Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Flash Review: Passenger


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Best friends Jack and Conner can’t stay away from Marbury. It’s partly because of their obsession with this alternate world and the unresolved war that still wages there. But it’s also because forces in Marbury—including the darkest of the dark, who were not revealed in The Marbury Lens—are beckoning the boys back in order to save their friends . . . and themselves.

The boys try to destroy the lens that transports them to Marbury. But that dark world is not so easily reckoned with. Reality and fantasy, good and evil—Andrew Smith’s masterpiece closes the loop that began with The Marbury Lens. But is it really closed? Can it ever be?

Passenger, by Andrew Smith, is a gritty, disturbing, violent, and horrific young adult book, much like The Marbury Lens. It's definitely not for everyone. But then again, if you didn't like--or couldn't handle--the first book, then you wouldn't be continuing onto the second. With that said, I loved Passenger, maybe even more than The Marbury Lens.

The book starts with Jack, Conner, Ben, and Griffin, trying to destroy the lens, to be rid of Marbury for good, and end up right back there in that one fateful act. But it's not the Marbury they remember. The Marbury Jack returns to is a twisted, nightmarish, post-apocalyptic version of his hometown of Glenbrook. Thus beginning his journey home, which takes him to many worlds--or not-worlds--all versions of Marbury and Glenbrook that have been transformed for the worse. Jack seems to be locked in a butterfly effect downward spiral. Every world he travels to seems to send him further from home to where if feels like he'll never get the pieces of the lens back together again to make things right.

Jack, the narrator, feels responsible for everything that's happened and the danger his friends are now in. The Marbury lens is also reminiscent of Sméagol with the One Ring, holding an obsessive power over those who've looked through it and seen another world. My precious. I believe part of the obsession comes from the fact that the characters are existing in all of these parallel worlds simultaneously, and while the primary consciousness leaves one world to enter another, the body from the world left behind goes on with its daily routines like the person's still there, but missing any memory of another world. I find that idea fascinating.

Smith's gritty descriptions and elegant prose drags the readers into Jack's nightmare so we're fighting right beside him, trying to help him find a way out. We get to learn much more about Marbury in this book, and like those who've seen it through the lens, we have that pull to go back, even if just for a glimpse. And amidst all the action and horror, at its heart, Passenger is a character driven story, a touching tale of friendship and the sacrifices true friends make for each other. Marbury is a world you won't soon forget, and neither is the book Passenger.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Indie Life: Wednesday Writer's Workspace



Indie Life is hosted by the indie authors of the Indelibles as a 2nd Wednesday of the month feature. It is a great way to discover and reach out to other indie authors--authors working hard and turning their dreams into reality. Share your thoughts and experiences with being an indie author, and speak with like-minded souls by visiting the author links below. Click HERE to sign up for Indie Life.

An important part of the indie life is getting your name out in the blogosphere. There are many social media platforms and the blog is only one, but it's an important one. Blogs are such a great space to connect with readers and other writers. And we indies need those connections to help us spread the word--our words, our books--to reach more people than we could ever hope to reach on our own.

So in the spirit of reaching out and getting myself out there, today I'm over at The Writing Nut, honored to be highlighted on the famous weekly feature: Wednesday Writer's Workspace. Please follow the link, stop by, and say "hi."

Happy writing, fellow indies (and brave NaNo crusaders)!

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

IWSG Wednesday: A Writer Writes Always



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

I'm sure many of you are five days deep into the avalanche of words that is NaNo. I commend anyone willing to take on the 50K word writing challenge and I'm in awe of anyone ending the month victorious. With that said, I have started November off strong with my writing (not at a 50K word pace, but a steady--daily pace), and I hope to build on the momentum I've started.

I want to call myself a writer, but when I look back at what I've written over the past year, I can't honestly call myself one. I spent a few months editing and rewriting, I spent a few weeks writing new material, and I wasted quite a few months not moving myself forward with my writing goals at all. If I want to feel confident in calling myself a writer, then I need to write much more than I have this year.

It's always easy to make grand, sweeping goals. Next year will be different. If I use every waking minute of free time, I can knock out three books in the next twelve months. I'm not going to set myself up for failure in this way. Goals are much more manageable when they're small, and small goals that are completed consistently lead to big accomplishments. I don't know what I can produce in the next month or the next week, but I will write 500 - 1000 words today. And tomorrow I'll make the same goal. With that word count, I won't have 50K at the end of the month, but if I'm consistent, I will have a completed draft of my third novel finished by early next year. And to me, that's an exciting goal and a damn fine accomplishment.

Good luck with NaNo. Keep writing. Enjoy the start to the holiday season. I'm looking forward to the release of the Starbucks Christmas blend (decaf for me since I'm still off caffeine). It really signifies the start to the holiday season for me. What about you?  

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Dystopian Giveaway Hop!



November 1st to 7th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & My Shelf Confessions

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my giveaway! I'm so excited for the opportunity to participate in this blog hop and offer a lucky winner one of the YA dystopian books listed below.

On to the books...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/Allegiant_novel_cover.jpg
One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?


The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready...

~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Allegiant by Veronica Roth

http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1326316057l/13147460.jpg 
Reeling from the tragic events of Dust & Decay, Benny Imura and his friends plunge deep into the zombie-infested wastelands of the great Rot & Ruin. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America, searching for the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living...
~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry





http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1331533067l/8811139.jpgIt's been over a year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

In the time since everyperson over the age of fourteen disappeared from the town of Perdido Beach, California, countless battles have been fought: battles against hunger and lies and plague, and epic battles of good against evil. And now, the gaiaphage has been reborn as Diana's malicious mutant daughter, Gaia. Gaia is endlessly hungry for destruction. She yearns to conquer her Nemesis, Little Pete, and then bend the entire world to her warped will
...

 ~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Light by Michael Grant


http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1330717582l/13125947.jpg After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again.
~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Reached by Ally Condie







Here are the official rules/guidelines for the giveaway:
  1. You must be a follower of this blog. Just click the Join this Site box below "Followers" on the sidebar.
  2. You can gain extra entries by following me on Goodreads, Twitter,"liking" my Facebook fan page, signing up for my newsletter, or leaving a comment below.
  3. This is open to international followers. (Only if The Book Depository ships to your country; please check this link to see if your country's included.)
  4. This contest runs from November 1 - 7.
  5. The winner will be selected on November 8th via Rafflecopter random selection and announced in this post. You will have 48 hours to respond or I will draw another winner. 
***As the winner, if you are just dying to get another YA book, then you may substitute one of the books listed above for another of similar value from The Book Depository***

Thanks Again & Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also, make sure to check out the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop, too!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

SUSY Asylum Tour Reflections & What's Next


Thank you to Candace at CBB Book Promotions for organizing my blog tour and to all the bloggers that offered up their blogs for a day highlight Provex City and SUSY Asylum.

I am pleased with the response I received from SUSY Asylum, a story that seemed to evoke strong reactions from its readers (good and bad) due to choices made by the main characters. It wasn't as safe of a story as Provex City and explored some darker themes that I knew would not be for everyone.  But I am excited to be getting such emotional responses. Readers seem to deeply connect with the characters with all of their vulnerabilities and flaws..

The responses and interest lit a fire under me to begin work on the third book in the series. So I've officially set aside Project Winter for now and have begun writing Book 3. The writing status bar on the left side bar is now accurate and will be updated weekly to record my progress. I began Chapter 2 today on my lunch break and I'm excited where the story's headed.

Back in August, I shared a takeaway from the SCBWI conference, how it was important to write every day to maintain momentum, even for ten or fifteen minutes. I admit, I hadn't followed through on that with getting ready for my blog tour. Also, I felt paralyzed while waiting for the tour to start, anxious of what the reactions would be. No more. I am now on a mission to get this book written, especially since I don't want to release it in parts. It would be great to have more releases in a  given year, but the books in this series aren't linear, and I don't want to screw up the remaining two.

I must get back to writing to reach my word count goal for the day. Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Monday, October 21, 2013

SUSY Asylum Blog Tour: Week 2



Today starts the second and final week of the SUSY Asylum Blog Tour. Don't forget, there is a tour-wide giveaway, a $50 Amazon gift card, which you can enter at any of the blog stops.

Thank you so much to Candace at CBB Book Promotions for putting this tour together, and thank you to everyone visiting the stops for guest posts and reviews. Click on the links below to continue the journey, and I hope you enjoy the ride.

Monday, October 21th
Tuesday, October 22th
Wednesday, October 23th
Thursday, October 24th
Friday, October 25th
Next week, I'll be back to my typical Wednesday post. Have a great week!

Monday, October 14, 2013

SUSY Asylum Blog Tour Starts Today!



I'm so excited at announce the SUSY Asylum Blog Tour starts today! It is hosted by CBB Book Promotions, with scheduled stops for the next two weeks. There are even more blog participating than during the Provex City Tour, and in less time, so we have to keep moving.

There is a tour-wide giveaway, a $50 Amazon gift card, which you can enter at any of the blog stops. For Candace's Book Blog, on Wednesday of this week, there is a second giveaway just for her post, which is a $15 Amazon gift card.

Thank you so much to Candace at CBB Book Promotions for putting this tour together. Click on the links below to continue the journey, and I hope you enjoy the ride.

Monday, October 14th
Tuesday, October 15th
Wednesday, October 16th
Thursday, October 17th
Friday, October 18th

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Indie Life: Changing Seasons, Changing Gears



Indie Life is hosted by the indie authors of the Indelibles as a 2nd Wednesday of the month feature. It is a great way to discover and reach out to other indie authors--authors working hard and turning their dreams into reality. Share your thoughts and experiences with being an indie author, and speak with like-minded souls by visiting the author links below. Click HERE to sign up for Indie Life.

With my blog tour less than a week away, I've been thinking a lot about my next book. I have the new book I'd codenamed Project Winter outlined and started. But I keep going back to my outline for Book 3 of the Lorne Family Vault. It feels so unfinished. And it's been calling to me. And I hate things left unfinished. A big part of me wants to start something new, but another part--a nasty and more controlling part--wants me to finish what I've started.

So after much deliberation, meditation, and confrontation with the nastier part of myself, I've decided to switch gears. I am putting Project Winter aside for now and starting Book 3. I liked the idea of serializing my next book since I can't crank out multiple full-length novels in a year, and I had originally not wanted to change the format of the Lorne Family Vault halfway through the series, but what the hell. I've already figured out how to break up Book 3 into four clean parts, so I can still release in a timely manner.

I've regained the excitement I feel had been lacking most of the summer. Fall is here, and the change of season is refreshing. I look forward to continuing with Oliver on his adventure to discover who he is, what is in the Lorne family vault, and why he can no longer go home. I hope this isn't a mistake (from a business perspective), but then again, writing is never a mistake (from a  writer's perspective).

The SUSY Asylum (Lorne Family Vault, Book 2) blog tour begins on Monday, and will go for two weeks (averaging three stops a day). So I'll be posting on Monday next week with links to all the stops. See you then!

Monday, October 7, 2013

A Stopover from the Amazing M. Pax


As promised last Wednesday, I have a very special guest today, a wildly popular indie author and fellow blogger, M. Pax. She's here to share some valuable advice for finding success as an indie author from her experience with the release of multiple books in the past few years. Thank you so much for being here today, Mary!


On Being an Author-Publisher

It’s nice over here at Michael Pierce’s place. This blog swapping thing is awesomely fun.

He asked me to talk about what I’ve learned as an indie author to-date. So, I’ll share all the bounty and scoops I’ve learned.

Recently I heard a great new term for indies – Author-Publisher. Which is true. We not only write, we publish. We handle the creative and all the business. I’ve been at this two years now. Just this past summer my writing ‘habit’ started to support itself, meaning I don’t have to sink anymore money into it to publish my next book.

Here are six things I’ve learned that may help you: 
  1. Have a business plan with a budget. Know what you will spend your money on and do not deviate. Know at what points you can consider expanding. Reinvest all your earnings in your business. Don’t spend it at Amazon. ie, When I began making $40-60 a month at Amazon, I invested in new cover art. Know at what income points you will expand your team and invest in improvements.  

  2. Have a marketing plan. How are you going to get noticed? What worked for me: keeping The Backworlds permanently free, releasing book 2 shortly after and keeping the price low. If you do not make the impact you wish, you can change your plans as you go along. But do have one before you start. What works and doesn’t will very from book to book and author to author. Never give up. 

  3. Make good use of that network on blogs, Twitter, in person, Facebook, etc... Recruit people to help you get the word out. Lately, I’m finding this blog swap thing to be my preference.

  4. Find a reliable team. You should hire an editor. It’s the most costly aspect of publishing for me, but it’s worth it. I now have an editor who edits only and was recommended by a trusted friend. Do get recommendations via private communication. Just because an author credited someone as editing or creating a book cover, does not mean the author would recommend that vendor. This is where networking and friends really come in handy. Hiring out my book covers came early on in my business plan and was worth the reinvestment. 

  5. The trifecta of publishing – title, cover, blurb. Play around with these and categories until you find something that works. I had recently rewritten my blurbs to match key words in google searches and on Amazon to optimize my visibility. Know what? It seemed to work, but then I noticed some typos so I updated them again. My sales spiked again. What does this mean? Write two blurbs, swap them out on Amazon and B&N every 4-6 weeks. Something about that makes you temporarily more visible. 

  6. Social Media – Be active, be consistent. Pick what you love and concentrate on it. I love Twitter. I talk to people. I RT people. I have fun. I’ve gotten to like FB more and have become more active on it. I have a presence at LinkedIn and Goodreads – I’m there but not involved. I’m also on Pinterest which I find really useful for gathering images to help inspire what I’m working on. Another practical use – for the newest Backworlds cover, I sent my graphic artist to the album so she was inspired by the same images I was. I also use Wattpad and upload a new chapter/read every Tuesday.
I hope some of the lessons I’ve learned help you. What about you? What great lessons do you have to share?

M. Pax-- Inspiring the words she writes, she spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the Husband Unit and two demanding cats. She writes science fiction and fantasy mostly. You can find out more by visiting her at:





Beyond the Edge 
Blurb

Some truths are better left unfound.

For two years Craze’s dear friend, Lepsi, has been missing. The murmurings of a haunted spaceship might be a message and may mean his old pal isn’t dead. The possibility spurs Craze and Captain Talos to travel to uncharted worlds, searching. Out there, in an unfamiliar region of the galaxy beyond the Backworlds, they stumble upon a terrible truth.

Meanwhile, Rainly remains on Pardeep Station as acting planetlord, dealing with the discovery of her lover’s dark and brutal past. Alone and questioning her judgment, her introspection unlocks more than heartache. Latent protocols in her cybernetics activate, forcing her to face a sinister secret of her own.

In the far future, humanity settles the stars, bioengineering its descendents to survive in a harsh universe. This is the fourth book in the science fiction series, The Backworlds. A space opera adventure.


Now, as I also mentioned last Wednesday, today is a blog swap, so I'm over at Mary's blog today. If you've got a few more minutes to spare, then be sure to come over and say "hi!" THIS WAY TO THE M. PAX DIMENSION.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

IWSG Wednesday: Committed to the SUSY Asylum Tour



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

Is it just me, or is each month flying by faster and faster. This week I'll finally finish everything for the SUSY Asylum blog tour, which starts on October 14th. I wanted to be done with all the posts by the 1st of the month, so I didn't quite make that, but I'm close and I'll take that as a win.

I am so anxious for the tour to begin--I haven't been this nervous in awhile. There are quite a few blogs signed up to give reviews...and I'm terrified for the responses. SUSY Asylum is longer, darker, and less restrained than Provex City. I feel like I held back a little with Provex City, but with SUSY Asylum, I went for it with everything I had. I'm spending too much time fidgeting and tapping anything within reach. I've been drowning in headphones. Music is my healthiest distraction right now. I already can't wait for the month to be over, just to know what will happen. I want to skip to the end of the book, even though I know I'll only be cheating myself.

Breathe.

Okay, aside from my blog tour anxiety, I'm excited to announce that I'll be swapping blogs with the legendary M. Pax next Monday. That's right, I'll be over at her place, and she'll be right here talking about her experience as an indie author. So if you're an indie author or thinking of becoming an indie author, then park your butt in front of your favorite computer screen and prepare to take some notes.

What do you have going on this month? Are you ready for Halloween, cooler weather, and pumpkin lattes?

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Banned Books Giveaway Hop!



September 22nd to 28th

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my giveaway! I'm so excited for the opportunity to participate in this blog hop and offer a lucky winner one of the controversial books listed below.

On to the books...

The Earth
Fifteen-year-old Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex, especially when she compares herself to her slim, brilliant, picture-perfect family. But that’s before a shocking phone call — and a horrifying allegation — about her rugby-star brother changes everything. With irreverent humor and surprising gravity, Carolyn Mackler creates an endearingly blunt heroine who speaks to every teen who struggles with family expectations, and proves that the most impressive achievement is to be true to yourself.
~Go to the entire Goodreads description of The Earth, My Butt & Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Hold Still
Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself
~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Hold Still by Nina LaCour

 Crank (Crank, #1)In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree...
 ~Go to the entire Goodreads description of Crank by Ellen Hopkins

The Marbury LensSixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury...
~Go to the entire Goodreads description of The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith







Here are the official rules/guidelines for the giveaway:
  1. You must be a follower of this blog. Just click the Join this Site box below "Followers" on the sidebar.
  2. You can gain extra entries by following me on Goodreads, Twitter,"liking" my Facebook fan page, tweeting about this giveaway, or leaving a comment below.
  3. This is open to international followers. (Only if The Book Depository ships to your country; please check this link to see if your country's included.)
  4. This contest runs from Sept. 22 - 28.
  5. The winner will be selected on September 29th via Rafflecopter random selection and announced in this post. You will have 48 hours to respond or I will draw another winner. 
***As the winner, if you are just dying to get another YA book, then you may substitute one of the books listed above for another of similar value from The Book Depository***

Thanks Again & Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also, make sure to check out the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop, too!

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Storm We've All Been Waiting For: CassaStorm!


Congrats to the Ninja Captain, Mr. Alex Cavanaugh, for the release of his third book, CassaStorm! The storm has just begun and this book is about to consume the blogosphere. Here is my question to The Captain:
Which of your three books was the most fun to write? And now that the trilogy's done, are you considering a four book?

Each one was different. It was fun writing CassaStar, because I was rewriting a story I’d imagined when I was younger and there were no expectations or pressure when working on it. CassaFire was lighter and involved more humor, plus the story flowed really quick from my mind. With the third one, it was just seeing the improvement in my writing skills. And knowing I was completing the story.

CassaStorm
By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

“CassaStorM is a touching and mesmerizing space opera full of action and emotion with strong characters and a cosmic mystery.” – Edi’s Book Lighhouse

"Cavanaugh makes world building on the galactic scale look easy. The stakes affect the entire known universe and yet Cavanaugh makes it intensely personal for our hero. The final installment of this series will break your heart and put it back together."
- Charity Bradford, science fantasy author of The Magic Wakes

“…mesmerizing story of survival, personal sacrifice, tolerance, and compassion. It’s a rare jewel that successfully utilizes both character and plot to tell a story of such immense scope and intimate passion…” - Nancy S. Thompson, author of The Mistaken

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.
Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera
Print ISBN 9781939844002 eBook ISBN 9781939844019
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Find CassaStorm:
Amazon -
Book trailer -




Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4287922.Alex_J_Cavanaugh

Get your copy of CassaStorm today!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

IWSG: Happy 2 Years and Growing!



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday...and this isn't just any IWSG Wednesday, this is the group's 2 year anniversary! Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

Often times I get so caught up with all the tasks that come along with being an author--and especially an indie author--that I sometimes lose sight of what's most important, which is the writing itself. So this is my reminder to myself of why I love writing and storytelling:
  • I love creating the story I've always wanted to read (with the hope that others have been waiting for it, too).  
  • Writing that one phrase or sentence that gives me goosebumps when I reread it is magical (and if it's the only thing I write that day, it's still well worth it).
  • I love developing characters into real people and watching them grow throughout the pages.
  • I want to entertain, uplift, and inspire my audience with the stories I write.
  • Writing is my creative outlet where "anything is possible," where the impossible becomes possible (which will be a recurring theme in all of my stories).
And when I reread this, I know I'll have more to add, but that's also part of the fun...story evolution. Nothing is written in stone. Even when the story's done, I have the power to go back and change it (indie author perk). There are always surprises. Always adventure. I guess if the adventure one day ends, then it's time to give up and move on...but I hope that day will never come. I want to write until the day I die.

Why do you love to write?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Laugh or Die!


Sometimes we just need something to make us laugh. It's easy to stress when life gets in the way, when obligations and responsibilities trample passions, and all you feel like you did was get through another day. Those days happen...and sometimes they seem too frequent. When you stress it's easy to shut down creatively. I know all too well. What's the best medicine...what has the doctor always prescribed?

Laughter!

I've been feeling too serious lately and needed a good laugh, and here are a few videos that have given me a good dose of the chuckles (should not be taken with alcohol). Enjoy. :)  





Wednesday, August 21, 2013

YA Book Adaptations I'm Excited About!


There are a lot of young adult books in the pipeline to be converted into the next big blockbusters. I loved The Hunger Games and am looking forward to Catching Fire, with a scheduled release for November. But there are two new YA trilogies coming to the big screen in 2014 that I'm excited about:

The Maze Runner, written by James Dashner

 The Maze Runner Concept Art via EW
The Maze Runner is an exciting dystopian adventure/mystery where a group of teenage boys with no memory of their former lives live on a self-sufficient compound (nicknamed "the Glade"), surrounded by a colossal maze, which houses unspeakable horrors. Then a girl is brought into the compound, which (as to be expected) changes everything... The maze, which used to close at night, now remains open. The Grievers can come into the Glade. Alby and Teresa have a telepathic connection, and a mysterious previous relationship. All the rules of the Glade are changing, and power is shifting. The runners must run for their lives to save the group. The Maze Runner has dynamic characters, its own slang, plenty of action, and an ending that will blow you away. It's a great story and I sure hope Hollywood doesn't screw it up. February, 2014

 
Divergent, written by Veronica Roth

Divergent is another dystopian novel set in post-apocalyptic Chicago, where the society is split into five factions, each representing a different value. Everyone is supposed to fit neatly into one faction, but Beatrice Prior is one of the dreaded anomalies--she is divergent (but of course!). It's not long before she discovers secret plots between factions that are certain to tear her seemingly Utopian society apart, promising to destroy everything and everyone she loves. This trilogy is being hailed as the next Hunger Games, and I believe and hope that it is. I found myself more engrossed in the characters and thought the story was more original than The Hunger Games. What I found even more impressive was Divergent was written by a debut author of 22. I have my fingers crossed that this will be a good adaptation. March, 2014


What movie adaptations are you looking forward to?

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Indie Life: SUSY Asylum Blog Tour



Indie Life is hosted by the indie authors of the Indelibles as a 2nd Wednesday of the month feature. It is a great way to discover and reach out to other indie authors--authors working hard and turning their dreams into reality. Share your thoughts and experiences with being an indie author, and speak with like-minded souls by visiting the author links below. Click HERE to sign up for Indie Life.

The blog tour for my second book, SUSY Asylum, is shaping up nicely, and only a short two months away. It may seem a long way off, but the months have been flying by, so I know October 14th will arrive in a flash. I have booked my tour through Candace at CBB Book Promotions, and she's putting together a great list of blogs, a good number of which participated in my first tour. I'm excited that a majority of the bloggers who read and reviewed Provex City enjoyed it enough to want to continue in the series. Click on the banner below if you'd like to visit the SUSY Asylum Blog Tour page.


It's a lot of work getting the guest posts and interviews finished, not to mention mailing all the review copies. The other big thing I NEED to get finished before the start of the tour is setting up my quarterly newsletter and the free gift short story for those who are gracious enough to sign up. The tour will act as a great kick start for newsletter signups to help me develop an email list of readers. So my goal is to have everything related to the newsletter done by October 1st.

What new indie insights are you willing to share? What goals have you set for the next month? As always, thanks for reading!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

IWSG Wednesday: SCBWI Summer Conference



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

This past weekend was the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Summer Conference at the beautiful Hyatt Regency on the edge of Beverly Hills. There were about 1300 attendees from (I believe) 46 states and 14 countries. And with all those people swarming the hotel, I found fellow blogger, Morgan Shamy, within ten minutes of arriving! It was great to meet her and discuss all the joys and woes of writing with her and her blogging friend, Ryan Dalton. So for the first time in three years, I didn't have to walk into the ballroom and find a seat alone.

There is always an amazing lineup of keynote speakers, but my favorites this year were Laurie Halse Anderson, Jon Scieszka, and Matt de la Pina. I loved Laurie's speech so much I attended one of her breakout sessions that extended halfway into lunch, though no one seemed to mind. She's also a children's book writer with the voice and potty mouth of a Drill Sergeant--quite entertaining. One big takeaway I got from her was the commitment to write at least 15 minutes every day to build discipline and momentum. There are so many days with huge time constraints and prior commitments, but you can always find 15 minutes (if you're committed). I needed to hear that.

The other new experience I had at this conference was receiving a professional consultation from a literary agent. I had the pleasure of meeting with Jennifer Azantian, from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. She gave me feedback on the first chapter of my new story, Project Winter. Overall, she seemed to enjoy it and expressed that the story had a unique and marketable concept. I have to admit that I've been procrastinating on this project, anxious of what comments would come from my consultation. It was a great experience and I'm excited to continue writing. Thanks, Jennifer!

And if you read Morgan's recap of the SCBWI conference earlier this week, you may remember her mentioning a "table war" with Arthur A. Levine. Well...it was less of a war and more of an immediate surrender. Sorry, Morgan...haha. We were hungrily searching for a table to eat our lunch at a nearby food court. There were blood-thirsty lunch lurkers everywhere diving for tables at just the hint of someone about to stand up. And then as fate would have it after a fortnight of searching, we found an empty portion of a table. Just as we were about to sit down, Morgan looked over at two men approaching and stepped away from the table saying, "I can't steal a seat from you." [may not be an actual quote...but it's close] The men were hesitant, but eventually graciously took our seats. I was like, what just happened? As we walked away to find another elusively empty table, Morgan told me that one of the men was Arthur A. Levine (the guy who published the American editions of Harry Potter). Oh... Now I understood. We should have gotten autographs--or left a manuscript on the table.

Well, my August is off to a great start. How about yours?

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Summer Giveaway Hop 2013!




August 1st to 7th
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer , BookHounds

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my giveaway! I'm so excited for the opportunity to participate in this blog hop and offer one lucky winner a $15 Amazon gift card to go toward the next book on your summer reading list.


Here are the official rules/guidelines for the giveaway:
  1. You must be a follower of this blog. Just click the Join this Site box below "Followers" on the sidebar.
  2. You can gain extra entries by following me on Goodreads, Twitter,"liking" my Facebook fan page, adding my books (Provex City and/or SUSY Asylum) to your Goodreads "Want to Read" list, or leaving a comment below.
  3. This is open to international followers.
  4. This contest runs from August 1 - 7.
  5. The winner will be selected on August 8th via Rafflecopter random selection and announced in this post. You will have 48 hours to respond or I will draw another winner. 
Thanks Again & Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also, make sure to check out the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop, too!

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Unpublished SUSY Asylum Preface


Below is the original, unpublished preface for my second book, SUSY Asylum. After sending the finished book to my CPs, the feedback was that a new beginning would be more effective. I really liked this beginning, and I already had the song for the playlist that fit this opening of the book perfectly. But after a bit of humming and hawing, I look the advice of my readers and wrote a new beginning, which is more action oriented and what I ended up publishing. I still have a special connection to this opening, so here it is for your reading pleasure.

Original SUSY Asylum Preface

There were still blood stains on the concrete where he had taken his last steps and collapsed. Desiree was powerless to her memory of the gruesome final moments of Kafka Lorne’s life––the end of Oliver’s bogeyman. She was cold and alone on the observation deck of Lorne Tower. She could almost see the body. She could still feel her own body flying through the air, crashing into the railing––the only thing between her and a thousand foot drop onto the unsuspecting citizens of Provex City. This was one place she never imagined she’d return.

There has to be another way.

She shivered, not from the cold, but from remembering that day, sure it would be her last. It had only been a month since she last stood on this roof. She’d been trying to return to her ordinary, everyday routine ever since. But her travels to and from Provex City had opened a door she couldn’t reclose. Her realization that there were two separate worlds in shrouded coexistence brought on a barrage of questions. And it was rumored there were more. TJ helped her find Provex City the first time, and then he disappeared. It was the second time he’d neglected to say goodbye.

Desiree pried her eyes from the nauseating stains and inched toward the railing. She gripped the top bar and peered over the edge. The city was so elegant and beautifully lit. She felt so tiny and insignificant. Down below––far below––was a city functioning in perfect harmony.

There has to be another way.

The wind was drowning out her own thoughts. But the voice, the voice she’d heard every time Oliver and she returned to Provex City, led her here. She never told Oliver and she felt guilty for it now. The first time Oliver had come to Provex City, leaving her behind, she’d been devastated. Desiree didn’t know if Oliver would feel the same about her coming here.

The voice was even louder than the wind screaming in her eardrums. Desiree climbed over the railing and shakily stood on the edge of the building, clutching tightly to the top bar. She couldn’t bear to look down. Her muscles were fully flexed like she was holding up her entire bodyweight and more.

There has to be another way.

Desiree stared back at the blood, balancing just inches from where Oliver had nearly lost his life. She was on the outside looking in. Oliver still dangled in midair from Kafka’s vicious grip. It was only a memory now, but it felt like the violence was unfolding in front of her all over again. She couldn’t get the haunting images out of her mind as the scene replayed sadistically over and over. It was a mistake to come here, she thought. She believed. She knew. But the voice said––

There has to be another way.

––to jump.

TJ had made his choice and she’d made hers.

Desiree closed her eyes and let go of the railing. She felt her weightless body slide back and take flight.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Sound of Inspiration


I'm constantly on the lookout for new songs that inspire my writing. I love making playlists that whisk me away to another world, into the worlds of my stories where I can be an onlooker--the observer (yes, that's a Fringe reference)--and record the action as it unfolds with the magic of fiction.

Though with the search for something new, I sometimes forget about the familiar and the power it can hold. Finding a familiar song with a new adaptation or arrangement can truly be as amazing as finding a new one. A new take on an old idea can take on a full life of its own.

I found two such songs in this past week, which I've now listened to countless times. One new. One covered. The new song I found was Ellie Goulding's Bittersweet, which is unfortunately only available on the Breaking Dawn, Part 2 soundtrack (album only). I have very little interest in purchasing the entire album for one song, no matter how much I love it, so I've just been listening to it on YouTube.


The covered song I found is an amazingly ethereal rendition of Elliott Smith's Twilight. It's one of my favorite Elliott Smith songs (which I put on my SUSY Asylum playlist), but this harp version gives it new life. 


Maybe these songs will inspire new stories of your own or just provide a few minutes of relaxation and appreciation for what beauty is present all around us. Either way, I hope you enjoy them. Happy listening & happy writing!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Indie Life: A Bowl of Serial to Start the Day



I've read posts for Indie life for the past few months, and as part of my re-commitment to my blog (which has been suffering from inconstancy this year), I thought it would be a great time to join this monthly blogfest. Indie Life is hosted by the indie authors of the Indelibles as a 2nd Wednesday of the month feature. It seems like a great extension of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, which I found shortly after creating my blog a year and a half ago. Click HERE to sign up for Indie Life.

Writing and marketing with a full time job is tough, especially when that job takes up nearly sixty hours a week with my two hours of daily commuting. One of the top success tips I received from Indie ReCon was to write more books, to not solely rely on the release of one or two books, but to have new books released regularly.

Now regularly is a subjective term. But with having two books released in the past three years, I can honestly say that that's not regularly enough and see where that's not enough to generate continual interest and build my brand without the support of a publisher. I want to write more and have multiple releases a year, but my current workload to sustain my livelihood does not allow me to crank out a book every few months...not even poorly edited trash (which I would never allow myself to do).

I've recently looked more into the successes of authors releasing serialized books and series, novellas or book parts fifty to one hundred pages at a time. With the prevalence of ebooks, this seems to be a growing segment in the marketplace...and an opportunity for someone like me, since I can't write as much or as fast as I'd like.

I don't want to change the format of my remaining books in the Lorne Family Vault, but my new WIP, Project Winter, could make for a fun experiment into the serial ebook segment. With the shortened format I could release three to four serialized books per year, plus some Lorne Family Vault short stories I have planned.

The industry is changing rapidly and there is no one path to success, so I believe this is a way for me to better adapt to my current time constraints and still get the stories I want to write out to the marketplace. I'm curious to hear the experiences from other indie authors already releasing serialized books. What recommendations do you have?

Well, I've already made my forty mile drive and it's nearly 8 o'clock, so it's about time for me to get to work. Have a great Wednesday, and as always, thank you for reading!

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

IWSG Wednesday: The Heat of Summer



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

I'm sure everyone's felt the heat of summer finally kick in. I know it's not as hot here in southern California as it is in other parts of the country, but it's been hot enough for me. I already can't wait for fall, but can certainly wait to see my next electric bill.

Summer also brings a lot of distractions. I thought getting work done around the holidays was tough, but summer is not an easy time for concentrating. Vacations, family events, and sickness (what? you can't get sick in the summer! I guess I can) have been eating away so much of my time...kind of like the langoliers (hungry suckers).

Not everyone needs a schedule, but I sure seem to. If I don't hold myself to a schedule, then I push unscheduled tasks off. Something in the moment becomes more important. Then an entire month goes by with only one blog post to my name. No more. Wednesdays will be my posting day. There...I've said it, I've scheduled it, and now I will be forced to keep myself to it.

I recently found out that you can use a custom domain name on Blogger. This really excited me because I had a custom domain name, michaelpiercebooks.com, which I've been using for a website that I never took the time to update. It was so much easier to move that domain name over to blogger and delete the website altogether. Now I can keep the domain name and forget about a secondary website. For being an indie author, the blog has more than enough information about myself and my books...as long as I keep it updated. Now, from the advice of successful indie authors like RaShelle Workman (who is also an IWSG member), my July project is to build a newsletter using MailChimp.

Do you have any newsletter building tips? Have any unique ways of beating the summer heat? Are you watching Under the Dome? Any fun and exciting 4th of July plans? Stay cool, stay safe, and as always, thank you for reading!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

IWSG Wednesday: Apologies & Updates



Happy Insecure Writer's Support Group Wednesday. Thank you again to Alex J. Cavanaugh, the creator of the group. The first Wednesday of every month is dedicated to this group of supportive writers. If it's something you're not familiar with, then please click on Alex's link above for more information and to sign up!

I feel bad that I missed last month's post and had to make sure I did not repeat the folly so Alex doesn't kick me out of the group. Sorry, Alex! Where did May go? The last few weeks have just flown by and I leave for Kauai tomorrow for a week-long vacation. Maybe that had something to do with the month disappearing in a flash. I just bought Dan Brown's new book, Inferno, to read as I lie on the beach for the better part of a week. I hope I don't get too burned...haha.

It's only taken a little over a year, but all the ebook versions of my books, Provex City and SUSY Asylum, are now available: Kindle, Nook, iBookstore, Kobo, and Smashwords. I've been working on getting the 2nd Edition of Provex City out, and it is finally available! It has been a lot of work getting both of my books formatted for paperback (on Amazon) and multiple ebook readers, but in the end, I believe it was worth it. Now I can get back to writing and promoting again.

I've put a lot of thought into what I am going to write next, and I have decided to step away from the Lorne Family Vault series for a little while and write a brand new book. And this decision came after I'd already fully outlined the third book in the series--figures. I ultimately decided to start a brand new project because I'd like to submit again, to work on getting traditionally published while continuing to promote my self-published books. The new book will be written as a standalone, so once I start submitting, I can dive right back into the Lorne Family Vault and pick up where I left off. Hopefully, I'm making a good decision, but only time will tell.

My new book is codenamed Project Winter, and it's a YA contemporary/dystopian in a female POV. It will be quite a change for me. I have a complete outline, synopsis, and first chapter thus far. It feels really good to be writing again. But as usual, starting a new project brings on a whole lot of anxiety, especially with the pressure of future submissions looming overhead. I know how hard it is, but I think I'll be better prepared this time.

Are you ready for summer? Are you at the beginning, middle, or end of your primary project? Anyone going to the SCBWI Summer Conference in August? I am and can't wait! The conference is always a great motivator...and getaway. And as always, thank you for reading!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Best and Worst Move Remakes Blogfest!



Thank you to Alex, Stephen, Livia, and Al for hosting this blogfest! There are so many good and bad movie remakes to choose from, so I've decided to narrow it down a bit and present to you my:

Best and Worst HORROR Movie Remakes

 

WORST

Psycho (1998): Gus Van Sant's shot-by-shot color re-creation of Hitchcock's classic is an amazing feat. How could a shot-by-shot remake of a masterpiece go wrong. This remake shows how. Vince Vaughn is so incredibly miscast as Norman Bates. He just wasn't believable. There were great supporting actors in this movie, but they could not save it. And Gus Van Sant gave us Good Will Hunting just the year before. How could he follow Good Will Hunting with this?



BEST

The Last House on the Left (2009): The remake of Wes Craven's 1972 classic is every bit as horrific and brutal as the original. Many times the remakes are watered down, but not this one. It's not a move for the faint of heart, but it is well made and acted, paced and shot, paying true homage to the original. The Last House on the Left is a simple story of brutality and revenge, real and gritty, and more horror than any Hollywood monster movie.



 

Bonus: Best and Worst Song Covers - Metallica Edition


Worst:  Metallica was named MTV's Icon of 2003 and given a special tribute concert. The biggest problem was they chose bands to pay homage to Metallica's songs that couldn't play them. Korn's performance of "One" and Limp Bizkit's performance of "Sanitarium" were incredibly bad and take the cake for worst covers.

Best: Garage, Inc. is Metallica's cover/compilation album that came out in 1998 and showed how great they could remake songs. There are many amazing covers, but most notably The Dubliners' "Whiskey in a Jar," Bob Seger's "Turn the Page," and Blue Oyster Cult's "Astronomy."

 
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