Thinking of giving a Kindle as a gift?
Do you already have a Kindle and want some free books to put on it?
One of the Carnis came up with a great idea. We are going to give away some ebooks for Christmas. I'm going to start this one early. I'll add other books to this list as I get the codes for them, but here is mine. You can get a copy of Vampires Rule on Smashwords for free. Just go to the Smashwords link for Vampires Rule on the Buy Links page or on the Vampires Rule sample page. Click on it and use the code when you are asked how you will pay for the book.
The coupon code for a free copy is KA98G
This is a LIMITED coupon that will only last until a few days after Christmas. Pass the word. You can also get the book on Nook and other ereaders.
If you give it as a gift, let them know the second book in the series Werewolves Rule is also available... if they like the first one enough to read on.
Merry Christmas (early).
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Thursday, November 24, 2011
YA INDIE CARNIVAL: Thanksgiving
At the Carnival this week we are writing about Thanksgiving. I have decided it's a good time to make a list of the things I am thankful to God for. Sometimes as I fall to sleep at night, I kind of play a little game where I name off one hundred things that I am thankful for. Today I think I'll keep the list to fifty. So in no particular order, here they are:
Family, friends, colors, rainbows, soft rain, fluffy clouds, my home, fuzzy kittens, my dancing puppy, music, movies and shows that inspire me to write, books, mountains, the ocean, the different seasons, pretty trees, my computer, funny things kids say, shopping, creative people, chocolate, dreams, technology, quiet walks in the woods, food from different cultures, birds, good night's sleep, christmas lights, the people who read my books, fire to roast marshmellows over, twinkling stars, beautiful sunrises, pretty shoes, diamonds, ideas for books that come out of nowhere, things that make me laugh, candles, a warm house, the time to write, hot cocoa, cute clothes, cookies on Christmas Day, the Bible, church, freedom to worship God, online communities like Goodreads, my blog, followers on my blog, money to pay the bills, fireworks, a big kitchen, bubble baths, warm socks, patient people, medicine for when you're sick, a clean house, Facebook games, music boxes, presents... I lost count.
Oh well. I am thankful for many things this year. Are you? Feel free to add something to the list that you are grateful for, and remember to check out Thanksgiving stories below on these other great blogs. :)
Family, friends, colors, rainbows, soft rain, fluffy clouds, my home, fuzzy kittens, my dancing puppy, music, movies and shows that inspire me to write, books, mountains, the ocean, the different seasons, pretty trees, my computer, funny things kids say, shopping, creative people, chocolate, dreams, technology, quiet walks in the woods, food from different cultures, birds, good night's sleep, christmas lights, the people who read my books, fire to roast marshmellows over, twinkling stars, beautiful sunrises, pretty shoes, diamonds, ideas for books that come out of nowhere, things that make me laugh, candles, a warm house, the time to write, hot cocoa, cute clothes, cookies on Christmas Day, the Bible, church, freedom to worship God, online communities like Goodreads, my blog, followers on my blog, money to pay the bills, fireworks, a big kitchen, bubble baths, warm socks, patient people, medicine for when you're sick, a clean house, Facebook games, music boxes, presents... I lost count.
Oh well. I am thankful for many things this year. Are you? Feel free to add something to the list that you are grateful for, and remember to check out Thanksgiving stories below on these other great blogs. :)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Books
I just wanted to take a moment to let people know what books I have available at this time. They would make a great Christmas gift for anyone who likes to read.
Vampires Rule: A seventeen-year-old vampire turns mortal but still has to fight werewolves. You can read a sample chapter here on the blog. Just press the button for the Vampires Rule page above. This book can be found at Smashwords, Amazon, B&N, etc. It is available as an ebook and in print.
Werewolves Rule: This is the book after Vampires Rule. You can also find it at the same places. I don't have a sample chapter here, but you can read a sample before purchasing at Smashwords or Amazon.
Crushed: This is the first of the Witch-Game books. Kristen and her sisters are playing a dangerous game at school using their powers. They Crush the boys and make them do whatever comes to mind. Unfortunately this year Kristen has picked on the wrong boy. You can read a sample of this book on the Crushed Sample Chapter page above. It can also be found at Smashwords, Amazon, B&N, etc.
Coming Soon: 1. Witch Hunt (the second book in the Witch-Game series). You do not have to read Crushed to enjoy this one. It has different characters and a different game.
2. Pandora's Box: This is a romantic suspense book. I used to write for Harlequin. In this book a woman named Madison wants to clear her father's name after he tries to kill the president. She and the president's son, a Navy SEAL, work together to uncover a dark secret, and they try not to fall for each other, but it's hard when they have to work so closely together.
3. Mystery of Moore House: This book might be published under a different name. It was originally called Borrowed Identity and published by Harlequin. I am in the process of getting my rights back so I can put it out as an ebook.
4. Married to a Stranger: Also published by Harlequin, this book was called Would-Be Wife, a title I always hated.
5. Shifters Rule: The third book in the Rule series. Hopefully I can get it out there by next summer. It was supposed to be released soon, but my computer crashed and I've been having a lot of problems getting to it.
Books in the Future: Here are some that I would like to write in the next year or two.
1. Raven's Claw: The third book in the Witch-Game series.
2. Bait: The first in my hunter series.
Anyway, some of these books are written and some are in the dreaming stage still. I hope you will pick up a copy of at least one of them and give it a try. My greatest wish is simply to have people read and enjoy my books. Thank you. Happy Reading!
Vampires Rule: A seventeen-year-old vampire turns mortal but still has to fight werewolves. You can read a sample chapter here on the blog. Just press the button for the Vampires Rule page above. This book can be found at Smashwords, Amazon, B&N, etc. It is available as an ebook and in print.
Werewolves Rule: This is the book after Vampires Rule. You can also find it at the same places. I don't have a sample chapter here, but you can read a sample before purchasing at Smashwords or Amazon.
Crushed: This is the first of the Witch-Game books. Kristen and her sisters are playing a dangerous game at school using their powers. They Crush the boys and make them do whatever comes to mind. Unfortunately this year Kristen has picked on the wrong boy. You can read a sample of this book on the Crushed Sample Chapter page above. It can also be found at Smashwords, Amazon, B&N, etc.
Coming Soon: 1. Witch Hunt (the second book in the Witch-Game series). You do not have to read Crushed to enjoy this one. It has different characters and a different game.
2. Pandora's Box: This is a romantic suspense book. I used to write for Harlequin. In this book a woman named Madison wants to clear her father's name after he tries to kill the president. She and the president's son, a Navy SEAL, work together to uncover a dark secret, and they try not to fall for each other, but it's hard when they have to work so closely together.
3. Mystery of Moore House: This book might be published under a different name. It was originally called Borrowed Identity and published by Harlequin. I am in the process of getting my rights back so I can put it out as an ebook.
4. Married to a Stranger: Also published by Harlequin, this book was called Would-Be Wife, a title I always hated.
5. Shifters Rule: The third book in the Rule series. Hopefully I can get it out there by next summer. It was supposed to be released soon, but my computer crashed and I've been having a lot of problems getting to it.
Books in the Future: Here are some that I would like to write in the next year or two.
1. Raven's Claw: The third book in the Witch-Game series.
2. Bait: The first in my hunter series.
Anyway, some of these books are written and some are in the dreaming stage still. I hope you will pick up a copy of at least one of them and give it a try. My greatest wish is simply to have people read and enjoy my books. Thank you. Happy Reading!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Keeping the Pace
I have been told several times over the years that my books are fast-paced. Editors, agents, etc. have told me that my books travel from start to finish like a speeding train without brakes. Sometimes this isn't a good thing. Some people want a nice, slow ride. My books are not for them. I write YA books because teens seem to enjoy a book that moves along without slowing down. I decided to write this post after receiving a review on Smashwords about Crushed from a guy. Usually guys don't read my books because they are paranormal romance, but he gave me four stars and said I have mastered the art of pacing. Good to hear. Now if I could just get a handle on other aspects of writing.
I spent some time last night thinking about pacing. I know of a few author friends who have trouble with it. They have asked me a few times how I do it. I never really know what to say, but I'm going to give it a shot here and see if I can figure it out.
1. Don't Waste a Scene: I try to make sure every scene has a reason for being in my book. It has to share a new piece of information with the reader, develop the characters further, take the reader on an emotional ride, or move the plot forward in some other way. Also, if I am bored while writing the scene then the reader will be bored reading it. In that case, I start over.
2. Conflict: There are always several things happening in my books. The protagonist has a main problem but also several smaller ones. I think conflicts help the story move at a faster pace.
3. Sentence Structure: Shorter sentences make things move faster, but you have to watch it or your book will be choppy. That was the number one complaint from my former editor. I had to really work on varying my sentence structure. However, I do use a lot of short sentences during fight scenes or other scenes where the protag is in danger. As far as I know this approach works well. I haven't had any complaints from professionals when it comes to my action sequences.
4. Dialogue: Conversations make the story go faster and long, detailed paragraphs slow it down.
5. Shorter Chapters: This is a trick I picked up from another writer. To pick up the pace, make the chapters shorter towards the end of the book. When you are doing suspense, maybe a mystery, you want to pick up the pace near the end. This works. Also shorter scenes help make it seem to move faster.
Okay, that's all I can think of right now. I don't do any of these things intentionally when I write though. When I sit down at the computer, I am not thinking about making the pace move fast. I just write.
Hope this info helps someone. Happy writing!
I spent some time last night thinking about pacing. I know of a few author friends who have trouble with it. They have asked me a few times how I do it. I never really know what to say, but I'm going to give it a shot here and see if I can figure it out.
1. Don't Waste a Scene: I try to make sure every scene has a reason for being in my book. It has to share a new piece of information with the reader, develop the characters further, take the reader on an emotional ride, or move the plot forward in some other way. Also, if I am bored while writing the scene then the reader will be bored reading it. In that case, I start over.
2. Conflict: There are always several things happening in my books. The protagonist has a main problem but also several smaller ones. I think conflicts help the story move at a faster pace.
3. Sentence Structure: Shorter sentences make things move faster, but you have to watch it or your book will be choppy. That was the number one complaint from my former editor. I had to really work on varying my sentence structure. However, I do use a lot of short sentences during fight scenes or other scenes where the protag is in danger. As far as I know this approach works well. I haven't had any complaints from professionals when it comes to my action sequences.
4. Dialogue: Conversations make the story go faster and long, detailed paragraphs slow it down.
5. Shorter Chapters: This is a trick I picked up from another writer. To pick up the pace, make the chapters shorter towards the end of the book. When you are doing suspense, maybe a mystery, you want to pick up the pace near the end. This works. Also shorter scenes help make it seem to move faster.
Okay, that's all I can think of right now. I don't do any of these things intentionally when I write though. When I sit down at the computer, I am not thinking about making the pace move fast. I just write.
Hope this info helps someone. Happy writing!
Friday, November 11, 2011
YA INDIE CARNIVAL: 11/11/11
This week on the Carnival we are going to give you the number eleven because it is 11/11/11. Some will give eleven reasons to read their books, while others will give eleven tips on writing or marketing, etc. Check them out after you've read my list, and thanks for your support.
Top Eleven Duos from Film, Shows, and Books::
1. Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural: I love to watch these guys. They are so much like brothers I've known. They can beat each other to a pulp, but no one else had better try it. They have an interesting love/hate relationship.
2. Elena/Stephen or Elena/Damon from Vampire Diaries: Whether you want Elena with Stephen or with Damon, they're interesting to watch.
3. Buffy/Angel or Buffy/Spike: Personally I liked Spike better but thought Buffy should be with Angel if that makes any sense.
4. Sonny/Jason/Carly from General Hospital: Okay I kind of cheated here by adding Carly, but back in the day they were great to watch. Jason works for Sonny (a mobster) and Carly is his best friend, but Carly was married to Sonny for a while. They divorced and started to hate each other, but somehow they are always in each other's face with Jason trying to keep the peace without taking sides.
5. Kirk/Spock: The chemistry between these two made the show.
6. Jack/Jersey in Vampires Rule: I thought I'd throw in one of my own pairings. Jack and Jersey are destined to kill each other, but they have this weird friendship going on. Their love of literature has brought them together. I love it that Jersey values Jack's opinion on books.
7. King Aragorn/Legolas in The Lord of the Rings: I wish there'd been more scenes between these two. They have awesome chemistry. I think Legolas has a little bit of a man-crush on Aragorn.
8. Frank/Joe Hardy in the Hardy Boys books: I kind of think that Sam and Dean were patterned a bit after these guys, only they are more hardcore. When I was a kid, I loved these books.
9. Rock Stars/Lead Guitar: Okay, Okay. This is real life and not a book or movie, but I've always been fascinated with the tight relationship that seems to develop between rock stars and their main guitar player. Think about it. Jagger and Richards, Bon Jovi and Sambora, Brett Michaels and C. C. Deville. I could go on.
10. Clark Kent/Lex Luthor on Smallville: Back when Lex was with the show, I loved it that these two wanted to be friends but were so distrustful of each other. They both had secrets from the other, yet they both thought the other should be an open book.
11. Kristen Noah and Zach Bevian from Crushed: Another one of mine, but I love the way Kristen and Zach interact. He's the town bad boy, teasing her and taunting her, thinking she's too good to ride a motorcycle with him. Then she pushes him back and drives the thing. I love her spunk.
Anyway, that is my list. I'm sure I've forgotten some good duos, but these are some of my favorites. I hope you agree with at least a few of them. Do you have any examples of great chemistry between duos that I forgot?
Remember to click on the links below and check out some more top eleven lists.
Top Eleven Duos from Film, Shows, and Books::
1. Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural: I love to watch these guys. They are so much like brothers I've known. They can beat each other to a pulp, but no one else had better try it. They have an interesting love/hate relationship.
2. Elena/Stephen or Elena/Damon from Vampire Diaries: Whether you want Elena with Stephen or with Damon, they're interesting to watch.
3. Buffy/Angel or Buffy/Spike: Personally I liked Spike better but thought Buffy should be with Angel if that makes any sense.
4. Sonny/Jason/Carly from General Hospital: Okay I kind of cheated here by adding Carly, but back in the day they were great to watch. Jason works for Sonny (a mobster) and Carly is his best friend, but Carly was married to Sonny for a while. They divorced and started to hate each other, but somehow they are always in each other's face with Jason trying to keep the peace without taking sides.
5. Kirk/Spock: The chemistry between these two made the show.
6. Jack/Jersey in Vampires Rule: I thought I'd throw in one of my own pairings. Jack and Jersey are destined to kill each other, but they have this weird friendship going on. Their love of literature has brought them together. I love it that Jersey values Jack's opinion on books.
7. King Aragorn/Legolas in The Lord of the Rings: I wish there'd been more scenes between these two. They have awesome chemistry. I think Legolas has a little bit of a man-crush on Aragorn.
8. Frank/Joe Hardy in the Hardy Boys books: I kind of think that Sam and Dean were patterned a bit after these guys, only they are more hardcore. When I was a kid, I loved these books.
9. Rock Stars/Lead Guitar: Okay, Okay. This is real life and not a book or movie, but I've always been fascinated with the tight relationship that seems to develop between rock stars and their main guitar player. Think about it. Jagger and Richards, Bon Jovi and Sambora, Brett Michaels and C. C. Deville. I could go on.
10. Clark Kent/Lex Luthor on Smallville: Back when Lex was with the show, I loved it that these two wanted to be friends but were so distrustful of each other. They both had secrets from the other, yet they both thought the other should be an open book.
11. Kristen Noah and Zach Bevian from Crushed: Another one of mine, but I love the way Kristen and Zach interact. He's the town bad boy, teasing her and taunting her, thinking she's too good to ride a motorcycle with him. Then she pushes him back and drives the thing. I love her spunk.
Anyway, that is my list. I'm sure I've forgotten some good duos, but these are some of my favorites. I hope you agree with at least a few of them. Do you have any examples of great chemistry between duos that I forgot?
Remember to click on the links below and check out some more top eleven lists.
Friday, November 4, 2011
YA INDIE CARNIVAL: Blast from the Past
This week's assignment from the Carnival is all about our high school short stories, books, etc. We're supposed to post something that we wrote in high school. Unfortunately I threw out everything I wrote in high school a long time ago. Yes, I know, that was stupid. I've regretted it ever since, but there's nothing I can do about it now. So I am going to post a short scene from Crushed, a scene that takes place in the high school.
This scene takes place in the hallway after the bell has rung and most students are in class. Kristen has had a rough morning, and she's angry:
The hallway was empty with one huge exception: Zach Bevian.
It didn't surprise her to see him talking on his cell. She'd had a class with him once. Tardy was his middle name. If he was going to show up at all, it would be five to ten minutes late. The loser probably wanted to make a grand entrance so everyone would look at him. He finished the conversation and tucked the cell into his snug jeans. She was suprised there was room in those pockets something wider than a quarter.
Too bad for him, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
She could be wild and fun and impulsive. She would show Brittany that Kristen Noah was not your typical good girl. There wasn't any reason why she couldn't get decent grades and have fun at the same time. When she got done experimenting with her wild side, Brittany would beg her to play nice again.
She reached into her purse and pulled a long, skinny glass vial out. Emptying the pink dust into one hand, she walked straight up to Zach. Before she had the chance to come to her senses or count the number of ways this could go wrong, she blew the dust into his face. A pink cloud floated around him for a second. It dissipated quickly. He stared at her in stunned silence.
The Crushed spell had that effect on people. Boys gazed into space once they were hit with it. The spell momentarily distorted their thinking. Soon he would be following her around, doing her bidding, and making puppy-love eyes at her. She couldn't wait.
The vision of him following her around brought a smile to her face.
She continued to walk, barely missing a step.
Cyndi's shocked voice reached her ears. "She didn't."
"She did," Brittany said.
"But we aren't supposed to start the game until next week."
"Tell that to the cheater."
Kristen felt better already. She felt so good that she stopped to fix her face. She pulled a mirror from her purse and reapplied her signature lipstick before heading to class. Candy Apple Crush. It was deep red, her favorite color, with diamond-like sparkles and a hint of gloss. Her mother had it specially made for her in New York.
She compressed her lips to evenly distribute the color. The mirror caught Zach Bevian's reflection. He was still standing there with wide eyes and open mouth. Poor guy didn't even look like he remembered his own name.
Regrets began to pile on top of her head. Someone with a will as strong as Zach's was going to be hard to control. She might actually lose the game this year. She really shouldn't have Crushed him, but she needed the money that a side-bet with Brittany would give her.
His expression changed from puzzlement to pure hatred. He glared at her with a murderous glint in his eyes. Startled, she whipped around to look at him, but he was rummaging around in his locker again.
She must have imagined the hatred in his eyes. Victims of the Crushed spell were instantly in love with the witch who brewed the potion. A painful lump lodged in her throat, and remorse hung over her like a dark cloud. Blowing the dust into his face had been a huge mistake. She had a feeling she was going to be more sorry than sorry before this was over. This could ruin everything.
Check out these great writers and read their high school selections:
This scene takes place in the hallway after the bell has rung and most students are in class. Kristen has had a rough morning, and she's angry:
The hallway was empty with one huge exception: Zach Bevian.
It didn't surprise her to see him talking on his cell. She'd had a class with him once. Tardy was his middle name. If he was going to show up at all, it would be five to ten minutes late. The loser probably wanted to make a grand entrance so everyone would look at him. He finished the conversation and tucked the cell into his snug jeans. She was suprised there was room in those pockets something wider than a quarter.
Too bad for him, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
She could be wild and fun and impulsive. She would show Brittany that Kristen Noah was not your typical good girl. There wasn't any reason why she couldn't get decent grades and have fun at the same time. When she got done experimenting with her wild side, Brittany would beg her to play nice again.
She reached into her purse and pulled a long, skinny glass vial out. Emptying the pink dust into one hand, she walked straight up to Zach. Before she had the chance to come to her senses or count the number of ways this could go wrong, she blew the dust into his face. A pink cloud floated around him for a second. It dissipated quickly. He stared at her in stunned silence.
The Crushed spell had that effect on people. Boys gazed into space once they were hit with it. The spell momentarily distorted their thinking. Soon he would be following her around, doing her bidding, and making puppy-love eyes at her. She couldn't wait.
The vision of him following her around brought a smile to her face.
She continued to walk, barely missing a step.
Cyndi's shocked voice reached her ears. "She didn't."
"She did," Brittany said.
"But we aren't supposed to start the game until next week."
"Tell that to the cheater."
Kristen felt better already. She felt so good that she stopped to fix her face. She pulled a mirror from her purse and reapplied her signature lipstick before heading to class. Candy Apple Crush. It was deep red, her favorite color, with diamond-like sparkles and a hint of gloss. Her mother had it specially made for her in New York.
She compressed her lips to evenly distribute the color. The mirror caught Zach Bevian's reflection. He was still standing there with wide eyes and open mouth. Poor guy didn't even look like he remembered his own name.
Regrets began to pile on top of her head. Someone with a will as strong as Zach's was going to be hard to control. She might actually lose the game this year. She really shouldn't have Crushed him, but she needed the money that a side-bet with Brittany would give her.
His expression changed from puzzlement to pure hatred. He glared at her with a murderous glint in his eyes. Startled, she whipped around to look at him, but he was rummaging around in his locker again.
She must have imagined the hatred in his eyes. Victims of the Crushed spell were instantly in love with the witch who brewed the potion. A painful lump lodged in her throat, and remorse hung over her like a dark cloud. Blowing the dust into his face had been a huge mistake. She had a feeling she was going to be more sorry than sorry before this was over. This could ruin everything.
Check out these great writers and read their high school selections:
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Book Signing Update
For those of you who were wondering how the book signing went, here's the scoop. I learned a lot from it. This was my first book signing. How did I do? That depends on the way you look at it. I didn't sell an incredible amount, but I made 71 dollars in four hours. That's not bad at all. Of course a few of those were to friends. I met some interesting people. We had a great time. I'll post some pictures of it when I get the chance.
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