Half Finished Old Projects and Last Day of Giveaway!

First of all: How do you like the format of our Mystery Agent Contest so far? Pretty cool, huh? Hope everyone is giving our participants some great feedback. If you haven't yet, just scroll below and check them out. 

Now... on to the post.

Recently I turned in my 2nd book in my series for Month9books. I'm excited to hear back from my editor to see what she thinks. This project was especially rewarding to me because I haven't finished anything for a really long time. Years even. Now, don't get me wrong. I've done some short stories. I've started several other projects, but always got sidetracked. I've written, but have never FINISHED them. It felt really, really good to finish a project again.

Now that I have this contracted book out of the way (at least until I get my first round of edits back), I am pulling out an old project, one that I think is probably the most publishable work I've ever done. The problem is that I haven't written on it in a while, and it's hard getting back into it. It's half done and quite an organic work, meaning I've written a lot by the seat of my pants and I'm not even sure how it's going to end. Drafts are always very difficult to me, especially now when it's been so long since I've connected to my story.

It's 1st person instead of 3rd. It's also a Middle Grade book, whereas my upcoming release, as well as it's sequel, is YA. Different style. Different world. Different characters with different personalities.

So how do YOU switch gears when your current WIP is so very different than one you just finished?


Oh! I also wanted to give you all a reminder. My giveaway is ending TONIGHT. The post for my cover re-reveal for The Emissary is HERE  My cover is pretty sweet. Please take a peek and let me know what you think.

You still have time to enter for a copy of my book and an amazon gift card.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Editing vs. Drafting

So today I thought I'd talk about editing vs. writing, and ask you all what camp you belong in.

Do you like the creative process of getting the story down for the first time?

Or do you prefer taking what is there and shaping and forming it into something else?

Do you prefer drafting or editing of that draft?

 Me, personally ... I'd much prefer to edit. Getting that first draft out can be tortuous and never ends. It keeps going and going like an energizer bunny. (And yes, that probably dates me a bit. lol). I much prefer taking what is there and making it shine.

Now, if you were to ask me if I liked editing after I've done the same manuscript at least a dozen times... Well, that is different. Editing THAT much makes my eyes bleed. As much as I love my upcoming novel, I truly don't want to look at it ever again.

My favorite draft is probably the 3rd. Second draft can be hard, as you restructure problems that came up through the creation. But by the 3rd or 4th time though, it is more like painting a piece of potter that is molded and formed. THAT kind of editing, I love.

I'm currently trying to finish writing my sequel to THE EMISSARY (psst, it's up on goodreads if you want to check it out). I've been editing, and avoiding the last two chapters of drafting. Terrible, aren't I? I use editing to procrastinate finishing the dang book. So if anyone wants to give me some cheers and "you can do it", you can add that too. lol.  About two more days, if I work, and that bit will be done. Then I can go back and continue to edit until it shines.

photo credit: Nic's events via photopin cc

With that being said, I'm off to pound out some pages. Remember: Time is running out for applications for our blog as well as our survey in the sidebar. We want to hear from you.

Remembering Dr. Seuss

I just found out today that Dr. Seuss's birthday is coming up in two days. He would've been 110 years old on March 2nd. :)  I thought I'd commemorate him on the the blog.because Dr. Seuss will always hold a special place in my heart. One of his books (I think it was Yertle the Turtle) was the very first book I read on my own. I remember sitting on my living room couch and painstakingly going though the book, word by word. When I finished, I was so proud, displaying the book to my mom.

Now, as an adult, I have new memories. Sitting with my kids and listening to the cadence of Dr. Seuss as I read them books like, Cat in the Hat, or Green Eggs and Ham (my favorite to read out loud).

Today, I want to share a few of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes. Feel free to add to the list by including some of your own in the comments.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss.


“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” 
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!


“A person's a person, no matter how small.” 
― Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who!


“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” 
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax


“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” 
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!


(I always think of this one when I am cleaning the house.)

“And this mess is so big 
And so deep and so tall, 
We cannot pick it up. 
There is no way at all!” 
― Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat


And if those weren't enough, here are some more. Thank you Dr. Seuss for a life of fun and rhymes.

Dead Jed by Scott Craven

Today I wanted to put a plug in for one of my fellow authors from Month9 Books.

Dead Jed: Adventures of A Middle School Zombie  

Coming December 1, 2013. Preorder Now!

Jed is not your typical middle school geek. He is, to use the politically correct term, "cardiovascularly challenged." And though his parents attempted to shield him from the implications of being different for as long as they could, when Jed was eight and at a friend's sister's birthday party, he blew his lips off onto the cake in front of everyone, finally prompting the Big Talk—and an emergency SuperGlue repair by his dad. Now as a target of Robbie, the supreme school bully, and his pack of moronic toadies, seventh grade at Pine Hollow Junior High is rapidly becoming unbearable. From being stuffed in a trash can as "dead meat" and into a trophy case as the bully's "prize," to literally having his hand pulled off in the boys' room and a cigarette put in it to try to frame him for the recent reports of smoking in the school, Jed's had enough and is ready to plan his revenge. (Jed's always losing body parts, but luckily, with a good stapler and some duct tape, he's back in action.) But Jed finds that it's awesome what you can do when you're already dead! He goes from underground underdog to over-the-top hero and proves you don't have to be living to have a lot of heart. For every kid who's ever felt different, been picked on, or kicked out, this is a heartwarming and funny story about surviving middle school, making friends, and keeping your limbs.




Amazon Link
Goodreads

And here is the new book trailer for Dead Jed.

Love Your Antagonist via Loki

So how many of you are going to see the new Thor movie this weekend?

(raises hand)

Did you know that they added extra filming after it was finished, just to add more Loki scenes? There was such an outcry for the character (And Tom Hiddleston) that they added more of him to make the fans happy.

I admit, as much as I like Thor, I LOVED Loki. A good part of it was the actor. But also, the character himself. He is a villain with baggage. He's not evil, just for the sake of being evil. He found out he was adopted and not like everyone else. He was lied to. He lived under the shadow of his brother. And even though he was the antagonist, you felt for him. (And Tom's voice doesn't hurt either.)

So I have a few questions for you. Ready?

1. Is your antagonist sympathetic? Can you see a reason that he/she is bad, or did you just make them bad/evil?

2.  Who are your favorite sympathetic villains. Books. Movies. I don't care.

3. Team Loki or Team Thor. :o)

Here is something to tide you over while you wait for the movie to come out:

Adoption and Fundraising....or a 20k Advance.

Ok, so this post has little to do with writing. But I thought I'd take a few minutes out of your day to discuss my REAL life and what's going on.

For the past year, we've been working toward adopting a son from Bulgaria. We already have 3 kids, but we feel as if we have more room and more love to give to an orphan. Bulgaria is a country in Eastern Europe. Here is a picture so you know where it is.

So in the last year, we've been in paperwork pregnancy. And, let me tell you this: Being REAL pregnant is a lot easier. We've finished our homestudy and our papers are in the process of being translated to Bulgarian. And after that is all done, we get to wait for a referral.

A referral could take from 1-3 years. Which is a LOT longer than the 9 months I waited for each of my other 3 kids. But this is important. Our son is out there somewhere waiting for us. And, as we wait, I ran a few numbers and realized that we still have to pay around 20 thousand dollars toward our adoption.

Yep... You heard me. Twenty THOUSAND dollars. That is after spending over 8,000 this year.

Adoption is expensive.

Maybe I should finish my Middle Grade Book and sell it for some big bucks (cough....any agent out there...cough). Not sure they would do an adoption pity sale though? Probably not.

And we might have 3 years to make that money...or we might have one. (gulp). I figured it would be best to start trying to get the money now. So, I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd do some fundraising promotions here on OA

*****

Firstly, we signed up to sell coffee. Just Love Coffee offers fundraisers for people in the process of adoption. It's a good organization, as it doesn't only help people like us, but it also helps those in Africa earn a living.


Check it out HERE.  You can also see a picture of our family (and notice how tall my husband is).

*****

I've also started an etsy store where I've been working on some handmade jewelry and things.  If you'd like to check it out, and pass the word along--and maybe even buy something so I don't look like such a geek-- that would be really awesome.

Linkage is HERE

*****

And don't forget, I have a fantasy short story that I self-published a while back to help with our adoption. It's only .99 on kindle and all the profits go toward our adoption. It's a other world fantasy with a native american flavor. 

Link on Amazon is HERE:

******

And lastly, our daughter had these bracelets made up. We're selling the green and purple ones for $1.00 and the tricolored ones for $2.00.  Throw in a couple of dollars shipping for those of you who are not near me. If you're interested in them, just drop me an email and we can arrange something. ask.miss.java (at) gmail.com.

Anyhow! Thanks for letting me share and pimp our fundraisers. If you'd like to help by sharing this post, that would be much appreciated!

*****

And if some publisher/agent wants a great MG boy fantasy novel set in the world of Native American Mythology, that would want to give us a 20k advance....let me know as well. LOL.

Mystery Agent Tomorrow...and thoughts

So I just wanted to send a reminder out to you all.  Remember that tomorrow morning our mystery agent contest goes live!

Here is what our fabulous MA is on the lookout for:

Picture Books

Middle Grade

Young Adult


And specifically, our MA is seeking the following:

For MG and YA: currently seeking mysteries, historical, or contemporary with mystery elements

For PB: seeking manuscripts that have a voice, aka an author who is putting forward a sense of place, personality, and storytelling. Voice, voice, voice!

This contest is open to veterans and newbies alike - so long as you have a complete and query-ready manuscript on your hands within the genres of interest, our guest agent would love to hear from you.

Contest goes live 9 AM central time. The first 50 entries we receive will go on to our MA. Remember, this is a one-sentence pitch. Cheating with grammar doesn't count. Meaning that you can't have 3 sentences with commas between them. The sentence needs to work.


And, if you think that you can't tell your story with a single sentence, I'm going to leave you with this beautiful video called "Thoughts" It tells a story without a single word at all.


Ok...so the song has words.  But it is beautiful, none-the-less.



Annimation by: http://ryanwoodwardart.com

Cover Reveal: LIVES OF TAO by Wesley Chu

Today we have exciting news! Our very own Wesley Chu has his cover for his SF book.  Introducing

LIVES OF TAO

When out-of-shape IT technician Roen woke up and started hearing voices in his head, he naturally assumed he was losing it.

He wasn’t.

He now has a passenger in his brain – an ancient alien life-form called Tao, whose race crash-landed on Earth before the first fish crawled out of the oceans. Now split into two opposing factions – the peace-loving, but under-represented Prophus, and the savage, powerful Genjix – the aliens have been in a state of civil war for centuries. Both sides are searching for a way off-planet, and the Genjix will sacrifice the entire human race, if that’s what it takes.

Meanwhile, Roen is having to train to be the ultimate secret agent. Like that’s going to end up well…

~~~~~~~

Here is the link on good reads: HERE

It comes out in just a few short months (April 30th) so add it to your list.

Or go ahead and PREORDER it now!

~~~~~~

Wesley Chu was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Chicago, Illinois when he was just a pup. It was there he became a Kung Fu master and gymnast.


Wesley is an avid gamer and a contributing writer for the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland. A former stunt man and a member of the Screen Actors Guild, he can also be seen in film and television playing roles such as “Banzai Chef” in Fred Claus and putting out Oscar worthy performances as a bank teller in Chicago Blackhawks commercials.

Besides working as an Associate Vice President at a bank, he spends his time writing and hanging out with his wife Paula Kim and their Airedale Terrier, Eva.

A Day in the Life of THIS Published Author: Shannon Duffy

So today on Operation Awesome, we welcome, Shannon Duffy, one of my fellow Month9Book authors.  Shannon's MG book, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA, released earlier this month from. If you haven't yet bought your copy, I suggest you run out and do so now! Here is her link on Amazon so you can take a peek.

To get to know Shannon a little better, she is sharing with us what a day in her life is like. Feel free to add your version of a writing day in the comments below. And, without further ado,  I bring you A Day in the Life of Shannon Duffy:

On weekdays, first I take my son to school. Once I get back home, it’s coffee time. I so can’t start the day with my java. I work out four days a week in my gym downstairs so that’s what I do next. After that I’ll eat breakfast before diving in to answer emails and do a bit of social media stuff. Yes, I love Twitter! It’s addictive, I’m not gonna lie. In the afternoons is my time to write if I'm working on something. I’ll either write in my office or on my laptop in my bedroom. If I have a blog tour like now, I'll work on doing blog posts. At night, I love to watch reality TV and then read before bed. On the days I'm not writing, I hang out with friends or my mom. We do all the girly stuff. And of course I spend lots of time with my husband and son. Anything at all with them is awesome. And we like to travel--someplace sunny is always my favorite destination.

Thanks for inviting me to your blog today!
~Shannon 

Gabriel Stone is a twelve-year-old boy still reeling from the unsolved disappearance of his mother. With a dad who’s hard to relate to, and mounting pressures at school, Gabriel lets off steam by hiking in the place where his mother was last seen. There, Gabe and friends find a crystal that proves not only beautiful, but magical beyond their wildest dreams. Only, magic and beauty come with a price: in order to return home, they must save the dying world of Valta.

Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta is a magical, fast-paced story that takes readers on a journey they won’t soon forget. It has enough mystery, intrigue and wonder to keep readers up, lamp lit, and reading into the night.

GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is perfect for the classroom. Reading and Teacher Guides are available. Contact Caroline Patty at: educationm9b@gmail.com to request guides. GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA also makes a great gift for readers ages 9 and up who enjoy fantasy stories like THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA and THE BRIDGE TO TARABITHIA.

GABRIEL STONE AND THE WRATH OF THE SOLARIAN, Book 2 in the Gabriel Stone series will be available from Month9Books in February 2014!

~~~

ABOUT SHANNON DUFFY

Shannon Duffy grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and son, Gabriel. She’s mom to one boy, and several pets. Shannon loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions: shopping. Shannon Duffy is available for quotes, signings, video or podcast appearances, and all opportunities relative to GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA. 

~~~

ABOUT MONTH9BOOKS:

Month 9 Books is a publisher of speculative fiction for teens and tweens… where nothing is as it seems. Month9Books will donate proceeds from each of its annual charity anthologies to a deserving charity. Individually, authors may donate his or her advances and royalties to a charitable organization. Month9Books will also release 10-12 non-charitable titles annually. GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is Month9Books’s first Middle Grade release. Month9Books is distributed by Small Press United, a division of IPG. You may visit www.month9books.com for more information.

LINKS:

Goodreads GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA: 

Goodreads SHANNON DUFFY: 

Shannon Duffy Twitter: 

Shannon Duffy Website: 

Goodreads Month9Books: 

Month9Books Blogger Central: 

Month9Books Facebook: 

Month9Books Twitter: 

Month9Books Publishing Website: 

Shimmer of Angels, Sneak Peek

I'm so very excited to share with you today a new release, which came out only yesterday, from my fellow Month9Books author, Lisa Basso

SHIMMER OF ANGELS, a debut young adult title from Lisa M. Basso.

Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it. Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it’s more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing?

Author of THE IRON WITCH, Karen Mahoney, says, “A SHIMMER OF ANGELS has a courageous heroine who finds herself in the middle of two gorgeous angels, a fascinating world, and a story that builds to an exciting climax - I'll be looking forward to more from Lisa M. Basso!"

To help celebrate the release, we on the OA are giving you a sneak peek. Take a look inside of the awesomeness.. 

ALSO, Month9Books will be highlighting this author tour each day, so remember to follow their twitter and facebook page to find out more. Each day will feature a giveaway. Sign up on the raffelcopter for a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And also, don't forget our post earlier today where you can win from our new Mystery Bloggers.

And now, sit back, relax and enjoy reading the excerpt of this awesome book from Lisa Basso.  

  MNB ASOA 1st Ch LisaMBasso July 18 2012 by  

ABOUT LISA M. BASSO

Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started with a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Boyfriend that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B. Lisa M. Basso is available for quotes, signings, video or podcast appearances, and all opportunities relative to A SHIMMER OF ANGELS. 

A SLITHER OF HOPE, Book 2 in the ANGEL SIGHT series will be available from Month9Books in February 2014!

ABOUT MONTH9BOOKS:

Month 9 Books is a publisher of speculative fiction for teens and tweens… where nothing is as it seems. Month9Books will donate proceeds from each of its annual charity anthologies to a deserving charity. Individually, authors may donate his or her advances and royalties to a charitable organization. Month9Books will also release 10-12 non-charitable titles annually. A SHIMMER OF ANGELS is Month9Books’s first Young Adult release. Month9Books is distributed by Small Press United, a division of IPG. You may visit www.month9books.com for more information.

LINKS:

Goodreads A SHIMMER OF ANGELS: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13572197-a-shimmer-of-angels

Goodreads Lisa M. Basso: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3201662.Lisa_M_Basso
Lisa M. Basso Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Lisa-M-Basso/340213186037936?fref=ts
Lisa M. Basso Twitter: http://twitter.com/LisaMBasso
Lisa M. Basso Website: http://lisa-basso.blogspot.com/
Goodreads Month9Books: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/67761-month9books
Month9Books Blogger Central: http://month9booksblog.com/?page_id=477
Month9Books Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/month9books
Month9Books Twitter: http://twitter.com/Month9Books
Month9Books Publishing Website: http://www.Month9Books.com 

"Show Us Your Wings" Contest

Hi all!

Just thought I'd share with you all a contest that my publisher, Month 9 Books, is doing.

The info from Month 9 Books:

Month9Books is so excited about the release of A Shimmer of Angels, by Lisa M. Basso, that we are giving away the book and angel swag every day in the month of February! Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and we want you to show us what you would love to see if you saw angel wings.  You can design your angel wings many different ways, so be creative!

Readers can begin submitting their wings Tuesday, January 22nd, and a winner will be chosen every day in the month of February!  Whether you are taking a picture of yourself in wings, drawing wings, or creating wings digitally, you can submit your photo or video to mnbcontests@gmail.com.  You can also link to the files in the comments section on this page.  You can enter in a few additional ways in the Rafflecopter to increase your chances of winning.  With a total of 28 winners, your chances of winning are great!

Find out more, and enter here:

Happy Book Birthday, Kelly Hashway.

One of my fellow Month 9 Books authors, Kelly Hashway, just had her YA book come out today. So I just wanted to give it a shout out. A Touch of Death is available today from Spencer Hill Press.

Here is the link for her website.
And for the book on Goodreads.
And on Amazon.

Check it out!

Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.


~~~~

            

Kelly is represented by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. Look for her upcoming YA novels, Touch of Death (Spencer Hill Press, 1/15/13), Stalked by Death (Spencer Hill Press, 7/23/13), The Monster Within (Spencer Hill Press, 4/14), The Darkness Within (Spencer Hill Press, TBA), and Into the Fire (Month9Books, spring 2014). Love All, the first book in my Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak Novella series, (Swoon Romance) releases 1/22/13. Also look for her MG series Curse of the Granville Fortune (Month9Books, 2016).

And the Nomination Goes to.....

So this morning I watched the live broadcast of the Academy Award nominations. I never realized they made such a production of it. I did have interest in it this year, as one of my favorite actors, Hugh Jackman, was rumored to be up for consideration because of his performance as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. So I tuned in online and waited with baited breath to see if he'd get the bid. And I'm please to say, he did.

Overall, Les Miserable got great reviews. There were some people who couldn't stand the movie musical, and how they sang everything. And then there were some people who criticized the singing, saying it was nothing compared to the stage cast. However, in a movie, you need a combination of acting and musical abilities  And though I'm not a huge fan of Hugh's vibrato, I thought his performance as Jean Valjean was emotionally amazing. I was so pleased he got the bid. And I'll be cheering for him on awards day, as well.

As they announcing the nominations, it got me thinking about all the actors and directors and writers that were sitting there sweating, hoping that they would be given the bid. As they announced the supporting actors, they had mentioned that every single one of them had been a previous Oscar winner. In comparison to writing, it would be like a group of famous author gaining more bestsellers.

For the actors who have never been nominated, like my man Hugh, I can only imagine what it was like for him to be recognized after so many years. To be an actor, much like being a writer, takes lots of work and a lots of lucky breaks. There are tons of starving actors out there, and to even get a part in a major motion picture is a dream come true. Much like, as a writer, we struggle and struggle to just get an agent's notice. Then we struggle, more and more, and perhaps finally get a small press to notice us. But even then, the journey is not done.

Best sellers do not happen over night (typically). Sure, there are some that seem like they jump right into novel stardom. The journey of a writer is much like Mr. Jackman here. It takes years of persistence, maybe taking non staring rolls at first, and working your way up to that Oscar nomination. As a writer, it might take years to get to the New York best seller list, if ever at all. And maybe, just maybe, when we write the book of our lifetime, perhaps we too can be on the top of that bestseller list.

Remember...the journey makes the destination mean so much more.

One year...and counting.

So yesterday marked the day that my book will be coming out next year. A year from yesterday, I will be a published author. It seems so far away; however, I am already feeling nervous about the release. It's funny that, after all this time, instead of excitement, I feel so afraid.

Maybe afraid isn't the right word. I feel exposed. I've been working on publishing THE EMISSARY for years. I've stubbornly not given up on it. I've pushed and pushed and pushed. I've edited it countless times. And finally, when epic fantasy is turning around again, my book gets its time. You'd figure that I'd be jumping up and down. You'd figure that my dreams had finally come true. I'm not sure if rejection has made me skeptical, knowing that the bad reviews will come with the good. But I do know that this work, specifically, has so much of my passion, so much of my time and energy, that I feel as if I am ripping open my chest and exposing my heart to the world.

Do any of you have a book like that? One that, even though it may have failed, is the one that pulses though you to be seen? It's not that the story is about me or anything, but I've been so entwined with these characters, I've pushed until they could be seen.

And now that it is going to happen, I feel nervous. A year may seem like a long ways away, but I'm okay with it. I need that time to mentally prepare.

THE EMISSARY is up on goodreads now, for those of you who would like to wait with me. It doesn't have a cover yet, but that is coming along as well.

Happy Book Birthday! Amarok, by Angela Townsend

Woo Hooo!!! So today our very own Angela Townsend's awesome book, Amarok, is released! If you haven't yet picked it up, do so NOW!  Here is the link where you can go buy it on Amazon.

And you can also check it out on Goodreads, here. 

Emma's life has been hell since she moved from sunny California to a remote Alaskan town. Abandoned by her father and living with the guilt of causing her mother's death, she makes a desperate dash for freedom from her abusive stepfather. But when her car skids off the icy road, her planned escape leads to further captivity in a world beyond her imagining.

Dragged across the tundra by an evil mountain man and his enormous black wolf, she learns that love can be found in the most unexpected places. Amarok, as she's nicknamed the wolf, is a young man from the gold-rush era enslaved by an ancient shaman. Emma's gentle touch and kind heart win his love and devotion. When a vicious madman--trapped in bear form by the same Shaman--attacks the travelers and injures Amarok, Emma must find the strength to face her fears and free the wolf she's come to love. But that means she must face down the evil shaman, a Siberian mammoth hunter from the ice age, and he has no intention of giving up his power to her.

About the awesome author

e

Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing. She resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.

Guest review of DEADWOOD

So in case you haven't noticed, our very own Kell Andrews is having her book come out soon. You can read her post about DEADWOOD by scrolling down a few posts.

I got my copy of DEADWOOD recently, and before I could get my hands on it, my 9-year-old daughter swiped it from me. So today, I have a special guest reviewer: My daughter, Kira.

REVIEW:
I really thought that Deadwood was good. It was entertaining the whole way though. I got really excited at parts when it got scary or confusing for the characters. It seemed like it was really happening, and I was in the book with them. My favorite character was probably Hannah, because she was brave and she kept on trying no matter what. She believed in herself. I like that it was hard to figure out the answer to their problem. I like fantasy so I enjoyed the magic. You should all read the book.

 5 out of 5 stars.

Our Guest Reviewer:

Kira is a 4th grader. She enjoys reading and acting in plays. She smiles often and is friendly to everyone. She is in dance and plays the piano. She loves nature and animals. 

Cover Reveal: Praefatio

Today is the cover reveal for Georgia McBride's debut novel, Praefatio, coming next year to Month 9 Books. Run over to Mundie Mom's where you can hear more about the book and also see the awesome trailer. Also, visit Goodreads and add Praefatio to your "to read" list as well!

WHEN ALL YOU HAVE IS YOUR WORD, HOW DO YOU PROVE WHO YOU ARE?

Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway. After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup, and her family from worry over her safety. But instead, authorities believe that Grace is ill, and suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true? Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?

Blond vs. Blonde

So last night on twitter, one of the editors at my publisher tweeted about blond and blonde and how editors talk about that sort of thing. This, of course, sent me into a moment of saying "crap" and rushing off to my manuscript. You see, my manuscript is sitting in edits right now, and, knowing my luck, it was probably me who started this "blond" discussion. Well, at least I THOUGHT it might be me, so I went to check it out. I mean, in some of my earlier drafts, I had someone "lunching" with their sword, so it could be me, right?

Did I get it wrong?

Did I have a blond...er, I mean blonde...or, um...

Ok, let's call it a brunette moment, considering I do have brown hair.


So I looked up "blond vs. blonde" and found out some interesting stuff. I also discovered that I DID have a wrong blond in my manuscript. Go figure. No matter how many times I learn about grammar, there is always something else to learn, eh?

I wanted to share what I found out with you. :o)

The word "blond" comes from the French, where it has a feminine and a masculine form of the word. So, when you are using the word as a noun, it has two separate forms. When talking about a girl, you use BLONDE. A man would be BLOND.

Examples:

The blonde walked by in her high heels.
The blond on the men's track team can run really fast.

Now, if you use it as an adjective, use the form BLOND. As an adjective, it never has an "e".

The blond woman has on a red dress.
The man with blond hair has a big nose.

****Addition****

I have also found reference that you can use blonde for a female adjective. There is some difference of opinion on that rule. If you would go with the French , where blond was derived from, the word "hair" is a masculine word. And so, in theory, you can safely use blond (without e) for describing hair. However, I don't think you'd get a lot of grief if you had used a girl's blonde hair either.


Now...your turn. :)

1. An attractive ________ wore a sequined dress.
2. The ________woman is quite short.
2. The playground was filled with _________ children.
3. That man peeing in the grass is a ________.

Fairy tale Adaptions: Beauty and the Beast

The last few years, I've seen several books written that were inspired from fairy tales. Books such as Cinder, Beastly, Cloaked, and Entwined (which my 14-year-old loved).

Also, my own publisher is releasing a anthology of fairy tale adaptations. Two and Twenty Dark Tales is coming your way soon! For more about THIS title, visit it's blog tour starting next week! Go HERE to find out more.

Now, for the original reason this post was inspired. I don't watch TV much, but I did see today that they are remaking the show Beauty and the Beast. I'm old enough to have enjoyed the series way back in the 80's, and was excited to hear that they are doing it again. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairy tales. There is something, to me, about how it focuses on the beauty within a person, rather than outside appearance. I also enjoyed the recent adaption of Beastly when it came to the big screen. So I looked up the new series, and I found a picture. 

It wasn't this: 

or This:

or This even (which was a different interpretation from the book version):

But I found this:

Soooo... It's a hot looking guy with a scar and contacts. How Beast-like is that? I guess I need to watch the show to get a better opinion of it. But initially, I am disappointed. My "beauty within" love of the beast just got blasted out of the water. The Beastly movie version was close to being too nice-looking for me, but he did have enough scars and strange stuff on him, that I did like it in the end. This new one....not so sure. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

So are you looking forward to Beauty an the Beast on CW? And also, what other fairy tale adaptions do you love?

Dealing with Random Mind Clutter

Today I have been dealing with random mind clutter. There are SO many things I'm supposed to be doing, that my brain shuts down and tends to do nothing. It makes me feel a bit like this. 

Between:

Financial Bookwork

Blog Post

The book I'm supposed to be writing

Adoption homestudy stuff

Kids activities

Multiple appointments I need to make

Shopping I need to do

House cleaning

Laundry

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

And all the while, I have background music playing in my head. Today, I have this selection:

So how do I get anything done?? 

Make a list.

Pick one thing. 

And this blog post was one of the things on my list. :) 

Now, off to do some writing...