tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21655903922954803212024-03-13T11:32:02.375-07:00The Indie EliteCP Designhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13598348963774035138noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-71196947810258483452013-07-10T20:35:00.002-07:002013-07-10T20:35:44.293-07:00Finally Available in the U.S....Here are the Indie Elite, we're beyond excited that Ebony McKenna has finally been able to release The Summer of Shambles in the United States, and with such an amazing cover! Of course we loved the cover her UK publisher Egmont made for her, but this US cover really fits the book quite well. If you haven't read Ebony's books yet, you are in for a treat. It's a hilarious paranormal that's totally unpredictable with quirky characters that you will instantly love.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Em7ygC1VVFY/Ud4gEtUZVCI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/3EIA99OswZs/s1600/Summer+of+Shambles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Em7ygC1VVFY/Ud4gEtUZVCI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/3EIA99OswZs/s320/Summer+of+Shambles.JPG" width="200" /></a>My official review:<br />
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I haven't had this much fun reading a book in a long time. I literally laughed out loud! If you enjoyed The Princess Bride or Ella Enchanted then this book is one you must read. Dare I say, in many ways I think it even out-shined those. This novel has the perfect mixture of magic, fun, and romance. Ebony made me a fan for life with this book. I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys quirky characters and unique paranormal, adult and young adult alike. LOVED it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DMELH6M/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img">Amazon</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-summer-of-shambles-ebony-mckenna/1114015787?ean=9781483501055">B&N </a></div>
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You can find Ebony at: </div>
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<a href="http://www.ebonymckenna.com/">Website</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/EbonyMcKenna">Twitter</a></div>
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-53044663320202476452013-06-23T17:31:00.001-07:002013-06-23T17:31:59.041-07:00Cover Teaser & Contest for Kristie Cook's New Book<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">We're so excited to share with you a teaser of the cover for the fifth book in the Soul Saver Series By: Kristie Cook that we LOVE! Take a look and see what you think, and keep an eye out for the FULL cover reveal coming this Tuesday!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G1hRZ3d0lXHjqxr8cgqBiNl2Oweeq3VA48s61SAga1v9sGB2pBuL_qDRKD3iRoU7dA27HMkRXnoSteOEwdnQQAYEGa6XTz9n_OIg4wwfrA99vIvLperJ3MhDaEWT3bteeyC3sJVYBFc/s1600/wrath-teaser3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G1hRZ3d0lXHjqxr8cgqBiNl2Oweeq3VA48s61SAga1v9sGB2pBuL_qDRKD3iRoU7dA27HMkRXnoSteOEwdnQQAYEGa6XTz9n_OIg4wwfrA99vIvLperJ3MhDaEWT3bteeyC3sJVYBFc/s320/wrath-teaser3.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Title:</b> TBA on Tuesday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Author:</b> Kristie Cook</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Publisher:</b> Ang'dora Productions, LLC (Coming SUMMER 2013)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Find Kristie and her books on:</b> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3519233.Kristie_Cook">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Synopsis to follow!</span></b></div>
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Haven't read the series? How about a <b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"><u>FREE</u></span></b> eBook copy of <b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Promise</span></b>? It's FREE on ALL platforms! Yes it is! Here's links where you can get YOUR FREE COPY TODAY!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Order the FREE eBook Online here:</span></b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GGMC1I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005GGMC1I&linkCode=as2&tag=alibobybo-20">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/promise-kristie-cook/1100075314?ean=9780984562121&isbn=2940013169951">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/promise/id541970154?mt=11">iBooks</a>, <a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Promise/book--AOcMaranEW3pKRNcAzetg/page1.html?s=z-2hjzseAkCsSSTN6o_qaQ&r=7">Kobo</a>, <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80015">Smashwords</a><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">In the UK:</span></b> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Promise-Soul-Savers-ebook/dp/B005GGMC1I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371782062&sr=1-1&keywords=promise+kristie+cook">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/promise/id541970154?mt=11">iBooks</a><br />
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<b>Okay, <span style="color: #38761d;">Lisa</span> at <span style="color: #38761d;">A Life Bound By Books</span> is still looking for HELP with the<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"> #NACrushTourney</span> for none other than <span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Tristan Knight</span> himself! She's created a Street Team called <span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">#KnightRiders </span>and would LOVE to have YOU help <span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Tristan</span> make his way to VICTORY!! The first round is coming up quick. Here's all the info you need to know so far.</b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"><u>Oh and EVERYONE who helps with the Tourney by joining the Street Team and doing tasks will be ENTERED TO WIN PRIZES!!! YES! PRIZES!!! More from Lisa about that later.</u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Now... Lisa can't do this on her own</span></b>, so this is where you guys come in.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><b><u>First and most important</u></b>,</span> <b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Tristan</span></b> has his first round coming up, so we all have to act fast! Voting opens for the first round on <u><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">****</span></u><u style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Monday, June 25th at 11:59PM EST (or for us on the west coast, Monday at 8:59PM PST)****</span></u> Once the post is up, the voting can begin and <u><b>will only be open for 24 HOURS</b></u>! You'll be able to <b>VOTE both at <a href="http://alifeboundbybooks.blogspot.com/">A Life Bound By Books</a> and at the NA ALLY</b>! (During the 24 hour voting period I believe you'll be able to vote from multiple devices so everyone should keep that in mind.)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Wondering what we'll ALL win when Tristan WINS? Straight from Kristie herself -</span></b><br />
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<b>And here's my reward if he wins Round 1 (please put in both posts): "A never-before-seen scene written from Tristan's point-of-view that I promise you will love. And if he wins the whole tourney? You'll get to read about their wedding night from Tristan's POV."</b></blockquote>
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<b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Looking to sign up for #KnightRiders Street Team</span></b> - <b>Here's the <i>quick</i> form to fill out.</b> Every thing will happen in a few emails so not to worry about having your inbox bogging down. Also, all info, emails, etc will be deleted at the end of the tournament.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jk0y9Gk8iPM28_5Iu4pfQ-D_2tMyhix21UyeUE_bEjA/viewform?embedded=true" width="460">Loading...</iframe>
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<b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Grab the button below,</span></b> add it to blogs, Facebook, change your twitter pic, etc! Put it up everywhere you can!!<br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-47884756935698178722013-06-11T01:00:00.000-07:002013-07-10T20:36:06.471-07:00Angela Brown's Latest Cover Reveal: ATONE<div>
Today we're excited to be participating in the cover reveal for <a href="http://publishness.blogspot.com/">Angela Brown's</a> new novella in her NEO Chronicles, ATONE. The cover was designed by one of Indie Elite's own, Heather McCorkle of <a href="http://cpbookdesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">CP Design</a>. Angela is a stunning writer and her characters will pull you right into the story. Here is the cover and a bit about the fabulous book:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpST8mh1so_1Yw5sUZQuzJUMQL_-DKgH2g4UFHHiISHi8cw1wxqNHVF3FwTGnlKFIigX09Jxl3vkl-WwInGES9v6VxezArhTATpifRUy57MAcNceIMnp7dPF8SzNuS5kuHgg2IaVs2-d8/s1600/Atone~small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpST8mh1so_1Yw5sUZQuzJUMQL_-DKgH2g4UFHHiISHi8cw1wxqNHVF3FwTGnlKFIigX09Jxl3vkl-WwInGES9v6VxezArhTATpifRUy57MAcNceIMnp7dPF8SzNuS5kuHgg2IaVs2-d8/s400/Atone~small.jpg" width="260" /></a>What harm can come from a kiss?<br />
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Caine Fordham knows the danger all too well.<br />
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As the Kill Circuit’s top lady-killer, business is good. Yet Caine knows the life of an assassin isn’t meant to last forever, just as love is impossible for him. Who could love a man with poison lacing his veins and a kiss that kills?<br />
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When Caine decides to take one last job, deal out one last kiss, he discovers there’s more to life than death, and more to love than pain.<br />
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Available at:</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Atone-NEO-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DA09SZA">Amazon</a> /<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/atone-angela-brown/1115541775?ean=2940016504742"> B&N</a></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-57958740100340128732013-06-07T02:30:00.000-07:002013-06-07T02:30:01.175-07:00Watermark by Krissi Dallas is Coming!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95NM3_f5q2Y/Ua-qoGVKmtI/AAAAAAAAENg/lqHJv65aYCw/s1600/Tribes-long.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-95NM3_f5q2Y/Ua-qoGVKmtI/AAAAAAAAENg/lqHJv65aYCw/s640/Tribes-long.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Krissi Dallas, one of my favorite authors with a small press, has a new book coming out! Watermark, the fourth installment of the YA fantasy Phantom Island series by <a href="http://www.krissidallas.com/">Krissi Dallas</a> is finally releasing this fall! I love this series! If you haven’t jumped on board this island adventure full of magic, mystery, and romance, now is your chance. Below, you can enter to win an autographed Phantom Island trilogy pack, an autographed copy of Watermark when it releases, a tribal t-shirt, or an autographed copy of The Collector by debut author Victoria Scott! The giveaway will be open for entries until Friday, June 14.<br />
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And now for a bit about Watermark… the dramatic conclusion to the first half of the Phantom Island series:<br />
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Relationships on the White Island are volatile and Whitnee, Morgan, and Caleb aren’t sure who they can trust—even each other. Politicians are lying, history is being rewritten, and motives are questionable. Whitnee sets out with Gabriel and a band of rebel spies to take back the enemy's biggest weapon—Whitnee's father. However, a shocking turn of events proves once again that the Island's secrets have the power to destroy more than just the truth. Separated from her friends, Whitnee battles her own fears in order to survive and protect the ones she loves. But when Morgan's illness finally comes to light, Whitnee faces a decision that could alter her future—and Morgan’s—forever. And whether she ultimately stays on the Island or leaves might not be her choice, after all.</div>
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Excerpt:<br />
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I stared at her in frustration. “What is with you?!” I exploded. She was not acting like my best friend. Like my Morgan. “You’ve been so different this summer, and I don’t get it!”<br />
“Well, you’ve been different too! People change, you know,” she snapped back.<br />
“If I’ve changed, fine. But at least I’m still honest with you. You, however, have turned into a liar! If we don’t have trust between us, then what do we have, Morgan?”<br />
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Even Kirkus, one of the toughest reviewers in the industry, is singing this series praises:<br />
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“…[An] earnest tale of magic and romance that deals with the great distance between pain and recovery.” –Kirkus Reviews (Windchaser, Phantom Island Book 1)<br />
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Meet the Author:<br />
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Krissi Dallas loves pop music, mismatched socks, and fried chicken. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her youth minister husband, Sam, and their two wicked Yorkies, Elphie and Luna. Krissi enjoys hanging out with her quirky middle school students and building the dramatic, magical, and mysterious world that makes up the Phantom Island series. Be sure to check out <a href="http://krissidallas.com/Books/Windchaser">Windchaser</a>, <a href="http://krissidallas.com/books/windfall">Windfall</a>, and <a href="http://krissidallas.com/Books/Watercrossing">Watercrossing</a>. Krissi loves connecting with teens, as well as readers and writers of all ages! You can stalk her online at <a href="http://www.krissidallas.com/">www.KrissiDallas.com</a>.<br />
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Proving my point about how fabulous Krissi is, just check out this giveaway!</div>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6d6ed20/" id="rc-6d6ed20" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-41055003306300141412013-06-04T19:29:00.001-07:002013-06-04T19:29:07.978-07:00Time To Laugh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes we all feel a little lazy and worthless, and those are the times we must laugh at ourselves. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy the writing journey...</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://karlenepetitt.blogspot.com/p/about-karlene_3709.html"><i>XO Karlene </i></a></span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-82154669783584275932013-05-20T09:30:00.000-07:002013-05-20T09:30:43.252-07:00IE Reviews: Lightning RiderI've joined NetGalley as a reviewer and my first read was one that impressed me! The fantasy novel Lightning Rider by debut author Jen Greyson (published by <a href="http://www.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/" target="_blank">The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House</a>) was one I couldn't resist. Here is my official review:<br />
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The stunning cover drew me in but the characters and writing style are what kept me captivated. A kick-butt bike-building latino chick who can both wield and ride lightning into the past, what's not to love? Evy's hesitance and imperfections made her perfect in a lot of ways for me. The tension, and magnetism, between her and the Roman warrior Constantine is smoking hot (and for adults only). While it ended a bit abruptly for me with a few too many loose ends waiting for another book (and I'm one who doesn't mind an open-ended book normally), I still enjoyed it well enough that I will purchase and read the next novel in the series. I look forward to it!<br />
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This novel has not yet released but you can add it to your <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17412638-lightning-rider" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> lists to remind yourself! Trust me, you don't want to miss this one if you enjoy good adult fantasy.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~Heather </span></i></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 13px;">Author of the paranormal Earth-conscious channeler series: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Fire-Channeler-Novella-ebook/dp/B006UIU11Y/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_7_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-7" style="color: #1155cc;">Born of Fire</a> (FREE novella), Fire With Fire, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Spruce-Knoll-Channeler-ebook/dp/B006BL0WR8/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_2_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049345&sr=1-2" style="color: #1155cc;">The Secret of Spruce Knoll</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Channelers-Choice-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B007AWD9NQ/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_3_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-3" style="color: #1155cc;">Channeler's Choice</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Rector-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B009Q6ILGE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_5_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-5" style="color: #1155cc;">Rise of a Rector</a>, the historical fantasy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/To-Ride-A-P%C3%BAca-ebook/dp/B0081A2GZS/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-1" style="color: #1155cc;">To Ride A Puca</a>, and the epic fantasy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dragon-Empire-ebook/dp/B00BA1EUHW" style="color: #1155cc;">The Dragon Empire</a>. Heather also has stories in the following anthologies: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-His-Eyes-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00760G5CE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_6_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-6" style="color: #1155cc;">In His Eyes </a>(FREE) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wonders-ebook/dp/B00AG20AHA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356049575&sr=1-1&keywords=Winter+Wonders" style="color: #1155cc;">Winter Wonders</a>. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.wisestamp.com/03eb8cd4201e692cfa49c3a2fa32d49c/1362526967.png" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-3291629718714932912013-05-15T01:00:00.000-07:002013-05-15T01:00:02.745-07:00So, You Want to be Published?My vampire book series, Dark Secrets, has recently become very popular, and I get asked all the time how I came to achieve success in the industry and if I feel I made the right choices by going the indie route. <br />
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Indie route, you ask?<br />
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Yes. Independent Publishing. It means I don’t answer to anyone. I retain full creative control and keep 100% of my profits.<br />
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How does one go about this?<br />
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Here’s where I have to be careful, because being independent isn’t for everyone, then again, signing on with small press, vanity publishers or even one of the ‘Big Six’ isn’t for everyone, either. You have to do what works for you, and often you have to walk that road before you realize it’s either the wrong or the right one. But it is much easier and cheaper to walk the Indie road first and see if it takes. If not, you can always go traditional. <br />
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Now, some people will tell you that publishers won’t accept books that have been self or previously published. Codswallop! Of course they will, if it’s worth their while. Just ask Amanda Hocking. So, don’t let that be a deterrent. <br />
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Below, I’ll talk a little about some pros and cons of publishing independently:<br />
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One big pro is you don’t need to shove your manuscript in a drawer for two years while you wait for college-grads to validate your work by accepting it into their agency, where it will then go through rigorous combing and probably come out the other side rejected anyway. Getting accepted to an agency does not mean you’ve made it. Even getting on the Penguin bus doesn’t guarantee success. <br />
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Pro: You retain full creative control; no one will tell you to delete scenes because it affects the ‘flow’. Downside, there’s no one to tell you if the flow is affected. You have to get really good at self-assesment. <br />
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Con: You have to pay for an editor (which can be up to $7000 or more. My books were $4000), or put your work out there and cross your fingers, just hoping no one notices the mistakes (and there will be many even your avid reader friends will miss).<br />
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Con & Pro: You need to know publishing and copyright law. However, this is as easy as just doing a bit of research and reading on the Internet (from reputable, approved sites).<br />
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All about<a href="http://www.independentpublisher.com/"> Indie</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/">Writer Beware</a>: pretty much everything you need to know. It will tell you all about dodgy publishers and vanity publishers and even names the ones you need to avoid.<br />
Info on copyright: <a href="http://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IntellectualProperty/Pages/default.aspx">Australia </a><br />
Info on copyright: <a href="http://www.copyright.gov/">U. S.</a>If you're getting your information from a blog, be sure to check the author's credentials before taking it as fact, because, for example, using song lyrics in your book is breaking copyright laws and you can be sued, but some see this as a matter of opinion and may argue the percentage of text used can be classed as fair use. Not always the case. Know your laws. <br />
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Neither pro nor con: You have to purchase your own ISBN, which can be done through <a href="http://www.thorpe.com.au/en-AU/products/servident_isbn.shtml">Thorpe-Bowker (Aus)</a> or <a href="http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/index.asp">Bowker (US)</a> <br />
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Pro: You decide the price, release date, title, cover, everything.<br />
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Now, I’ll talk a little about where you can go to get your work out there.<br />
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Start with <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin">Kindle Direct Publishing (or KDP)</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.smashwords.com/">Then go to Smashwords.com</a> (Once you sign up, there is a blue bar across the top of your page. Go to the word PUBLISH to upload your book and DASHBOARD for all other info).<br />
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These two places will see to it that your work appears at B & N, Amazon, Kobo, iBooks and many other book retailers.<br />
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But, doesn’t publishing independently mean I’ll never have my books in paperback?<br />
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No! Simply go to a great place called <a href="https://www.createspace.com/">Createspace</a> or <a href="http://www.lulu.com/">Lulu</a> (my two favorites)<br />
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It really is that easy. After that, it’s up to the content to sell and how well you market and network. <br />
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Marketing?<br />
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Go see <a href="http://bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com.au/p/tour-pricing.html">Bewitching Book Tours</a> to participate in a blog tour. My sales increased by over 20, 000 copies for the month of my tour (and again for a few moths after), and tour prices start from as little as $25. You can even pay through Paypal.<br />
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Networking?<br />
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Come on. Really? Facebook, people. Facebook. Start your own “Page”. Not a ‘friends club’. Actually start a Page and post links to your page on your website (which you can create for free through <a href="http://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a>) and on your <a href="https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/landing?ie=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0">Author Central</a> profile that you’ll create when you’ve joined up with Kindle Direct Publishing for Amazon (KDP). <br />
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Lastly, and anyone who knows me through chatting on Facebook will know how much I hate this.....There is no such thing as an ‘aspiring writer’. Being a writer is a choice you make, and you do not need validation from a publisher. Put your work out there. Get validation from the people. If you get a lot of bad reviews, perhaps reassess and maybe rewrite and re-release, but, if you’ve done your research, worked hard, revised constantly and requested constructive criticism, then bad reviews will simply be a matter of one’s opinion, not a reflection of inferior writing. <br />
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And keep in mind, my books have heaps of bad reviews. When I felt bad about them, I simply went and read all the bad reviews on Twilight, because I loved those books, so it was good to see that some people just didn't ‘get it’. <br />
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I wish all of you the best of luck with your publishing dreams for 2013.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.darksecretsseries.com/index.html" target="_blank">~Angela Hudson</a></span></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-33239318533463805482013-05-07T14:31:00.000-07:002013-05-07T14:46:20.022-07:00Cover Shoots Made AffordableIf you're like me, you're an author who has longed for a special cover, one uniquely yours that doesn't originate from stock photos, but you shied away from the cost of a photo shoot. I have great news for you! Through my company CP Design, I will now be partnering with a professional photographer, Kelsey Keeton, and offering covers that are custom shot with a model of your choice~from over 80 models, then turned into a unique cover designed by me. Throughout this post you'll see a few outstanding photos by her to give you a taste of her talent. But what will it cost, you wonder? Designs start at only $250 for an eBook cover, $400 for a paperback, $450 for a hardback, and that's a cover that <b>no one else</b> will have, ever because you will get <b>exclusive</b> rights to the photo. Those prices include my fees and hers for the base package!<br />
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<a href="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/p184299472/e542ef828" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="K KEETON DESIGNS: Kerrigan Arnold HMUA &emdash; " height="400" src="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/img/s8/v83/p1412364328-2.jpg" width="242" /></a>
Here is the breakdown of the cost so you can determine what it will run you:<br />
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<b>Premium eBook</b> cover: $100 plus the base photo shoot price of $150 is<b> $250 </b>total.<br />
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(The cost is less than my normal charge because my work on the image is reduced. This includes adding additional photos (may be stock) such as logos, images for effect~smoke or such. Also includes adding your title and name in a specialized font of your choice with the effect of your choice available to me through the advanced Photoshop program that I use. Also includes changes like colors of things in the photo, brightness, special effects, and the addition of a different background if you so choose. The background may be a stock image, or it may be from my portfolio of backgrounds.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/michelemiller/e5b5b586a" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="K KEETON DESIGNS: Never Let You Fall Book Cover &emdash; " height="400" src="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/img/s2/v70/p1532713066-2.jpg" width="258" /></a>
<b>Front and back paperback</b> cover: $250 plus the base photo shoot price of $150 is <b>$400 </b>total. </div>
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(Includes the eBook formats as well as formatting the paperback onto a template for printing, page cover matter.This also includes adding logos, images for effect~smoke or such, and images for the spine and back of the book. Also includes adding your title and name in a specialized font of your choice with the effect of your choice available to me through the advanced Photoshop program that I use. Also includes changes like colors of things in the photo, brightness, special effects, and the addition of a different background if you so choose. The background may be a stock image, or it may be from my portfolio of backgrounds.)<br />
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<b>Hardback covers</b>: $300 plus the base photo shoot price of $150 is <b>$450.</b></div>
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(Includes the eBook formats as well as formatting the hardback onto a template for printing, and back cover matter. This also includes adding logos, images for effect~smoke or such, and images for the spine, back, and flaps of the book. Also includes adding your title and name in a specialized font of your choice with the effect of your choice available to me through the advanced Photoshop program that I use. Also includes changes like colors of things in the photo, brightness, special effects, and the addition of a different background if you so choose. The background may be a stock image, or it may be from my portfolio of backgrounds.)</div>
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<a href="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/modelwillis/e57d49ebc" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="K KEETON DESIGNS: Willis - Model &emdash; " height="400" src="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/img/s3/v42/p1473552060-2.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/modelserenalee/e5546f1c2" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="K KEETON DESIGNS: Model Serena Lee Feb 2013 &emdash; " height="400" src="http://www.kkeetondesigns.com/img/s8/v76/p1430712770-2.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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Next, I'll partner you up with Kelsey and you'll choose the model for your photo shoot and discuss extensive details of what you would like for the photo. Once the shoot is finished, Kelsey will contact us and together you and I will choose the best photo (or photos) for your cover.<br />
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<u>Photo Shoot Costs: </u><br />
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$150 base price for a photo shoot with one model in which you choose one picture.<br />
(Cost goes up depending on how many models are used and how many pictures you want to purchase.)<br />
$50 for each photo chosen.<br />
$20 to each model (per image bought)<br />
For a total of at least $70 per additional photo. All in all, pretty amazing for a unique cover that no one else will ever have, with a model of your choosing. Ready to take the plunge?<br />
Contact me at: cpdesignsforauthors (at) gmail (dot) com<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">~Heather</span></i></b><br />
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-47873151116764217222013-04-30T04:00:00.000-07:002013-04-30T04:00:14.036-07:00Go Back To The Beginning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f6a1319640&view=att&th=13e15bdd75bfe6d0&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="GH" height="300" name="13e15bdd75bfe6d0_photo.JPG" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=f6a1319640&view=att&th=13e15bdd75bfe6d0&attid=0.1.1&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(229, 229, 229) 0px 0px 0px 1px; box-shadow: rgb(229, 229, 229) 0px 0px 0px 1px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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Fans of The Princess Bride will know Inigo Montoya's mantra. You know, the one where he introduces himself, accuses Count Rugen of homicide and recommends he accept a terrible fate.<br /><br />But Inigo has another mantra, and that is, "When the job fails, go back to the beginning."<br /><br />I love going back to the beginning. I try things, they don't work, I go back to the start and see if I can get it right.<br /><br />When I was in the midst of plotting Ondine 4 The Spring Revolution, I hit a wall. Or, a hole. Yes. A big plot hole that said, "fill this in later". Well, it's later now, and I still don't know how to fill it. Even with the best intentions of following structure, I still can't fill a hole if I have nothing to fill it with.<br />So I went back to the beginning and read the first two Ondine books.<br />It gave me ideas.<br /><br />This resulted in two things: I laughed at my own jokes AND I spotted lots of lovely little asides and moments I could call back to in book 4. In books 1 & 2, (Summer and Autumn) much is mentioned of Great-Aunt Col's disastrous debutante ball. The one where she cursed Hamish into his ferrety incarnation.<br /><br />Well, Old Col never got to re-do her 'deb' so it's high time she got her second chance.<br /><br />That would be lovely to put into book 4.<br /><br />In book 2 (set during Autumn), it mentions the clocks going back in two stages. One hour in October, another hour in November, so everyone gets two sleep-ins. This is because the clocks go forward 2 hours in one night in Spring, to really get plenty of daylight in the evenings. (People get the following Monday off as a public holiday, to cope with the 'jet lag')<br /><br />As book 4 is the spring book, I need to mention this.<br /><br />In book 1 there's a passing mention that Ondine wanted to study media, but with a wedding to pay for, her family might not be able to afford the camcorder fees. It turns out they can, so in book 4, Ondine will have a camcorder in her hand. I'd completely forgotten about this, but it fits perfectly with the oncoming revolution.<br /><br />Needless to say, each time I get an idea while reading the old books, I jot it onto a note and stick it on my structure sheet. The structure sheet is looking like a post-it monster sneezed all over it. It's a mess, but I can fix it.<br /><br />The thing is, I've given myself more ideas, and now I have those ideas, more will follow.<br /><br />~Ebony McKenna, author of the Ondine series.<br /><a href="http://twitter.com/#!/EbonyMcKenna" target="_blank">Twitter</a> - <a href="http://www.ebonymckenna.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> -Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-66816107499044325532013-04-26T04:00:00.000-07:002013-04-26T04:00:08.004-07:00IE Reviews: The Mind Readers<br />
I downloaded this eBook from B&N when it was free and I have not been paid by anyone for the review, which is my honest opinion.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC5l-H4aXF3qIgYbxgd8pFJ5Sofn3ZcOUUBnUPEZEPG4QjTbKTre7VU2NxaruYH8Ocw46R4an5-iiWOu7KQBQtuWKL2vXU95PXRhtHbqZpV_pEwCapzeto5BAmOZzNnmCTYAVxbdLrMU/s1600/the+mind+readers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheC5l-H4aXF3qIgYbxgd8pFJ5Sofn3ZcOUUBnUPEZEPG4QjTbKTre7VU2NxaruYH8Ocw46R4an5-iiWOu7KQBQtuWKL2vXU95PXRhtHbqZpV_pEwCapzeto5BAmOZzNnmCTYAVxbdLrMU/s320/the+mind+readers.JPG" width="233" /></a></div>
If I didn't know this book was indie, well, I wouldn't have known. And I'm picky about everything from grammar and over used phrases and words, to plot holes. This book, had almost none of those issues. It wasn't error free, of course, but then I can find errors in traditionally published books. And this was as close as error free as I've seen most traditionally published books.<br />
<br />From the first shocking page, I was hooked. I've been bored with <br />YA lately and I've read one too many books about psychics and mind readers so I didn't expect to get past page one. Wow was I surprised. Not only did I get past page one, but I looked forward to getting on my treadmill so I could read more, and stayed up late into the night turning pages. It's rare for a book to captivate me like that. Not only is the writing captivating and clean, the characters are compelling and complex.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyhjaCHz9XMm2jAX7hZ6XMuqd-8YVQfjArij933jzuLeGzSUYXMOt3N9MCJYBzy7Nmy3A3kdOMkv9g-ocZC33gtH3Pryjhghmt6vtcmAvEnjYL119pL424Ffa3clKjD54bEPVJQZ7I6o/s1600/5Stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="51" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyhjaCHz9XMm2jAX7hZ6XMuqd-8YVQfjArij933jzuLeGzSUYXMOt3N9MCJYBzy7Nmy3A3kdOMkv9g-ocZC33gtH3Pryjhghmt6vtcmAvEnjYL119pL424Ffa3clKjD54bEPVJQZ7I6o/s200/5Stars.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
I liked this so much that I immediately bought her second book in the series and downloaded the other two free books of hers that she has available.<br />
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You can find The Mind Readers at the following locations (among others):</div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mind-readers-book-1-lori-brighton/1104361245?ean=2940011399343">B&N</a> / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mind-Readers-ebook/dp/B004FN1P1Q">Amazon </a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>~Heather</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 13px;">Author of the paranormal Earth-conscious channeler series: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Fire-Channeler-Novella-ebook/dp/B006UIU11Y/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_7_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-7" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Born of Fire</a> (FREE novella),<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Spruce-Knoll-Channeler-ebook/dp/B006BL0WR8/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_2_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049345&sr=1-2" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"> The Secret of Spruce Knoll</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Channelers-Choice-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B007AWD9NQ/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_3_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-3" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Channeler's Choice</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Rector-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B009Q6ILGE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_5_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-5" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Rise of a Rector</a>, the historical fantasy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/To-Ride-A-P%C3%BAca-ebook/dp/B0081A2GZS/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">To Ride A Puca</a>, and the epic fantasy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Dragon-Empire-ebook/dp/B00BA1EUHW" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Dragon Empire</a>. Heather also has stories in the following anthologies: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-His-Eyes-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00760G5CE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_6_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-6" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">In His Eyes </a>(FREE) and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wonders-ebook/dp/B00AG20AHA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356049575&sr=1-1&keywords=Winter+Wonders" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Winter Wonders</a>. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.wisestamp.com/03eb8cd4201e692cfa49c3a2fa32d49c/1362526967.png" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-9186819150336674262013-04-21T09:07:00.000-07:002013-04-21T09:07:30.841-07:00A Paperback Writer on Bass and Plot Lines<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnQDdkwTqs4ORdjH2WHs51W6VUhIfePL823fyFrCdl4bd1NrtA3sizgjXSPzDw4hOLZYZPUtNf1WCLxdKE-4427mLakn4jjZJF0bm2aXs33ovGO9AxRxWnEeiSdgDPotR4qKUSM8h4AE/s1600/547537_10151362132577274_139050689_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnQDdkwTqs4ORdjH2WHs51W6VUhIfePL823fyFrCdl4bd1NrtA3sizgjXSPzDw4hOLZYZPUtNf1WCLxdKE-4427mLakn4jjZJF0bm2aXs33ovGO9AxRxWnEeiSdgDPotR4qKUSM8h4AE/s320/547537_10151362132577274_139050689_n.jpg" width="180" /></a>Wow, the Beatles really pegged the plight of the author in
their 1966 hit, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taADLPtyDb0" target="_blank">Paperback Writer</a>, written by Paul McCartney. The song is
essentially a query letter from an aspiring writer to a publisher. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Some of the lyrics:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">Dear Sir or Madam, will you
read my book?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It took me years to write,
will you take a look?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It's based on a novel by a
man named Lear<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">And I need a job, so I want
to be a paperback writer…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It's a thousand pages, give
or take a few,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">I'll be writing more in a
week or two.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">I can make it longer if you
like the style,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">I can change it round and I
want to be a paperback writer…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">If you really like it you
can have the rights,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It could make a million for
you overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">If you must return it, you
can send it here<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #545454; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">But I need a break and I
want to be a paperback writer…<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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Sound familiar? Kind of crazy that this tongue-in-cheek view
of a struggling writer is still bang on almost 50 years later. The tune was
also one of the first of the Beatles songs to feature the bass as a solo
instrument. I dig it. As a member of an all-woman band, and a bass player,
iconic bass lines are my current musical obsession. ;) </div>
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<br /></div>
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I equate a solid bass line with having a solid plotline. In
most songs, you may not be able to pick out the bass riff, but it is there.
Locking the drums and guitars in, supporting the vocals, balancing the highs
and bringing out the lows. A simple bass riff is sometimes best – grounding the
other instruments, keeping them on track. This is called “rooting” – sticking
to the root notes of the song – and essentially that’s the role of your plot.
It is the glue that holds your fictional world together.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Yet when given the opportunity, the bass can dazzle, much as
a rich plot can wow the reader, taking them in new directions. A bass line
foreshadows and pre-empts key changes, supports verses, builds to the chorus,
and can offer a haunting fade out.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Just like a solid plot line full of rising action, conflict,
ever-increasing tension, an epic showdown, and falling action.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Remember, when you’re outside a concert venue, it’s the bass
you feel pulsing with the beat of your heart, thrumming under your feet,
drawing you in.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I dare you to listen to the next song you hear and listen
for the bass – I bet you’ll be surprised by how much it adds / fills out the tune.
My fellow paperback writers, consider the beauty of a solid plot line – it
ROCKS!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><i><b>~Judith Graves</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">You
can follow me on Facebook: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites"><span style="color: #2d221a; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On
the Twitter: @judithgraves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Or
via my website: www.judithgraves.com</span><a href="" name="_GoBack"></a></div>
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<br /></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-39152560501809885452013-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:002013-04-19T04:00:01.521-07:00No ReadpocalypseLibrary doors bolted shut, larger locations with weighted
chains blocking all entries - double-padlocked.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Closed. No service. All books banned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Internet trolls reign free to police any online presence
attempting to download anything that slightly resembles a limerick or a haiku.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Graphic tees, shirts with funny or thought-provoking quotes,
anything like reading made into an outlawed activity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The world a place of plain solid colors, smiles discouraged
for fear of encouraging positivity. Positivity could lead to the sharing of
ideas, possible debate and lively discussions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Hands empty of glossy hardcover books and prevented from
owning a paperback to bend or turn pages into dog-eared bookmarks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is the read-pocalypse. No readers to swoon behind
book boyfriends, to read the character tales itching for freedom beyond the
fringes of our busy minds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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That day is not this day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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YAY!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Today, readers can hop into any local library to read about
Harry Potter and his wizarding adventures, or walk through a wardrobe into a
snowy new world of magic, Turkish delight and an awesome lion. They can venture
into a magicked nook of small town Texas and discover witches, vampires and
shifters living in a tenuous harmony.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Readers are out there, hungry for our stories. So writers
must write, query agents and editors or self-publish. After all, there are some
deep reader appetites to fulfill.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Writers: Write like there’s no read-pocalypse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Readers: Read like there’s no tomorrow <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">~ Angela Brown, author of YA works such as <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frailties-Bond-NEO-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00BPA62FQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364140382&sr=1-1&keywords=frailties+of+the+bond">Frailties
of the Bond</a></i>, where readers can take a brief trip to that magicked nook
of small town Texas and see how witches, vampires and shifters can live in any
kind of harmony.</span>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-31170494989615957412013-04-15T01:30:00.000-07:002013-04-15T01:30:03.173-07:00Drive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Recently, one of my friends told
me she admires me for my drive. While I took this as the compliment it was, I feel
undeserving in the sense that I don’t see myself as going above and beyond, or
necessarily doing more than anyone else. I simply do what has to get done.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As a work-from-home mother of
three children, one of them on the Autism spectrum, as well as a new inductee into
the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_generation">Sandwich
Generation</a>, I’ve got a lot on my plate: helping the teen figure out what classes
to take next year in high school; steering a pre-adolescent through the daily
drama of school and fair-weather friendships; dealing with the constant
headaches of IEP meetings and the home-school vs integrate debate; making sure
my mother, who now lives with us, gets what she needs in order to maintain some
sense of independence and dignity; etc. The list goes on, and nothing ever
really gets checked off. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I am just as busy in my
professional life, too. As a self-published author I am currently working on
four novels, three of which are on tap for a 2013 publication date. I often
hear questions like “How do you do it?” and “Don’t you ever get confused?” Well,
I do it because I have to, both for the creative release and for financial
gain. As far as getting confused . . . I guess I can’t be any more confused
than I already am! All joking aside, working on multiple projects at once keeps
my writing fresh and interesting. At least to me. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But there’s also another reason
for this so-called drive of mine, and it’s because I live and labor under the eternally
optimistic, and maybe a little bit narcissistic, belief that I’m destined for
something great. What that “something” is, I do not know. Maybe I’ll be one of
those self-published authors who gets discovered and signs a six-figure deal
with a major publishing house. Perhaps my husband and I will start that
much-needed school for special needs kids we keep talking about. Or quite
possibly the greatest achievement of my life will simply be helping my children
live up to their potential and reach their own dreams. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What I know is this: Whatever
that something great is, it won’t just come to me. Or to you, either. We have to go out there and get
it ourselves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<b>~Melissa Luznicky Garrett</b><br />
An
author of adult and young adult novels. She lives in upstate New York with her
husband, three children, and numerous animals. Look for THE PROPHECY, the
much-anticipated conclusion to THE SPIRIT KEEPER, coming May 2013. In the
meantime, connect with Melissa on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MLGarrettwrites">https://www.facebook.com/MLGarrettwrites</a></div>
</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-72536115547390662052013-04-12T00:30:00.000-07:002013-04-12T00:30:00.063-07:00Excerpt from Dark Secrets by A.M. HudsonHello to all the Indie Elite followers. This is my first ever blog post here since I became a member long ago. But, with things going well for my book series now, I have some more time up my sleeve and thought I’d take the chance today to share something special with you all.<br />
<br />This is a scene from the 5th book in my romantic vampire series, Dark Secrets.<br />
<br />Many of my fans will have come over here today to get this exclusive sneak preview, and I hope while you’re all here you’ll take a minute to go check out the other authors on this site, too. I’m sure you’ll find some fantastic reads among them.<br />
<br />Anyway, without further ado, here’s a scene from the 5th book in the Dark Secrets series, exclusively brought to you by The Indie Elite and A.M. Hudson. Hope you enjoy. <br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">#Ara and Mike chat outside the Immortal Damned house.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I came over the hill, the midday sun bright and yellow above me, glaring in my eyes enough that as I set my gaze down on the basketball court, I could swear I saw Mike holding a child up to the hoop. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Mike.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He bent down, then tossed his hand in the air, waving it once. “Hey, Ara.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hey, what you do—” </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“This is Will,” he cut in, presenting a small, blond-haired boy.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I stopped dead halfway down the hill. “Yes, we’ve met.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mike smiled at the kid. “I’ll just walk ‘im back inside. Two secs, ‘kay?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Sure,” I said chirpliy, but my bones wouldn’t move. Who on Earth authorised him to take the Damned outside?</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mike walked the boy back toward the house, his hand on his shoulder, both of them talking animatedly, like they were best buddies. I almost didn’t recognise my ‘mature’ best friend and Chief of Security anymore. He even dressed differently when he came to see the Dammed—always in jeans and a light coloured T-shirt, usually wearing a baseball cap, too. And I kinda liked him this way. He was fun Mike. Guy-I-grew-up-with Mike.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I reached the base of the hill as Mike broke into a light jog back in my direction, bending to scoop the basketball of the ground as he approached. “Hey, baby.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hey. Letting the Damed out now, huh?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He smirked at the quaver in my voice. “Yeah. Who'd have thought blood hungry kids could get a release of energy from playing outdoors?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“And. . .who, exactly, approved this?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“David.” He stood taller, clearly ready for a challenge. “But not without supervision, and only one at a time.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But nothing, Ara. Those kids—” He pointed to the house, “—for the most part, are normal. You can’t keep them locked away for the rest of their lives—” </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Even if the conditions are pleasant,” he finished. “You don’t have to agree, Ara, but you—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Mike.” I put my hands up. “I agree, okay. I was just. . .”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He smiled sheepishly. “Surpised.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah. I didn’t mean to start an argument. I think it’s great.” I glanced over at the house to see all the little faces watching Mike and I through the window. “It’s just that no one told me.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Didn’t David?” Mike jumped up to dunk the ball in the hoop.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Nope.” I strolled over and caught it on the rebound. “He told me they were showing signs of improvement now that they’re being fed properly, and mentioned something about education, but—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Did he tell you we decided not to feed them Pure Blood?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I frowned, searching my brain for that conversation, but it’d never happened. “No. Why’s that?” </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Well, for one, when we tried them on Lilithian blood, they rejected it—it wasn’t enough for them.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Why?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“They’re like concentrated versions of vampires, almost as if they need more blood than an adult.” He stole the ball from my hands. “Kind of like when vampires get hurt—our blood isn’t enough for them then, either.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“And, what were the other reasons you decided against giving them our blood?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We don’t want them immune to your venom.” He threw the ball into the hoop, ignoring my sudden gasp. “We left it that way in case you never find a cure for vampirism.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“So, you're just going to kill them if I can’t change them back?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mike took a deep breath. “We may have no choice. They can’t stay that way for eternity.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Mike! That’s horrible.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I know. But it won’t come to that. Besides—” He dribbled the ball. “Were also leaving things open in case one of them <i>wants</i> to die.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“You're giving them the option?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yes.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“They're children, they can’t make that kind of choice.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Ara—those kids are older than you.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Not in human years.” I stole the ball.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yes, but they mature with experience and age—just like we do.” He reached across and snatched it from my hands, throwing me a vehement glare with just a hint of a smile underneath. “Their mind’s aren’t locked in childhood at all, like vampires first thought. And—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I know,” I cut in. “I’ve seen them learn, show reason, integrity—wisdom, even. But I don’t like the idea of giving them the option of suicide.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Freedom, you mean.” He turned away and threw the ball toward the hoop.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Huh?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Freedom. It’s not the option of suicide, Ara. It’s the freedom to choose an immortal life or a peaceful death.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I studied him carefully for a second before he broke the stare and wandered over to grab the ball from across the court. He was serious about this stuff. I’d never seen him get so . . . red in the face, over <i>any</i> topic. “Why does it matter to you so much, Mike—whether they live or die?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“It’s not that.” He tossed the ball to me; I caught it. “It’s. . .I don’t know.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hid my smile with the turn of my back, and aimed the orange ball to the sky, throwing it but missing my target. “You come here every day, don't you?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah. Why?” </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Oh, no reason.” I folded my arms, squinting up at him. “One might just think you were starting to like those kids.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He smiled bashfully, jamming his hands in his pockets, but it slipped away as he looked at his feet. “So what was the deal with you lot last night?” </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What do you mean?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I had coffee with Morg this morning. She told me you all fell asleep on David.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I took a step away and grabbed the ball off the ground. “Yeah. And?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Where was Emily?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I passed him the ball. “What’d you mean?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He sighed, hinting the obvious. “<i>Where</i>, Ara?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Oh, um, she had her head in his lap.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Exactly.” He spun the ball around a few times between his palms, studying it. “You all looked at me last night like I was coming to Morg’s room for sex or something, yet Em falls asleep with her head in your husband’s crotch, and no one bats an eyelid?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“<i>Someone</i> did.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Who?” He glanced sideways at me, the ball rolling off his fingertips toward the hoop again. “You?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I nodded.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He sighed. “Things aren’t great between her and I, Ar, but. . .I love her.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Do you? Really?” I asked in a flat but curious tone.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Of course.” He bent down to grab the ball. “She just expects too much of me. I can't be with her twenty-four-seven.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Or you don't want to.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He made a basket, his hands staying in the air a few seconds longer than needed. “I . . . I don't know.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I grinned, trapping the ball under my toe as it rolled toward me. “Trouble in paradise.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Shut up.” He copied my grin, elbowing me in the ribs after. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Just tell me one thing,” I said. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Sure.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Do you actually want to be with her, Mike, or are you holding on to her like some trophy?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Nice shot.” He laughed, watching my ball go through the hoop without hitting the rims. “And . . . yes. I do want to be with her, Ara. But—” His gaze went distant.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“There are . . . things. I dunno.” He shook his head. “I just . . . it’s not all black and white.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“So talk,” I said, and Mike walked away, taking a seat on the court-side bench, with his head in his hands.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I sat beside him, leaving the ball to roll off, coming to rest on the foot of the hill.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“When I spend time with her . . . she’s not even there. You know, I told her something really personal the other day, and she . . .” He leaned back, looking up at the sky. “She laughed. Yet, when I told Morg the same thing, she. . .”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“She?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Well, she supported me. It’s like, I know you think there’s something with Morg and me, but there’s not. She just . . . listens.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“She ‘gets’ you,” I said with a smile.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah. But it’s not just her special talent, Ar. She’s a good person.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I nodded and looked up at the same place Mike was staring. “So, are you saying you want Emily to be more like Morgaine?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He laughed, catching the humour in my voice. “I just want her to want me for more than the idea she has of me, if that makes any sense.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I ran the words over in my head, interpreting them as best I could. “You want to be free to be you, and have her love you anyway.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah. But she’s got this image of me and what I <i>should</i> be, you know? And it’s not me, Ar.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I know.” I nodded, thinking more about the Mike I grew up with. “So, what was it?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What was what?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“The personal thing you told Morg and Em, but not me.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His lips parted in a breathy grin. “It’s private.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Please tell me.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I saw him considering it as he studied me in his peripheral, and I knew that, for the first time in so long, he saw me as his best friend again. “I spend more time down here than I do at the barracks.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hm.” I was taken aback for a moment, disguising my shock quickly with a smile. “You like hanging with the children?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He nodded, his whole body rocking with the movement. “I . . . I get something out of this. I don’t know. I just . . . when I spend the day with them—teaching them things, playing with them, and I see the difference it makes—see them put what <i>I’ve</i> taught them into practice or see them behave differently each time I visit, it. . .” He stopped for a second to look at my face. “It makes my life seem like it has a purpose.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Really?” was only one of the hundred questions I suddenly wanted to ask.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Yeah.” He looked into my eyes then at my lips, probably expecting me to laugh. “Morg thinks I should change my career path.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“To what?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His hands tightened, a slow breath filling the lengthy pause. “A teacher.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My gut dropped. “Are you—”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“No.” He waved a reassuring hand. “I’m not even thinking about it. You know I couldn’t leave you, but I—I like the idea, you know, that maybe this—” he motioned around himself and my world, “—isn’t all there is for me.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“And what did Em think of that?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“She thinks . . . She—” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Well, she said it was ridiculous. Said I was born to be Chief, and that I shouldn’t be anywhere else.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I. . .” I nodded, stalling for time until I could sort my own thoughts and opinions out from my fears and worries. “Morg’s right, Mike. You’ve always been the sort of guy who’d be good at teaching. I mean, hell, you taught me nearly everything useful I know in life.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Aw, shux.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I laughed. “Buuuut. . .”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I know.” He patted my hand. “I know you need me here.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“We won’t always, though, Mike.” I patted his hand back until he looked at me. “I think it’s great, and I think you should definitely do it. But, just . . . can you wait ‘til this Drake thing’s resolved?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He put his arm around my neck and pulled me close. “Sure, kid. I hadn’t made any plans to go anywhere just yet. You can count on me.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0px; text-indent: 21.6px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.9px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I know.” I smiled, pressing my brow into his kiss.</span></span></div>
<br />That’s all for today, folks. Thanks to The Indie Elite for hosting this post.<br />If you’d like to know more about The Dark Secrets series, you can go to <a href="http://www.darksecretsseries.com/">www.darksecretsseries.com</a> for links to the books and to the Facebook and Twitter pages.<br />
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~Angela HudsonHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-47570117094040275262013-04-05T09:52:00.001-07:002013-04-05T09:52:17.435-07:00At Last, Dangerous DepthsRhemalda Publishing and author <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKaren?group_id=0">Karen Amanda Hooper</a> are pleased to announce the upcoming publication of DANGEROUS DEPTHS, the sequel to Tangled Tides and the second book in The Sea Monster Memoirs.<br /><br />Thoughts from Karen...<br />To some, my happy news many come as no surprise. Some may have even believed my contract for Dangerous Depths was already a done deal. But it wasn't. My publisher, <a href="http://shop.rhemalda.com/">Rhemalda,</a> requires a full manuscript before they decide whether or not they want to offer on any author's next book. It took me much too long to send them Dangerous Depths (blame it on the unexpected chaos of life) but finally, a few weeks ago, I finished and hit send.<br /><br />I hoped they would like it, but I did not assume they'd want it. Because you know the funny but also very true saying...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME."</span></i></b></div>
<div>
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<div>
Good news. They wanted it. I officially signed the contract last week. It's a done deal.<br />*happily spins in the water like a mermaid*<br /><br />The release date will either be late this year, 2013, or early 2014. BUT, we are shooting for--and I am really hoping for--this year. Ironic that it takes me forever to write the darn thing yet I can hardly wait to release it to the world. (I never claimed patience to be my greatest virtue.) We will announce a release date soon after we discuss schedules with the dream team. <br /><br />I'm so excited and grateful to be partnering with <a href="http://shop.rhemalda.com/">Rhemalda Publishing</a> again on another book. They are a fabulous publisher and a great support. I'm already envisioning the cover for Dangerous Depths and I know it will be fantastic. Eeep!<br /><br />If you'd like to add Dangerous Depths on Goodreads, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13412960-dangerous-depths">here's the link.</a></div>
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<b><i>~<a href="http://karenamandahooper.com/" target="_blank">Karen Hooper</a></i></b></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-24670733566185665902013-04-03T04:00:00.000-07:002013-04-03T04:00:09.843-07:00Trickiness of CensorshipIn Canada, books are not banned. The choosing and purchasing of books is up to the discretion of the librarian. This is a part of the Freedom of Information and protection of privacy act. The act also states that as an employee I am not allowed to stop them from signing out whatever they want, plus I don't have to divulge that information the their parents. It is interesting how kids will swarm to the books labelled "mature reads". As a librarian I am entitled to warn students if a book contains foul language, sex or violence, but I can’t stop them from reading it. If I knew we had an abridged copy, I would tell them about it, but ultimately the choice is theirs.<br /><br />Censorship is a tricky subject. As a mother, I censor what my kids read, watch or play because children are easily beguiled and I want to protect their innocence. For example, the less they hear or read the “f” word, they less likely they are to use it. At the same time, I don’t blind them from reality. I will never lie to them. I want them to know there are mistakes in history that if ignored will be repeated. There will come a time when I cannot stop what is exposed to them and I hope by then I have ingrained in them a high sense of morals and values so they can withstand any negative influence they come across.<br /><br />However, that said, as a mother I cannot walk into the library and rip pages out of books or scribble out offensive passages with a black felt marker. I would be sued for doing that. As a mother, I have no influence on the literature found in a public institution. I cannot take away the rights of patrons to read what they want or the rights of authors to write what they want.<br /><br />Mothers, librarians and authors hold the gateways to censorship and I happen to be all three. There was a time early in my career that I figured I could be a shining example of purity and honesty for my readers; that none of my characters would swear, drink, have sex or be racist. They would be a beacon of light in the dark world and every teen reader would eagerly strive for the same kind of perfection. Well, my manuscripts got real boring real fast. I was restraining my characters from their true selves. My antagonists were unconvincing and my heroes were way too polite.<br /><br />So I made them real or I should say they made themselves real. My son asked me why Torvald swore in my YA novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shifters-Halli-Lilburn/dp/1926997689/" target="_blank">SHIFTERS</a> and I said, “That’s the way he is; a little rough on the edges. It is Torvald talking, not me.”<br /><br />As an author I do my best to present examples of stalwart, responsible citizens as well as the not so shiny happy people to educate and influence my readers my readers. As a librarian I seldom refuse to purchase a book unless the content is utterly nasty and patrons would be embarrassed if they were seen taking out books like that. Even if they did, I wouldn’t tell, I uphold any librarian/patron privileges. As a mother I screen first to make sure my kids don’t accept or develop any bad habits, then I encourage them to read like any good author/librarian/mother would do.<br /><br />P.S. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/17763596557256341788" target="_blank">Aimee L. Salter</a> has a great <a href="http://www.aimeelsalter.com/2011/01/ethics-of-writing-for-children-young.html" target="_blank">post</a> on the subject of removing the “n” word from Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn.<div>
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<div>
~<a href="http://hallililburn.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Halli Lilburn</a>, author of the YA novel SHIFTERS.</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-91680432493393418812013-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-29T04:00:01.210-07:00The Space Between~Early Release<br />
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<i>The Space Between</i>,
the first part in my new series, The Book of Phoenix, is ripe and ready for
release. The official release date is April 5, but the ebook will come out
early. Woohoo! How early depends on how many Likes I can gain over on my
Facebook page. I’m hoping this weekend? Maybe even today? Hmm…we’ll see.</div>
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Planning a release as an indie is kind of difficult. When
we’re responsible for all of the pieces, you’d think making them come together
by a certain time would be easy. We’re in control, right? Well, not so much.
Especially when the retailers keep changing their parameters for the files that
we upload. Or when they decide to take a day or two longer than normal to
approve a new title.</div>
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Our editors and proofreaders may take longer or shorter to
do their parts than we planned for. We ourselves may need more or less time
than expected to do last minute fixes. Then there’s all the formatting for the
various versions.</div>
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I always build in extra time because inevitably there are
issues. I’m publishing my sixth title, but new problems still pop up. It’s such
an exciting time to be prepping to push that PUBLISH button, but also extremely
frustrating because regardless of how smoothly the process goes, it’s never
smooth enough. I mean, why can’t everything work perfectly on the first try? Is
that really asking for too much?</div>
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After the last couple of days of driving myself nutty with
syntax coding errors (an extra space in a file name wasted three hours of
troubleshooting time and that’s just one example), we’re pretty much ready to
publish early. It’s not the first time I’ve been off by a few days, although
it’s the first time I’ve been ready a week early.</div>
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Of course, now I start thinking, “That’s another week to
read through and make any final changes to make it even more awesome.<a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>” We writers <i>like</i>
to be insane, I do believe. So not to torture myself, we will be hitting
PUBLISH very soon. Keep an eye out for <i>The
Space Between</i> coming to ebookshelves in the next day or so.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqvYEIhYbULUOtJt4x-Ts5UVO53_OpSVJZkRhmqmZx3rP72Y6iA2hYeRzGTZE_FEIcPgJ5wp8h-bWw03WxHzP5zTQSafLoCfDxywxUkgMmRhyKksAmcR6woOOhYrJpZ87Qv4CEg_dNhM/s1600/TheSpaceBetween-ebooksm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqvYEIhYbULUOtJt4x-Ts5UVO53_OpSVJZkRhmqmZx3rP72Y6iA2hYeRzGTZE_FEIcPgJ5wp8h-bWw03WxHzP5zTQSafLoCfDxywxUkgMmRhyKksAmcR6woOOhYrJpZ87Qv4CEg_dNhM/s320/TheSpaceBetween-ebooksm.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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About <i>The Space
Between</i>, Part One in The Book of Phoenix:</div>
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<i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When Life Falls to
Pieces, Answers Lie in the Space Between<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Bestselling author
Kristie Cook, with over 200,000 books sold, brings you another New Adult paranormal
series, The Book of Phoenix<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“A completely unique
story with a paranormal twist . . . the perfect blend of romance and mystery
with a phenomenal plot that will keep you guessing.”</span></i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> ~ Jessica, Confessions
of a Bookaholic<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“I loved this book! The
characters, the romance, the plot, the originality! It had everything to make
it an amazing book!”</span></i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> ~ Kendall, Book Crazy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">After
a month-long dance tour through Italy, 20-year-old Leni Drago returns to
Georgia to care for her great-uncle, only to find him gone, the home they
shared empty and any evidence he ever existed wiped out. All that’s left is a
journal she can’t open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jeric
Winters has been searching for a piece of his past for over a year, only to
reach a dead-end in Georgia. When an urgent and magnetic pull draws him out of
his hotel room, he comes face-to-face with the beautiful dancer who’s been
haunting his dreams day and night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jeric’s
one to stay away from—a bad-boy, hit-it-and-quit-it type—but Leni can’t escape the
fervent feelings between them. As their own existences begin to crumble around
them and shadowy forms that are more monsters than men attack, they realize
there’s more to the connection between them than physical fascination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To
solve the riddle their lives have become, they must embark on a journey that
requires them to face their pasts and release their true souls. And they must
do it fast—dark ones from another world are closing in, intent on killing them.
Permanently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“This
is a completely new twist on the idea of a timeless love story with a paranormal
twist unlike any other. The connection between the two characters is bone deep
and resonates beautifully. I will never forget this novel.” ~ Heather McCorkle,
Author of the fantasy Channeler series<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“Kristie
has done it again! Her Soul Savers series is my favorite by far and yet The
Space Between is easily the best book she’s ever written! It's dangerous,
suspenseful, and smokin’ hot.” ~ Marissa, Comfortably Read Book Reviews<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">“The
Space Between is an amazing story of life, love and fates. Author Kristie Cook
has you hanging on the edge of every page. This book stays in your head well
after the last page.” ~ Mindy, Forbidden Reviews<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">**Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations
and language.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">About
Kristie Cook:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
Kristie Cook is a lifelong,
award-winning writer in various genres, from marketing communications to
fantasy fiction. She continues to write the Soul Savers Series, a New Adult
paranormal romance/contemporary fantasy, with the first four books, <i>Promise</i>, <i>Purpose</i>, <i>Devotion </i>and <i>Power </i>available now and the next book
coming in June 2013. She’s also written a companion novella, <i>Genesis: A Soul Savers Novella</i>,
currently available. Over 160,000 Soul Savers books have been sold, with <i>Promise</i> peaking at #54 on the Amazon Top
100 Paid list and at #1 in the Amazon Fantasy category.</div>
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<i>The
Space Between</i> kicks off her second New Adult paranormal series, The Book of
Phoenix. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
Besides writing, Kristie enjoys
reading, cooking, traveling and riding on the back of a motorcycle. She has
lived in ten states, but currently calls Southwest Florida home with her husband,
three teenage sons, a beagle and a puggle. She can be found at:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Author's Website
& Blog: <a href="http://www.kristiecook.com/">http://www.KristieCook.com</a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
Soul Savers Series
Website: <a href="http://www.soulsaversseries.com/">http://www.SoulSaversSeries.com</a></div>
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Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook">http://www.facebook.com/AuthorKristieCook</a></div>
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Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/%23!/kristiecookauth">http://twitter.com/#!/kristiecookauth</a></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-664760500978200432013-03-25T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-25T04:00:02.255-07:00Defining Success<br />
I've officially been an indie author since September 2011, so about a year and a half. When I put my first baby out into the world all by myself, my idea of success was simple. To sell enough books to pay for the cost of self-publishing.<br />
<br />
I mean, I couldn't justify <i>losing money</i> on my venture, so if I could just break even... I'd be a success.<br />
<br />
It's funny how my view of success has changed a million times in just a few months. Now with self-publishers hitting all kinds bestseller's lists and dominating Amazon's top 100, <i>and</i> doing it in record time, <b>the definition of success, or at least our perception of what success is, can be all over the map.</b><br />
<br />
-if I break even, I'll be a success<br />
-if I make enough money to pay the heating...<br />
-If I make enough money to pay the rent/mortgage...<br />
-if I make enough money to quit my day job<br />
<br />
At some point <b>it moves from making money to survive to this</b>:<br />
<br />
-if I make the top 100 Amazon<br />
-if I make NYT bestsellers list<br />
-if agents start calling me<br />
-if I get a publishing deal AND I get to keep my e-rights<br />
-if I become a household name in the industry<br />
-if I have a zillion fans<br />
-if I get a movie deal<br />
<br />
(Even Trad published authors get caught up in this. One well-known YA author actually tweeted about how HARD it was for her to keep getting asked when her book was going to be made into a movie. She felt like a barren woman who was always being asked when she was going to have kids. Yes, she REALLY said this!)<br />
<br />
Let me tell you, this is a recipe for <b>crazy making.</b><br />
<br />
So, what is the definition of success?<br />
<br />
I don't know. It's different for everyone. I actually have a hard time seeing myself as successful because I've placed a high bar in front of me that I haven't yet reached.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Sometimes you need to lower the bar.</b><br />
<br />
I got this email recently. It made me smile. It helped me to lower my bar.<br />
<br />
<br />
"... I've bought all of the clockwise series, Seaweed, Perception, and
the Jars of Clay series, ... your writing is amazing, and I can only hope that one day I will be<b> a success like you</b> (:"<br />
<br />
(emphasis mine)<br />
<br />
Sometimes we don't see ourselves the way other people see us. I'd say, most of the time.<br />
<br />
Are you a success? I bet you are. Just lower the bar and keep smiling.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>~<a href="http://ellestraussbooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elle Strauss</a></i></b></span><br />
Author of paranormal young adult and new adult novels under the pseudonym Lee Strauss.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-28644350894676510972013-03-22T01:00:00.000-07:002013-05-08T11:06:35.681-07:00IE Reviews: The Backworlds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzDjsPWKqNLVQJ3wKerGOXEmLLWTUeXkhk0SW5ayiD0mtR_IPbHfKBS8g5XQyZskmmZsbYhYkASHIqsdAOTu0obIto4Qu9gWRhXmwHAW9wWzts8GxAf4Z2TBYrjYNR8xH2gmnMkElK9w/s1600/Bakworlds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbzDjsPWKqNLVQJ3wKerGOXEmLLWTUeXkhk0SW5ayiD0mtR_IPbHfKBS8g5XQyZskmmZsbYhYkASHIqsdAOTu0obIto4Qu9gWRhXmwHAW9wWzts8GxAf4Z2TBYrjYNR8xH2gmnMkElK9w/s400/Bakworlds.jpg" width="250" /></a><br />
I came across this sci-fi novel by <a href="http://mpaxauthor.com/" target="_blank">M. Pax</a> while reading a friend's blog. It is geared toward adults.<br />
<br />
I love a great sci-fi book and can't get enough of them lately so I was delighted when I downloaded this and the first page sucked me in. The world is well developed and interesting. That said, it fell short for me in a few areas. However, this is a very well written novel, superbly edited, and well executed, which I would recommend for sci-fi fans. What are short comings for me, another is likely to not even noticed. <br />
<br />
The best part is, if you're hesitant to try it out, no need to be, it's free! So decide for yourself. You can't go wrong there. You can find it at the following links:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Backworlds-ebook/dp/B007Y6LHAA" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-backworlds-m-pax/1110498771?ean=2940033159109" target="_blank">B&N</a> / <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/150519" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br />
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<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-22639009997658872702013-03-20T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-20T04:00:11.191-07:00IE Reviews: Delirium: Debt Collector 1Lately it is incredibly rare for me to find a book that captivates me so much that I cannot put it down. I'm picky, I admit it. Which is why I don't do a lot of reviews. It takes something special. This is something very special. Susan Kaye Quinn's<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> The Debt Collector</i> just released. It is</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> a new future-noir serial for adults (no not <i>that</i> kind of adult book). People, it is BEYOND amazing. The first episode, </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Delirium</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">, launched on 3/20.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">My official review:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>"Utterly captivating and completely amazing from the first word to the last. This is science fiction at its forward-thinking best. Delirium is the first in a serial about a man who collects people's life force when their time is up and they have ceased to be a productive member of society with a valuable future. It promises to be an outstanding series, one that I will be waiting on with bated breath. This is everything the movie 'In Time' should have been, and then some. It would not surprise me in the least if Hollywood comes calling Susan on this one."<br /><br />Yes really, it was that good. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in the serial, which is coming out soon! Here is more about it: </div>
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o:title=""/> <w:wrap type="tight"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">What’s your life worth on the open market?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A debt collector can tell you precisely.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lirium plays the part of the grim reaper well, with his dark trenchcoat, jackboots, and the black marks on his soul that every debt collector carries. He’s just in it for his cut, the ten percent of the life energy he collects before he transfers it on to the high potentials, the people who will make the world a better place with their brains, their work, and their lives. That hit of life energy, a bottle of vodka, and a visit from one of Madam Anastazja’s sex workers keep him alive, stable, and mostly sane… until he collects again. But when his recovery ritual is disrupted by a sex worker who isn’t what she seems, he has to choose between doing an illegal hit for a girl whose story has more holes than his soul or facing the bottle alone—a dark pit he’s not sure he’ll be able to climb out of again.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Contains mature content and themes. </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">For YA-appropriate thrills, see Susan’s Mindjack series.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Delirium</span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> is approximately 12,000 words or 48 pages</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> and is one of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial (how cool is that?!). This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. You can find out more about the series at the <a href="http://www.debtcollectorseries.com/p/main-page.html">Debt Collector website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/debtcollectorseries?ref=hl">facebook page</a>. The <a href="http://mindjacktrilogy.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=09cbd8137b9ce63c84b64d3f9&id=d92052377d">Debt Collector newsletter</a> is a special list just for episode releases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i>Early Praise</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “The street-smart science of LOOPER meets the cold, just-the-facts voice of DOUBLE INDEMNITY in this edgy, future-noir thriller that will have you holding your breath, looking over your shoulder, and begging for more.” —<b>Leigh Talbert Moore</b>, author of <i>The Truth About Faking</i>, <i>The Truth About Letting Go</i>, and <i>Rouge</i></span></blockquote>
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</i></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Do you owe more than your life is worth? No worries. A more deserving person than you can benefit from that excess life—and someone else will get paid with it. Enter the Debt Collector.” —<b>Dianne Salerni</b>, author of <i>We Hear the Dead</i>, <i>The Caged Graves</i>, and <i>The Eighth Day</i> (HarperCollins 2014)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">The first three episodes of Debt Collector will be released a week apart, starting Wednesday 3/20. The remaining episodes will release every two weeks. </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Delirium</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> can be found on </span><a href="http://bit.ly/SKQonAmazon" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amazon</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, </span><a href="http://bit.ly/SusanonBnN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Barnes&Noble</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">, <a href="http://bit.ly/SKQoniBookstore">iTunes</a>, <a href="http://bit.ly/SusanonKobo">Kobo</a>. Or add it to your TBR on </span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17622734-delirium" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Goodreads</a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">.</span><br />
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Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling YA SF Mindjack series. Debt Collector is her more grown-up SF. Her steampunk fantasy romance is temporarily on hold while she madly writes episodes to keep Lirium happy. Plus she needs to leave time to play on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/susankayequinnauthor?ref=hl">Facebook</a>. Susan has a lot of degrees in engineering, which come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mind powers, future dystopias, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. Mostly she sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets make stuff up full-time. </div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-28150625113962636472013-03-18T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-18T04:00:06.381-07:00Nerves of STEEL – erm – Jello<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I released <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009IPQVHO">Neverlove</a>,
I was so overly excited that I didn’t get to be nervous. Plus, I had my <a href="http://partnersinparanormya.blogspot.com/">Partner in ParanormYA</a> by
my side, virtually that is, to address each day’s issues that came up. So when
it came to <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17406766-frailties-of-the-bond">Frailties
of the Bond</a>, I figured this would be “old hat business”. Been there. Done
it. Thought about getting the t-shirt designed but couldn’t quite afford
commissioning a custom art piece for the tee lol!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With March 20<sup>th</sup>’s release date staring me eyeball
to eyeball, I have nerves of STEEL – erm – Jello. They’re flimsy, flopping
about like lightning struck live wires. I’m at the corner of
not-quite-a-nervous-wreck and
what-the-Frankenstein-makes-me-think-ANYONE-will-care-about-this-story-or-me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not a very confident place to be lol!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But am I going to go ostrich and stick my head in the
ground? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, maybe for about two minutes – lol! – but not much
longer than that. Nothing gets accomplished by doing nothing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve done something, taken a chance on me and believing that
someone out there just might enjoy a short, quick read about two teens
discovering things about themselves and about love-lust-love :-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, there will be vampires.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sorry, they don’t sparkle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About Angela Brown<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Single mom, working author, lover of
chocolate and Wild Cherry Pepsi addict. Story telling includes </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Neverlove</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, an upper YA novel with
paranormal, action and romance elements woven throughout. Then there’s </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Frailties of the Bond</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, a YA urban
fantasy where one bite can change a life.</span></div>
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Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-12947438410770621682013-03-15T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-15T04:00:04.284-07:00Pieces of Me by Eisley Jacobs<a href="http://eisleyjacobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PiecesofMe_Square.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="PiecesofMe_Square" height="360" src="http://eisleyjacobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PiecesofMe_Square.jpg" width="360" /></a>I'm so excited to announce the upcoming release of my Young Adult Science-Fantasy Novel, PIECES OF ME. <strong> </strong><br />
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<strong>Blurb:</strong> Forget everything you know. Forget your name. Forget any memory of your parents. Forget your own face in the mirror. Then, and only then, can you understand my world. My name is Braidan, and I'm seventeen years old. I wake every day with no memory of what happened yesterday. No recollection of who I am. Only a series of sticky notes hint at the life I supposedly lead. But no matter how hard I try, I can't dismiss the thought that this isn't my life or my true identity. Notes plastered all over my room and school books tell me to search for answers. But how can I learn the truth when I'll forget everything the moment my mind drifts to sleep? Ian, the new boy at school, claims he has the key to my walking coma. If what he says is true, I'm far more than just a girl with amnesia... and I've got precious little time to unlock my past. Pieces of Me depend on it.<br />
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<strong>About the Novel:</strong> PIECES OF ME started out as a log line rolling around my head at 1:30 in the morning. I jotted it down in my phone (otherwise I wouldn't have slept) and let it sit there for weeks (maybe it was months, time just seems to zip by these days). Then, after the publication of my first two novels (BORN TO BE A DRAGON and RUNAWAY CHOICES), I came to a lull in my writing schedule and happened to look at my phone one day and WHAMMO, it just sort of happened. The novel flew from my fingertips faster than almost any novel I'd written in my life, but somewhere around 3/4ths of the way, I stalled and stared at the screen, wondering what was next. Wondering how my timeline would work itself out. I charted and charted timeline after timeline, hoping to figure out the algorithms down to the minute. And when I did, I stared at it for days and still wrote nothing. The breaking point happened when I realized I'd come to a stalemate because I didn't want to see the novel end. After I allowed myself time to mourn, and mourn I did, I finished the novel. I cried when I closed the file for the last time and realized (to the tune of Gracie's Theme by Paul Cardall) that my characters have so much to live for and so much hope. The PIECES OF ME that were placed in this novel were now ready for the readers. I sat on this novel a long time, unwilling to open my fists and release it into the wild. So, after a couple months of dragging the feet of indecision, I finally made the plunge and shimmied up the Indie ladder once again. The view from up here is amazing. I can see the book in the hands of the world, and it's exciting. I'm excited about this release and hope it lives up to the reviews I've already received.<br />
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<a href="http://eisleyjacobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/EisleyJacobs5.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="300" src="http://eisleyjacobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/EisleyJacobs5-200x300.jpg" title="EisleyJacobs5" width="200" /></a><strong>About the Author: </strong><i><b>Eisley Jacobs</b></i> <em><em><a href="http://eisleyjacobs.com/blog/" target="_blank">Eisley Jacobs</a> lives in Shingle Springs, California with her three children and husband.</em></em> <em><em>Eisley actively writes the characters that stroll through her head. The first YA Novel she completed was in high school, but somehow got lost in the shuffle into real life. While studying at college, stories began to plague her mind and she tried her best to keep them at bay while she did more important things like... like... Who are we kidding? Her grades suffered because the voices wouldn't stop. So instead of going insane, she wrote.</em> <em></em></em><em>In 2010, a blue dragon named Deglan interfered in her attempts to finish the final book in the YA series and thus the series starter for DRAGONS FOREVER, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Forever-Born-be-Dragon/dp/1456360965/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327345846&sr=1-1" target="_blank">BORN TO BE A DRAGON</a>, was hatched and has found a home in the hearts of many children.</em> <em><em>Eisley's first YA Sci-Fantasy, PIECES OF ME, is due out March 27. To learn more about Eisley and her novels <a href="http://eisleyjacobs.com/blog/" target="_blank">click here.</a></em></em>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-67352671636537771122013-03-12T04:00:00.000-07:002013-03-12T04:00:07.376-07:00The Writing Life: Be Prepared<br />
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When I discovered my post on the Indie E blog was set for
March 12<sup>th</sup>, I knew I had to do something related to the birthday of
the Girl Scouts / Girl Guides organization (https://www.girlguides.ca). Here I
am getting “sworn in” as a Brownie way back in the 70s:</div>
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Besides my enduring love of the cookies, I’d have to say my
time in the Canadian Girl Guides as a Brownie, Guide, and Pathfinder – has
impacted my writing life. Through Girl Guides I was able to try numerous creative,
physical, and mentally challenging activities. To volunteer, to survive winter
and summer campouts, to fundraise, to perform, to sing - to fail and allow
myself to try again. </div>
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That’s right, my friends, when you embark on a writing
career it’s best to have a few merit badges under your belt. Ones perhaps along
the lines of: </div>
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Thick Skin Badge, </div>
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Show Don’t Tell Badge</div>
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I Wrote a Query and Then I Wrote 100 More Badge</div>
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There’s No Such Thing as a New Story Badge</div>
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But That Was My Idea Badge</div>
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My Book Was Optioned But There’s Still No Movie Badge</div>
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I Self-Published My Rejected Novels as EBooks Badge</div>
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I Have Seventeen Social Media Sites to Maintain Badge</div>
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My Ass Gets Bigger With Each Book I Write Badge</div>
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But, seriously? Yes, I’d say my time selling cookies
door-to-door and in malls around town has influenced my writing today. Girl
Guides introduced me to the thrill of a good campfire ghost story, taught me
tragic songs about the Titanic and so I understood the power of a sad ending,
but mostly I absorbed their motto: Be Prepared.</div>
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That’s really it. Writing life will challenge you, scare
you, thrill / astonish / uplift you and just as easily break your heart. So
read all the manuals. Learn from your fellow writers. Lend a hand and be kind
to each other along the journey.</div>
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And be prepared for the ride of your life.</div>
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You can follow me on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites">https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites</a></div>
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On the Twitter: @judithgraves</div>
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Or via my website: www.judithgraves.com</div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-83289672064997891962013-03-08T04:00:00.000-08:002013-03-08T04:00:02.477-08:00Full-Blown PanicThe year is getting away from me and it's only March.<br />Early March at that.<br /><br />Some days I feel there is so much to do I have to lie down for a while, which turns into a nap, which then turns into panic that I've slept so long I've missed the school pickup.<br /><br />There are forms on the desk that need filling out. Appointments to make. Exercises to do (because the physiotherapy bills are pretty huge so there's no point paying all that money if I don't then do the work).<br /><br />Oh, and a manuscript to finish. And four book covers to design.<br /><br />Which will also necessitate the redesign of my website and then the promotions on top of that . . .<br /><br />Oh, and I'd better format the books into all those different, um, formats, so they can go on sale.<br /><br />Breathe, Ebs, breathe!<br /><br />The thing is, everyone I know is insanely busy just about every single day. We get done what we can, and try not to beat ourselves up about it.<br /><br />One of my new years resolutions this year was to look after my back. I have pathetic posture from slumping over a keyboard all day for the past mumble-twenty-mumble years. I'm getting there, with loads of help from the physiotherapist. That's one thing I'm sorting out.<br /><br />The other resolution was to launch my Ondine novels into the USA, starting in June. (Only 3 months away. Breathe, Ebs, breathe!)<br /><br />But the big resolution this year was to say 'No' more often.<br />I've stepped down from fundraising at my son's school. I still help out with some things, but I'm not on the committee. I'm not carrying that load around with me.<br /><br />I said no to my writers' group committee - I could not see that I'd have the time to be the treasurer. I did say yes to being the Librarian, because I'm a control freak and I've downloaded an app to put the collection on and it's feeding my OCD.<br /><br />I'm making LISTS.<br />Lists, people.<br /><br />Lists are helping me get through the pile of things that need doing. Then, when I've done them, I can draw a line through them. <br /><br />You may have noticed I like structure in my novels. The same applies to life. I like structure in my life. I like knowing, more of less, what is going to happen each day. I love surprises (like when my husband comes home from work with chocolate. Not the kind of surprises where I start thinking about what to make for dinner and the refrigerator is empty).<br /><br />Lists are my structure. Lists are my friend. Lists will get me through this. Lists stop me spinning wildly like the Tasmanian Devil of cartoon fame (not the real ones, which don't spin. Not even if you give them a push).<br /><br />How about you? Do you make lists or do you find them too restrictive? What are your tips for getting through a pile of "things" that need doing?<div>
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<i><b><a href="http://ejmckennablog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">~Ebony McKenna</a></b></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTSSQ5gb6CrJozuGycbkG3Po5BCKcxbvm_x_1uRi4usIOdrFQhr3fUG4W-Ng57hvbHmwWZmLDPZKHYyC5xbIjtIIZB6juXMSZYFAJFhyphenhypheniK8VcPUcaIkyP_Q3sjhcy23KYEle6yuxrHbU/s1600/Ebony+McKenna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTSSQ5gb6CrJozuGycbkG3Po5BCKcxbvm_x_1uRi4usIOdrFQhr3fUG4W-Ng57hvbHmwWZmLDPZKHYyC5xbIjtIIZB6juXMSZYFAJFhyphenhypheniK8VcPUcaIkyP_Q3sjhcy23KYEle6yuxrHbU/s1600/Ebony+McKenna.jpg" /></a></div>
Author of the Ondine series. The Ondine books are a sparkling combination of romance and magic – perfect for teen girls. Written with genuine humour and unique eccentricity, the series is an obvious choice for fans of The Princess Bride and Ella Enchanted.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2165590392295480321.post-845930822922505392013-03-05T14:37:00.001-08:002013-03-05T14:37:29.343-08:00Loss of Indie Free-domMany an indie author has gained notice and a foothold in sales by actually giving their book away for free, but the benefits of such a thing may be going the way of the dinosaur. <div>
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For those of you scratching your head and wondering, "Free, you say? How can that possibly help sales?" worry not, I haven't gone off my rocker. In the past, when an author listed their book for free, spread the word, and got as many people to download it as possible, it climbed the ranks of free books, and if they were lucky, made it into the top 'selling' free books. Lists of top selling free books in all different types of genres were extremely popular trolling grounds on Amazon for readers looking for a free read. One way this helps sales is that people are more likely to buy your second, third, and following books if they have read the first. Another way is that it got the author up on the lists, got them noticed, and if they were lucky, the sales picked right up where the downloads left off as soon as their book went back to paid. Sounds crazy, but it worked. </div>
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<i><b>Worked</b></i> being the key word. There was a time when we could 'tag' books on Amazon. This helped people find books that were tagged with words like 'fantasy', 'dragons', 'vampires', etc. Amazon tags disappeared. You may have noticed the Amazon 'Like' buttons are disappearing as well. Some books have them, some don't. Authors and published are unable to control which do and which don't. The 'Amazon Gods' are the only ones who know why this is disappearing. The 'Likes' helped books get noticed by easily promoting them on FaceBook, as well as in other ways, such as the effect how many likes a book had on the mysterious algorithms. </div>
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And now, Amazon is messing with free books. The 'best selling' lists of free books are getting harder to find, some are even disappearing. Many websites offer links to books on Amazon. This is part of Amazon's 'Associate' plan. Those sites (blogs included) can get a percentage off books sold to customers who click on them through the website listing them. Amazon has put their foot down on those websites who promote mostly free books, saying they won't pay them for advertising if the majority of the books they advertise are free. This means authors who used such websites to spread the word about their free book, will find fewer websites willing to spread the word for them. Which honestly, was the best way to get your downloads up and get onto the 'best selling' free lists. </div>
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Whether you're a reader who enjoyed discovering new authors through free books, building your reading list with them, or you're an author who used them as part of your marketing plan, this will effect you. The only constant in this business, is change. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>~Heather</i></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 13px;">Author of the paranormal Earth-conscious channeler series: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Born-Fire-Channeler-Novella-ebook/dp/B006UIU11Y/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_7_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-7">Born of Fire</a> (FREE novella),<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Spruce-Knoll-Channeler-ebook/dp/B006BL0WR8/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_2_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049345&sr=1-2"> The Secret of Spruce Knoll</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Channelers-Choice-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B007AWD9NQ/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_3_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-3">Channeler's Choice</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Rector-Channeler-Novel-ebook/dp/B009Q6ILGE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_5_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-5">Rise of a Rector</a>, and the historical fantasy, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/To-Ride-A-P%C3%BAca-ebook/dp/B0081A2GZS/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-1">To Ride A Puca</a>. Heather also has stories in the following anthologies: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/In-His-Eyes-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00760G5CE/ref=la_B005GFK5AY_1_6_bnp_0_main?ie=UTF8&qid=1356049450&sr=1-6">In His Eyes </a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Wonders-ebook/dp/B00AG20AHA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356049575&sr=1-1&keywords=Winter+Wonders">Winter Wonders</a>. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/uploads.wisestamp.com/03eb8cd4201e692cfa49c3a2fa32d49c/1356049271.png" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /></div>
Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05130733681254163610noreply@blogger.com4