Author Jessica Arnold's Advice to Writers + a chance to win THE LINGERING GRACE

Today, we're excited to have author Jessica Arnold join us to share her advice to writers still slogging their way through the trenches. Her latest book, THE LINGERING GRACE, is the second book in her THE LOOKING GLASS series. Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a chance to win your own copy of The Lingering Grace!

The question: What surprised you most about your path to publication, and what (if anything) would you do differently looking back?

The Lingering Grace is my second book to reach publication. This newest book release will mark a full eight years since I started writing my very first manuscript. It took me about a year to finish that project, and what I created was, at best, unpublishable. But at the time I didn’t know that. When I started querying agents about seven years ago, I thought the journey to publication would take a year at most.

Looking back, part of me wishes I could travel back in time and shatter my delusions bat-on-glass style. But, on the other hand, I’m glad no one told me at the time exactly how many years it would be before I got an agent, before I got a book deal, before that book was released, and so on. Knowing the size of the hurdles ahead is less important than knowing why you’re jumping them.

I get asked sometimes what my advice is for writers fighting their way towards publication. My answer usually is something along these lines: Write because you love it and don’t give up.

Your journey to publication might be shorter or longer than mine. But if you know why you write—if you write because that’s what makes you happy—and if you refuse to give up, you’ll get there.

One of the biggest secrets I’ve learned as my friends have gotten book deals and as I’ve seen my own books reach publication is that the hurdles don’t disappear. Everyone still struggles with the same things—revisions, crises of confidence, lacks of inspiration, and self doubt. Whether you’re just starting the querying process or you’re looking a pub date in the face, it’s knowing why you’re doing this crazy amazing difficult hard thing that keeps you going.

So keep going! Say it to yourself when you’re pushing past writers block. Say it to your friends when they’re trying to get up the courage to query again. Say it, and we’ll all get there.

Good luck and love to all of you! 

More about Jessica and The Lingering Grace:

The Lingering Grace (The Looking Glass #2)
by Jessica Arnold
Publisher: Month9Books

All magic comes with a price.

The new school year brings with it a welcome return to normalcy after Alice’s narrow escape from a cursed hotel while on summer vacation. But when a young girl drowns in a freak accident that seems eerily similar to her own near-death experience, Alice suspects there might be something going on that not even the police can't uncover.

The girl’s older sister, Eva attends Alice’s school, and Alice immediately befriends her. But things change when when Alice learns that Eva is determined to use magic to bring her sister back. She must decide whether to help Eva work the highly dangerous magic or stop her at all costs. After all, no one knows better than Alice the true price of magic.

The Lingering Grace (The Looking Glass #2) by Jessica Arnold:

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The Looking Glass (The Looking Glass #1)

by Jessica Arnold
Publisher: Month9Books

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel,

Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth's old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn's next victim.

The Looking Glass (The Looking Glass #1) by Jessica Arnold:

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Jessica Arnold lives (in an apartment) and works (in a cubicle) in Boston, Massachusetts. She has a master‘s degree in publishing and writing from Emerson College.

Website | Twitter | Facebook |  Goodreads

Giveaway Information:  Contest ends April 1, 2016 

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of The Lingering Grace (The Looking Glass #2) by Jessica Arnold (INT)

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Cover Reveal + Giveaway! FACSIMILE by Vicki L. Weavil

Hello all!  Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and a happy and successful NANO! I've been on a bit of a writing hiatus as I think through some pending revisions to my latest and greatest, but that's a tale for another post. ;-)

Today, I'm thrilled to share the cover for fellow Month9Books author Vicki L. Weavil's newest release, FACSIMILE. I am a sucker for Sci-Fi, and can't wait to get my hands on this one. If it's half as good as her debut CROWN OF ICE, then we're all in for a treat.

Be sure to scroll to the bottom for a chance to win your own copy!

So, without further ado, are you ready to see the amazing cover?


....one



...two



...two and a half



...two and three quarters



...Three! Here it is!

 

 

Beautiful, no?  Here's a little more about the book:

For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.

Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home.

What does Vicki Weavil, aurthor extrodinair think about her latest cover?

"I love this cover because it reflects the book so well. The image of a girl standing alone on a desolate world is a perfect depiction of my protagonist, Ann, as well as her "sand over stone" world, Eco. But it's also symbolic, because although Ann isn't really alone, she often feels isolated on her frontier planet. The addition of the image of the Earth is also appropriately symbolic. Ann can't actually see the Earth from Eco, but since her goal is to live on Earth it's always on her mind, so the inclusion of the Earth image is a wonderful metaphor for her hopes and dreams."

I have to agree, it's beautiful . Can't wait to read it, Vicki!

Facsimile (Facsimile #1) by Vicki L. Weavil Publication Date: March 8, 2015 Publisher: Month9Books

Available for Pre-order: Amazon | B&N

 

 

Vicki L. Weavil is represented by Fran Black of Literary Counsel. Her Young Adult Fantasy, CROWN OF ICE -- a dark YA retelling of H.C. Andersen's "The Snow Queen" -- is published by Month9Books. Two companion books to CROWN OF ICE -- SCEPTER OF FIRE and ORB OF LIGHT -- will be published in 2016 and 2017. Her YA SciFi -- FACSIMILE -- will be published by Month9Books in 2016, with a sequel, DERIVATION, to follow. A new YA Fantasy, THE DIAMOND THIMBLE, will be published by Month9Books in 2018. She also writes adult SciFi.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumbler

 

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Fall Book Preview and Giveaway: Serpentine, Nameless and Minotaur!

I'm excited to bring you another fantastic giveaway and preview of some exciting new titles releasing this fall!  Don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for a chance to win a digital copy of all three books!

1. SERPENTINE by Cindy Pon, out Sept. 8, 2015

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology. 

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell. 

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time. 

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series 

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

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Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

2. NAMELESS by Jennifer Jenkins, out Oct. 6, 2015

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

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With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction. Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest |Instagram

3. MINOTAUR, by Phillip W. Simpson, out Sept. 29, 2015

“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.

Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”

Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.

So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra.And of course what really happened in the labyrinth.

This is the true story of the Minotaur.

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Phillip W. Simpson is the author of many novels, chapter books and other stories for children. His publishers include Macmillan, Penguin, Pearson, Cengage, Raintree and Oxford University Press. He received both his undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and his Masters (Hons) degree in Archaeology from the University of Auckland.
Before embarking on his writing career, he joined the army as an officer cadet, owned a comic shop and worked in recruitment in both the UK and Australia. His first young adult novel, Rapture (Rapture Trilogy #1), was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for best Youth novel in 2012. He is represented by Vicki Marsdon at Wordlink literary agency.

When not writing, he works as a school teacher. Phillip lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Rose, their son, Jack and their two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, movies, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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VESSEL Blog hop, guest post and giveaway!

I'm super excited to have Lisa T. Cresswell here today, sharing her writing process for her new release VESSEL. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post to read more about the fantastic story and to enter to win your own copy!

Guest post by Author Lisa T. Cresswell 

To write Vessel, I followed a very basic format.

1) Get idea.
2) Plan outline by chapter.
3) Write first draft.
4) Edits and rewrite.

I didn’t always write this way. I used to pretty much skip 1 and 2 and head directly to 3, which was very frustrating for me. I would always reach a point in the story where I didn’t know what was going to happen next and stop. Sometimes I would start to edit what I’d already written, which was also very frustrating. Now I know this is a recipe for disaster. If you start editing before you know the ending, you’re wasting time switching things around that may not do you any good. I’ve learned the hard way, it’s much better to get the WHOLE thing out on paper first before you ever cut a word. And it’s better to get the WHOLE PLOT OUTLINED before you even start writing. I know there are many writers out there who claim to be pantsers, but I suspect they have an entire plot from beginning to end in their head before they start. It just isn’t written down.

I started writing Vessel for NaNoWriMo in 2011. I’m not a fast writer and I didn’t have any notions of finishing the book in one month, but I love the idea of writing every day on a project. If you write a page a day, in a year, you’ll have a 365 page book, right? Anyway, I started Vessel in late 2011 and worked on it off and on for most of the following year. In 2013, I started querying. I had seen Month 9 Books on Twitter and Facebook and was intrigued. Their focus on speculative fiction and the paranormal seemed right up my alley. I was delighted when publisher Georgia McBride requested the full manuscript based on a twitter pitch! I sent the manuscript to her and tried to forget about it for awhile. Waiting is really hard!!

In July 2013, on the last day of a writing workshop I was attending in Oregon, I got an e-mail from Georgia offering me a deal. Talk about make my day! It’s been a lot of work since then, but it’s a labor of love, that’s for sure. In the long waits between editing assignments, I’ve written three new novels. Now that Vessel is going out into the world, I’ll be starting the whole process over again! Whew!

Thanks Lisa, for stopping by to share your experience!

ABOUT VESSEL:

The sun exploded on April 18, 2112. It exploded in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.

They had nineteen minutes.

Nineteen minutes until the geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, every satellite in their sky.

Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.

Generations after solar storms have destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth and humans have reverted to a middle ages like existence, all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents and books are burned as heresy.

Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs.

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ABOUT LISA T. CRESSWELL:

Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?

Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.

Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn June 26, 2015

·        Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Vessel by Lisa T. Cresswell (INT)

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Helping Your Author Friends: Where the Staircase Ends Edition

As you're probably aware, our very own Stacy Stokes's debut YA novel published last week! Let me tell you, guys—I love this book. The writing is beautiful, and the characters are so complex and interesting that I couldn't put the book down.

My shiny new copy of Where the Staircase Ends now has a place of honor on my bookshelf. I was admiring it today, and I started thinking about how many teens I know who would love this book. I talk to a few voracious readers on a fairly regular basis, so I made a mental note to mention it to them.

And that got me thinking about ways the members of the YA writing community can get the word out about their friends' books. Sure, buying the book yourself is nice, but what then? What's the most effective way to get the word out?

Luckily, for those feeling overwhelmed by all the options out there (social media? bookstores? libraries? reviews?), there are some great resources out there to help you narrow down the most effective strategy.

First, author Erin Bowman has this excellent breakdown of what you can do in addition to buying the book here on Pub Crawl: Support an Author Beyond Buying Their Book. A couple of suggestions I love: gifting the novel to friends and family for special occasions and reading the book in public (because I know I always check out what people are reading when I see them on public transportation or in the coffeeshop).

This similarly titled post from author Jen Malone on Writer's Rumpus focuses specifically on social media: Help an Author (Beyond Buying the Book): Part Three. Jen points out that tweeting, posting pics to Instagram, or posting on Facebook are some of the easiest and most effective ways to get the word out. People trust personal recommendations above all else, so this can vastly increase the likelihood that someone will pick up your friend's book.

And last but certainly not least, Stacy herself wrote a post a few months ago: 12 Easy Ways to Support Your Soon-to-Be-Published Author Friend. She points out that leaving reviews, requesting the book at the library, and asking about the book at your local bookstore (on my to-do list the next time I'm in the neighborhood!) are all good ways to support your friend.

Congratulations again, Stacy!

FINGERS IN THE MIST Bloghop, Review & Giveaway!

I'm thrilled to bring you yet another exciting new release - FINGERS IN THE MIST by O'Dell Hutchinson.  Make sure you scroll to the bottom of the post for your chance to win a copy!

I started reading FINGERS IN THE MIST on a dark and stormy night...which was a terrible idea because the story starts with a spine-tingling scene on--you guessed it--a dark and stormy night. It's a great read for anyone who likes horror, suspense and creepy leave-the-light-on stories.

In addition to the scare factor, I loved Caitlyn, the main character, who had just the right amount of bite to her. She was nicely juxtaposed by the small-town setting, complete with a fire-and-brimstone pastor and the stuck-up pastor's daughter. Add in the mystery surrounding the town and Caitlyn's mother, Caitlyn's questionable past, and a creeping killer-mist with ghoulish figures climbing out of it, and you have a nice page-turning suspense-filled roller coaster ride.


ABOUT FINGERS IN THE MIST

Title: Fingers in the Mist
Publication date: February 24, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: O’Dell Hutchison

Sixteen-year-old Caitlyn Foster never believed in the legend of the Redeemers. That was before the trees started to whisper her name. Before a murder of crows attacked the town. Before she and her family came home to find a bloody handprint on their front door, marking one of them as a sacrifice. As Caitlyn’s friends are ripped from their homes, she knows it’s only a matter of time before the Redeemers come for her. Caitlyn has the power to stop the terror, but she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to sacrifice herself to save those she loves.

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ABOUT O’DELL HUTCHISON:

O’Dell was born in a small rural town in Idaho. There were no Redeemers living there (that he knows of). After attending college in the Pacific Northwest, he found his way to the Houston area. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst and at night you can either find him sitting at home, dreaming of random super powers he wishes he had, or directing plays and musicals at various theaters around Houston.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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FIRE IN THE WOODS Bloghop and Giveaway!

I'm excited to bring you guys another exciting new release and give away, this time for FIRE IN THE WOODS, by Jennifer M. Eaton.  Be sure to scroll to the bottom to enter to win your own copy!

ABOUT FIRE IN THE WOODS:

Title: Fire in the Woods

Publication date: September 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Jennifer M. Eaton

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

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I absolutely love the cover, and when I read the premise I could wait to get my hands on FIRE IN THE WOODS.  I love when authors keep secrets, and I found the beginning really intriguing because I didn't realize what David was or why he was hiding in the woods, and I had to find out. That alone was enough to get me to turn the pages. (Some of this is now given away in the extended jacket copy, but that wouldn't have deterred me from reading.)  Once the story unfolded, I really like the sci-fi bend on the romantic plot line. It was a nice change from other books on the market. I also loved that the setting of the military base and the impact that had on Jess and her father's relationship, which was a key driver of the plot tension.  Overall, I thought it was an enjoyable read with a unique sci-fi romantic premise that was a nice change of pace.

ABOUT JENNIFER M. EATON:

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

Author Links:  Website  | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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Two Years and Counting!

Stacy wrote it perfectly last week - what an incredible two years it's been for this little blog that could.  To think, it all started with four wide-eyed writers who met at the Big Sur Writing Workshop back in Spring 2012.  I'm so proud of all these talented ladies and want to thank all our dedicated readers whose support and comments are what keep us posting along. 

Today marks the first day of Thinking To Inking's Birthday month and we're counting down some of our favourite posts from blog days past.  I thought what better way to start than to recount one of my favourite posts from fellow blog mate Stacy.  I remember the day she emailed all of us to let us know that there was something major brewing.  Only a year out from our weekend in Big Sur and she was the first of our crew to land a publishing deal for WHERE THE STAIRCASE ENDS with Month9Books.  We laughed, we cried, and since we are all in different cities, we virtually hugged and jumped for joy while sharing glasses of emoticon champagne.  

Click here to check out Stacy's post on "How She Got Her Publishing Deal".  Always humble and honest, Stacy does a great job of mapping the perilous and exciting road on her journey to publication. 

Also, don't forget to check out our rafflecopter below. It's live which means you've got a great chance to win great prizes!  Come back every Monday and Wednesday this June for more trips down blog lane and chances to win. 


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LIFE, A.D. Blog Hop & Giveaway!

I'm excited to wrap up the year with another amazing new release - Michelle E. Reed's LIFE, A.D!

Synopsis:  In Life, A.D. you have two choices: join the program or face the consequences.

Seventeen-year-old Dez Donnelly crashes headlong into fate on the side of a rural highway, her life ending in a violent collision of steel and screaming brakes. The train that delivers her newly departed soul to the crossroads of the afterlife won’t be carrying her to the sweet hereafter until she accepts her abrupt end and learns to let go of the life she’ll never finish.

Her new reality is conduct manuals, propaganda, and unrelenting staff, all part of a system to ease her transition from life to death, while helping her earn her way out of limbo. Atman City, beautiful and enticing, is an ever-present temptation that is strictly off limits to underage souls. The promise of adventure proves too strong, and beneath the city’s sheen of ethereal majesty, Dez discovers a world teeming with danger.

Welcome to Life, A.D. where being dead doesn’t mean you’re safe, and the only thing harder than getting out of limbo is getting through it.

I'm a sucker for afterlife stories, and this one doesn't disappoint. Reed paints a vivid and unique look at what awaits us when we die, and explores the other side of loss as Dez attempts to come to terms with her too-short life. Dez's limbo is wrought with strict schedules and rules, where young adults not yet ready to let go of life must find a way to reconcile who they are with who they wanted to be, all while avoiding the temptations of nearby Atman City. In life, Dez was a straight A student and star athlete with Ivy league dreams.  But in the afterlife, rules and Dez don't mix, and moving on proves tougher than she ever imagined.

Win a FREE copy via the rafflecopter below or click here!
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ABOUT MICHELLE E. REED:

Michelle E. Reed was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family.
Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.
Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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SCION OF THE SUN: Bloghop and Givaway!

Hello readers!  It's my pleasure to bring another amazing new release to you - Nicola Marsh's SCION OF THE SUN!
Synopsis (from Goodreads):  When she least expects it, sixteen-year-old Holly Burton’s unremarkable life is shaken to the core. A vision of the mother Holly never knew leaves her questioning everything she believes. 

Eager for answers, Holly enrolls at a boarding school for highly gifted students in Wolfebane, New Hampshire. But Holly's complicated life worsens when she accidentally transports to a parallel existence where she's confronted by a dark and ancient evil.

With the help of Joss, a sexy alpha warrior sworn to protect her, and her new BFF, the equally swoon-worthy Quinn, Holly faces her fears and an unlikely adversary in a showdown that is worse than anything she could’ve possibly imagined …

Publication date: November 5, 2013
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Holly, the main character, is full of spark and spunk, making SCION OF THE SUN a fun and voice-packed read.  Not to be missed are Joss and Quinn, which add an engaging and page-turning which-one-will-she-pick romance to the story. And who can deny that beautiful cover?

Win a FREE copy via the rafflecopter below!

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About the author:
USA TODAY bestselling author Nicola Marsh writes flirty fiction with flair for adults and riveting, spooky stories for teens.

She has published 43 contemporary romances with Harlequin, Entangled Publishing and indie, and sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Her first mainstream romance BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD was nominated for Romantic Book of the Year 2012. Her first indie romance, CRAZY LOVE, was a 2012 ARRA finalist.

Her debut young adult novel, a supernatural thriller BANISH, released with Harlequin Teen August 2013, and her YA urban fantasy series kicks off with SCION OF THE SUN, November 2013, with Month9Books.

She’s also a Waldenbooks, Bookscan and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY (Romantic Book of the Year) and National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and a multi-finalist for a number of awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, Booksellers’ Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and has also won several CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards.

A physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two little heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, and her favorite, curling up with a good book!

Website: http://www.nicolamarsh.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/NicolaMarshAuthor?_ft_

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicolaMarsh

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Very Superstitious - Blog Hop, Review and Giveaway!

 Guys, can I tell you how excited I am to be a part of the very Superstitious Blog hop and reveal?  And just in time for Halloween!

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  The stories are based on urban legends, myths, tribal tales and superstitions from around the world. A charity anthology to benefit SPCA International with stories by Shannon Delany, Jackie Morse Kessler, Stephanie Kuehnert, Jennifer Knight, Marianne Mancusi, Michelle E. Reed, Dianne Salerni and Pab Sungenis.

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It's been FOREVER since I read an anthology, and this one reminded why I need to read more of them. I forgot how much fun short stories can be, especially during my work commute when I usually only have time for a chapter or two. And I love that there's a charitable cause associated with this one - sales benefit the SPCA, and many of the stories have animal-related themes, which made for a nice touch.

The eight stories link to a myth or superstition (hence the title) and cover everything from werewolves, ghosts and Chupacabra to Noah's Ark.  In truth, there wasn't one story I didn't enjoy, although there were a few standouts for me, including The Silverfoot Heretic, by Pab Sungenis, which had a unique and wonderfully creative twist on the Wizard of Oz, and The Rescue, by Shannon Delany, based on an old Fae myth where a man must choose to believe his longtime best friend or a local superstition.

Here's a little more about Shannon Delany, the author of one of my favorite stories in the anthology, The Rescue.  And don't forget to enter to win a FREE copy of Very Superstitious using the rafflecopter below!

About Shannon Delany:

 Shannon Delany's newest novel, WEATHER WITCH (St. Martin's Press) is already available for pre-order (which both stuns and delights Delany)!

Shannon Delany has written stories since she was a child. She began writing in earnest when her grandmother fell unexpectedly ill during a family vacation. In 2008 her greatly abbreviated version of 13 to Life (written in just five weeks) won the grand prize in the first-ever cell phone novel contest in the western world through Textnovel.com .

Shannon was thrilled when St. Martin’s Press offered her a contract for a series about her 13 to Life characters. She expanded on the cell phone novel version, adding the subplots and characters she didn’t have time to during the contest. As paranormal as werewolves seem, the grief Shannon used to build Jess’s character is something she personally experienced with the loss of her own mother. Focusing on Jess and Pietr’s story of loss, love and dramatic and dangerous changes, Shannon came to better grips with her own struggle. The resulting novel has earned her blurbs from authors she respects most.

The first novel in Shannon’s YA paranormal series, 13 to Life, debuted June 22, 2010, and was followed by Secrets and Shadows, Bargains and Betrayals, Destiny and Deception, and the Rivals and Retribution (August 2012). Shannon has also debuted with interactive science fiction in her short story ("To Hel and Back") for Spirited: 13 to Haunting Tales (Leap Books) and will make her high fantasy debut with Month 9 Books' charity anthology titled Two and Twenty Dark Tales (October 2012, "Pieces of Eight" with musician Max Scialdone).

Shannon's new series (a steampunk trilogy titled WEATHER WITCH, also with St. Martin's Press) will launch June 25, 2013.

Connect with Shannon: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


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Check out the rest of the blog hop leading up to Halloween by clicking here:

Happy Reading!