March 30, 2015

Kristina Circelli, Ripley's Booklist & UtopYA : Indie News & Highlights

I love Mondays! Each week I scour posts, Facebook, and Twitter to find awesome Indie News & Highlights. I have to admit... I end up fan-girling while doing so.

Oh, and next Monday (4/6), I'll be revealing the cover for Chasing Forgiveness. I can't even explain how excited I am. If you'd like to get an exclusive first look at the cover, sign up for my newsletter here.


Now, to this week's highlights.

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First up... a cover reveal of Kristina Circelli's latest book, Unbroken Beings. Isn't it gorgeous?

Cover Design by Michelle Monique
About Unbroken Beings

“Promise me, little elf.” Evangeline Frost had a plan, once. Attend a prestigious art school, become a renowned painter. It was a dream she shared with her father, one that was ripped away in the car accident that claimed his life.

At California’s Kindred Hides Wildlife Preserve, Evangeline thought she had finally grieved for her father and moved on. But now, halfway around the world in Zambia at a new sanctuary for animals, Evangeline finds herself haunted by old memories … and a promise she has yet to fulfill.

Nightmares plague her dreams. Caster’s flirtations confuse her. And when poachers invade the preserve, they leave behind a devastation that threatens to break her apart.


Now Evangeline lives for a different dream: to save the lives of every animal who calls the preserve home, no matter the cost. A crusade that strains her budding relationship with Caster, a mission taking her further away from dreams of the past ‒ and gives her an orphaned elephant calf to call her own.

Evangeline Frost has a new plan. Protect the preserve and keep a promise that will finally heal her heart … or put her very life at risk.


Coming: Mid to late 2015

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There's an awesome new service for readers and writers alike...


RIPLEY’S BOOKLIST is a Young Adult Fiction e-book subscription list curated by YA author, Ripley Patton, and her YA son. We serve up quality CHEAP and FREE YA book deals to your inbox once a week. 

Find out more here.
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In case you missed Saturday's special post, I wanted to put in another plug for UtopYA. 


Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;) 

In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com.

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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

March 28, 2015

UtopYA 2015 -- Write Your Own Future

writeyourfutureHave you got a story in your heart simply bursting to be told? Or characters in your head who never stop whispering their secrets? Maybe you're a devoted reader who wants to tell the world about your favorite books. 

No matter your goals, UtopYA will envelop you with open arms as well as inspire you beyond belief! The book conference brings female writers of contemporary and supernatural YA and NA fiction together with their fans. Book lovers from far and wide, including authors and readers as far away as the UK, Scotland, and South Africa. This year’s expected attendance of 700-1,000 will be its highest ever.

Those who are interested in a thriving book community will enjoy panels and camaraderie. Readers will not only meet some of their favorite authors (and even do karaoke with them!), but they'll attend educational panels to learn about honing their craft. Whether it's writing or editing a book, designing covers, developing marketing strategies, blogging - they've got a panel for that and more! 

Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;) 

In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com.

Want to know who will be there? Here’s a PARTIAL list of authors, experts, models, and vendors who are ready to meet YOU:

Denise Grover Swank • Kim Holden • Lauren Miller • Marissa Meyer • Myra McEntire • Tammara Webber • Rebecca Donovan • Amy A. Bartol • Jessica Sorensen • Ella James • Cameo Renae • Elizabeth Kirke • Amanda Jones • T.A. Kunz • Chelsea Fine • Whit & Ware • Mae I Design • Indie-Visible • Teal Haviland • Kristie Cook • Clean Teen Publishing • CHBB • Timid Monster • Tia Bach and Indie Books Gone Wild • The Paisley Reader • Delphina Henley • Shana Benedict • Book Junkie Not So Anonymous • Michele Madow • Courtney Stevens • C.J. Redwine • #NALitChat • Chanda Hahn • RK Ryals • A.M. Hargrove • B.J. Sheldon • Cambria Hebert • Tessi Conquest • Nathan Weller • Kendra Malcolm • Madison Daniel • Mindy Ruiz • Bryna Butler • Curiosity Quills • P.K. Hrezo • Rysa Walker • Mary Ting • Bella Roccaforte • Raine Thomas • The Rebel Writers • Michele G. Miller • Raye Wagner • Heather Hildenbrand • S.M. Boyce • Rebecca Yarros • Rachel Harris • Tammy Blackwell • Plot Ninja • Helene Dunbar • Lila Felix • Lizzy Ford • A.G. Henley • Toni Lesatz • Nikki Jefford • Katie McGarry • Stormy Smith • Amy Miles • Rick Miles • Jon Miller • Misty Provencher • Kallie Ross • Stacie Wilson • Morgan Wylie and so many more. 

Check the web site for full list of authors, exhibitors, panelists and more!

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I'm so excited to be at this event again this year. It's amazing! I'll be signing books Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Hope to see you there!

March 27, 2015

YA Extravaganza

It's Friday... the last one of March. Wow, time sure does fly when you are having fun.

Speaking of fun, you are invited to a party this weekend, starting at 2:00pm CST today (3/27), on Facebook.


It's the YA Extravaganza.



This is a YA ONLY event. In order to get some of the best YA Authors out there in one place to meet other YA authors and the wonderful people who love to read that genre. Also to help find books that you and your kids can enjoy, read & chat together about! 

Here's the lineup...


Friday 27th 

4-5pm - Tia Silverthorne Bach
5-6pm - Marica Vance Author
6-7pm - Kelly A Risser
7-7:30 - Alexia Purdy
7:30-8pm - M.R. Polish 

8-9pm - YA Author Susan Stielow
9-10pm - Kristyn Eudes
10-10:30 - Veronica Williams (host) closing the night post in for Rachel M Raithby Author

Saturday 28th 
12noon- 1pm - Janae Mitchell, Author
1-2pm - H.G. Lynch
2-3pm - Sabrina Bradley Archer
3-4pm - Kelly Anne
4-5pm - JP Barry
5-6pm - Amanda Porter
6-7pm- Jennifer Melzer
7-8pm - Carrigan Richards
8-9pm - Heather Dowell
9-10pm - Author AS Oren

Sunday 29th
3-4pm - Denice Garrou
4-5pm - Kyra Dune
5-6pm - Theresa Kay, Author
6-7pm - Tina Bell (PA posting)
7-8pm - Author Brooklyn Taylor
8-9pm - Daniele Lanzarotta
9-10pm - Nicole Neace-Rickman

I'll be kicking off the party, so please stop by between 4-5:00pm CST. I'm giving away some fun prizes, including ebooks of Chasing Shadows and Fractured Glass. Oh, and I might even give away a copy of Chasing Forgiveness (debuting April 14, 2015).

Hope to see you there!

March 25, 2015

Reign, Rein, and Rain : Grammar & Editing Tips

www.wigflip.com
Last week, I posted about Homophone and Contractions. Homophones are words that sound alike (can be spelled alike or not) but have different meanings. 

As an editor, I fix tons of homophones in manuscripts. So, I thought I'd feature some commonly misused homophones for the next couple of weeks. 

Today, I'll discuss reign, rein, and rain.

Reign
Royal rule or authority (noun) or to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority (verb). So, if it's about royalty, it's reign. 

Rein
A leather strap, fastened to each end of the bit of bridle, by which the rider or driver 
controls a horse or other animal by pulling so as to exert pressure on the bit (noun) or 
to check or guide by exerting pressure on bridle bit by means of the reins / to curb, restrain, or control (verb).

I like to think of reindeer to remember this one. Pulling or device to pull = rein. Even if you want to hold back a person, it's rein in. 

A tricky one is free rein. I found an excellent description of why it's rein and not reign in this instance (from Grammarist). From their website:
The usual spelling of the phrase meaning freedom to do as one pleases is free rein, not free reign. The latter is a common misspelling, and it almost makes sense given reign's meaning (i.e., the exercise of sovereign power). But free rein, an allusion to horseback ridingis the original form, and it is much more common in published texts. The OED lists instances of its use from as long ago as the 17th century.
Rain
This is the easy one, right? Rain is weather... the water that comes down from the sky.

And for real fun...

reign of terror -- think ruling of terror
rained terror -- think rained water, so rained terror (like terror is coming down)

A king can rain terror that causes a reign of terror. 

Grammar is never boring!

Is there an editing/grammar issue that's always caused you trouble? If so, share it in the comments so I can feature it in a future post. 

Definitions from Dictionary.com

March 23, 2015

Kelly Martin Videos & YA Extravaganza : Indie News & Highlights

How is it almost April already?

March is always a crazy time in my house. We are crazy basketball fans, and it's March Madness. A little back story: my husband and I met my third day of college at the University of Kentucky.

This Wednesday, my husband and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary. Yes, we even got married during March Madness.

But enough about me and March. It's time for my weekly Monday feature... Indie News & Highlights.
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First up, I want to invite you to subscribe to the YouTube channel of my lovely author friend (and Happy Buddy -- look for an upcoming post on this subject), Kelly Martin. She is charming and fun-loving. There's even an Ask Kelly Anything feature.

I plan on doing more videos in the very near future, and she's been a total inspiration.

Right now, she's ramping up for a Super Secret Project on April 2. I'm so excited.

Check it out below and subscribe here.





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This Friday and Saturday, March 27 & 28, Veronica Williams is hosting a YA Extravaganza. I will be hosting from 4-5pm EST on Friday, March 27

Please join me for some fun and games and insider information on my upcoming novella release, Chasing Forgiveness. Information from the event:

This is a YA ONLY event. In order to get some of the best YA Authors out there in one place to meet other YA authors and the wonderful people who love to read that genre. Also to help find books that you and your kids can enjoy, read & chat together about! 


Check it out here. We'd love to have you join us!

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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

March 20, 2015

The Best Assistant : The Writing Life

Happy Friday!

For my Tala Prophecy series, I've done quite a bit of research about werewolves, shapeshifters, Native American lore, and much more. 

Since I'm currently writing Chasing Destiny, Book 3, I needed to go back through the past two books. It's a great refresher, but I also wanted to make sure I tie up any loose ends.

My daughter, Jackie, is an avid reader. She's read three times the young adult books I have, so she's an excellent resource. Plus, she gets excited to go through the last book and help me outline the current one. Her ideas are amazing! Even better, she loves to do research.

So, today, I wanted to thank my hard-working assistant and amazing daughter, Jackie, for all her hard work.

I love that my daughter and I can bond over this and share a love of reading.

Wishing everyone an amazing weekend!

March 18, 2015

Homophones and Contractions : Grammar & Editing Tips

Happy Wednesday!

Our language can be tricky. So many grammar and spelling rules have exceptions. Then, there are homophones*: words that sound alike (can be spelled alike or not) but have different meanings.

Examples of ones spelled alike: read (can mean to read a book today or I read a book yesterday) or rose (a flower or to rise past tense).

For today, let's stick with homophones that sound alike but are spelled differently, with a special focus on words with contractions.

They're / Their / There
They're = they are
Their = belonging to them / possession
There = place (like here)

It's / Its
It's = It is
Its = belonging to it / possession

You're / Your
You're = you are
Your = belonging to you / possession

Who's / Whose
Who's = Who is
Whose = possession (Whose bag is this?)

I'll be doing another homophone list and tricks post soon. I focused on these today, because they are (they're) commonly used and misused.

There's good news, though. These are easy to identify. 

Example
You're going to have a wonderful time.
You are going to have a wonderful time.

So, just "un-contract it" to make sure of the spelling. *smiles* 

If you know you struggle with these, do a Search & Find in your document and double-check them.

Is there an editing/grammar issue that's always caused you trouble? If so, share it in the comments so I can feature it in a future post. 

* I used the term homophone for both types to keep it simple. However...

Source

March 16, 2015

Remembered & Unicorn : Indie News & Highlights

Happy Monday!

I've got some great stuff to share today. Thanks to the awesomeness of the Indie community, I don't think I'll ever lack exciting stuff to share for my weekly Indie News & Highlights post.

First up... Kelly Risser debuted the cover for her latest book late last week.

About Always Remembered

One clue… what does it mean?

Ken, the leader of the Blue Men of the Minch, has kidnapped Evan. Before they left, Evan was able to leave a package for Meara—her grandfather’s necklace wrapped in a cloth napkin with one word written in blood. Azuria. Unfortunately, Meara doesn’t understand it, and neither does her dad or Kieran.

While her dad and Aunt Brigid attempt to rescue Evan, Meara and Kieran begin to train the clan to fight and defend their home. A war is brewing, and Meara is determined they must prepare for the battle. The training sessions are long and arduous, but the Selkies work hard to learn.

Meanwhile, Evan wakes and finds himself in Belle Tresor, the home of the Sirens. He’s bound to his blue form, unable to transform to human, and Ken has plans to use Evan’s powers to destroy the Selkies. Thankfully, he’s not alone. He befriends a Siren named Deanna and several Blue Men. Can he trust them to help him escape or do they have ulterior motives?

As both sides prepare for an ultimate confrontation, the stakes are high and friendships are tested. Some will rise to be victorious. Some will be destroyed. But love and loyalty will be always remembered in this exciting conclusion to the Never Forgotten series.


If you haven't read Never Forgotten, book 1 in the series, it's FREE! Get your copy now. 

I loved Never Forgotten. You can read my review here.

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Who doesn't love a gorgeous cover? This week there's another one by the awesome Regina Wamba.
 Coming April 2015

To find out more about Delphina Henley and the book that started it all, Unless You Can Be A Unicorn, check out her website here.

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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

March 12, 2015

Oxford Comma : Grammar & Writing Tips

Funny thing about getting off schedule... it has a ripple effect. Since I didn't publish my Monday post until Tuesday, it felt weird to publish my Grammar post on Wednesday (normal schedule). But, never fear, I didn't forget!

Today, I wanted to talk about commas. 

Whether the comma or period is the most used punctuation mark could be debated. After all, every sentence needs a period; not all sentences require a comma. However, some sentences use more than one comma.

Anyway...

So, I will feature comma uses several times.

For today, an easy one.

The Oxford Comma


Growing up, I was taught to put a comma before the and in a series ONLY if the series was complicated (not just single words). However, the new standard is to put the comma before the and.

At first, I was resistant. But, as an editor, I've seen countless examples of why it's important to use this comma. Plus, let's be honest, it's easier to have a hard-and-fast rule about it than a subjective one. Commas tend to be the most misused punctuation mark because of varying opinions, so a few solid rules are useful.

So, embrace the Oxford comma. After all, you don't want...

When I'm worried about something, I often seek wisdom 
from my parents, God and Judy Blume.

Wow. Instead of my parents, God, and Judy Blume, I've now declared that my parents are God and Judy Blume.

Is there an editing/grammar issue that's always caused you trouble? If so, share it in the comments so I can feature it in a future post. 

March 10, 2015

Dirty Blood & Ruby's Fire : Indie News & Highlights

It's Monday. Wait, what? It's not. What happened to Monday?

Okay, so Tuesday's already here. Still a beautiful day to share some Indie news and highlights!

So much cool stuff to share...


How awesome is that?!

Purchase Links


Oh, and Dirty Blood (Dirty Blood Series, Book 1) is FREE. Check it out here.

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Another awesome freebie!!

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Plus a gorgeous new cover to admire. 

About Moon Crossed

Claire O'Conlan is a hunter, her kind were created to protect humans from feral werewolves. She's desperate to find a cure for the moon-touch. Until she does, the hunt won't stop. 

Despite being raised among supernatural creatures, Claire is determined to make college as normal as possible. But childhood habits die hard. She can't seem to stay away from the wolf-borne, and worse, she's falling in love with Cole Jackson, the big bad wolf.

Claire can't resist the undeniable fire Cole ignites within her. They are falling headlong into a forbidden love affair. Hunter and wolf, a dangerous combination inciting war between factions, action from the council and the biggest risk of all, Claire fulfilling her duty and being the hunter that kills Cole.

Will Claire find the cure? Or will their love end in tragedy?


Cover by Regina Wamba at Mae I Design and Photography

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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.

March 6, 2015

Hitting Goals : The Writing Life

This has been a crazy week. 

When I used to say that, it was a bad thing. Now, crazy is as crazy is. Okay, that's a bit Forrest Gump, but a crazy week can be energetic. Lately, it's meant I have a lot of awesome options/opportunities/commitments to juggle. But, it's a good thing.

There are a lot of things I need to reframe in my life. Crazy is just one. 

Overwhelmed is another. I have to shake it. My girls always ask me how my day was, as I ask them. My usual response, "Overwhelming. I didn't get done as much as I wanted to."

I didn't realize it was my response until they called me out on it this week. The fact is... I get a lot done. I just don't get everything done. 

My goal this weekend is to prioritize all the things I need and want to get done. Then, I will prioritize them according to importance and urgency. Sometimes things seem urgent that aren't important.

I'm also looking at my writing goals. Chasing Forgiveness is almost done (in last edit), and I will have a rough draft of Chasing Destiny to my betas by the end of April. What's next is up in the air, and something I need to work out.

So, what's with the picture on this post?

My husband brought back a tchotchke from Japan. According to custom, you color in one eye when you set a goal and the other when you finish it. I colored the first eye when I started Chasing Forgiveness, and I forgot to post my completed picture. Pretty cool, huh?

Is there a word you use a lot that you need to reframe? Do you find yourself using crazy and overwhelming as much as I do?

Hope everyone has an amazing weekend!

March 4, 2015

National Grammar Day : Grammar & Writing Tips and #IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (or IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring.


I normally reschedule my Wednesday programming -- Grammar & Writing Tips -- to bring you my #IWSG post.


But today is National Grammar Day!

There's something I truly believe every book needs... an editor.

If you choose not to hire one, please ask a grammar-loving friend or acquaintance to help you out. A wonderful story can help me over editing bumps, but it has to be a killer story. Even then, I can hit my limit.

Although I'm an editor for Indie Books Gone Wild, I do not edit my own work. Scratch that. I edit it several times, and then I hand it over to another editor. I'm always embarrassed by what she finds (thank you, Jo Michaels!), which just proves how much you need an unbiased eye. 

If you need a handy guide for your self-edits, check out Grammar Girl's Editing Checklist. It's a great resource!

All that being said, I worry myself to death about mistakes. No book is perfect. I've seen traditionally-published books with mistakes. At some point, you have to let it go. Just don't give readers an easy out; there are too many books out there to choose from.

My insecurity monster has enough to feed on, so I make sure editing issues don't fuel the fire.

What's your biggest editing pet-peeve? Can you look past poor editing for the right book?

Hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday and a month full of words!

March 3, 2015

The Beast of Raventson by Kelly Martin Release Day Blitz


He could very easily picture his life like this. 
With a woman who loved him and smiled at him like he wasn't a monster.
Except he was.


The Beast of Ravenston takes Elizabeth from Betraying Ever After and throws her into a place she fears more than any other... Ravenston. A small town in the middle of a thick forest, Ravenston is home to the Duke-- Nicholas Wellington-- a man who not only has been scarred by a fire but is a man to be feared. He lives up to his reputation as 'The Beast'.

Nicholas wants to know who set the fire that disfigured him which means helping Mr. Dodsworth. Help Mr. Dodsworth-- get the name-- get his revenge
Except what Mr. Dodsworth wants Nicholas to do is worse than anything he's done in his past: make the girl pay.

Can Nicholas do what needs to be done to get his revenge? Or will Elizabeth steal something he didn't know he still had-- his heart?


* Amazon * Barnes and Noble * Smashwords * 

Leave a review:



~Kelly Martin's Internet Dwellings~

March 2, 2015

Naliyah & the Beast : Indie News & Highlights

I had a wonderful, rejuvenating weekend with a dear friend, so today's post is late.

A couple of quick highlights...


A great author friend of mine, Shauna Kelley, has her latest book, Naliyah, with YA Reads Book Tours and is looking for reviewers. It's an amazing read. And here's a little exclusive... I just beta read book 2, and it's just as amazing.


About Naliyah

Lenora Scheid can tell you much of human nature. After more than a century of traveling from war zone to war zone, she has experienced more than she can handle of mankind’s thirst for blood and power…she cannot, however, tell you what she is. 

Not exactly human, but not precisely vampire either, Lenora’s whole life has been spent under the watchful eye of her father. With only her dreams of a mysterious blue‐eyed man as company, she has little choice but to follow her father across the world despite his refusal to help her understand her true nature. 

As Lenora reaches the end of her tolerance with their life of travel and death, she comes face to face with her blue‐eyed man and everything changes. Can this man save her from a life of brutality? Or will the secrets kept from her for so long destroy them both?

You can read my review here, and signup at YA Reads here.

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And don't forget to hop on over to Facebook tomorrow and have some fun with Kelly Martin at her The Beast of Ravenston Facebook party tomorrow, March 3 from 6:00pm-8:00pm CST. Find out more here.

Tomorrow, I'll have a release day-specific post for the book as well, so check back for that.

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If you have any Indie news to share, please let me know. I hope everyone has an amazing week full of great new finds.