Oh Hey, I can sing

So Friday, I decided to feel the Christmas spirit and sing. Anyway, the response has been very positive. Apparently, I can still sing. Used to do it all the time from 5th grade through college. Guess I miss it.

Anyway, if you missed it or don't follow my Youtube channel, you can see it here. I'm signing it all a capella. The first one I was going by memory and the second I was actually reading music. Anyway hope you enjoy.



Also, if you are interested in me singing more songs, just leave me a comment, make a request, and have a wonderful holiday. It was fun doing this, so I might just do it more often.

'Till Next Time.

Breaking Stereotypes...a rant

I love breaking stereotypes. So when I saw this article on IBTimes.com, I couldn't resist. Anyway, here's my latest vlog.

I drop a few names here, but mostly because I was talking about books...go figure.



'Till next time.

UPDATE: Said opinion blogger has "apologized". He still doesn't get it.

NaNoWriMo Wrap-Up...finally

Finally did a wrap-up of NaNoWriMo. Yes, I did finish. Also some shout outs to some awesome people in the video.

Namely Jessa Russo, Kelly (aka the Adorable Psycho), Jason (aka Lord of the Dance), Rachel Horwitz, and the amazing Victoria Schwab.





'Till Next time.

SAVOR by Kate Evangelista Holiday Release Blitz

Once again, I get to host Kate Evanglista on my blog. And this time, with a holiday release blitz of her newest book Savor. I'll be posting a review on my blog in January, but until then, here is a little bit about Kate herself.

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing. Today, she lives in the Philippines and writes full-time.

Author Links
Website: www.kateevangelista.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateEvangelista
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Evangelista/165693410143202
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752810.Kate_Evangelista

Mature and explicit content. Not recommended for readers below 18-years-old. Yup, you’ve got to be that old to read my story. Consider yourself warned.

I’m Dakota Collins, a tough talking, eye patch wearing, workaholic photography student. Why am I important? Well, maybe because I get to spend an entire month with Vicious, only the sickest indie rock band out there.

You see, I needed a subject for my Spring Showcase introspective in order to graduate. During a chance encounter at a club I’d been sent to cover for the Daily Gossip, our ironically named college paper, the features writer I usually teamed up with introduced me to the band—by accident, I might add. It involved a run in with a scary, bald bodyguard. Anyway, long story short, I signed a contract to take pictures of Vicious.

I should have known their handsome yet way too serious for his own good bassist, Luka Visraya, wouldn’t be able to keep his hands to himself. He’s gorgeous and all, but the way he smiles spelled trouble with a capital L. I’m in for a long month with him around.

Crazy shit happens and then some. So, if you want the skinny on Vicious and the events revolving around my stay at Lunar Manor, read my story.

Again, refer to the warning above.

Buy Links
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Savor-Vicious-Feast-Kate-Evangelista-ebook/dp/B00H2VSQ0Q/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/kate-evangelista
The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/author/Kate-Evangelista
Crescent Moon Press: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Savor.html
Savor on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17159305-savor

Savor Exclusive Excerpt

"Dakota Collins!"

I lowered my camera. The use of my full name never came with good consequences. I blinked my vision back at her even if I wanted to spend the rest of the night taking his picture. Sweat rose over my upper lip. I may just have found my subject for the Spring Showcase.

The only problem?

I had to find a way to convince him to be in my project. Something told me this wouldn’t be easy. By the way my heart beat in my ears, drowning out the music and Silvia having a fit in front of me, I wanted it too much. I wanted him too much.

"This the guy you were saying?" I showed Silvia the picture I’d taken. This seemed to pacify her because she sidled closer, mesmerized like a moth to a flame.

"Luka Visraya," she said with a moan like she’d just tasted the most luscious chocolate before taking a long gulp of her cocktail. The name didn’t register. Silvia must have noticed my blank expression because she continued. "He’s the bassist for Vicious."

Still no pings of recognition in my head.

She slapped her thigh. "Where have you been? It’s weird that you haven’t heard of them. Their songs are on the radio like every second."

Of course I hadn’t heard of them. I liked listening to country and I hardly kept up with current events.

"Name one?" Okay, I had a name. Luka. Exotic. A bassist. Part of a band I should know about.

So he’s famous. I slowly felt my chances of asking him to be my subject slip from my grasp. If he was someone famous, fat chance he’d say yes to a graduating photography student like me. I just about deflated when Silvia mentioned one of their songs. "Oh, I know that one!" By accident. It played in the radio of the cab I rode in to Sacrifice. I stared at the picture of him then lifted my gaze to where he sat. "He’s gone."

"What?" Silvia whipped around in time to come face to face with a wall of man. "Whoa!" She pushed at him. "Watch it, buddy!"

"Give me the camera," he said in a threatening tone.

Big. Beefy. Bald. The three Bs that made up the quintessential bodyguard.

I clutched my DSLR closer to my chest and looked up at him with my good eye. "And why would I do that?" The patch didn’t seem to intimidate him because he just reached out. So much for my Bond villain aspirations. I moved away from his grubby hand. No one touched my camera but me.

Despite her size, Silvia came between me and the mountain. "We’re here to cover Sacrifice for our college paper. You don’t have the right to take away my colleague’s camera."

Yeah! You give it to him, Silvy.

Not that I couldn’t take care of myself. But if Silvia wanted to play hero, I wouldn’t stand in her way.

"What seems to be the problem here?" a soft, authoritative voice chimed in.

The bodyguard moved aside to reveal the Gothic Lolita. She stood at just about the same height as Silvia, but she possessed an older aura even if she seemed to be our age.

"She’s been taking pictures," Baldy said.

Lolita’s kohl eyes landed on me then shifted to my camera.

"As I was saying to the big guy," Silvia explained. "My colleague and I are covering the opening of Sacrifice."

"For what paper?" Lolita asked without taking her eyes off me. I clutched my camera like an extra appendage. In some ways it was. After losing half my sight, I relied on my camera like an extra eye, seeing the world through its lens. I would rather die than lose it.

"The Daily Gossip," I said before Silvia could answer just to relieve some of the awkward tension building in me under her gaze. "We study at Wexler U."

She tilted her head, crossing her arms.

"Okay," I quickly stammered out. "I get that the name of our paper sounds like a tabloid, but the Daily Gossip is a cool campus paper." The last part maybe only I believed since Silvia raised her eyebrow at me, but Lolita and the mountain didn’t have to know that.

No one spoke after that. Even in a noisy club, the silence in our group rang in my ears. Not waiting for the situation to get any more awkward, I plowed forward with my own selfish intensions.

"You know Luka." I said it more as a statement, but it came out like a question.

Lolita nodded.

"I’m Dakota Collins and I’m graduating this spring. I was wondering if Luka would be interested in—"

"What would I be interested in?" a smooth voice joined our group.

The walls of my throat closed, chocking the rest of what I had to say. All eyes turned to Luka. Silvia dropped her empty glass. It bounced off the bodyguard’s shoe and landed in a clatter but didn’t break. Even with my height, I still had to look up at him.

"What are you doing here?" Lolita admonished. "You should be backstage."

One side of his lips came up. God. Without the scowl, his face lit up. I had to stop the urge to lift my camera and start snapping away. And his eyes were piercing blue. The kind that stretched over my mother’s farm in the summer. Damn.

Seeing him up close, I knew I’d give any one of my kidneys for a chance to take his picture in a formal shoot.

"We have five minutes. Chill, Yana." He tugged at one of her pigtails.

"Luka," Silvia managed. "I’m a big fan. Will you sign my chest?"

Bypassing my petite colleague, Luka’s intensely blue gaze studied me. He reached out and I flinched back. His fingers almost grazed my patch. What the hell was the matter with him? Trying to touch my eye patch was tantamount to poking a bandage over a wound and asking the person if it hurts.

Gothic Lolita—Yana—yanked Luka’s arm down. "I’m so sorry!" Her whole aura changed. She went from all business to panicky. "My brother sometimes forgets his manners. He didn’t mean anything about touching your…" She bit her lower lip, maybe trying to keep herself from saying the wrong thing.

That little faux pas cleared my head of the Luka haze and spurred me into action. "Luka, will you let me take your picture for my final project?" I didn’t know where my courage came from, but I knew if I didn’t take this chance, I’d regret it. I had to have him as my subject.

Still not removing his gaze from my face, like my patch transfixed him, he tilted his head to one side very much like his sister did earlier.

"Luka, don’t!" Yana said, but from the consideration on Luka’s face, she was too late.

"You’re a photographer?"

"Yes." I nodded, in case the word wasn’t enough.

"And you’d like me to be the subject of your project?"

God yes! This time, I could only nod. I didn’t want him to see how eager I was. And I couldn’t live with myself if I embarrassed myself further.

I waited with baited breath.

It seemed everyone in our group waited with baited breath for what the golden god had to say about my brazen request. I soon realized when Luka spoke, everyone listened. The way he pronounced every word precisely yet still spoke so smoothly, like butter on warm toast, captured everyone’s attention. To say he captivated us was an understatement. Something in me certainly wanted to hear him keep speaking. He could read from an accounting textbook in that voice and no one would get bored.

"I need to know that you’re good," he finally said.

Something about his words seemed to hold a different meaning. I must have missed the alcohol in the soda Silvia had given me. Maybe I was drunk and this was all a blackout dream.

"What are you saying?" Yana faced Luka all the way now, her petite form all rigid.

He unleashed a full on megawatt smile my way. I almost had to cover my eye from it. At my side, Silvia gasped. Her long nails dug into my arm. Like staring at the sun, I couldn’t take my gaze away from him no matter how bad it was for me.

"We’re about to perform. I want you to take several pictures then send them to Yana. If she approves, we’ll see about your request."

Then, like smoke, he disappeared into the crowd.

Help Definition House Release Dead New World by Ryan Hill

Definition House needs your help to save the world with Ryan Hill's debut Novel Dead New World. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go to their Kickstarter page and help them and yourself fight the hordes of no longer mindless zombies infecting the planet.

The fate of the world is in your hands.

Dead New World by Ryan Hill

Zombies aren’t mindless anymore.

They follow orders. And if Holt and Ambrose want to kill some undead, they’ll do the same. But when a routine mission goes horribly wrong, the best friends’ lives are flayed to the bone.

Now there’s only one light in the darkness of Holt’s life, and when she’s taken, he’ll do anything to get her back. Even if that means defying orders and using his best friend as a weapon. Holt and Ambrose risk all to save her, but what they discover among the hordes threatens to remake humanity. Again.

In the end, will there be anything left to live for in this dead new world?





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Last Week of NaNo 2013 Video Post

I've been busy this month and haven't updated my blog in a while. That's because, well, I've been busy. Been doing vlogging instead it seems. Anyway, not sure what happened with my goals this month. I do know that I have 20K to write before Saturday at midnight. Either way, this month is a win. I've got an awesome story with a wicked plot. It'll take some work, but that happens. So, take a look at my newest video and laugh at the outtakes.

'Till Next Time

Cover Reveal: SNEAKING CANDY by Lisa Burstein

We are pleased to be able to reveal the cover for Lisa Burstein’s upcoming release SNEAKING CANDY!! This New Adult romance will have you ready and willing to sign up for grad school. You can read more about this hot, new book after checking out the awesome cover! SNEAKING CANDY releases December 9th!





About SNEAKING CANDY:



All I ever wanted was to make a name for myself as Candice Salinas, creative writing grad student at the University of Miami. Of course, secretly I already have made a name for myself: as Candy Sloane, self-published erotic romance writer. Though thrilled that my books are selling and I have actual fans, if anyone at UM found out, I could lose my scholarship…and the respect of my faculty advisor, grade-A-asshole Professor Dylan.


Enter James Walker, super-hot local barista and—surprise!—my student. Even though I know a relationship is totally off-limits, I can’t stop myself from sneaking around with James, taking a few cues from my own erotic writing…if you catch my drift. Candy’s showing her stripes for the first time in my real life, and I’ve never had so much fun. But when the sugar high fades, can my secrets stay under wraps?

Add on Goodreads



 
Author Bio:

Lisa Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers at Eastern Washington University. She is the author of the YA Novels: Pretty Amy and Dear Cassie and the NA Novella: The Next Forever. Sneaking Candy is her first full-length new adult novel.




Links:

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Author Goodreads

SNEAKING CANDY Goodreads

Entangled Teen Release Day Party

Today we're celebrating the release of Entangled Teen's November books! Read about them and enter to win the giveaway below! 

Infinity (The Chronicles of Nerissette #3)

by Andria Buchanan 

Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen



Although she’s still stuck in the magical world of Nerissette, Queen Allie is finally ready to build a relationship with the half hottie, half dragon next door, Winston. But all isn’t really fair in love and war.



Unrest is quickly forming at the borders and soon Allie realizes that the Fate Maker wasn’t the only one who wanted her crown. When her trusted aunt Bavasama sends her troops into Nerissette on a campaign of murder and mass destruction, Allie has a tough decision to make.



She can’t take the chance of letting more people die or letting those she’s lost disappear from memory, but there is more at stake than even she knows. Still, Allie has to do something. And in the process she’ll discover what she’s truly made of when faced with a series of options…each more horrible than the last.

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

In the Blood 

by Sara Hantz

Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen



For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.



His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.



In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…

Goodreads | Amazon 

Spring Moon (Indiana Teller)

by HRH Princess Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian

Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 



Amid the expansive plains of Montana, the Lykos Ranch stretches for miles. The inhabitants who live in near isolation from the outside world are members of the most powerful clan of werewolves in North America. Among them lives just one human: Indiana Teller.



Grandson of the clan’s leader and offspring of a werewolf father and a mysterious yet human mother, Indiana is rejected by his peers and heads to the University of Montana to find a normal life. Despite warnings from his grandparents, he falls in love with a beautiful human, Katerina.



Before too long, he is the victim of an accident that would have killed him had he not miraculously vanished at the moment of impact. Are these strange occurrences just chance or the machinations of a hidden enemy out to destroy him? Facing his destiny, Indiana will have to choose who to believe, and who to love.

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

Olivia Twisted

by Vivi Barnes

Publication: November 5th, 2013 by Entangled Teen 

Olivia

He tilts my chin up so my eyes meet his, his thumb brushing lightly across my lips. I close my eyes. I know Z is trouble. I know that being with him is going to get me into trouble. I don’t care.

At least at this moment, I don’t care.



Tossed from foster home to foster home, Olivia’s seen a lot in her sixteen years. She’s hardened, sure, though mostly just wants to fly under the radar until graduation. But her natural ability with computers catches the eye of Z, a mysterious guy at her new school. Soon, Z has brought Liv into his team of hacker elite—break into a few bank accounts, and voila, he drives a motorcycle. Follow his lead, and Olivia might even be able to escape from her oppressive foster parents. As Olivia and Z grow closer, though, so does the watchful eye of Bill Sykes, Z’s boss. And he’s got bigger plans for Liv…


Z
I can picture Liv’s face: wide-eyed, trusting. Her smooth lips that taste like strawberry Fanta.
It was just a kiss. That’s all. She’s just like any other girl.
Except that she’s not.
Thanks to Z, Olivia’s about to get twisted.

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble 

To celebrate the launch of these books, Entangled Teen is giving away three ebooks. Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway down below for more information!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Evade by Jessa Russo

First off, a huge apology to my friend Jessa for not getting this posted earlier. I am a bad monkey. :( Anyway, this post was SUPPOSED to go live about 14 hours ago. And for that, I am very sorry.

So, today we are, once again, joined by the wonderful, awesome (and forgiving!) Jessa Russo. This time for her blog tour promoting her newest book, EVADE. If this book is anything like the first one, EVER, it'll be awesome, sweet, a little steamy, and a good story. I wish I could say I have read it, but I haven't. I've been busy (as the lack of my usual blog posts should indicate).

So here's Jessa again! Because, it's her blog tour and this is a great picture. :D

Jessa's Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook (Friend) | Facebook (Follow/Like)

Now, the reason behind this stop is to give you all a glimpse into the playlist that helped inspire Jessa.

EVADE – Playlist

The Neighbourhood – SWEATER WEATHER
Tom Petty – MARY JANE’S LAST DANCE
No Doubt – SOMETIMES
Lissie – NOTHING ELSE MATTERS
Queen Kwong – BABY DID A BAD BAD THING – Ariadne!!!
Avicii / Aloe Blacc – WAKE ME UP
Paramore – STILL INTO YOU – Ever!
The Rolling Stones – MISS YOU – Toby!

EVADE's Links:

Blog Tour Schedule | Goodreads 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

EVER's Links: 

Amazon | Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Media Kit

Currently Ever is 99 cents, so go out there and read it. It's good.

'Till Next Time.

Love and Other Games Release Day Blog Launch

Today, we're celebrating the release of Love and Other Games, a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller.



Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze



Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.



Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium. With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.


Ana Blaze's: Website | Twitter | Facebook



Trouble With Gold by Melinda Dozier


US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.


Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult.


Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?


Melinda Dozer's: Website | Twitter | Facebook



The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane


Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.


“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.


The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.


Aria Kane's: Website | Twitter | Facebook



Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller



Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player. Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.



Kara Leigh Miller's: Website | Twitter | Facebook



Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

The authors are hosting a Facebook party on release day filled with fun, surprises, and PRIZES! You can find the event here!

Be sure to check out the #OtherGames hashtag every day in October for winter Olympian sexiness! 



Giveaway



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne

Today I have the distinct pleasure of hosting the cover reveal of my friend Ciara Ballintyne's novela "Confronting the Demon". This is actually a quasi guest post because most of the text is from her. I had the honor of beta reading her novel Deathhawk's Betrayal and I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. My hope is that one day, I'll be able to host the cover reveal on that one.

I've also had the pleasure of reading a beta copy of this novella too and I seriously couldn't put it down. It packs a punch and the world is so beautifully done.

So, without further babbling on my part, here is Ciara.

Ciara Ballintyne

This is the first time I’ve ever had cover art commissioned, but as far as I can tell from the writers I know, seeing the cover art for the first time never gets old. I have to agree it’s a definite ‘SQUEEEE!’ moment. And I’m not generally the kind of person who ever says ‘Squee’. In fact, I’m pretty sure the only time I have ever previously said squee was when HarperVoyager requested a partial of my manuscript Deathhawk’s Betrayal.

So here it is – the cover art for Confronting the Demon, my 25,000 word novella.

Many thanks go out to my artist, Nadica Boskovska. Check out more of her work at http://theswanmaiden.deviantart.com/gallery/

Confronting the Demon

The gates to hell are thrown wide when Alloran is betrayed by his best friend, Ladanyon, and framed for forbidden magic. He is hunted by the guards and the wizards both, tormented by the gruesome murder of his friends and loved ones, and crippled by fear for the living. Now Alloran must face his demons, or damn the woman he loves.

The novella also includes a free bonus short story, A Magical Melody, which was previously featured in the ebook anthology, Spells: Ten Tales of Magic.

When a lethal spell is stolen from a locked and warded room, Avram must hunt down the thief before the song of power buries a city of innocents beneath a thousand tons of ice.

Confronting the Demon is due to be released 1 October 2013, and I’ll be signing copies at the IndieVengeance Day Book Signing in Dallas, Saturday, October 12, 2013 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (CDT). Register for free here if you’re interested to come along - http://www.indievengeanceday.eventbrite.com/.

Ciara Ballintyne can be found on:

Twitter – @CiaraBallintyne

Facebook – www.facebook.com/CiaraBallintyne

Website – www.ciaraballintyne.com
------

Thanks, Ciara!

'Till Next time. 

I Like Banned Books and I Cannot Lie

Banned book week is almost half over and I should probably comment on it. Not only am I an avid reader, I'm also a librarian, and I'm author. I've grown up with books. One time I read 10,000 pages in six months (that was before kids, highspeed internet, and twitter). The fact that anyone would ban a book annoys and saddens me. Reading increases knowledge and understanding. Yes, some of the books on the list have words/concepts that might be offensive. However, I think if you really break it down, you'll realize that any book can theoretically offend someone to the point were they wish to "ban" it from influencing anyone else.

It's sad.

The only thing banning books accomplishes is to degrade a population's ability to think critically and creatively. This is why the printing press was outlawed for so long. An educated population made it difficult for the current regimes to exert their control. This isn't anti-government, it's the truth.

The only purpose to ban books is to control a population. It has nothing to do with morals or offensive language/themes. They don't make people want to do bad things, say bad things, or think bad things. Life does that all on it's own. Books are a way to escape reality and sometimes deal with issues that would be uncomfortable to understand outside of the context of fiction. At the same time, books can give people an awareness of the world that they wouldn't normally get.

Want to know what it's like to be bullied without getting stuffed in a locker yourself?

Read a book.

Want to go on amazing adventure where you go from living in a closet under the stairs to being the one person who can stand up to ultimate evil?

Read a book.

Want to have a happily ever after even though your own life is lonely?

Read a book.

If you want to see what the world looks like without books?

Read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury...it's also a banned book. Coincidence?

Let's talk about all the Banned books that shaped America. Books like Huckleberry Finn, or even the Autobiography of Malcom X. Don't forget that seditious story Where the Wild Things Are. Don't want to fill our kids minds with stories about things that aren't real or show them what life was like for an African-American in the 1960s. Or what it was like in America before the Civil War. You know, because those things are wrong.

Of course, one of my favorites on the list is the the Bible. You know, that symbol of Christianity? The one that defines the Christian religion?

Wait. Did you say the Bible was a banned book?

Yup. There have been versions of it banned throughout history for one reason or another. In most cases that I was able to find, it was a matter of how it was translated. I found this article from 2011, somewhat interesting. I haven't done further research, but it's fascinating.

If you want to know more about banned books, click the banner at the top of the page with the banned books logo and it'll take you to their site.

Here is a list of the banned books from the "Banned books that shaped America" list that I remember reading. There were a couple I think I read, but can't remember. So, I haven't added them.

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• The Call of the Wild by Jack London
• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
• The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
• Moby-Dick; or The Whale by Herman Melville
• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

What banned books have you read?

Now onto my goals for the month (not associated with Banned Books week).

1. Do the homework assigned to me by my Mentor Agent regarding HJ. DONE!!
2. Revise HJ based on Homework.  IN PROGRESS. Figured out my plot. Just a matter now of making the changes. Up to chapter 9 (which used to be later in the book).
3. Take what I learned and apply it to my current WIP if I have time.  Probably won't get this done, but we'll see.
4. Blog once a week. Yes
5. Cheer on my twitter and #writemotivation friends. Totally!

'Till Next Time

Cover Reveal: East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye

So, I got distracted and forgot to post this at 12:01 am like I was supposed to. In other words, I forgot to write up the post and then schedule it because there is no way I'm staying awake that late. Even if I think the author is an awesome person. :D

So, today I get to help show off the cover of Laura Kaye's newest book East of Ecstasy. I've followed Laura on twitter for a while and I can say she is an sweet, wonderful person (in addition to being a bestselling romance author).

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in paranormal and contemporary romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp

So, with all that build-up, I'm guessing you'll want to see the cover.


Right?


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BOOM!

About East of Ecstasy:

Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.

Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.

But Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever…or lost.

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Books in Series:

North of Need

West of Want

South of Surrender

'Till Next Time

Cover Reveal: EVADE by Jessa Russo

If you haven't noticed, I like cover reveals. Not because they are easy (not necessarily because I don't have to come up with content...usually), but because I love promoting other authors. It helps if I like the story (which in this case I do).

Anyway, Jessa is a sweet person and writes a fascinating and sweet story in her first novel EVER. Where a girl falls in love with the ghost of her best friend. Now we have the sequel titled EVADE. The cover to EVER was gorgeous. The cover to EVADE is better.

JESSA RUSSO'S LINKS:

Website | Twitter | Facebook (Friend) | Facebook (Follow/Like)

So, how about that cover...


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In this thrilling sequel, Ever Van Ruysdael's race to beat the odds—and the clock—begins with the introduction of an integral part of her past. As secrets are revealed, and truths uncovered, she learns her imminent death is the least of her problems: Ariadne did more than just put an expiration date on her life; she marked Ever's soul by upping its value for greedy collectors looking to buy their freedom.

Condemned by the countdown on her life, and hunted by hired Seekers, Ever’s journey leads her to question everything she’s known and everyone she’s trusted, while growing closer to the one person from her past she was determined to avoid—and the one guy she never could—Toby James.

With her ex-boyfriend by her side, and the countdown clock rapidly ticking away, Ever tries thwarting fate’s plans. But as her nineteenth birthday approaches, and desperate Seekers follow her every move, she may be too late.

EVADE'S LINKS:

Facebook | EVADE on Goodreads

GRAB A COPY OF EVER: Book One of The EVER Trilogy!

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | EVER on Goodreads 

COVER CREDIT: 

Cover Photo: Face On By Tamara Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Cover Design: Blue Sky Designs / Michelle Johnson Illustrations Website

What do you guys think?


'Till Next Time.

Cleaning House and September 2013 #writemotivation Update

So the first week of September has come and gone and I have finished my homework for my awesome mentor. And I've learned something.

Having two antagonists with two separate agendas and that are not working together can really confuse things.

Yup. I did it.  And this is why Nicole said this:

Where is the plot? I think this is the biggest element that I struggle with. I kept looking for the hook, the moment where the problem would be presented and I'd follow the hero on his journey to overcome it. However, there is no clear plot.

You're hero should have one defined goal. Yes, you can have multiple bad guys, but they have to work together against the hero. Yes, they can have their own agendas, but if your protagonist has to split between struggling against two separate camps, it's going to get confusing.

So, I'm cutting a character arc. The character will still be there and involved, but not with the same focus. The character is more of a symptom of my main character's life and not the cause of it.

I have direction.

I have committed atrocities to my plot using a dull chainsaw and have duct taped the tattered remains together. And I've started rewriting. And when I'm done, it'll be (hopefully) prettier than when I started.

The other thing I've learned is that Sick Puppies is the perfect soundtrack to writing this story. I thought I had a good soundtrack, but then I heard "My World" by Sick Puppies and I knew.

Goals for the month:

1. Do the homework assigned to me by my Mentor Agent regarding HJ. DONE!!
2. Revise HJ based on Homework.  IN PROGRESS
3. Take what I learned and apply it to my current WIP if I have time.  Probably won't get this done, but we'll see.
4. Blog once a week. Yes
5. Cheer on my twitter and #writemotivation friends. Totally!

'Till Next Time

Committing Atrocities on my Plot

So it's the beginning of the month of September. I have goals for this month. Goals that I hope to actually accomplish (unlike the last couple months of flailing).

Anyway, I've been plotting and planning the demise of my somewhat vague plot based on the homework my mentor suggested I do. I call it homework, but it isn't really. It was helpful and eye opening.

Anyway, I was talking to one of my betas and was all "What if..." and she was all, "YES!". So now I'm waiting to see what my CP thinks *nudges CP*. But, while I'm waiting, I'm warming up the chainsaw to do some evisceration on my plot. It will be very revvy and eviceration-y.

The problem with my plot was it was too much. I had too much and it confused the reader as to what they were supposed to be focusing on. By the way, this is fine with thrillers and you want to confuse things, but not so good when you are writing a contemporary story about a kid dealing with the crap in his life and trying to keep his head above water.

So, like Bruce Campbell, I'll be a chainsaw, boomstick wielding freak of nature on a rampage against the deadite words in my manuscript.

 

And then, when I've finished, I will be all...

 And I'll send it off to my betas, my CP and ultimately my mentor and be all...

So there you have it.

Goals for the month:

1. Do the homework assigned to me by my Mentor Agent regarding HJ. DONE!!
2. Revise HJ based on Homework
3. Take what I learned and apply it to my current WIP if I have time
4. Blog once a week
5. Cheer on my twitter and #writemotivation friends

'Till Next Time.

Cover Reveal: UNREAP MY HEART by Kate Evangelista

Once more I have the distinct pleasure of showing off another cover for the amazingly talented, Kate Evangelista. Not only is she a talented author, she has been blessed with some of the most amazing covers I have ever seen.

There is also a giveaway!!!

Now, as this is the second book in the series, I want to show off the first cover too...because it is gorgeous.

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

And now for the cover...







Which is awesome....

Only a villain can save the day.

During his thousand year banishment in the Nethers, Balthazar thought of nothing but taking over the Crossroads from Death.

On the day he puts his plans into action, Balthazar finds the Crossroads on lockdown. Death has been stabbed by Brianne’s Bitterness, a blade that slowly leaches him of his powers. In order to challenge Death for his seat and prevent utter chaos, Balthazar is forced into a mission to find the Redeemer, the only being capable of pulling out the blade from Death’s chest. The only person who can identify the Redeemer is a human girl in the Crossroads whose soul is still attached to her body.

Meeting Arianne Wilson pushes Balthazar’s patience to the limit. In a deal he makes with Death, he must protect Arianne during their journey through the Underverse using all the resources available to him. He soon realizes the one he needs to protect is himself. For as much harm as it inflicts on Balthazar's body, trekking through the Underverse with Arianne is proving more dangerous for his heart and soul.

Can the villain remain a villain when love gets in the way?

Buy it on Amazon
Check it out on Goodreads
Book Trailer
Fan Book Trailer


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Feeling All Authorly and Stuff

For those of you who don't follow my twitter feed, you probably haven't seen the announcement. Heck, even if you are on twitter, you know how it goes. Millions of bits of data flying at warp speed across your screen like something out of the Matrix.

At least, that's how it feels to me sometimes. Especially when crazy things are going on like VMA shenanigans, or my favorite the post PitchMadness pitch party (which can get insane and usually ends up with me in twitter jail).

Anyway, what happened is that I now have a mentor. Her name is Nicole Rescinti and is an agent at the Seymour Agency. You might recognize her as @NicLitAgent on twitter or my mention of her as one of the judges at the RT Writer Idol competition.

I wish I had the picture they took of us at the competition, but I'm still working on tracking it down. Somebody took a picture with a phone, but I never got it. So, you get a nice picture of her without me messing it up. :D

I borrowed this from the Seymour Agency website

Anyway, she and I have been in contact over the last couple months since the competition emailing back and forth. Finally, after much nail-biting on my part, I got an email from her with notes. Like actual notes. ON MY NOVEL. FROM AN AGENT!

I totally felt all authorly. It was awesome. She told me what she liked and then assigned me "homework". Homework? Really? Yes, really. I have homework. You see, my novel has a strong voice, great characters, and a solid setting. What it doesn't have is a clear plot. Yes, I have things going on, people kissing, arguing, being angsty, and other teenagery stuff, but I don't have a clear plot. What is my MC's goal? What is he trying to accomplish in this story and what things are getting in his way.

So I took a couple days and let it sink in what she was saying and wanting. She wanted a chapter chart and a character chart. I'd never done those. The chapter chart, she said, would help me see the problems in my plot. The character chart would help me see what my characters' goals, motivations, and challenges are.

After doing the chapter chart, I realized something important. I have no plot. I need a plot. And I'm an exposition-holic. Is there 12 step program for that? Maybe I can get little medallions for every chapter that doesn't overuse exposition. You'd only need a couple to start with because I'm so addicted!

Anyway, it's not easy looking at your novel like this, but that's probably why she made me do it because now...now I have IDEAS. I've come up with an outline of changes I want to make that will hopefully make things better and even more awesome.

And with the help of Nicole, my kickass CP, Bonnie, and all of those people who have taken time out of their lives to beta read this thing, I'm sure the end result will seriously rock. And who knows, maybe I'll get it published.

The moral of the story is this. Take a chance. Don't wait. I almost didn't sign up for that competition. I didn't think I would get selected as a finalist, and I definitely didn't expect to get picked as a runner up. If I hadn't taken that chance, Hate Jacket would still be sitting there, getting passes and never getting out into the world.

'Till Next Time.

Cover Reveal: Love and Other Games

Love and Other Games is a collection of four sexy new adult stories centered around athletes competing in the Winter Games by Ana Blaze, Melinda Dozier, Aria Kane, and Kara Leigh Miller. It releases October 1^st from Swoon Romance in all major electronic formats.

Worth More Than Gold by Ana Blaze

Amy Pierce, the klutzy sister and manager of America’s Skating Sweetheart, is used to being invisible. But when a friend drags her to a party near the Olympic Village, Amy catches the eye of a sexy Norwegian ski jumper. It’s a magical night, but an awkward next morning has her running.

Everyone knows Erik Andresen’s best shot at an individual medal was back in 2010, before an injury pulled him from the competition. He’s there for his team, but a hot night and a remarkable final training session have him wondering if a gorgeous good-luck charm could give him another chance at the podium.

With a little bit of luck, these two might have a shot at something worth more than gold.

Ana Blaze's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Trouble With Gold by Melinda Dozier

US snowboarder and notorious prankster, Ty (Trouble) Madsen is only getting a taste of his own medicine when his Olympic teammates shackle him to a fence wearing nothing but his boxers.

Reception and protocol volunteer, Nadia Hoffman, gets up close and personal with the sexy snowboarder to rescue him, but she's not the kind of girl who lets her hormones get in her way. A professional performance could help her land her dream job at Olympics Committee Headquarters, but her new assignment supervising the rambunctious US Snowboarding Team is making that difficult.

Can she see behind the snowman in the community center bathroom and into the warm heart of the man everyone calls Trouble?

Melinda Dozer's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

The Girl Behind the Gold by Aria Kane

Greek aerial skier Lia Milonas’s parents are about to lose the family farm. Saving it means medaling and landing a huge sponsor. While her no-nonsense attitude has her well on her way to a medal, it hasn’t won her a place in fans' hearts.

“Come back with a story that will make readers cry, or don’t come back.” This is what Brandon James’ boss told him before he left New York to cover the Winter Games for Moment Magazine. With a wink and a smile, he can charm his way into any invite-only party, but that career-making story is nowhere to be found – until he meets Lia.

The two strike a deal that should get them both what they want - but neither would have guessed they’d also find what they need.

Aria Kane's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Ice Gold by Kara Leigh Miller

Colton Campbell thrives on the fast paced, adrenaline rushed lifestyle of being an Olympic hockey player. Despite Brenna Jessup's abhorrence for the games and the athletes, she's hand-picked as the official photographer for the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. When a faux pas by Brenna almost costs Colton his career, she owes him. Too bad for her, Colton doesn't want apologies -- he wants retribution! And he knows just how to get it -- and her -- in the process.

Kara Leigh Miller's: Website | Twitter | Facebook

To celebrate the cover reveal, the authors are giving away a $20 gift card to the bookstore of the winner's choice. Check out the rafflecopter below to enter!

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Thursday's Children: Redefining Man

This entire post was inspired by the amazing and talented Karina Cooper. Not only is she a fabulous writer, she is also a beautiful person inside and out. After she wrote this post, I told her she had a beautiful soul. She laughed at me, but it's true. What she wrote was so powerful and true, it inspired me to write my own.

And like her post, this post is about me and it's about you. I hope it affects you as it affects me.

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To many times we spend wasting talking about labels.
You/Me. Tall/Short. Fat/Skinny. Man/Woman. Ugly/Beautiful.

We need to define/label things to know where to put them and how to feel about them. But labels are just that. Nothing. Constructs of the mind to organize and inhibit. Pigeon holes. Forcing a conformity on the unconventional. Round holes and square pegs.

Too often these labels get put on without thought to the person underneath.
Man/Woman. Strong/Weak. Able/Unable. Good/Bad. Master/Slave.

Society claims that there are only two--Man/Woman. There is no Other. You have to be one and not step outside the lines. Color your squares and circles and dot your I's. Cross your T's if you please.

But aren't we all Other? Unique like the snowflake? Each of us different and undefined? Unrestricted except in our minds? Society demands conformity. Toe the line. Stand up, don't slouch. Be good and don't pout. You get what you get, so don't throw a fit.

Right?

Wrong.

Too often we take the label and define ourselves. Put ourselves in a tiny box and make our minds a slave to society's assumptions. A pawn to the dictators that say what we should think, what we should do, whom we should love. What's the norm and the clothes on our back.

Step outside it and you are nothing, a loser, weak, stupid. An object to be ridiculed and abused.

As a man, I was taught to think like a man, be like a man, talk like a man, walk like a man. Be Strong/Able/Good/Master. The hunter, the gatherer. Protect and enslave the weak, the woman.

These thoughts were defined by colors and toys, games, movies, parents, teachers. I am man. I am strong. I have to like blue, and army men, wars, and fighting. Football/Basketball. Sports. Tough. Manly. Walk it off. Rub some dirt in it. Don't let them push you around. Show them whose boss, applesauce. Don't wear your heart on your shirtsleeves. You're nothing if you aren't tough and strong and can prove it to everyone.

What I wasn't taught by my patriarch/my master/my sire/my father, was it was ok to be different. That it was ok to like different things. Ok not to be athletic/strong/tough/master/dominant. That it was ok to like happy endings and fairy tales, unicorns and dolls.

See, I wasn't a normal boy. I liked unicorns and romance, happy endings and fairy tales. I even had a doll I slept with up until I was five, six, maybe seven. Even after that, I had a bed full of stuffed animals. Each one named. Each one with a story. Each with it's own life. There when I needed a friend, a shoulder to cry on. I wasn't all that tough. I wore my heart on my shirtsleeves. I struggled and failed, but I never gave up.

I could have ended it all, but I didn't.

What I wasn't taught until much later was that a man didn't have to be the master/hunter/subjugator/warrior to be a man. It took strength of mind/soul/heart/self to be powerful. The only fighting I needed to do was against my own fear. The only subjugation was for my baser instincts that society expected. The small boy with the big stick. Walk softly and speak your mind. For words, spoken truthfully, are a powerful thing. Stronger than a fist. You may strike me down, but you will not defeat me.

My heart and my soul are mine and mine alone to share as I see fit with the ones I love and cherish. I can love and be loved and everything is right. I can be gentle and humble and know I have NOTHING to prove. For I am a Man. A man who knows that it's ok to be different and to feel different and to love different. To do things outside the tiny box that society gives you. The tiny cell that enslaves you into an expectation. An expectation that those who are different are nothing and those who don't fit the narrow-minded doctrine of the world, are nothing. And as nothing should be treated as lesser, unequal--undeserving of compassion, love, help, joy.

See? This isn't about Man/Woman. Gay/straight. Weak/Strong. Able/Unable. Master/Slave.

It's about You and Me. It's about loving ourselves and loving others. It's about rising above and stepping outside. It's about destroying stereotypes that say one is better than another. That one is better by definition of their race, gender, or sexual orientation. That for some reason the color of their skin/hair/eyes exalts them above all. That their genitalia defines their worth. That who they love and cherish makes them better.

Think about it. Speak about it. Silence isn't golden.

August 2013 #writemotivation update 2

Um...wasn't it just July?

Seriously. Where the hell did August go?

I don't know. It's weird. Some months it just flies and some months it just crawls. And sometimes it just flops about and does nothing.

Ok. So, here is where things stand. The wrist is getting way better. Up to 40 degrees of passive movement (that's when my therapist pulls my fingers down and I cry)--speaking of my therapist, she'll try to convince you that she's a little old lady...she isn't. She's taller than me.

Anyway, I'm weening off the brace which means I can type better. This should help my writing immensely. I've also started to get a good feel for my new MCs voice. this means I can stop flailing and get more writing down.

Provided I stop goofing off...and seeing as I don't have the excuse of the brace getting in the way...

Anyway, here is my goal update:

1. Write every day. This will be hampered by the wrist surgery, but still something I need to strive for. I should be out of the brace almost 100% by the end of the week. This should help me type better.
2. Blog once a week. Yup!
3. Cheer on my #writemotivation tweeps I've thrown some Dino Zombie Cheerleader Ninja Throwing Star Cookies about.
4. Read two books. I started Red Shirts by John Scalzi. It's a fun book and has lots of references to Star Trek. It's awesome.
5. Participate in the Pay It Forward Giveaway (see button on the side-bar). Done.
   

Also, I'm playing around with my blog theme (if you haven't noticed). Not sure it will stay this way, but we'll see.

And now for the cutest freaking picture in the universe...seriously...it's adorable.

'Till Next Time.

Blog Tour: The Coldness of Marek by Rachel O'Laughlin plus Giveaway

So the other day, I got to sit down with the lovely and awesome Rachel O'Laughlin to talk about her recently released book, THE COLDNESS OF MAREK. Well, we virtually chatted using Google Chat. However, it was still awesome despite the occasional distraction from work and children.

Anyway, we decided to try something new and talk about some behind the scenes stuff regarding the world she created and where some of it came from.

There is also a giveaway at the end. :D

Here is our chat:
Andrew: Ok. Ready for the first question?

Rachel: Let's do it!

Andrew: Ok. Unlike traditional fantasy settings, yours has no overt religion or magic. Even Game of Thrones (which is also heavy into politics) has these elements. What made you remove those elements from your world?

Rachel: I honestly tried to include those elements, but since my main story didn't have a lot to do with magic, adding in extra felt shallow and contrived to me, and I knew that meant it would DEFINITELY sound contrived to my readers. I'm like this with certain types of characters as well. I don't want them to come off as fake, so I try to just focus on what is relevant. There is some very subtle magic and religion, but it doesn't become important until much later in the story... *hint hint*

Andrew: Let's talk about the politics, since this is a politics driven story.

Rachel: Yay! My favorite!

Andrew: I noticed that you have two major political forces. One is the Monarchy and the other is a Communist style government. What was the inspiration for picking these two. Generally it's Monarchy vs. Democracy. Why Communism?

Rachel: Good question! I based that part off of the transition from Tsarist to Communist Russia. I didn't stick with that theme completely, but I wanted to show how sometimes a group of people is looking for one or the other -- Communism or Democracy -- but they're not sure of what they want. Obviously there are factions within different groups who are certainly aiming for one direction or another, but my villains are playing off of the fact that this people (as a whole) wants to go for any kind of change. The resulting Communist government turns out to not even be all that communist by the time the evil dudes manipulate it for their own ends.

Andrew: Yes. I noticed.

Rachel: Hehe. Yeah, they basically end up with another monarchy-style dictatorship. Crap!

Andrew: Definitely! Personal question: You seem really interested in governments. Was this a major of study in college or just something you do for fun?

Rachel: Just for fun. I was very interested and involved when I was a teen, just because I was passionate about the world and where it's going, but as an adult I find it a little depressing. Fictional politics are much more fascinating. I still vote though, obvs. And when there’s something local that I really feel I can make a difference in, I participate.

Andrew: LOL.Good! Voting is important! Your story is very involved and the world is really well designed. Did you do a lot of world building before writing or did it come out as you wrote it?

Rachel: It came out as I wrote it, especially the Drei and the Desert People. They were both really tricky to write in COLDNESS, because most of their history and culture is saved for the second and third books, so all you really see is that some of the Serens view them harshly, in an almost racist way. I wanted that to be one of the tragic downfalls of the fact that Serengard is so strong -- this way that they tend to look down on people who are different, even while spouting ideals to the contrary -- but it was so close to home, because I've seen that in America. Really, it was tough. Even my main character has some growing and changing to do in this area, especially because she's not very patient, and she has never had the motivation to question a lot of the assumptions she grew up with.

Some of the other world-building, like the magical powers of Otreya -- and Trzl having inherited some herself — came to me at the last minute. Literally. Like, in my third revision. Also, the power the Orions hold over the people became more and more prominent the more times I revised.

That makes my process sound super scattered...probably because it is, ha! But that's how the worldbuilding works for me.

Andrew: Ooh! I didn't know Trzl had powers...

Rachel: It's only hinted at in COLDNESS. But it's pivotal, um...later.

Andrew: Good! Can't wait.

Rachel: It's one of the big reasons I follow her as a main character. She can be really frustrating, but a lot of that has to do with the inner turmoil she doesn't even know is happening. If readers are willing to stick it out with her, I'm hoping these little plot twists will make it pay off for them.

Andrew: Oh, she's an awesome character. I totally wanted to smack her repeatedly.

Rachel: That is SUCH a compliment. Really. *polishes tiara*

Andrew: The emotocons are huge squished faces on my screen. It's kind of creepy. o.O

Rachel: MINE TOO!! They are so weird.

Andrew: Speaking of the Drei. What was their inspiration or where you needing a culture that the Serengard could use as the scapegoat?

Andrew: Did you see my question or are you still wrangling children?

Rachel: Yes, saw them! Am trying to type but my kids just got into the electric toothbrushes and are brushing hair with them. One sec.

Andrew: ROTFL!

Rachel: Okay I've bribed them with milk. Should be good for a few mins. Whew!

About the Drei: At first I just wanted someone who was very different from the Serens. I invented the Drei to be serious and logical, almost emotionless, and also militaristic… whereas the Serens are passionate, love to party, and haven't had a standing army in forever. Once I had characters who were Drei, they took on their own identity as people with a natural knack for both war and for healing. I did get into supernatural elements a little bit, too. Them being the scapegoat just came about as the natural progression of the villain's plot: the fact that he couldn't go back on the Orion treaties without the Drei becoming angry, AND the Seren people were rightfully scared of their "epic skillz". The new government chose to strike first.

Andrew: Oh very cool. A lot of stuff gets developed for a novel (world, people, relationships) that don't have a place in the novel proper, but are still there. Besides the magic/religion (which I hope we see some in the 2nd book), what is something (non-spoilery) that you can tell us about either the world or a character that was behind the scenes, but didn't show up in the novel proper?

Rachel: The Swamp People were sort of half-lizard in my original draft, and the gypsies have had people with powers in their lineage that I touched on. I took out their development because it wasn't relevant at all, and instead focused mainly on the cliff folk. Also, the Orion family has some spiritualistic backstory, but I had to trim it from COLDNESS. Originally, I had a little bit of Mikel's perspective in there, and his love of culture lent to all kinds of historical commentary. I had to cut his POV for continuity reasons. But I promise much of the Orion elements are revisited in KNIGHTS OF RILCH.

Andrew: Oh awesome! The second novel has a title! And when will we be seeing the second part of the story?

Rachel: February 2014! I've already drafted it and am in the middle of major revisions. I'm even more excited about this one than COLDNESS…which means A LOT. It is has more action and a kick-butt warrior girl MC. So. *shrugs*

Andrew: WOOT! What's the timeline in regards to COLDNESS? ie...how much time has passed from first book to second?

Rachel: Almost four years. Can't tell your readers who the MC is yet (though I'm sure YOU can guess), but Trzl is thirty, Malcom is thirteen, and Colstadt is all mid-twenties and cool.

Andrew: LOL. I'm running out of questions! *whines* Is there anything you want to say that I haven't asked about?

Rachel: Hm, not really! You asked awesome questions. Thank you so much for having me! It was really fun. I love talking about this part of the story.

Andrew: Yes, it was!
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Book Info:

COLDNESS OF MAREK

Epic Fantasy
The First in the Serengard Series
Release Date: August 6, 2013

Blurb:

Serengard has been under Orion rule for centuries—centuries of insufferable adherence to laws and traditions that its people no longer believe in. Raised by her scholarly grandfather in the fiery southern city of Neroi, Trzl is dedicated to turning the monarchy into a free society where knowledge is king and no one has to be subject to the whims of an Orion.

As the rebellion escalates, her choices have an eerie impact on the revolution at large, elevating her to a position of influence she has only dreamed of attaining. But there are downsides to her new power that entangle her in a dangerous web of emotions, appearances and alliances. Even as she plays to the attractions of Hodran, a rich nobleman who wants to aid her cause, she is drawn to Mikel, a loyalist farmer who hates the rebellion but just might be winning her heart.

By the time Trzl realizes she is in too deep, she has an infant son and a dark mess of betrayal and lies. She runs to the furthest corner of the kingdom in hopes that she will be left alone with her child, but she has created too many demons. A figure she once trusted will take her captive in the chilling Cliffs of Marek, throw her back into the political upheaval she helped create, and leave her at the mercy of a man she never wanted for an enemy.

Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/Coldness-Marek-Serengard-Rachel-OLaughlin/dp/0984919414/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Coldness-Marek-Serengard-Volume-1/dp/0984919414/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coldness-of-marek-rachel-olaughlin/1107918434?ean=2940148509899

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17968606-coldness-of-marek

Author Bio:

Obsessed with all things history, Rachel O’Laughlin grew up writing adventure stories and only recently fell in love with fantasy as a genre. She lives in New England with her husband and children, grows roses and tweets often. She adores lattes, The Fray, long drives in the country, and any dark story with a good twist. Coldness of Marek is her first novel.

Website: http://rachelolaughlin.wordpress.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/rachelolaughlin

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/r.k.olaughlin

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rachelolaughlin

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