Blog Tour and Giveaway! The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, by Sariah Wilson

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, by Sariah Wilson

Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.

But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?

Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.

Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.

Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.

And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.

Print Length: 194 pages
Publisher: Fire & Ice Books (August 15, 2012)

*Purchase*

Amazon

My Review:
This book is hilarious.  It is a contemporary teen romance told from the viewpoint of the "ugly" stepsister. 

Mattie is your very not-so-typical teenage heroine.  She wears heavy black eye makeup, has fuchsia hair, and likes to draw manga.  She is surly, irritable, and has a long List of Grievances against her oh-so-perfect stepsister, Ella.  Mattie's voice is very fun to read.  She is full of wit and sarcasm that will make you laugh.

One of the things that I like the most about this book is that even though she has self esteem issues, Mattie won't allow Jake to use her.  She refuses to lie for him, even though he makes her knees buckle.  She doesn't let him get away with skipping out on detention or not doing their project, even when he flashes his dazzling smile at her.  I love the way she sticks to her guns and does what she knows is right even if it means she loses her chance with the boy she adores.

I love the way her relationship with Ella evolves over the course of the story.  She starts off being bitter and jealous of her perfect stepsister to being appreciative and understanding.  The charactes are all well developed with strengths and weaknesses that make them believable and fun to read about.

Given the title, I had expected this to be a modern fairy tale, but there is no magic in this book (other than flying sparks and a few makeup brushes).  It is an adorable and humorous story of two stepsisters trying to figure out their place in the world.  And it is a love story.  A very funny and sweet love story.


Tens List:
What are ten things your readers probably don't know about you?

10.  That until recently I was really into World of Warcraft and was a raid tank.

9.  I watch a lot of television.  A Lot.  My DVR is my friend.

8.  My husband is the first guy I Seriously Kissed (which means not a spin-the-bottle type way).  What?  I was picky.

7.  I used to write fanfic.

6.  I skipped first grade, which meant I was always the youngest person in my class.

5.  Until a couple of years ago, I had never gone out of the country.

4.  I met Stephenie Meyer in person once and took a picture of her with my plastic frog, who was my blog mascot at the time.

3.  I am deathly afraid of eels and crocodiles.  They freak me the freak out.

2.  That my favorite actor of all time once called me on the phone and we had an actual conversation until my husband picked up the extension and ruined the whole thing.  I’m still a little bitter over that one.

1.  That I am the most introverted introvert who ever introverted, but I love giving speeches and talks and teaching class.  Yes, I am aware of how weird this is. 

Praise
“My top pick of 2012 YA… This book is just. plain. fun.”

~Jordan McCollum, author of Saints & Spies and I, Spy

“Sariah Wilson's new book, The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, is hilarious…What follows is a story of fun and romance with some good non-preachy life lessons thrown in.  The voice in the main character, Mattie, makes the whole thing.  I thought it was definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone with teenagers or who just want to read a good teen romance.”

~Julie Coulter Bellon, author of All Fall Down and All’s Fair

“Sariah [Wilson] has written one of the funniest stories I've read in such a long, long time. I literally couldn't put it down. Yes, my poor Kindle's battery died and I was attached to a short power cord, contorted in a very uncomfortable position while I read to the end…. Sariah Wilson captured the back-biting, insecure, hormone-driven, clique-riddled high school atmosphere so perfectly you'd think she never grew up. I dare you not to laugh as you read this witty and oh, so, romantic story.”

~Debra Erfert of Windows into Writing

“Sariah Wilson writes like the best of/most popular YA teen fiction/teen romance authors - Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols, Susanne Collins, Cassandra Clare.  She sucks you in and never lets you go.  I finished the ~194 novel in one night because I just couldn't go to sleep without knowing the ending!  I hope that Sariah comes out with more novels, I know I'll be re-reading this one all the time!  She's extremely talented and needs to be talked about.  I highly recommend The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back! to anyone (over the age of 12) who wants a YA novel that's a real modern-day fairy tale.”

~Hilary at Novel d’Tales

“This was such an entertaining story! I shouldn't have started reading it so late in the evening, because I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep…This is a book I can see myself reading several times. It's a fast, clean read with great characters, and I highly recommend it.”

~Andrea of Literary Time Out

The book is wonderful.  It’s quirky and fun.  The story makes you laugh and you fall in love with the characters right from the beginning…This is a well-written book.  It is one that will make you smile and sigh as you remember your first love.  And it has a moral…be yourself, believe in yourself and maybe, just maybe, your fairytale will come true.  Pick up this book.”

~Ana of The Book Hookup

Author Sariah Wilson

Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is her fourth happily ever after novel. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children. She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with three tiger barb fish, a cat named Tiger, and a recently departed hamster that is buried in the backyard (and has nothing at all to do with tigers).

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/10/13


Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway







Pin It

Blog Tour: Writing Scary Scenes, by Rayne Hall

Writing Scary Scenes, by Rayne Hall

Are your frightening scenes scary enough? Learn practical tricks to turn up the suspense. Make your readers' hearts hammer with suspense, their breaths quicken with excitement, and their skins tingle with goosebumps of delicious fright.

This book contains practical suggestions how to structure a scary scene, increase the suspense, make the climax more terrifying, make the reader feel the character's fear. It includes techniques for manipulating the readers' subconscious and creating powerful emotional effects.

Use this book to write a new scene, or to add tension and excitement to a draft.

You will learn tricks of the trade for "black moment" and "climax" scenes, describing monsters and villains, writing harrowing captivity sections and breathtaking escapes, as well as how to make sure that your hero doesn't come across as a wimp... and much more.

This book is recommended for writers of all genres, especially thriller, horror, paranormal romance and urban fantasy. It is aimed at advanced-level and professional authors and may not be suitable for beginners. 

File Size: 292 KB
Print Length: 143 pages
Publisher: Scimitar Press (July 6, 2012)

Exerpt:
CONTENTS

Introduction
1. Flavours of Fear
2. Instant Hooks
3. What Lurks Behind That Door?
4. Dark and Dangerous
5. Sounds Build Suspense
6. Total Isolation
7. Strip to Tease
8. Keep the Clock Ticking
9. Feel the Fear
10. Pacing
11. Euphonics
12. Peaks and Troughs
13. Structuring a Scary Scene
14. Choosing the Location
15. Using the Senses
16. Cliffhangers
17. Villains and Monsters
18. Captivity
19. Chases and Escapes
20. Violence And Gore
21. Humour
22. Backloading
23. The Story's First and Final Scenes
24. Black Moment And Climax Scenes
25. Genres
26. The Wimp Effect
Sample Story: Druid Stones
Sample Story: Through The Tunnel
Sample Story: Only A Fool

Book Trailor:




My Review:
Who knew there could be so much information on how to create a scary scene?  Apparently Rayne Hall does, and she spills it all in this writing guide.

Whether you are writing thrillers, mysteries, romance, or children's books, there is good information in here for you.  Hall breaks down the different types of fear and goes into detail on how to achieve each emotion.  She shares excellent information on the use of euphonics, senses, and sentence structure and how to temper your descriptions to match the genre you are writing for.

I had never heard of most of the issues she talks about, and I eagerly gobbled up every word.  She clearly explains each concept and provides helpful examples.  I can easily see how best selling writers utilize these tools to manipulate the emotions of their readers.  It also made me rethink some of my own writing and wonder if I had unknowingly made one (or many) of the mistakes she points out.

I would recommend this book to anyone writing a novel, middle grade on up.  The information in this book is mostly universal and can be applied to any writing style and genre.

* Side note: Hall writes in British English, so some of her spellings and vocabulary are slightly different than what you may be used to.

Guest Post:
WRITING CRAFT: CHASES AND ESCAPES

Does your novel-in-progress contain a scene where the heroine escapes from danger, with the villain chasing after her? Excellent. Readers love the these scenes.

Here are some techniques to make your escape scene exciting.

1. Point of View

Stay in deep Point of View. If possible, write the scene from the fleeing person's point of view. This means showing only what this person sees, hears and feels. If the PoV character runs for her life, she won't pause to watch her pursuer, so don't describe what the pursuer looks like, or how the distance between gradually closes. However, you can describe the sounds the pursuer makes: boots thudding on the asphalt, clanking armour, yells, curses.

2. Pacing

Chases are fast-paced, so use fast-pace writing techniques: short paragraphs, short sentences, short words. But if the chase or escape spreads over more than a few paragraphs, try to vary the pace. This will make it more exciting. When she runs fast, use very short sentences - even sentence fragments - and mostly single-syllabic words. They create a sense of breathlessness and fear. When she's hiding, when she's struggling to climb up a facade inch by inch, when the pursuers have trapped her and when the policeman handcuffs her, use medium-length sentences and words.

3. Reader Sympathy

The reader's sympathy always lies with the fleeing person. You can increase this effect if several people are hounding the refugee. Nothing stirs reader emotion more than a situation of many against one. If possible, build tension by introducing the other pursuers gradually. At first, she runs only from one foe. Just when she thinks she may get away, one of the villain's henchmen comes from another alley. And then a third. In addition, you can give the pursuer advantages over the refugee: physical health, weapons, technology.

4. Danger from the Surroundings

Increase the tension by shifting the action to increasingly dangerous ground. As your heroine flees from the evil villain, she moves towards quicksand, a crumbling bridge, a cliff edge or a ravine. Now she must decide rapidly which poses the greater danger – pursuer or location – and take the risk.

  

5. Stumbling

When a person runs from danger, a cocktail of chemicals gets released in the brain. It includes adrenalin and other substances which dull pain and give stamina but also impair motor skills. Your heroine's movements won't be as coordinated as they usually are, so she may miss her footing, stumble or slip. This is all the more likely because in her hurry, she won't examine the ground where she's treading.

6. Physical Symptoms

The running person is probably out of breath, struggling to get enough oxygen. Her chest may feel like it's about to burst. Her heart thuds loudly, not only in her chest but in her head. This thudding continues even when she stops running, and while she's hiding, the heartbeat in her head may be the loudest noise she hears.

7. Put up a Fight

When the pursuer catches up with her, she puts up a fight. She does not need to win, but readers will respect her if she manages to inflict some hurt on him before he overpowers her. This is better than if she surrenders meekly, or if she faints and comes to again in the dungeon.

Questions?

If you're a writer and planning or revising a scene in which your protagonist flees from danger and want to discuss your ideas, please leave a comment. I'll be around for a week and will respond. I love answering questions.

To Buy:
Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Writing-Scary-Scenes/book-r47obySnr0uGXL9C8OTcLA/page1.html?s=kXLWOl4EN0CJJOcLRi3feA&r=1
Amazon com: http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE
Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writing-Scary-Scenes-ebook/dp/B008IEJTSE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355789422&sr=1-1
Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/writing-scary-scenes-rayne-hall/1112219888
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/writing-scary-scenes/id546105761?mt=11
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/179899

Amazon | Goodreads | Author Website

About the Author: 

Rayne Hall writes subtle horror and outrageous fantasy fiction. Currently, she tries to regain the rights to her out-of-print books so she can republish them as e-books.

She is the author of thirty books in different genres and under different pen names, published by twelve publishers in six countries, translated into several languages. Her short stories have been published in magazines, e-zines and anthologies.

After living in Germany, China, Mongolia and Nepal, she has settled on the coast of southern England in a small dilapidated seaside town of former Regency grandeur.

Rayne holds a college degree in publishing management and a masters degree in creative writing. Over three decades, she has worked in the publishing industry as a trainee, investigative journalist, feature writer, magazine editor, production editor, page designer, concept editor for non-fiction book series, anthology editor, editorial consultant and more. Outside publishing, worked as a museum guide, apple picker, tarot reader, adult education teacher, trade fair hostess, translator and belly dancer.

She edits a series of themed short story anthologies and teaches online classes for writers ('Writing Fight Scenes', Writing Scary Scenes', 'Writing about Magic', 'Edit your Writing' and more). Pin It

New Facebook Page

With The Betrayed set to release in six weeks and the 3rd book already in the works, I realized something. I have a Facebook page, but it's called, "The Gifted, a Novel by Deborah Andreasen."

Right now, The Gifted is my only novel, but I already have three additional books in the works. The Betrayed, the sequel to The Betrayed, and another book that is not part of The Gifted series. Someday, very soon, I'll have more than one novel published. What then? Will I make a FB page for every book?

Nope.

A few nights ago, I sat down and made another Facebook page, this time for me as an author. This is really exciting because it means my "brand" is growing. I'm continuing to write and publish. It's great.

The bad part is, all my awesome fans that follow my current FB page now have to do a little bit of work and migrate over to my new page.

So. If you are one of my AMAZING fans, please take just a quick moment to go to my Facebook page and Like me. I've got some great stuff coming up soon, including some giveaways and exclusive The Betrayed info that I'll post there and not on The Gifted's page.

And please spread the word. You are my most valuable tool in writing success. Pin It

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Showstoppers, by Helen Smith

Showstoppers, by Helen Smith

“Helen Smith is a master story-teller." Socrates Book Reviews

When twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles helps out at a local stage school, she’s soon mixed up in murder. She teams up with eccentric philosophy professor Dr. Muriel to solve the case.

This 75-page comic mystery novella will appeal to fans of M C Beaton and Alexander McCall Smith.

Print Length: 48 pages
Publisher: Tyger Books (December 5, 2011)







 
Praise for the Emily Castles Mystery Series
Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious... Helen Smith is a master story-teller.
~Socrates Book Reviews

It grips you from the very beginning.
~Babs Books Bistro

Bright, colorful and full of surprises.
~Amazon Vine Reviewer

Fast-paced and unusual, I highly recommend this one.
~Eva’s Sanctuary


Praise for Helen Smith
Smith is gin-and-tonic funny.
~The Booklist

My Review:
This is the second Emily Castles mystery book.  Three Sisters was the first.

First off, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than I did the first one.  I think the reason for that is because the mystery starts right from the beginning in this story, where as it took a while for it to get going in the first book.  I also liked the characters a little more, too.  Victoria is funny, self-absorbed, and a little flaky.  She makes me laugh.  

I enjoyed the overlap of some of the characters.  Dr. Muriel returns as a very helpful and amusing sidekick for Emily.  The mention of characters and places from the first book was fun, too.  

I liked the mystery in this book.  It took me a lot longer to guess who the culprit is than in the first book.  I still managed to guess correctly long before the guilty party revealed themselves, but it was fun to have suspicions and doubts about their identity.

There were some typos and spelling mistakes, and those always drive me a bit crazy, but the content was clean, humorous, and fun.  This would definitely be classified as a "light" mystery.  I would read the first book before reading this one, just so you have the background about all the characters.  They aren't very long, so it makes for a nice afternoon read.

Amazon | Goodreads | Shelfari | LibraryThing

About the Author:

Helen Smith is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and English PEN. She travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel which was published by Gollancz (part of the Hachette Group).

She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays and is the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. She's a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories. She likes knitting but she doesn't like driving. She likes dancing. 


Facebook | Twitter | Website

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

February 7th
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Interview
FUONLYKNEW - Review
Taking Time for Mommy - Review
Cabin Goddess - Review
UK Quality Reads - Review

February 8th
Wall-to-Wall Books - Review
Pieces of Whimsy - Interview
Read Your Writes - Interview
Deborah's Books - Review & Interview
Yellow Hat Writer - Tens List

February 9th
Taking Time for Mommy - Review
Books, Books the Magical Fruit - Interview
Crafty Zoo - Guest Post
UK Quality Reads - Review
Martha's Bookshelf - Review

February 10th
Turner's Antics - Review
Bookhounds - Interview
Book Worm Brandy - Review
Deborah's Books - Review
Impressions of a Princess - Interview

February 11th
Getting Your Read On - Review
Booklady's Booknotes - Review
Kelly's Lucky You - Review
Oh, for the Hook of a Book! - Review & Interview
Something to Offer - Review

February 12th
Literarily Speaking - Interview
StoreyBook Reviews - Review
Thoughts n' Such - Review & Interview
Fantasy Books - Review & Interview
Between the Pages - Tens List

February 13th
Must Read Faster - Review
Every Free Chance Book Reviews - Review
Blooding Book Reviews - Interview
Cover2CoverBlog - Review

February 14th
Lori's Reading Corner - Tens List
Musings by Maureen - Review
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review
Deal Sharing Aunt - Review

February 15th
StoreyBook Reviews - Review
The Busy Mom's Daily - Review
Oh, The Books You'll Read! - Review
Brooke Blogs - Review & Guest Post

February 16th
Cuzinlogic - Review & Interview
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review
Deal Sharing Aunt - Review
Indie Author How-to - Tens List

February 17th
My Devotional Thoughts - Review
Insane About Books - Review
Christy's Cozy Corners - Review
Brooke Blogs - Review

February 18th
Karey White - Tens List
Bookworm Lisa - Review

February 19th
Reviewing Shelf - Review & Tens List
Thoughts n' Such - Review
Christy's Cozy Corners - Review
Laurie Here - Review & Guest Post

February 20th
The Busy Mom's Daily - Review
My Devotional Thoughts - Review
Fangirl Hostess - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review & Tens List

February 21st
Vonnie's Reading Corner - Review
Mochas, Mysteries and More - Review
The Polliwog Blog - Review

February 22nd
Why Not? Because I Said So? - Review & Tens List
Fangirl Hostess - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review
Laurie Here - Review
Pin It

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Three Sisters, by Helen Smith

Three Sisters, by Helen Smith

Twenty-six-year-old Londoner Emily Castles has been invited to a party in the big house at the end of her street. How could she know, as she left her house that evening, that she was making an appointment with death?

This 70-page comic mystery novella will appeal to fans of M C Beaton and Alexander McCall Smith.

Print Length: 44 pages
Publisher: Tyger Books (February 5, 2011)










Praise for the Emily Castles Mystery Series
Fast-paced, funny, and mysterious... Helen Smith is a master story-teller.
~Socrates Book Reviews

It grips you from the very beginning.
~Babs Books Bistro

Bright, colorful and full of surprises.
~Amazon Vine Reviewer

Fast-paced and unusual, I highly recommend this one.
~Eva’s Sanctuary


Praise for Helen Smith
Smith is gin-and-tonic funny.
~The Booklist

My Review:

While murder mysteries have never been my favorite genre, I did enjoy this short novella.  It was pretty slow in the beginning, but things picked up quickly about half way through.  

I felt like the mystery was a little bit rushed, and a little too obvious (I knew who dunnit right from the start), but I still found it very entertaining.  I appreciated Emily's heartbreak over her dog's passing and laughed at how many times she had to mention it to everyone she met.  The different acts going on at the party were fun and a little comical.  I look forward to reading more of Helen Smith's work.

Amazon | Goodreads | Shelfari | LibraryThing

About the Author:

Helen Smith is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and English PEN. She travelled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both - from cleaning motels to working as a magician's assistant - before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel which was published by Gollancz (part of the Hachette Group).

She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays and is the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. She's a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories. She likes knitting but she doesn't like driving. She likes dancing. 

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Interview With Helen Smith:

1. What inspired you to write murder mysteries?

I love reading mysteries and so I decided to write a murder mystery series set in present-day London, where I live. I’m really enjoying writing the stories and the characters, and I hope the sense of fun comes through in the book.

2. Where do you get your ideas from?

I often find inspiration in everyday things around me, or in news stories. A lot of ideas start with “what if?”

3. Do you have plans for more Emily mysteries?

Yes. The first full-length Emily Castles mystery, Invitation to Die, will be published by Thomas & Mercer later this year.

4. What are your current projects?

Invitation to Die will be followed by more full-length mysteries in the Emily Castles series, so I’m working on them at the moment. I’m really enjoying writing the books and hope readers will enjoy reading them.

5. Is there anything that you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I don’t really like plotting.

6. How do you respond to a bad review?

I have never had a bad review from a critic but a few people have left nasty reviews on my books on Amazon. I never respond. I try not to look at the 1* and 2* reviews but it’s hard to ignore them if I look at the book’s description page to check the book’s rank or to look at a nice review if someone has left one. I’m always really delighted when a reader leaves a good review for one of my books on Amazon, so I try to concentrate on the positives and think about all the nice people who have told me they have enjoyed my books, and get on with writing the next one.

7. Which authors and writers from history do you admire most?

Charles Dickens, Graham Greene, Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Evelyn Waugh, Muriel Spark.

8. Which contemporary authors do you admire most?

Peter Carey, Haruki Murakami, David Mitchell, Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood.

9. When did you first become interesting in writing?

I loved reading as a child and used to write poetry and stories. I didn’t start writing in earnest as an adult until I was in my late twenties. I won a prize for a short play that was broadcast on the radio. I had sent it off to the playwriting contest somewhat on a whim, the night before the deadline, so I was surprised when they contacted me to tell me I was one of the winners. By then I had started writing my first novel, and I kept on with that until I finished it and got it published.

10. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Just keep at it. You’ll get there. Good luck!

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

February 7th
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer - Interview
FUONLYKNEW - Review
Taking Time for Mommy - Review
Cabin Goddess - Review
UK Quality Reads - Review

February 8th
Wall-to-Wall Books - Review
Pieces of Whimsy - Interview
Read Your Writes - Interview
Deborah's Books - Review & Interview
Yellow Hat Writer - Tens List

February 9th
Taking Time for Mommy - Review
Books, Books the Magical Fruit - Interview
Crafty Zoo - Guest Post
UK Quality Reads - Review
Martha's Bookshelf - Review

February 10th
Turner's Antics - Review
Bookhounds - Interview
Book Worm Brandy - Review
Deborah's Books - Review
Impressions of a Princess - Interview

February 11th
Getting Your Read On - Review
Booklady's Booknotes - Review
Kelly's Lucky You - Review
Oh, for the Hook of a Book! - Review & Interview
Something to Offer - Review

February 12th
Literarily Speaking - Interview
StoreyBook Reviews - Review
Thoughts n' Such - Review & Interview
Fantasy Books - Review & Interview
Between the Pages - Tens List

February 13th
Must Read Faster - Review
Every Free Chance Book Reviews - Review
Blooding Book Reviews - Interview
Cover2CoverBlog - Review

February 14th
Lori's Reading Corner - Tens List
Musings by Maureen - Review
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review
Deal Sharing Aunt - Review

February 15th
StoreyBook Reviews - Review
The Busy Mom's Daily - Review
Oh, The Books You'll Read! - Review
Brooke Blogs - Review & Guest Post

February 16th
Cuzinlogic - Review & Interview
A Casual Reader's Blog - Review
Deal Sharing Aunt - Review
Indie Author How-to - Tens List

February 17th
My Devotional Thoughts - Review
Insane About Books - Review
Christy's Cozy Corners - Review
Brooke Blogs - Review

February 18th
Karey White - Tens List
Bookworm Lisa - Review

February 19th
Reviewing Shelf - Review & Tens List
Thoughts n' Such - Review
Christy's Cozy Corners - Review
Laurie Here - Review & Guest Post

February 20th
The Busy Mom's Daily - Review
My Devotional Thoughts - Review
Fangirl Hostess - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review & Tens List

February 21st
Vonnie's Reading Corner - Review
Mochas, Mysteries and More - Review
The Polliwog Blog - Review

February 22nd
Why Not? Because I Said So? - Review & Tens List
Fangirl Hostess - Review
3Ps in a Pod - Review
Laurie Here - Review

Pin It

In case you didn't know, I'm actually an author.

Hola. I just wanted to take a break from ALL the reviewing I've been doing to give you an update on what's going on with my writing.

I say "all" because I mean "all." I haven't posted a review in like six months, no joke. Dena has doing all the reviews, and she's doing an amazing job. Be sure to leave a comment on her reviews to let her know. I also have some reviews coming from a guest reviewers. Stay tuned for those as well.

So. It has officially been nearly two years since I published The Gifted. I took some time off from writing to figure out the business side of being an author, and then I had a baby. Then I had to figure out how on earth to raise two children instead of one. When I felt like I had a sort of idea of what I was doing, it was finally time to write a sequel to The Gifted.

It's "only" taken me about 8 months to bang out the rough draft, but I've done it! The Betrayed is now in the editing process. I don't have a cover to reveal quite yet, but I will soon. We finally found a picture of Hunter (as he's the main character of The Betrayed) after sifting through literally thousands of pictures. 

At the moment I'm just waiting for the revisions to come back from my editors. I felt so excited about The Betrayed, I started work on the third and final book in the series while I wait. That's good news because it won't take another two years to publish the next installment.

After that? I already have another book in the works. That makes three, count 'em, three books I'm working on at the same time. This third book is going to be totally different than anything I've done, and I feel like I have an original idea here. Mainly because I did a bit of research and found nothing on the type of character I want. I had to create his race of beings as well as the background legends that accompany him. That was pretty fun.

Anyway. I just wanted you all to know that while Dena works hard reviewing books, I'm working hard to write them. I actually have a few book reviews in the works, and Dena has been writing as well. So I guess we both wear a few hats. The difference is she's a world renowned artist, and I'm...not. ;)

Happy reading! Come back soon.  Pin It