Friday, May 31, 2013

New Book, Sale Book

That makes me think of a nursery rhyme... whatever--Happy Summer, reader-friends! 

It's our third full day of summer break over here, and we are loving it.

Lying around the pool, sleeping in...  What???

No way, I'm going nutso wrapping up all the final bits for the release of Dragonfly next week.

Did I say SQUEE today?

But today is very special because it's the Happy Book Birthday for fellow Indelible and YA Confidante Karen Hooper whose new book Taking Back Forever releases today!

whoop whoop!!! *throws confetti*

Taking Back Forever is the exciting sequel to her book Grasping at Eternity, which I read about a month ago and LOVED. I'm reading TBF right now, and it's just as awesome.

I highly recommend this one!


On Amazon
Taking Back Forever (Book 2 of The Kindrily series)

Forever is worth the fight.

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. 

Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.



And visit Karen's website (link) where she's having a Huge Party with prizes and giveaways. Hooray for Karen!

* * *

The Truth About Letting Go is still only $1.99!



And have a super book-filled weekend, reader- and writer-friends!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Awesome Surprise, Gorgeous Cover

Before we get to the Awesome Surprise, a quick update:

The Truth About Letting Go is on sale! whoop whoop!!!

For a limited time, get it for only $1.99. Reminder, this is not a sequel to The Truth About Faking. The books are companions, so you can read them out of order.

Grab your copy today!



And now for the Awesome Surprise!

Remember last fall when I wouldn't stop gushing about the book My Heart for Yours by my great writer-friends Jolene Perry & Steph Campbell?

I love that story so much, and I thought that was it. A stand alone novel.

Well, I was WRONG! whee~

They're writing three more books in that series, and I have the cover for the next one, the prequel to My Heart For Yours, out July 15!

Here it is...
On Goodreads

A secret love.
A life lost too soon.
A destiny reversed.
You’ve met Tobin & Delia.
This is Eamon’s story…
The prequel to My Heart for Yours.

Expected release: July 15, 2013

I can NOT wait for it!

Have a super rest of the week, reader-friends~

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Teaser Tuesday! Final Dragonfly Tease~

This is it, reader-friends! The last picture-teaser for Dragonfly before release day!

I'm deep into working on Undertow, so I'll keep it short. See what you think~

On Goodreads

I'm so so excited about sharing this new series with you all!

Back into the cave with me. Have a super week~

Monday, May 27, 2013

Memorial Monday

Happy Memorial Day, reader-friends!

Where we are, it's a big race weekend. Next year, maybe we'll go, but this year, we're just thankful JRM's getting closer to the end of being on crutches.

Summer's here!
Talking to my daughters yesterday, I asked if they knew what Memorial Day was all about. One said it's where we thank grandparents for being in World War II. (Actually, for her, it would be great-grandparents, most of whom are no longer with us.)

I agreed. We should always be grateful and say thanks for our World War II vets.

Memorial Day actually began as a way to remember all the Americans who died during the Civil War--Union and Confederate.

President Lincoln has been in the public eye a lot lately, and it's highlighted what a dark time that was in our nation's history. But we have many, many military service men and women to thank today.

I guess the most impressive thing I wanted them to understand was this holiday is about people we don't even know, who leave their homes and families to defend and serve our country. It's pretty impressive if you think about it.

It's cool to imagine a day when we don't need such brave folks risking their lives for us every day. In the meantime, a HUGE Thank You to all our military personnel.

Have a lovely holiday; I'll be back tomorrow with a new Dragonfly teaser~

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Touching Melody & Dragonfly re-Teaser!

Happy Tuesday, reader-friends!

Another superstar writer-friend RaShelle Workman has a new book out today, Touching Melody.

RaShelle is probably best known for her Blood & Snow series, where she re-imagines Snow White as a vampire. I know. Crazy. And it sells like crazy--whoop whoop!

She's also one of my first bloggy friends, a true writer-friend, and just the sweetest person. ((hugs))

Touching Melody is a new adult contemporary romance, and I can tell it's fantastic.

Here's the scoop:

On Amazon
Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a frat party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents. 

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face. 

Until it doesn't. 

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Graduation Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up. 

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing. 

Days and months of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible. 

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again. 

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.


Doesn't that sound AWESOME? Run grab a copy!

* * *

And now for the Dragonfly re-Teaser Tuesday!

This teaser never actually made it on the blog--it was on my Facebook page. Then we decided the image in it was the perfect cover for Undertow, so you're getting a mini-cover-reveal as well. Bonus!

See what you think:

On Goodreads

And have a super week, reader- and writer-friends~

Monday, May 20, 2013

Just in Time for Summer: The Girl Guide is OUT!

Great writer-friend Christine Fonesca writes amazing fiction (see her Requiem series, which I loved), but she's also an educational psychologist, who writes super-helpful nonfiction books as well!

Her new book, The Girl Guide, is perfect for parents of girls approaching the middle school years. 

I know I can't wait to get my copy. Here's the scoop:

The Girl Guide is all about finding yourself and your unique voice in the world. And what better time to start on that journey than summer

On Amazon
Summer is a great time for renewal. The days are long, the weather, perfect, and the vibe – magical. So, as you’re taking a break from school or work, catching up with friends and family, and venturing out for a special vacation, why not add a little “inner” journey to your adventures and spend part of the summer discovering the “real” you?

Journeying inwards, like any trip, requires a map, some supplies, and an adventurous spirit. Fortunately, these things are easily acquired. A journal can become an ideal map to the inner you. Use it as you spend a little time each day reflecting on your dreams and hopes. Take stock of what you’ve accomplished so far, and plan where you’d like to go in the future. Then, once you have a good sense of your inner dreams and desires, make a plan for the future. Add new experiences, read different books, complete projects you’ve previous abandoned. In doing these things you can begin to cultivate your own authenticity.

And don’t forget to pack an adventurous spirit as you journey inwards. Embrace the you that lives within. You may be surprised the “you” you can get to know this summer.

Reviews:
"The Girl Guide is a game-changer and should be in every girl's backpack." ~ Ali Cross, author of the Desolation series

"The perfect remedy for a world obsessed with airbrushed perfection. A must read for every girl who has ever wondered what it means to be strong. Girls who can find beauty and strength within should be--and can be--the new normal, and The Girls' Guide is there to show the way." ~ Danyelle Leafty, author of The Fairy Godmother Dilemma series

"It's easy to understand, professional and relevant without being preachy, and really delves into the situations and emotions that girls out there are experiencing...I highly recommend this book."
~ Michelle McLean, author of Homework Helpers: Essays and Term Papers (Career Press 2011) and To Trust a Thief (Entangled Scandalous 2013)

"It's like an older sister and a mom rolled into one helpful book, all with the intent of helping me discover the best "me" there is. Definitely something I'd recommend to girls who are feeling lost...or just overwhelmed"
~ Shayna, High School Junior

"The Girl Guide is an easy-to-read, profound book that allows teenagers to understand it's the world that is different, not the teenager. I'm picky about the type of books that I introduce to my kids and I must say, this is one of the superior ones." - A Reader's Refuge

"For those parents, librarians, teachers and counselors who have teens that are struggling to find their own identity, or even that enjoy getting to know themselves better. Definitely a delicious pick!!" - Novel Nutritious

Finding your unique voice in a noisy world can be hard—very hard. But not if you have a great guide! TheGirl Guide: Finding Your Place in a Mixed-Up World is a must-read for girls in grades 6–8 as they enter the tumultuous world of adolescence. Packed with fun worksheets and quizzes, as well as stories from older girls and women, The Girl Guide covers everything a teenage girl needs to know on the journey toward her own identity. Proven strategies for dealing with stress management, confronting relational aggression, being safe online, navigating the changing mother-daughter relationship, and more make this the ultimate guide for any girl to get through the teen years and discover her unique point of view in the world.


* * *

Last week of school for us, so I'm pushing it to make deadlines--Have a super week, reader- and writer-friends~ 

Friday, May 17, 2013

No Stopping the Debt Collector!

I am deep in the editing cave finishing up Undertow (link) revisions, reader-friends, and I am LOVING it!

I can't wait to get Dragonfly (link) out June 6, so I can get y'all to Undertow in July--LOL! So so SO excited to share it with you all~

In the meantime, writer-friend Susan Kaye Quinn (link) is unstoppable!

Her FANTASTIC future-noir Debt Collector series is on Episode 6 now. I'm reading these, and I'm telling you, they. Are. AWESOME!

Here's the scoop:

Fallen (Debt Collector 6)



Available on KindleNookKobo, and Smashwords

or

Add it to your Goodreads TBR

ALSO 
Debt Collector (1-3) is on sale!
(Was $2.99) NOW 99cents
Until Friday 5/17
Available on KindleNookKoboiTunes, and Smashwords
and

and
Debt Collector (4-6) is out!



Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords

or

Add it to your Goodreads TBR


All your reviews and spreading the word about Debt Collector make a HUGE difference! Thanks for all your support!!
Sue

That's it, reader- and writer-friends! Back to the cave with me, and have a fantastic weekend~

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Dragonfly, Teaser Tuesday!

We're in the homestretch, reader-friends! Less than a month and Dragonfly will be everywhere for your reading enjoyment.

I can't wait to share it with you, but in the meantime, I've got some fun picture teasers to get you ready.

The first excerpt, which is a little longer ran a few weeks ago here (link). Last Tuesday I ran a picture teaser featuring everybody's favorite artist Julian. (See it here.)

Today's is the couple from the first passage a little later in the story. See what you think~

On Goodreads

Have a super week, reader- and writer-friends!

I'm making he most of the last two weeks of school and focusing on finishing Undertow (Book #2) revisions. It's on schedule for July release (which is why you haven't been seeing me much).

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get New Release Alerts in your inbox. Don't miss a date! (link)

Thanks, guys! More soon~

Monday, May 13, 2013

I'm Not Here!

Wasn't that a book title? Maybe it was a movie? I don't know.

Anyway, Happy Monday!

What's this about missing persons? I'm over posting at The Kindness Project today, so run check it out (link).

I'll be back here tomorrow with a special Teaser Tuesday from Dragonfly... we're in the count-down now! Whoop whoop! #soexcited

If you missed the special Mother's Day teaser excerpt from The Truth About Letting Go, it's here (link).

Have a super day, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day... Character edition!

First, Happy Mother's Day to my own mother!

She said I'd write books when I was just a little kid. I argued she was wrong for about 30 years and finally gave in and started writing. I haven't looked back. Love you, Mom.

So what's this about Characters?

Well, literary agent Mary Kole back in (I think) 2010 first noted the high mortality rate of parents in young adult literature.

I kind of scratched my head (and worried) at the time, because all my characters had parents. Some were more present than others, but they were there.

Whether it's the idealistic, leader-parents of The Truth About Faking, whose ideals manage to get them in hot water and embarrass their daughter, main character Harley, to no end.

Or the kind but somewhat oblivious parents of Anna in the Dragonfly series, who (justifiably) trust their daughter, but have no clue all the drama she's juggling.

Today, I'm highlighting my favorite mother-daughter relationship--that of Ashley and her mom Gretchen in The Truth About Letting Go.

They both tragically lose a man they love and idealize before the story opens, and they deal with it in very different ways. Ashley fights; Gretchen withdraws.

Ashley, despite her anger and fighting, finds Jordan, her promise of a future love. Gretchen doesn't have that promise--although I threw in the potential in the figure of charming, understanding Eric (never Rick) James.

So here's the picture excerpt taken from Letting Go. I hope you enjoy it, and consider picking up a copy of the book and letting me know what you think!


Print copies on Createspace | Amazon

Have a wonderful day, reader- and writer-friends~ <3

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Teaser Tuesday & Exciting News!

First the Exciting News!

One of my very first writer-friends is now a multi-published author! Whoop Whoop!!!

*throws confetti*

Hart Johnson (a.k.a., Alyse Carlson; a.k.a., "The Watery Tart") releases her second Garden Society Mystery today, The Begonia Bribe.

And just LOOK at this cover...

Get Me!
Roanoke, Virginia, is home to some of the country’s most exquisite gardens, and it’s Camellia Harris’s job to promote them. But when a pint-sized beauty contest comes to town, someone decides to deliver a final judgment …

A beauty pageant for little girls—the Little Miss Begonia Pageant—has decided to hold their event in a Roanoke park. Camellia is called in to help deal with the botanical details, the cute contestants, and their catty mothers. She soon realizes that the drama onstage is nothing compared to the judges row. There’s jealousy, betrayal, and a love triangle involving local newsman—and known lothario—Telly Stevens. And a mysterious saboteur is trying to stop the pageant from happening at all.

But the drama turns deadly when Stevens is found dead, poisoned by some sort of plant. With a full flowerbed of potential suspects, Cam needs to dig through the evidence to uproot a killer with a deadly green thumb.

I had the privilege of reading an ARC of Hart's first book in this series The Azalea Assault, and I LOVED it. It's hilarious, super-fun, and totally kept me guessing to the end. And I'm SURE Begonia Bribe is going to be equally awesome!

Grab your copy today:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

* * *

MORE exciting news: eARCs of Dragonfly are now available on NetGalley for book reviewers, librarians, media types, etc...

(*flails a little bit* *hides under desk*)

If you're a book-reviewer-friend or have a NetGalley account, hop over and request a copy! 

The Book Tour is running through InkSlinger PR on June 6-20. I've done my best to reach out to reviewers I've worked with in the past. Please touch base with KP Simmon if I missed you somehow! 

I'm super-excited about releasing this series, but it's keeping me incredibly busy with the tight schedule.

Remember Undertow (Book 2) will be out in July~

* * *

And now for the exclusive Dragonfly TEASER TUESDAY!

I've been playing around with pictures more, so please excuse my lack of design skillz. See what you think~


I know, the text is hard to read. Here's what it says:

I took a limping step, and he stopped. "Does it hurt to walk?"
My leg was throbbing. I looked down, and before I realized what was happening, he lifted me in his arms.
"Julian, wait," I held his shoulders. "I'm too heavy!"
"It's okay," he said, walking on. 
I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. I didn't feel like fighting. Gentle pressure against my temple, and he'd kissed me. 
"You'll get over this," I heard him say under his breath.
--Dragonfly, coming June 6


You can also read a longer, earlier excerpt Here (link).

THANK YOU for all the support and encouragement, reader- and writer-friends! Have a super week~ <3

Monday, May 6, 2013

The (awful) Good Ole Days & #New Books!

I would never want a fellow writer or writer-friend to suffer.

But looking back, I'm almost a tiny bit glad I suffered through the experience of Query Purg(-atory). And I almost wish all writers did.

What is wrong with me, and why would I ever say such a thing?

Well, let me break it down for those who might not know (or remember)...

Query Purg used to be the only way to get published. It was a long slog of sending a query letter to a literary agent and then having to wait, in horrible radio-silence for six weeks (or more!) ...

To see if you made it to the next round: A request for more or all of your manuscript! (Yay!!!)

And then it started all over again. Waiting... as much as another two months--sometimes longer.

The bad news I learned was once you did land an agent, it just started all over again. The agent sends it to editors, and another round of waiting begins.

It's possible the query process is the most sophisticated method of torture ever invented.

BUT! if it weren't for Query Purg, I would never have ventured online to find support. I would never have found Janet Reid, I would never have started this blog, we would never have found each other!

Or maybe we would've? Now I'm thinking of that Sliding Doors post I did a while back.

Anyway, my whole point is that while I'm so happy the self-publishing revolution has (almost) made Query Purgatory a mere (horrible) memory, I feel sorry for these new writer-friends who'll never have that great bonding experience that brought so many of us together.

Hmm... or maybe I'm just looking for the bright side of life. Who knows? All I know is I'm glad to know you guys, and I'm glad something wonderful came out of a super-difficult time in my life.

Now for the new books!

First is a new Craft book by an experienced Editor and one of my first writer-friends, Jessica Bell. Jessica is the co-publishing editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca.

She's SUPER qualified--here's the scoop: Too many adverbs and clichés in your writing? I've got just the fix for you.

On Amazon
Writers constantly have rules thrown at them left, right, and center. Show, don’t tell! Stop using so many dialogue tags! More sensory detail! More tension! Speed up the pace!

I used to feel overwhelmed by it all too. In fact, I still do sometimes. It’s hard enough to get the words on the page, let alone consider how to put them there.

My name’s Jessica Bell, and my own struggles with feeling overwhelmed inspired me to write the Writing in a Nutshell Series of pocket-sized writing guides. So you can learn to hone your craft in bite-sized, manageable pieces.

In the first book of the series, I focused on demonstrating how to transition “telling” into “showing.”

In Adverbs & Clichés in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Subversions of Adverbs & Clichés into Gourmet Imagery, you will find thirty-four examples of prose which clearly demonstrate how to turn those pesky adverbs and clichés into vivid and unique imagery.

LTM: This book is fantastic, and Jessica's a SUPER teacher. Get it today, and get writing!



* * *

Next up, super-sweet and talented writer-friend Cassie Mae has a contemporary New Adult novel coming out this July, and I'm participating in the gorgeous Cover Reveal!

Drum Roll please.....

Get me
Is that gorgeous or what? Here's the blurb...

In the wealthy town of Sundale, Kelli Pinkins has hatched the perfect plan to capitalize on her sweet reputation. For a generous fee, she will be every trust-fund baby’s dream: a Friday-night alibi, the “girlfriend” or “BFF” parents dream about. 

With college approaching in the fall, Kelli’s services are in demand more than ever, which means that her social life is nonexistent. But Kelli is A-okay with that. She’s raking in cash for school. Besides, relationships are tricky, and sometimes very messy. She’d rather be at home on Xbox LIVE, anyway. 

Then the unexpected happens: She meets college stud Chase Maroney.

Chase isn’t like the preppy, privileged guys Kelli usually meets in Sundale. For starters, he’s twentysomething, always wears black, and he shoots back one-liners as fast as she can dish them out. But Kelli’s attempts to drive Chase away falter when she realizes that he treats her like he really knows her, like he cares about knowing her. 

When Kelli finally gives in to the delicious kiss she’s been fighting for so long, she faces a tough decision: make Chase a real-life boyfriend and risk her heart . . . or keep her clients and lose her first true love.

LTM: Squee!!! I absolutely loved Cassie's first book Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend (link), and this one promises to be just as great!


* * *

Last, but in no way least, fellow Indelibles sister GP Ching has released the latest in her SoulKeepers series!

I love the sound of this installment as well as the cover, and as your reward for hanging to the end here, enter to #WIN a $100 Amazon Gift Card (link)!

On Amazon
Dane Michaels has been to Hell and back and isn't interested in repeating the experience. 

But as a human caught up in the Soulkeeper's world, his life isn't exactly his own. No one can explain why Dane was allowed through the gates of Eden, but it has changed everything. Now, the only one who can make him feel safe is Ethan, the telekinetic Soulkeeper with a dark past and a heart of gold.

When Malini asks Dane to be part of a mission to find the last Soulkeeper, Cheveyo, more than one team member thinks she's tempting Fate. 

But Malini suspects Fate has had a hand in Dane's life for some time and that he could be the key to unraveling Lucifer's latest plan of attack.




* * *

That's it for me, reader- and writer-friends! I'm out of the cave, Dragonfly is on GoodReads (click here to add it!) and starting tomorrow, I'll be sharing excerpts and teasers leading up to the June 6 release date! SO exciting.

Have a super week~ <3