#Reader and #Writer Awesome Giveaway from Kelly Martin

My normally scheduled editing posts for Wednesdays will be delayed for a couple of weeks since I have so much amazing information to share this month.

First up, Kelly Martin has a really cool project going on right now. Check out this video...

To summarize:

She's going to be writing a special story. Do you remember the Choose Your Own Adventure stories? Well, it's like those. Every Thursday, she's going to announce a story (leaving off at a certain point). She'll then give two choices, and people can enter in the comments which option they want. The first chapter will appear on Thursday, April 9.

In addition, she will announce the winner of her amazing giveaway on the same day.

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is type #readerprize or #writerprize in the comments of the YouTube video (and share about the giveaway). Deadline to enter: Wednesday, April 8 at midnight CST. 

If you haven't already subscribed to her channel, don't forget to. Now for some details about the giveaway...

#readerprize

BJ Sheldon-- Paperback Haunting-- http://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Dusty-Chronicles-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00CLIATCS/

Casey L. Bond-- Signed paperback of Pariah-- http://www.amazon.com/Pariah-New-Covenant-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00KXBKEZM/

Angela Schroeder-- ebook The Second life of Magnolia Mae-- http://www.amazon.com/Second-Life-Magnolia-Mae-ebook/dp/B00QFWQPQA/

Liz Long-- ebook A Reaper Made and -- http://www.amazon.com/Reaper-Made-Liz-Long-ebook/dp/B00O5CFOY6/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427062891&sr=1-6&keywords=Liz+Long

Gifted-- http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Donovan-Circus-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B007VT34J2/

Tia Bach-- ebook Fractured Glass-- http://www.amazon.com/Fractured-Glass-Tia-Silverthorne-Bach-ebook/dp/B00Q3D3OJC/

Kristin Vayden-- ebook Surviving Scotland http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Scotland-Kristin-Vayden-ebook/dp/B00GFF6KXK/

Nadine Millard--ebook of Seeking Scandal http://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Scandal-Nadine-Millard-ebook/dp/B00LV5EAWM/

Elise Faber-- ebook Phoenix Rising http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Rising-Elise-Faber-ebook/dp/B00O8BVXM6/

Kitsy Clare: ebook of romance box set Art of Love-- http://www.amazon.com/Art-Love-Books-One-Two-ebook/dp/B00TZZKY70/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426557601&sr=1-4&keywords=kitsy+clare

KD Wood: ebook copy of Unwilling-- http://www.amazon.com/Unwilling-K-D-Wood-ebook/dp/B00PHKT2P2/

Jo Michaels-- paperback of THE BIRD-- http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Jo-Michaels-ebook/dp/B00IY2IPS0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427063252&sr=1-1&keywords=Jo+Michaels+The+Bird

J.J. Nite: ebook bruises of the heart-- http://www.amazon.com/Bruises-Heart-J-J-Nite-ebook/dp/B00EV8LCUE/

Carla Waluck-- $5 Amazon gift card

Allana Kephart (Goodreads Author), Melissa Simmons (Goodreads Author)

ebook:

Uprising and http://www.amazon.com/Uprising-Dolan-Prophecies-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00JO4HWCW/

Ensnared: http://www.amazon.com/Ensnared-Dolan-Prophecies-Novella-Book-ebook/dp/B00MOQ11WE/

Aldrea Alien-- ebook Dark One's Mistress-- http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Ones-Mistress-Aldrea-Alien-ebook/dp/B00GM9ALJ8/

Heather Gray-- ebook Redemption-- http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Ladies-Larkspur-Book-3-ebook/dp/B00K031XRQ/

TC Booth-- ebook Beyond Vica-- http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Vica-T-C-Booth-ebook/dp/B00LMD7N1S/

Katy Newton Naas-- The Visitors-- http://www.amazon.com/Visitors-Katy-Newton-Naas-ebook/dp/B00NLXQDZO/

Krysten Hager: True Colors-- http://www.amazon.com/True-Colors-Landrys-Book-ebook/dp/B00L2G0YJS/

Elaine Cantrell: Ebook Rest Thy Head-- http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Thy-Head-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B00NTAXTOC/

#writerprize

P.S. Cover Design and Author services: Free Cover and free book formatting www. pscoverdesign.com/

Editing: Southern Belle Editing: 50% off 75,000 words of novel! (discount will apply to first 75K if the book is over that length so it will help anyone who wins) www.southernbelleediting.com

Blog Tour from girls heart book tours: 7 day tour with release blitz (FREE) http://www.girlsheartbookstours.com/

FREE 30 second book trailer from Videos by O. https://www.facebook.com/VideosByO

Brought to you by Kelly Martin:

Kelly Martin is a bestselling author of contemporary, historical, and YA romance. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she's not writing, she loves watching horror gamers on YouTube-- even though she's a huge wimp-- and drinking white chocolate mochas. She's a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to a certain British boy band (shhhh... and *tears*). Her favorite characters are the 'bad guys'-- especially those who, in their mind, are the heroes of the story. She loves helping her characters fight for their ever after.

If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at www.kellymartinbooks.com.

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Please check it out!

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.

Paper Versus Paperless: Blogathon, Day 23

My dad sent me a hilarious video that played on the ebook versus paperback debate... or more simply put, the electronics versus paper debate.

 

I think Emma made her point.

 

Even though reading on the Kindle/iPad is growing on me, I can't imagine ever going completely paperless.

Where do you stand on the paper versus paperless debate?

Is Visual Marketing Key?: WABC, Day 6

Day 6 of the Winter Author Blog Challenge (WABC), and I have a to do list a mile long. 

I set up my blog in late 2010 and after my first book was published. I didn't know anything about an author platform, had never heard of Twitter, had a Facebook account to post pictures of my too-cute children, and occasionally visited YouTube to watch a video of other people's too-cute children.

Although I know I've come a long way since then, I realize (especially with the prompts this week) how much more I can utilize social media.

Today's prompt...

With more than 800 million unique visitors a month, YouTube is one of the most popular search engines. Do you have a YouTube channel? 

Have you made a book trailer for your book? If not, what kind of book trailer would you like to make for your book? Do you have a video camera? If you do and you’re not posting short videos, you’re missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. 

It’s especially useful if you’re trying to reach a global audience, as 70 percent of YouTube viewers are in countries other than the U.S. 

I don't even like to take pictures, much less subject myself to being on video. Do I realize the importance of book trailers? Yes. I plan to do one for my YA release this year, and maybe one of these days I'll go back and do one for Depression Cookies. However, I think certain genres (YA for instance) do better as book trailers than others.

Do I think readers want to see every facial expression an author possesses shown on a less than flattering screen? No. 

Early in my Depression Cookies marketing, I did an interview via a You Tube video. It took me several, thanks to nerves and never knowing exactly where to look. But in the end I was pretty happy with it.

Check it out...

If there were more hours in the day, I would love to play with book trailer ideas. The ones that are done well are an asset, but I've seen some that actually turned me off the book. 

The second part of today's prompt...

If regular video posts are still on your To-Do list, what are some of the most clever video posts you’ve seen, and how might you do something similar to promote your books or yourself as an author?

Honesty is the best policy, right?

I go to YouTube for entertainment. Often I hop over from someone's FB post touting the "funniest thing I've ever seen." Typically, there's a baby or animal involved. 

Again, it comes down to time limits. If an author has a video embedded in a post, I often skip it and only read the content. I'm a fast reader, and I have a lot of blogs I like to get to. If I see that a video is short (less than a minute), I'm more apt to watch than longer ones. Feel free to ignore that last bit and watch the 3 minute video above. *smiles*

After all, I don't think anyone wants a bunch of authors doing the Harlem shake. (And I only know about things like this thanks to having a teenager.)

What videos do you watch on YouTube?

Exciting New YA Book and Giveaway: Turning Point, Melissa Luznicky Garrett

Being part of the writing community has been a blessing in so many ways. I am learning so much, but the added benefit is finding out about new books and exciting authors. Even better, I get to pass this information along to my readers.

I am so excited to post this press release for Melissa Luznicky Garrett's young adult novel, Turning Point. I met Melissa through the online writing community, and she's been an amazing support. Her novel, Precipice, is next in my to-be-read pile.

Melissa has been kind enough to offer a free digital copy of Turning Point to one lucky reader. Please see details below.

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Turning Point

_______________________________________________________

Melissa Luznicky Garrett

She recalled her mother’s warning: Bad things always happen to nice girls like you.

Convinced a fresh start is all she needs to escape the problems at home, seventeen-year-old Jenna Lyons runs away in the middle of the night. But when her car breaks down on the outskirts of La Grange, Missouri, population less than a thousand, she gets sucked into the small town, and one family in particular. Jenna discovers there’s a liar in La Grange, and he’s deceived everyone. Now she must decide whether to run away from the truth, or blow his secret wide open.

“The tornado isn't the only thing that twists in this story--if you love dark characters with even darker secrets,

TURNING POINT is for you!” ~Anne Riley, author of The Clearing

“TURNING POINT is a YA thriller that will rock your socks, young or old. You should add it to your wish list immediately. I recommend it to anyone who loves stories that expose hidden secrets.” ~Tegan Allen, review on Goodreads

Published by Create Space

ISBN 1461149703 (ISBN13: 9781461149705)

Available In Print and Online:

Create Space

Amazon

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Watch the TURNING POINT book trailer on YouTube.

Melissa Luznicky Garrett is an author of adult and young adult novels. TURNING POINT is Melissa’s second published book. She lives with her husband and children in upstate New York, where she is currently at work on her next book. Connect with Melissa on her blog: http://www.MLGarrett.blogspot.com.

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Hidden secrets, twists, deception... what more could you want? A free digital copy!

For an entry into the contest, please leave your answer (and email) to the following question in the comments below: Do book trailers influence your decision to buy books?

For an extra entry, please tweet this post or post a Facebook link so we can show Melissa some love. (two extra entries if you do both) Please leave a comment below letting me know you shared.

Let the fun begin... my trusty assistant, my oldest daughter, will draw a name out of a hat on Wednesday evening, October 12. Good luck!