Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter!

Thine is the Glory! (a hymn by Edmund Louis Budry)



Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-clothes where Thy body lay.

Thine is the glory,
Risen, conquering Son;
Endless is the victory Thou o’er death hast won.
 
Lo! Jesus meets us.
Risen from the tomb,
Lovingly He greets us,
Scatters fear and gloom;
Let His Church with gladness hymns of triumph sing

Happy Easter Everyone!

Photo

Friday, March 29, 2013

Celebrate the Small Things

Celebrate the Small Things is a wonderful weekly blog hop hosted by Viklit, encouraging us to take a moment and celebrate the small things in our lives: laundry done, a story written, whatever we have to celebrate.

This week, I celebrated a little early on Tuesday . . .because everything going on seemed too awesome to not share right away.

Today, in addition to all those Tuesday celebrations, I have these:

1. Half of our laundry is done, and the other half is on it's way to being done.

2. Bags are halfway packed for a vacation at Whistler.

3. Vacation at Whistler starting in three days.

4. Dieting has been bad, but I've ridden 20 miles via stationary bike, and walked 3 miles this week.

5. I'm ready to be an A to Z minion for L. Diane Wolfe, even though I'll be minioning from a hotel for several days next week . . .I'm ready.



6. Good Friday.

7. Easter.

(Image from wakpaper.com)


Happy Easter!


See you next week for A to Z!




Oh, and I almost forgot, I'm having a spring sale for Champion in the Darkness. It's currently 99 cents at Smashwords, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble Nook. I lowered it to $2.99 at Kindle, but I'm hoping that Kindle will price match. So, if you haven't picked up an ebook version of Champion in the Darkness, April is a good time to do it!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Too much Awesomeness to Save Until Friday

I know, I should be holding off on my celebrations until Viklit's next installment of Celebrate the Small Things on Friday, but I just can't.

It's just too much awesomeness. (note: I really like Kung Fu Panda, and have a tendency to get into "awesomeness" mode in my speech and writing when I'm excited)

So, awesome, amazing, bits of awesomeness:

1. I had an awesome book signing yesterday, encouraged by awesome friends at Harbor Christian Homeschool Co-Op!
 (I look a bit dorky, but it was still an awesome experience!)

2. Last night, I went to a parents' night out for Harbor Christian Homeschool Co-op, and two of the ladies there were part of a book club that read my book last month, so we talked Champion in the Darkness for a while! Sweetness! We also talked about writing, loglines, grammar (yikes, I keep finding a few errors here and there), GMO foods, and all sorts of random homeschool/mom stuff. It was very fun!

3. I came home, and received an e-mail informing me that an article about me, and Champion in the Darkness had gone live online and will be in newsprint tomorrow. I did find an error in the section about volunteering and teaching (I actually teach at one co-op/school, and currently I'm only volunteering once in a while at one church), but other than that, it's just really awesome!
Click this to see the article: Former Enumclaw Resident Publishes First Book.

4. In family news, my oldest daughter is going to a big talent/modeling convention/camp in New York this summer. Plus, my youngest daughter is preparing some of her bead art to show at the art show at our co-op, and possibly for sale in the future. And they are just awesome.

5. My husband is awesome all the time.

6. In household news: our septic system was having problems (very icky), but now it's fixed. Clean water, and plumbing that works is awesome! (Don't believe me, try living without for a few days - yikes)


7. Suzanne Furness gave me the Sunshine Award! Wow! Awesomeness! Thanks Suzanne!
I'll be answering questions and passing this along on Friday.

8. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. Cue singing: Our God is an Awesome God!

Ok, so now, I don't know what I'll have to share for Friday's Celebrate the Small Things, but I'm sure I'll think of something, and I'll be sharing the Sunshine Award!

My hope for everyone today: That your Day is even More Awesome!!! And includes random moments of unexpected Awesomeness!!!

Monday, March 25, 2013

World Building and the Universal Worlds Problem - Guest Post by M Pax!


Please Welcome, M Pax, author extraordinaire!
 

Tyrean and I are switching blogs today... Thanks for letting me borrow yours, Tyrean. The view over here is awesome. A change of scenery is always nice...

Which is why I write about other worlds... whether out in the galaxy, magically hidden here on Earth, or just plain made up. Other worlds in the galaxy seems to be my favorite, though.

A few issues in reality have formed my creation of worlds in the Backworlds series. First, traveling long distances in space... Voyager I is finally about to leave our solar system. It launched in 1977.


Even if we develop faster than light speed or light speed capability, we have no idea what’s out there, and there are probably very few worlds exactly like ours.

So, in the Backworlds, humanity has only spread out farther in the Orion arm of the galaxy and hasn’t gone very far yet in my books, relatively speaking. They use a roadway — the Lepper — that accelerates speed between stars, but they don’t arrive instantly. It still takes days, weeks, or longer – depending on the distance.

People are so well adapted to Earth, that it’d be tough for humans to live and thrive elsewhere. Even if a planet was very similar in atmosphere to Earth, the gravity may not be, and that can be a real sticking point.



In the Backworlds, I figured it’d be easier to adapt ourselves through genetic manipulation to thrive on new worlds than to terraform planets. We can’t even manage our own planet, so I don’t see it as likely that we’ll be able to manage another’s. It’s more efficient and seems like it’d be less work to change the people. That’s what I did in the Backworlds

 The first wave of modified humans, the Foreworlders, were the most like Earth humans and settled world most like our own. The Backworlders were created later, basically because they have more modifications, and were made to settle less Earth-like worlds. After all, there are more planets not like ours than like ours. And we’re pretty good at adapting. So I think that’s what we’d do.

 What do you think? Do you think we’ll ever settle a world beyond Earth?
 
Yes!!! (Just had to throw my two cents in here) Thanks for the awesome post, M Pax!!!
 
If you would like to learn about my own messed up journey with world building and language, come join me at M Pax's blog for a bit about Babel Fish.
 
 
M Pax recently released the third book in her Backworlds series, Boomtown Craze! Check out the Backworlds and take a trip into the wild unknown with Craze, a reluctant hero with a heart of gold!  

M. Pax is author of the sci-fi series, The Backworlds, and the new adult contemporary fantasy The Renaissance of Hetty Locklear. A Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.

You can also find M. Pax on LinkedIN, Pinterest, YouTube, and Wattpad


You can try the first book in the series, The Backworlds, for free. All formats for all ereaders and now in paperback (not free). LINKS

Boomtown Craze can be found here:
Ebook and paperback: AmazonUS / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.


To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.


Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.


Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?


Want a chance at a free ebook? Just come up with a crazy combo, ie, a dainty flower that devours people, leave your reply either HERE or HERE.

 

 

Friday, March 22, 2013

Celebrate the Small Things and Discovering Book Lists at Goodreads

Celebrate the Small Things


I've been discovering book lists at Goodreads. I think I'm a bit slow to pick up on this phenomenon and start adding my book to them, but I'm finally getting the hang of book marketing (maybe). So I went a little crazy the other day and added my book to all these lists and a few more:

First in Series (2013)

Amazon Breakthrough Novels of 2013

Best YA Books

Favorite Fantasy

Christian Fantasy

Best Christian Adventure Fantasy

Top New Christian Fiction of 2013


Some of these lists have some amazing contenders, and I know I don't have a hope of breaking the top 10 positions, but I got excited adding my book to them anyway. Is that selfish, or arrogant, or just good business sense? This marketing thing is tough for me, because I don't want to be pushy or full of myself.

I can tell you that all of these lists have authors that I love on them . . .authors that I would vote for that aren't me . . .so I feel really odd about putting my book on lists with their books.

What do you think, have you added books to Goodreads lists? Is it a good idea? A bad one?

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Big Reveal

The Big Reveal: Tell us your Theme for 2013 hosted by Mina and David is here!

My reveal: Fencing and Swordplay Terminology. If you want to know about Attacks and Assaults (not the criminal type), Bouts, Epees, Foils, Sabres, and what it means to Disengage, this is the place to visit during A to Z.

Why: Because I felt like reliving some nostalgic memories of my fencing days in college, including a bit of time I spent at coaches camps for the USFA. I used to be a certified beginning level fencing coach for sabre, and a beginning and level 1 certified coach for foil. Of course, they've changed the training since then (it's been like, well, 17 years or so). Plus, I just love a good sword-fight scene, and might mention a few of those. (Z is for Zorro after all)

One disclaimer: most of my knowledge is based on USFA and Olympic Fencing techniques which are not the same as double-handed broadsword or SCA rapier style fencing techniques. If you have knowledge of those, please feel free to stop by during the challenge and lend some expertise in those areas in the comments, or shoot me an e-mail pre-challenge. I'm always interested in learning more about swords :).

So, are you interested in sword-fighting? And Do you have a theme for A to Z?

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Ooops . . . I almost forgot to SAVE the Cat


ML Swift started an excellent writers' book club, called the Progressive Book Club a few months ago, and this month we are delving into Save the Cat!
For starters, I have to say that I have marked this book on nearly every page, and found a great deal of useful information, so much that I had a tough time narrowing down my post for today. So, I decided to create a list, or two lists.
 
List #1, The Best Parts of Save the Cat!
 
1. Concise, clear writing throughout that hit the heart of each idea quickly and thoroughly.
 
2. Two chapters that help a writer nail the Logline - both the actual logline chapter, and the one on heroes. Loglines rock! (or at least I find them incredibly helpful, and I love Snyder's insights into writing them)
 
3. Give me the Same Thing, Only Different - so true, and I enjoyed reading Snyder's basic genres.
 
4. The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet was in depth, and at the same time, doable. I could see where some of my past efforts could have used a Beat Sheet, and I'm going to apply it to my 2nd novel, Champion in Flight, while I still can (it's in second draft phase now).
 
5. The Beast Board Chapter was interesting, and I can see now why creating a story board could be really helpful.  I've never done it, but I may try it.
 
6. What's Wrong with this Picture was a great chapter on figuring out problems in a story line.
 
7. The exercises at the end of each chapter were excellent. I just need to get up the courage to pitch my book logline to everyone I meet, and get their reaction.
 
 
List #2, The Parts I didn't like or felt didn't apply to novel-writing.
 
1. I think the marketing stuff is nearly pure Hollywood, so it didn't feel like it applied, except the high-low roller coaster of emotion stuff that every writer feels.
 
2. I'm not sure Double Mumbo Jumbo completely applies to novels. I think that one rule of magic has to apply throughout a story, and in that way I agree, but I disagreed with his Signs example - to me the whole God and alien double question doesn't necessarily cause too much of a dilemma. I felt it was a classic case of inner and outer conflict going on at the same time. To me, it wasn't two different "magic systems" with different rules. Anyway, that's just my little rant there.
 
 
Overall, I loved this book, and I know I'm going to be coming back to it often. Thank you, ML, for giving me the impetus to read it, and thank you Progressive Book Club!

Sorry, this is so late in the day, but I kind of forgot to write the post, and I'm home-schooling and writing at the same time. Think, write a sentence, stop and discuss a different topic with kids - so I've got writing, Civil War history, interview questions (public speaking class homework assignment), grammar, algebra, and ratios (younger daughter), and listening to Latin recitations, all on my mind at the same time. . . kind of crazy, but it keeps me moving.


Monday, March 18, 2013

Top Ten Movie Blogfest and News

Ninja Captain Alex's Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest is here!

It's supposed to be easy, just write a countdown of our top ten favorite movies.

Well, I have a hard time picking favorites, and I'm sure that there is some movie that's missing from this list, so I've created a top ten, and then added an honorable mention section. Nearly all the movies in the top ten list are movies that I have watched repetitively and have made me think, or laugh, or have shaped my ideas of storytelling in some way.


10. Zoom. A cheesy, fun, family friendly movie about an outdated superhero (Tim Allen) roped into mentoring a batch of new kid superheroes. My family and I have watched this movie countless times, and love it.

9. Singin' in the Rain.  A movie about movies. Excellent dancing, good singing, and just fun.

8. Enter the Dragon. A Bruce Lee classic, and a must watch for any martial arts/action movie fan.

7. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. An excellent retelling of one of my favorite books, and although some liberties were taken, I felt swept away by the magical story once again. (Runner up here: Voyage of the Dawn Treader - despite even more creative liberties being taken)

6. The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey. Peter Jackson took some creative LoTR liberties, but I loved seeing my all-time favorite fiction book brought to life. I'm hoping parts 2 and 3 are just as good.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird. How many times have I watched this movie? I'm not sure. It was a family favorite and watched every time it came on TV when I was growing up. The acting is excellent, the story is meant to be seen, heard, and read. It's hard to imagine that Harper Lee wrote only one book, and that book became this movie, and the two of them . . .well, I think the world is a better place because of this story.

4. UP. My husband told me that my list wouldn't be complete without this movie, and I found I agreed with him. It's the most heart-warming, beautiful animated movie that I've seen in my life.

3. Kung Fu Panda. It makes me laugh, and I love the moral of the story. "The secret is . . . there is no secret ingredient." Just total awesomeness. Why do I rate it higher than UP - not sure, except the awesome Kung Fu Awesomeness, and just how many times can Po say AWESOME in one sentence.

2. The Princess Bride. It's the ultimate cult classic. I recite nearly all the lines, but I am happy with just saying them silently in my head so I don't ruin the show for everyone else, and I love, love, love the sword fight scene in this movie that is both well choreographed with actual fencing moves (real fencing Maestro/Master on set and all that) and makes light of the old Errol Flynn movies.

1. Star Wars IV-VI. Yes, I've cheated on my number one. It's actually the original three movie saga. I can't say that these movies don't have their cheesy moments, but I still love them dearly. They captured my attention and my imagination in my childhood and early teen years.


Honorable Mentions: Galaxy Quest, Super 8, Jurassic Park, The Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma, Star Wars I-III, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Avengers, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sky High, Scooby Doo 2 (only 2, not 1 or 3), Tangled, Bambi, The Passion of Christ, Romeo Must Die, Much Ado About Nothing (Kenneth Branaugh version), The Cutting Edge, Jackie Chan movies, Peter Pan (Disney, nearly any version), Finding Neverland, Miss Potter, Fred Astaire Movies, The Jungle Book, Zorro, No Reservations, XMen, Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, LoTR, Kate & Leopold, Nim's Island, Penelope,  and many, many more . . .

It wasn't easy picking just ten.

So, what are your favorite movies? Do you think it's easy to pick only ten?

NEWS

Writers 4 Writers: Support Kyra and Angela today!!!

 C. Lee McKenzie is offering her novel, Sliding on the Edge for free at Smashwords through Friday. Check it out!

My two daughters (14 and 11) are helping a 13-year-old friend of theirs collect donations for a new well through charity : water. The three of them are excited about this opportunity to make a difference in the world and change the lives of others who are thirsty for clean water. My daughters' friend's goal is go reach "well status" by Easter. Check it out here: Christ the Living Water.

Oh, and I won't be "here" on Wednesday, but I'll post again on Thursday for the Big Reveal for A to Z.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

An Excerpt From The Harbringer by Christine Rains

Christine Rains' 13th Floor Series has been rocking the book world, and today she's sharing an excerpt from her latest, The Harbringer, right here.



Title: 1304 The Harbinger (The 13th Floor series, #4)

Author: Christine Rains

Genre: paranormal romance

Release date: March 13th, 2013

Blurb:

Meira Harper loves both her jobs: talking about beautiful shoes and fetching souls for Zeus. But the Thunder God threatens the harpy's loyalty to her job when she receives the call to bring the soul of gorgeous Sam Wright. Meira pleads with her boss to let him live. Zeus agrees, but Sam must fight for his life. If Sam can win three challenges, he can keep his soul.

The gods never play fairly, though, so Meira needs to find ways to help Sam with the challenges. She cannot outwardly cross her master, but she refuses to let the man she loves lose his soul. They haven't even had a chance to start a life together.

Sam's soul is on the line. Meira's will be too if she's caught, but that's a risk she's willing to take.

 
1304 – The Harbinger excerpt

By Christine Rains

            It was Sam who wiped the smug smile off Hera's face. “I'm here because I risked my life to save some people. I made the choice, and I would do it again in the same situation. The only role Meira played is in actually transporting me here. I don't blame her for that as she was obviously following orders. Orders, as anyone with eyes can see, she's not happy with.”

            A ripple of gasps went through the crowd. No one talked to Hera in that manner. Meira had to bite her bottom lip so she wouldn't laugh out loud.

            Power swirled in Hera's hand, and when she raised it, Zeus grabbed her by the wrist. He glared at her and whispered a word. Though Meira couldn't hear what it was, she knew exactly what he said.

            “Mine.”

            Hera yanked her arm free and turned up her nose. With a dramatic swirl of her skirt, she returned to her throne.

            “Brave as you are, young hero, it matters nothing whether my servant is happy with her orders or not. But that's not your concern. Meira,” Zeus beckoned to her. “Come sit here at my feet.”

            Though the Thunder God's claim on her was already clear, it seemed he was going to make certain that everyone knew her place. Rising, Meira walked forward with her head bowed. Meekness didn't suit her, but making sure Sam stayed safe did.

            There were some shouts and laughter from the stands. The gods and their creatures weren't known for their sweet tongues. Being called a dog was the least of the insults.

            As she passed Sam, his fingers grazed her wing. “You still look like an angel to me.”

            Meira wanted to throw her wings around him and kiss those wonderfully sweet lips. A million insults were nothing compared to what Sam said.

            Her heart was still thumping hard when she climbed onto the dais and sat at Zeus' feet. Only then did she raise her head enough to look at Sam. Naked and glorious. She wanted to do a lot more than just kiss him.

            “Shall I tell Hebe to get you a bowl of water, dog?” Hera's snark chipped at Meira's temporary elation.

            Meira didn't look back. Her gaze stayed fixed on Sam.

            “Let's not wait any longer!” Zeus shouted and the cheers burst forth. “First, a test of strength.”

            The ground shook as a bump of earth rose at the far end of the stadium. The stands split and separated, opening like arms. The bump grew to become a hill. A very tall and fat hill with a flat top.

            With a second lesser tremble, the bottom of the hill spit out a boulder. A rock taller than Sam. It wobbled on its spot and then went still.

            “A simple task, hero. Push the boulder to the top of the hill.”


Author Bio:

Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood, but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not writing or reading, she having adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of Untethered Realms and S.C.I.F.I. The 13th Floor series is her first self-published series. She has five novellas and eighteen short stories published.

 
Purchase Links for The Harbringer:
 
 
Also, Christine's first 13th floor book, The Marquis is currently free at Smashwords and Kobo.
 
Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!!!

Friday, March 15, 2013

Winners! and Celebrate the Small Things

The Winners of the Champion in the Darkness Book Tour Giveaway Are:

Tonja of Kidbits - winner of a paperback copy of Champion in the Darkness!

Miss Jack of However Improbable - winner of an ebook copy of Champion in the Darkness!

Jennifer Hardy - winner of a $20 amazon gift card!

Allison of GeekBanter - winner of a $10 amazon gift card!

And in case I forgot to mention it, the winner of the Champion in the Darkness ebook giveaway at Laurel's Leaves was: Michael Di Gesu

And a huge thank you to everyone who participated! And a huge round of applause and big HUGS for all the totally awesome people who helped me with that really long book blog tour:

  Susan Kaye Quinn  Laura Josephsen Dianne L. Gardner Laurel Garver Tara Tyler Allison at Geek Banter  Jamie Ayres Livia Peterson  Alex J. Cavanaugh Nickie Anderson


 Celebrate the Small Things from VikLit happens each Friday and encourages us to celebrate the small things in life!
 
1. I had an awesome exercise day on Wednesday - 2 mile walk in the morning, cardio exercises with my kids for 20 minutes in the later am, then 1 mile of jogging, 3 miles of biking, and 10 minutes of strength exercises at the YMCA in the evening with my husband. It was a hot, sweaty date. :)
 
(the rest of the week was very slow, and involved some crazy snacking - I made myself eat carrots and celery because I just had the continual nibbling feeling . . .must stop that somehow, any advice?)
 
2. I talked to another independent bookstore owner. She didn't say yes immediately, she said she would read it first, and then she told me about a tour she had at Lightning Source.
 
3. I'm collecting some bits and pieces of advice and info that I'll be giving out soon . . . hopefully next week.
 
4. My book signing at our homeschool co-op has now been extended to a two event deal - book signing at lunch, with a parent's night out + book club event in the evening. My book was the book of the month for the book club for March! The big day will be March 25th - and I'm excited.
 
5. I'm hand-selling books faster than I'm selling them via the internet so far this month and I'm surprised every time someone buys one from me. I have literally mumbled, stumbled, and said anything but the "official" pitch I have in my head, and people are still interested. It's totally amazing when someone wants to buy my book! Seriously, it is amazing every time.
 
6. My kids have been coaching me to answer the question, "How are you?" with this phrase, "Great, because I recently published my first book!" and it has definitely started some conversations I might have been too shy to have otherwise.
 
7. Nickie, my critique partner, rolled out the red carpet on her blog, Here's the Story this week with both a Book Review and an Interview! It was the perfect ending to a great book tour! Thanks Nickie!
 
And again, thank you to all who hosted, participated, encouraged, commented, and made me smile! :)
 
Oh . . .and I'm on the Amazon Breakthrough Novels of 2013 list at Goodreads. (as of this morning I'm at #21)You can vote for up to 5 people, and I would really appreciate it if you spent one of your votes on me. :) Other writers I highly recommend voting for are: Nancy Thompson, Cherie Reich, Rachel Morgan, Michael Pierce, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Christine Rains.
 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Interview, Review, and National Wormhole Day

An in-depth interview about Champion in the Darkness is going live at Here's the Story today!
And yesterday, Nickie reviewed the book. So if you want to know more, Here's the Story is the place to go!

National Wormhole Day is brought to us by Laura Eno and Luanne Smith and Stephen Tremp.
 

What would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage. Would you go back in time and talk some sense into a younger you? Go five years into the future and bring back the Wall Street Journal? See just how the heck the Great Pyramids of Giza were really built? View what the other side of the universe looks like? Kill Hitler?

I choose 200 Years in the Future. Why? More likely that there is indoor plumbing and women's rights still at that time. Plus, the possibility of seeing something exciting and new! Adventure! New Horizons! Plus far enough out that I know that I won't see anything particular to me that would cause me to do some odd "self-fulfilling prophecy" mess. And hopefully just far enough for awe and wonder without complete confusion and fear at new inventions.
(Hey, I said that in less than 100 words . . .unbelievable)
 
 
 

 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Added last minute in the afternoon: Review of Champion in the Darkness at Here's the Story.

Last week, I heard about this book, and this determined author, an author so determined, so positive, and so loved that her book was published after she passed away from cancer. Her story moved me, and her book, Poison, sounds like an awesome read, so I signed up to spread the word.

If you haven't heard about Bridget Zinn and Poison go to this link here.



Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she's the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom's future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king's army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she's not alone. She's armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can't stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she's certainly no damsel-in-distress—she's the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Interview at Here's The Story, A Winner, and Last Chance for Giveaway!

Today or Wednesday will be my last stop on my long book blog tour for Champion in the Darkness. Today is also one of the last two days to enter to win the Champion in the Darkness blog book tour giveaway.

Either today or Wednesday, come by Here's the Story for an in-depth interview about Champion in the Darkness and a few other things! (I thought it was today, then realized it might be Wednesday, we had a flurry of e-mails and now I'm not sure yet . . .sorry for mix-up).

Meanwhile, Michael DiGesu won the ebook Giveaway at Laurel's Leaves. Hope you enjoy Michael!

And enter below for the ongoing blog tour giveaway, which includes prizes like amazon gift cards, and copies of Champion in the Darkness.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday. (the same day as the Wormhole Blog Hop Day!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 8, 2013

An Interview with Miss Jack and Celebrate the Small Things

I'm excited to be interviewing the one and only, However Improbable, Miss Jack Lewis Baillot:

Miss Jack Lewis Baillot is the author of the Steampunk adventure book, Haphazardly Implausible as well as the other three in this series. She has also written many other books which she hopes to publish someday.

She's also a fellow Sherlock and Psych fan, as well as a well-read fantasy reader, and usually has awesome quotes in every post at her blog. (Oh, and once in a comment section she gave a nod to my crazy idea that Psych is a very Americanized type of Sherlock (Shawn=Sherlock, Gus=Watson, Lassiter=Donovan or Lestrade, Julia=romantic Lestrade?) Anyway, on with the real interview:
    Tyrean: What part of writing do you love the best - the daydream/prewrite stage, the first draft, the revision, the final publishing stage?
Jack: All of it. I have ups and downs with the editing but even it has enjoyable aspects to it.
I guess though, out of the all, I like writing the first draft the best. Sitting about, thinking up the new plot, and then writing it down in a mad dash. First drafts are wild and reckless and anything can happen in them – and some of those things cause me to cringe later – but it is still fun.
 
Tyrean: How much has the original Jack Lewis inspired your writing?
 
Jack: Considering the fact I didn't even know of him until the new The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie came out...a lot.
He has inspired me not only by his writing but his life. For one, he would answer every letter he got from his readers. He understood children and the need for them to use their imaginations. And he kept writing even when one of his closest friends told him his books were going to flop. He is an Author I greatly admire.
 
Tyrean: Do you have a favorite book by him?
 
Jack: Well...the only thing I've ever read by him is the Narnia series. I would read his space series but I cannot find the first one anywhere. So...the Narnia series. And out of that series I think...well, it is a tie between The Silver Chair and The Horse and His Boy. Those are wonderful stories and I adore Puddleglum.(Me too)
 
Tyrean: What's your favorite quote from C.S. Lewis?
 
Jack: Friendship is born from that moment when you say, “What? You too? I thought I was the only one.” (And I've found this to be a very true quote.)
 
Tyrean: What's your favorite part of Haphazardly Implausible?
 
Jack: The characters, though I have also become very fond of the airship.
I've written many books, but these characters have become some of my favourites. They surprised me every chance they got, they pulled me along on some wild adventure I never dreamed I would go on, and they showed me that by the end of the series I didn't know them as well as an Author should know her characters. (In fact, very often they would do exactly what I would tell them NOT to do, just to keep me guessing.)
 
Tyrean:  And do you have a favorite quote from your book?
 
Jack: As odd as this sounds, aye, I do. This quote wasn't planned, it just kind of happened, and I think it captures one of the characters, Darcy, very well.
I guess you're going to stay with us for awhile. Something about my stupid brother promising to keep you alive. Personally, I would have just fed you to the dogs.”
 
Tyrean: What's your next book planned?
Jack: A Stretch of Loyalty, because things got a little behind with book two.
The Loyalty book is one I wrote during NaNo a couple of years ago and was written before I discovered Steampunk so it will have none of those elements in it. It is more of a fantasy book, filled with somewhat evil princes, an elf with a sense of humor, grumpy dwarves, a one handed hermit, and a lot of running. And snow...
 
Thank you Jack, for visiting with me, and sharing some of your favorite quotes, and your writing! Check out Miss Jack at her blog However Improbable and learn more about her book Haphazardly Implausible while there.
 
 
Celebrate the Small Things is an awesome exercise in positivity from Viklit. We're encouraged to celebrate anything, whether it's getting the laundry done, or getting a sentence on the page.
 
1. I had only one day of feeling miserably (pickaxe pain in the head and throat) sick. I made myself rest. (Actually my kids said I stumbled around barely speaking and grading their math homework before falling back into bed) And thanks to that rest, I started getting better (no more pickaxe pain, just sniffly, achy, manageable stuff).
 
2. Somehow I made my best onion beef soup ever while sick. My kids said I leaned against the stove and stirred for 40 minutes and they weren't sure I was awake. Maybe that's the trick to good cooking . . . dozing half-asleep while stirring.
 
3. Homeschool lessons actually got done this week, and a creativity issue in writing was resolved. (It was a formal, reality based, descriptive writing assignment that took an unexpected creative twist. I finally said, fine, take that starter paragraph and write a full story. And I want it on my desk in 5-7 days - yes, I'm a tough mommy sometimes)
 
4. Before I felt seriously sick, I got the courage up to do three things: I asked the local library if they would stock my book, I asked my homeschool co-op if I could do a book signing there, and I asked a local bookstore if they would stock my book. They all said . . .wait for it . . .as I did, with my blood pounding in my ears feeling slightly light-headed . . .yes! The librarian and the independent bookstore owner then proceeded to give me a huge amount of advice and information that I'm still taking in, and feeling a bit foolish for not knowing already (although they were totally nice about it and very positive - it's me feeling like I should have known all that already).
 
5. I got a tiny amount of outlining/creative brainstorming/craziness done for my second draft of Champion in Flight. (the first draft is filled with pen marks and notations)
 
6. Two loads of laundry got done, and some of the dishes are clean. (otherwise the house is seriously messy - because I've been sick, I think)
 
 
What are you celebrating this week? And do you know Jack? If you haven't, go meet her - she rocks! (Also, have you ever wondered about a deep, undercover connection between Sherlock Holmes and Psych?)

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

IWSG: Don't be Scared


Don't Be Scared

Why not?

Because the Scared is scared of things we like. Where did I learn this wisdom? From this quirky, sweet video:

the Scared is scared from Bianca Giaever on Vimeo.

And on a more personal note, my big "scared" insecurity this last month: What if no one buys my book, and what if no one likes it?

Well, I admit my sales numbers aren't as high as I would like them to be, but many of the people who have read my book have taken the time to tell me and show me that they like it so I'm holding onto those kind of moments. I have a list of them to pull out when I'm scared. It goes a little like this:

 My uncle wrote me a note on facebook saying "Good Job." Some of my students have stopped me at our homeschool co-op and told me they liked it, or wanted my signature. A friend of mine posted a picture of her daughters "fighting" over my book. Another friend told me that she was reading the book aloud to her kids, and the two oldest couldn't wait for her to finish it aloud, and read the rest on their own. I have three awesome reviews at amazon, and one is written by someone I don't know. Friends and acquaintances have cheered me on in public places. Just yesterday, an independent bookseller agreed to carry my book and then proceeded to sell one of my books on the spot to one of her regular customers who shook my hand.

So, the scared has been scared away by moments that I really like.

What are you feeling scared or insecure about today? How do you scare the scare away? Do you defy it? Deny it attention? Scare it away with things you like or with joy?

And if you haven't already, enter to win a copy of Champion in the Darkness here or at Laurel's Leaves:



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Monday, March 4, 2013

Presenting Boomtown Craze, Overcoming Adversity and a guest post in Ninja Land

Today I'm guest posting in Ninja Land! I'm kind of blown away about being there. Come join me!

A Grand New Age of Boom or Dust?

Boomtown Craze, Book 3 in the Backworlds series is here!

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe.

To secure his future, Craze must propel his world into a more prosperous era. Only days away from the grand opening of his new and improved tavern, he is confronted by a loony Backworlder intent on mucking up his plans. Gaunt and trembling, she claims her spaceship is possessed. She also has a connection to the underworld that shakes loose the dark past of one of Craze’s closest friends. It all threatens to end Craze’s prosperity before it begins.

Meanwhile off world, Captain Talos works desperately to outwit the mercenary Jixes and lure them away from his and Craze’s budding prospects. The mind-control weapon Talos uses against them is wearing thin, and his next move may be his last.

Will Craze and Talos’s efforts bring about a grand new age of boom or damn them to forever struggle in the dust?

Available in ebook at:
AmazonUS / AmazonUK / B&N / Smashwords

Other Outlets can be found at http://mpaxauthor.com
It will also be available in paperback from Amazon shortly.

MPAX
M. Pax is a Browncoat and SG fan, she’s also slightly obsessed with Jane Austen. In the summers she docents as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory where the other astronomers now believe she has the most extensive collection of moon photos in existence. No fear, there will be more next summer. She lives in stunning Central Oregon with the Husband Unit and two lovely, spoiled cats.
Website / Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB ~ Goodreads
You can also find M. Pax on LinkedIN, Pinterest, YouTube, and Wattpad

 

A collection of seventy moving and uplifting original pieces - real life, flash fiction, and poetry - about battling against the odds and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The contributors include Amazon bestselling authors Alex J. Cavanaugh and Kyra Lennon, and the cream of upcoming talent. (I'm in there too, next to those awesome authors!)

The anthology is part of a fundraising effort to send the editor's stepson, Andrew McNaughton, to a specialist college in England. Andrew has cerebral palsy, and is a remarkable young man with a promising future. However, the free further education options offered in his own country of Scotland will not challenge him and allow him to progress. In order to access the education he deserves, Andrew will have to pay exorbitant fees, thus creating a situation of discrimination.

Help us get Andrew to college by buying a book that runs the full gamut of human emotions, ultimately leaving you inspired and glad to be alive. Whatever struggles you are going through, our sincere hope is that this book will help.

Purchase Links:

Editor Bio: Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction. When not writing he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. He has four short stories published in Writer’s Muse magazine. Nick is also co-running a campaign to get a dedicated specialist college built in Scotland. Visit him at http://nickwilford.blogspot.co.uk/.
 
Have you read M Pax's Backworld series? Do you know Nick, one of the champions of the blogsphere and the real world at the same time? Is your story in Overcoming Adversity?
Have you been to Ninja Land yet?
 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Back From the Future, Guest Post with Livia, and Celebrate the Small Things

I'm over at Leave it to Livia today for an Academy Award winning :) stop in the Champion in the Darkness blog tour! Please come visit!

However, I couldn't resist The Back to the Future Blogfest, and Celebrate the Small Things either, so look for those here


This fest is brought to us by M Pax, Nickie, and Suze.


You’re up before dawn on a Saturday when the doorbell rings. You haven’t brewed your coffee so you wonder if you imagined the sound. Plonking the half-filled carafe in the sink, you go to the front door and cautiously swing it open. No one there. As you cast your eyes to the ground, you see a parcel addressed to you … from you.
You scoop it up and haul it inside, sensing something legitimate despite the extreme oddness of the situation. Carefully, you pry it open. Inside is a shoebox — sent from ten years in the future — and it’s filled with items you have sent yourself.
What’s in it?

- a package of Vanilla Chai tea, reminding me to go throw that nasty coffee down the sink :-)

- a tiny picture frame showing rotating photo from various world family travels, and special family events

- ticket stubs for the next three Disney Star Wars movies

- e-copies of ten books that I've published, encouraging me to keep writing and dreaming

- a souvenir from Kenya, showing that I will make it there on a mission trip

- a smaller sized swimsuit - to let me know that I will lose the extra pounds I'm carrying

- a tiny box, that once opened unfolds mechanically into a futuristic ultra-light plane that I can fly (ten years might be too soon for this, but I can dream, right?)

If you could bring something back from the future, what would it be?


1. We made it through a tough week of homeschooling, and we even had some laughs over the difference between learning other languages and learning Latin. (The link takes you to my neglected homeschool blog but you don't have to go there, go to Livia's instead!)
 
2. My book tour is going really well, thanks to visits this week with Allison, Jamie, and Livia (today)!
 
3. I started reading through my first draft of Champion in Flight (2nd book in Champion trilogy) with a red pen and sticky notes.
 
4. I had some awesome friends and family say really nice things to me about Champion in the Darkness!
 
5. You can still enter to win a free copy of Champion in the Darkness, or an Amazon gift card.
 
 
What are you celebrating today?
 
Remember, come to Livia's place and see "If We Were a Movie . . ."
 
 
 
 

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