I’m SO excited to share my review today for Yelena and Tina’s debut novel, A TOUCH OF DARKNESS! Book Blurb: Cassie’s working for a tightwad boss at a pretentious NYC diner, dealing with paralyzing pain that doctors can’t diagnose, and trying to hide her hands that glow purple whenever she …well, whenever. So, when a mysterious stranger walks out of her dreams and into her life to spout some nonsense about her being a mythical creature, she chalks it up […]
Continue ReadingWhere in the World is ARCHETYPE?
So there’s this publisher called Dutton Books, who decided to publish this book called ARCHETYPE by M.D. Waters. GREATEST. DECISION. EVER! No joke. There’s a reason why there’s been an insane amount of buzz in the publishing world about this book. Check out the blurb from Goodreads: Introducing a breathtakingly inventive futuristic suspense novel about one woman who rebels against everything she is told to believe. Emma wakes in a hospital, with no memory of what came before. Her […]
Continue ReadingOn Candy Crush and Writing
Ahhh, Candy Crush. I wish I could say that I have loads of self-control.That I was able to not succumb–yet again–to an online-Facebook game. But … I cannot. *grin* I mean, come in, cute rainbow-colored candies and nifty power-ups? Why, it’s like Bejeweled. But on crack. 😉 In any case, I was incredibly lazy the weekend before last. My sister and I held a Slumber Party at our house, and so in preparation for this female-only gathering, I cleaned my […]
Continue ReadingAdvice to My Newbie Author Self, Part 4: Become a Sponge
Welcome to another installment in my ongoing series: Advice to my Newbie Author Self. Before we get started, I’d like to you on a trip down Nostalgia Lane for a sec. Do you remember Magic Capsules? Oh, those were so much fun. I’d open the package and immediately throw one (or all) of the capsules into a glass of water. Then I’d sit and wait, and wait, and wait a little more–like the impatient person I grew to be–and then suddenly … voila! I had […]
Continue ReadingWhat Do You Do When You’re Smacked Five Steps Back?
Happy Monday, everyone! As you may have already noticed, I have a new site header. *pets screen* 😀 My amazing sister-in-law, Julie, designed this fantastic graphic, and she’s even going to shrink it scale for business cards. With the new design comes new excitement and a fresh feeling of oh-my-God-I’m-really-doing-this. I’ve been absent from pretty much all social outlets for the past week or so due to a mini personal crisis, and an all-around lack of motivation. As in, I got hit […]
Continue ReadingAdvice to My Newbie Author Self, Part 3: The Dream vs. The Reality
Many times as a newbie author–heck, sometimes a seasoned author–we get a whack in the head, or a face-full-o-concrete from a little thing called reality. For many of us writers, the moment we type “The End” on our first full manuscript is the moment we sit back and begin to daydream about huge book tours, TV interviews, movie deals, having our favorite band write a song inspired by our novel. Yes, I seriously imagined that last one. 🙂 The Dream Scape At […]
Continue ReadingAdvice to My Newbie Author Self, Part 2: Buh-Bye Self-Doubt & Introverted Tendencies
Two weeks ago I addressed the first piece of advice to my newbie author self: Patience, Young Padawan. This week I wanted to address another important piece of advice I believe every author, especially newbies, can benefit from: saying sayonara to our self-doubt and introverted ways. Part of the time, at least. Yes, I know, this is definitely easier said than done. 🙂 Step 1: Start with Social Media In the WikiHow article How to Make Friends As an Introvert, […]
Continue ReadingWhat’s Your Favorite Craft Book?
Today I’m interrupting the continuation of my Advice to My Newbie Author Self series to rave about the latest craft books I’ve been devouring–yet again: The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes & Heroines by Tami D. Cowden, Caro LaFever and Sue Viders All fiction writers want to write stories with great heroes and heroines–characters who leap off the page and capture the reader’s imagination. Fallen Heroes: Sixteen Master Villain Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden The villain is the hero […]
Continue ReadingAdvice to My Newbie Author Self – Part 1: Patience, Young Padawan
When we first start venturing down the road to becoming a published author, there are many, many, many aspects of this writing life that we don’t know. Some things are fairly simple–such as writing craft techniques that’ll make your life so much easier–but others are the kind of stumbling blocks we didn’t know were there until we’ve already tripped and smacked our heads on the pavement. *re-applies ice packet to forehead* The pain! OMG, the pain!! I set out to […]
Continue ReadingGetting Armed and Ready for a New Author Site & Blog
Usually when writers set out to start a blog, we get so excited over the idea of getting out there and sharing our journeys that we make the mistake of not truly researching all the options out there for an author site and/or blog. Who has two thumbs and made that mistake three years ago? *whistles and looks away* 😉 When we’re finally ready to put ourselves out there, we can sometimes go with the first blogging platform we’ve discovered. […]
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