, and Jessica's writing is so evocative and gorgeous. The story is totally unexpected. In a GREAT way!

Get me!

THE BOOK, a novella by Jessica Bell

"Jessica Bell’s surprising risks with language capture a child’s clear vision in a world of adult heartbreak. Indelible. Courageous." ~Thaisa Frank, author of Heidegger's Glasses and Enchantment

"THE BOOK is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It's going to rip your blood pump out of your chest, kick it around like a football, and then shove it back inside you, leaving you with a potently reinvigorated faith in humanity. A curiously captivating read that somehow manages to encapsulate the length and breadth of love and family in one slim volume." ~Josh Donellan, author of Zeb and the Great Ruckus

Description:

This book is not The Book. The Book is in this book. And The Book in this book is both the goodie and the baddie.

Bonnie is five. She wants to bury The Book because it is a demon that should go to hell. Penny, Bonnie’s mother, does bury The Book, but every day she digs it up and writes in it. John, Bonnie’s father, doesn’t live with them anymore. But he still likes to write in it from time to time. Ted, Bonnie’s stepfather, would like to write in The Book, but Penny won’t allow it.

To Bonnie, The Book is sadness.

To Penny, The Book is liberation.

To John, The Book is forgiveness.

To Ted, The Book is envy.

But The Book in this book isn’t what it seems at all.

If there was one thing in this world you wished you could hold in your hand, what would it be? The world bets it would be The Book.

Intrigued?

Available at all major retailers in e-book and paperback, including Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Have a great week, reader- and writer-friends! <3