Pages

Sunday, April 29, 2012

GUEST POST: “If you’re in Heaven ... I won’t see you anymore.” -- An Exploration of The 99th Page by Ashley Mackler-Paternostro

“If you’re in Heaven ... I won’t see you anymore.” -- An Exploration of The 99th Page


By: Ashley Mackler-Paternostro author of The Milestone Tapes

I should probably begin this guest post by telling you something about myself as a writer.

I cannot read my own novels -- as in, the finished, printed and bound final product.

I do read my work in bits and pieces, probably over a hundred times. But rather than cozying up with the novel as a whole, my reading of it happens gradually as I’m working on my book; chapter by chapter, paragraph by paragraph. I write, read, edit, rewrite, reread, reedit, rethink, rewrite, reread, reedit ... those steps become an endless cycle until it’s been thinned and stoked and fleshed and eventually filled again. That process, the cyclical task of developing a story, can be as endless as a writer wants, there is no concrete finish line to cross ... but there comes a point where I personally realize that the time has come, I have to put down the red pen. And when that happens, my time with a novel has ended, or rather, it changes. I give the story away to the readers and I let my white knuckled hold on it slip free.

When I was asked to do a guest post on the exploration of 99th page I was excited, surprising really, given my aversion to reading my own work. I decided to tear into the eBook formatted page over the print page since it’s a much more interesting moment in the novel.

The 99th page of The Milestone Tapes happens to be the turning point of the plot. Everything in the first half of the novel is leading up that moment, and everything in the second half of this novel is because of it.

Jenna Chamberland, at the start of the story, is given a very loose promise of six months, and this what she clings too. Those 4,320 hours become a touchstone for her, yet that small amount of time something she almost entirely ignores. She knowns when she’s expended those hours, those days, those minutes and seconds, her life will be over and she’ll no longer be a part of her daughter’s life. Nothing can save Jenna from what’s coming. But, Jenna made a choice for that time. A trade. The 99th page is where the tides of that decision begin to turn and she is forced to face the consequences of it.

From the moment Jenna realized she was dying, she couldn’t figure out a way to tell her daughter, Mia. To her, saying those words aloud would effectively dash Mia’s childhood, with that confession, she’d be asking Mia to shed the skin of youth and grow up.

Mia is, at the beginning of novel, a child ... a little girl who has known heartache and sickness for more than half of her life, things like cancer and chemotherapy are everyday considerations of hers. So when Jenna is given the choice to stop treatment, to give Mia a normal life for just a little while, she does so hoping that for whatever time is left, she can focus only on making a lifetime of memories for her daughter, a way Mia can remember her.

The page finds Jenna and Mia are sitting in woods beside the Chamberland’s home in Port Angeles, Washington. Jenna’s body is giving up now, and she can no longer ignore the fact that Mia needs to know she’s dying, that to continue keeping it from her would be wrong because their time is slipping by faster and faster. She needs to figure out how to speak the words, to explain to a five year that their time together is ending and that Mia will soon be without her.

The scene is a conversation no mother ever wants to have and it was incredibly difficult to write. As the author, I had to think like a children and a mother in the middle of a moment that is, by nature, horrifying and raw.

I approached the scene like this:

I knew that I wanted to keep Mia’s innocence firmly in place and to give Jenna the ability to speak candidly but quietly about what coming for them. Then, when I really thought about how wanted it to play out for the reader, I realized didn’t want to overtake this moment with my character’s words -- or dialog -- it’s not a loud proclamation. So much of makes this moment what it is is Jenna’s interior monolog, the small flashes of understanding and emotion she faces. The silent realization that her child is terrified, hurting and broken because of the path their life took, and that is what settles over Jenna and she becomes a little lost in that.

For Jenna, this was what always she feared the most, what she has been fighting against for years. It’s the realization for her that Mia will never again have the benefit of being that sort of innocent. Jenna will take away the purity of youth, and replace it with the knowledge that parents aren’t invincible beings ... that they are no more than flesh and bone.

Then, there is Mia.

When I was writing this part, Mia wasn’t as familiar to me as became later in the novel. But this is moment where there is shift and Mia becomes a rounder character, who she is starts to shine laying the foundation for later on in the book.

Through the eyes of a five year death is a concept, but it’s not concrete, it’s not fleshed out for them like it for an adult. Most children have been sheltered from the actualities of the what dying means. The end of life is not something they’ve probably been exposed to in a very tactile sense of the word. They don’t, for the most part, understand what’s happening and their concerns and worries give that inexperience away. For some children, death is introduced to them by way of Heaven, and that’s what I wanted Mia to know of death. I went into this scene thinking -- this is all she knows of the word and what’s happening to her Mother.

She’s five years old and scared. She just wants her mom, and all she knows of death is what she’s been told when she’s asked about her Grandmother ... that when someone dies they go to Heaven and you can’t see them anymore, but they’re with you in spirit. Mia needed to realize that there was break between her mother being alive and her going to Heaven, how that break came to be was in the simple fact she wouldn’t see her Mom anymore. Mia had lived with Jenna being sick for years, she was no stranger to illness, but Jenna was always there, and when she died, she wouldn’t be anymore ... that to Mia is incredibly unfair and incredibly hard to understand.

As a writer, I can tell you, there are moments when you stop writing the novel and become the typist of the story. Page 99 was one of those moments for me. Jenna has a particular way about her and it’s her nature to approach life with a certain attitude ... she really drove this passage of the novel. She let me know how she would tell her child she was dying. And what came from that, the words on the page, are really her own.

Connect with Ashley Paternostro on Twitter & Facebook

Website http://ashmp.wordpress.com/

Purchase this book at Amazon.

 Visit Orangeberry Book Tours for the next stop on the tour.


I've just received my copy of the book, and my review will be forth coming.  Watch for it.  The book sounds fascinating, and I can't wait to finish up.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

GUEST POST: The Cyberpunk Elven World by Jess C. Scott

Thanks to Waiting on Sunday for hosting me today!




My name is Jess and I write in a range of different genres. I always try to do something original and unique with each project (whether via the writing style, or the characters/content of the story).
One of the urban fantasy projects I’ve been working on features“cyberpunk elven thieves.” I thought it made for a cool concept.

The cyberpunk genre is set in the near-future—I didn’t want to go too extreme with the sci-fi vein, partly because I suspected I might end up getting lost along the way. I wanted to focus more on the relationship aspects between the main characters, instead of the gadgets and gizmos in their hi-tech world (though these were elements I had to keep in mind too, for a certain amount of technological realism).

I guess the world I created for The Cyberpunk Elven Trilogy blends both cyberpunk and urban fantasy elements. It makes for a gritty yet slightly ethereal appeal. There are elements of “dystopia” in the world, though it’s not totally hopeless, dreary and bleak (I believe real life is miserable enough!).

One of the key aspects of cyberpunk is the all-pervasive control and influence that megacorporations have over society (and people’slives, as a result). The cyberpunk elves in the project are part of the freedom-fighting group of rebels who are committed to bringing about some kind of positive change in the world (by whatever means possible). The good elves in the story generally try not to kill their enemies unless it’s absolutely necessary. One of their weapons is an eco-friendly laser gun  that keeps a person unconscious for 48 hours (the gun contains ammo that is biodegradable).

Environmental concerns also feature in the project. From the time I was a young kid, I’ve always been fond of nature and animals/plants(whatever is part of the “natural world”). If we don’t care for our planet, its resources are going to be completely depleted sometime in future. By that time, humans might have the option to “migrate to Mars,” but the same problem will happen all over again if they don’t respect and care for the environment in which they live in.

This project has been quite a tricky one to handle (due to the combination of sometimes-conflicting elements), though it’s never been boring. It’s always my aim to create non-shallow stories which people can still relate to—and the world in which these cyberpunk elven thieves lives in (a world that could very well be “our world”in the near future) allows me to do just that.
=====
Jessis a professional non-conformist with a fresh, youthful world view.  She is an author of relationship-based erotic fiction (and other unique projects, including the one that features “cyberpunk elven thieves”). She’s cool, supportive, and writes with both intellectand a lot of emotion.

She has most recently co-authored Teen Guide to Sex and Relationships with Matt Posner (Spring 2012). For more info, please visit http://jessink.com/teenguide.htm 


Jess can also be found on jessINK, Facebook, and Twitter.

To see the next stop on the tour visit Orange Berry Book Tours

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Cover Reveal: Red Heads Are Soulless

High School senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.
When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.


And now for the cover:  Drum roll please!












What a beautiful cover!  It was designed by SupaGurl Book Blog.  She is also hosting the cover reveal. 

For more information about the author check out her website p://heatherstiara.blogspot.com/


I can't wait for the release of this lovely book.


Redheads are Soulless

Friday, April 20, 2012

Please help me fight back against cancer

2012 Relay For Life of the Quad Cities Community: Video Page - Fight Back - The American Cancer Society -

Please help me fight back against cancer


This year, I am helping save lives from cancer by taking part in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, and I'm hoping you will support me. Each of us has our own reasons for caring about the fight against cancer, but it seems that we all know someone who has personally battled this disease.

I have done this walk for the last six years in honor of my grandfather, George Wiencek. He was my world, before succumbing to colon cancer. The last few years I have also walked for Steve's grandmother, Marie. She was a wonderful women with spunk and character and I was really glad for the time that I had getting to know her before she lost her struggle with pancreas cancer.

My team and I have set a goal to raise at least $100 per person and I've set a personal goal to raise $300. Currently I'm only $290 from reaching my goal. Any donation you can make, large or small, will help me reach my fundraising goal and helps us reach the greater goal of saving lives from cancer!

Please use the link below to visit my personal web page to make a secure, tax-deductible online donation to the American Cancer Society. You can make a one-time gift, or increase your impact by donating monthly!


Thank you and I will keep you updated on my progress!





Cancer affects us all.  If you would like, please leave me a comment in honor or memory of a loved one who succumbed to cancer, or one who is a survivor.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

In My Mailbox (4/18/2012)



The last week has been a good one, as far as new books go.  On Saturday, my boyfriend, the kids and I all went to Bookman's to trade in several boxes worth of books.  I love that they give a ridiculous amount of store credit for what they take.  Below is my haul from Bookman's


 It includes:
Sweep books 4 and 6 by Cate Tiernan
Souless (Parasol Proterctorate book 1) by Gail Carriger
Spiders Bite, Spider's Revenge, and Web of Lies by Jennifer Estep
Switched by Amanda Hocking
Ill Wind and Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine
Mother Mouth and Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
Storm Born by Richelle Mead
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
Gone by Lisa McMann
Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman
 Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
 Invisible Monster by Chuck Palahniuk





On Sunday, while we were out and about we decided to stop by Paperback City and see if they would take any of the books that Bookman's didn't want.  They did.  So with my portion of the credit there, I was able to get the following:


The 9th Judgement and 10th Anniversary by James Patterson
The Devil and Miss Prym by Paulo Coelho
The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
Sole Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk


Yesterday, I finally received some books that I had ordered on half.com

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Cemetery Girl by David Bell (this one looks so creepy!)
Flash and Bones by Kathy Reichs

A lot of these books probably don't seem like my normal taste - but I do read literature and mystery - I just don't have a lot of time for it when school is in session - and working at the same time.  A lot of the literature books I've purchased of late are from the 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list.  I'm slowly working my way through that.

I also received two non-book related items and I want to share!  Since I got my taxes back, found a coupon for 30% off and free shipping, and they do payment plans - I ordered the Green Amethyst ring that I have been drooling over from ice.com for the last six months.  I love how the black rhodium over the white gold really makes the green in the ring pop.  This is the first piece of jewelry I've bought myself in at least 10 years and I couldn't be more pleased with it.


Finally - my bestie gave me this gorgeous shimmer palette from Avon's Mark brand.  It's so pretty I almost don't want to use it!


What's in your mailbox this week?


Monday, April 16, 2012

Destiny Blog Tour - Reviews & Giveaway

Photobucket

I was very excited to be asked to take part in the Destiny Tour for author Heather White.  The book summary sounded really interesting and I was not disappointed.  For the tour I received copies of both When Destiny Knocks and When Destiny StrikesI am anxiously awaiting the release of the next book in the series.

Photobucket In When Destiny Knocks we meet sixteen year old Karlie.  Karlie was living in New York City until her mother died in an accident.  Karlie moves to Arkansas to live with her father, whom she hasn't had the best relationship.  On her first day of school Karlie finds that she develops easy friendships with a group of teens - but they are dead set on keeping her away from Shane - to whom she has a strange reaction to the first day of school.  Karlie suddenly learns that she is developing strange powers.  But why?  And why does she react this way to Shane?  I'm not giving it away, so pick up the book and read it!

Tension rises as Karlie learns that Shane's father wants him to kill her.  Shane, who is awesome by-the-way, can't do it, struggles with whether or not he can kill Karlie.  Will he do it?  That's another thing you'll need to read to find out. 

The paranormal world that Heather M. White writes is fascinating, and keeps you wanting to read more.  The main characters are well developed and likable.  I find myself liking Alex a lot, even though he seems somewhat irresponsible.  I would like to see more development in the personalities of Karlie's friends aka protectors.

When Destiny Knocks is a fast, fun read appropriate for 13 and up.  I am giving away one eBook copy of When Destiny Knocks.  To enter you must give me your name and email address.  There are extra entries for following on google friend connect or linky follower and for tweeting about the giveaway.  Giveaway runs from now through April 26th at midnight.



PhotobucketIn When Destiny Strikes Karlie has achieved her full powers and more and more paranormals are coming to try to kill her.  People Karlie once thought she could trust have turned on her.  People she thought were dead are back.  The author really had me struggling trying to figure out people's motives.  There were a few people I couldn't tell if I trusted them or not.  There are still a few people I think may prove to be untrustworthy in the next book.  When Destiny Strikes is a real page turner.  I read it all in one sitting because I could not wait to see what happened next.

Karlie's arch enemy joins forces with someone she trusted.  Someone she thought was her friend.  Her enemies raise of forces of zombies against her.  In a vision, Karlie sees that she and her friends are headed for war.  They are all anxious because it is their small group against hundreds of zombies, werewolves and vampires.  To top things off, Karlie is almost killed by her former friend.  Towards the end of the war we don't know where Alex's loyalty lies.  I was pretty bummed about this, as he is one of my favorites in the group.

With the help of some new friends, Karlie and her group prepare for battle.  Will they all make it?  You need to read and find out!

I am giving away an eBook of When Destiny Strikes.  Giveaway is from now thru April 26th at midnight.  Follow me on gfc or linky followers and Tweet about the giveaway for extra entries.



About the Author (in her own words):


I am a returning resident to Arkansas. I just migrated south from Saint Louis, MO with my husband. We have a married a year. :)


I love to write. I have been writing since I was a kid - literally. I decided in the 2nd grade I would write a book. I wrote lots of short stories and poems... And did I mention I wrote over 200 songs? (Yeah, I'm a musician too - guitar, bass, drums and vocals). So I wrote my very first novel at the ripe age of 14... My Mom still has it :-/. OK, so maybe it wasn't my best work, but I had a LOT of fun writing it!


When I'm not writing, I am normally reading. I am also a caffeine addict... Dr. Pepper and NOS (the energy drink) are my drugs of choice :)

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

GUEST AUTHOR POST: Get Rich Writing Books by Steven Novak


GET RICH WRITING BOOKS!


Heh.

Sorry. Let me rephrase that.

Ha!

Come on. Can we be serious for a moment? If you’re thinking about jumping into the publishing world and can’t see how incredibly silly the title of this post is I would suggest you invest in a therapist with an itchy prescription finger, because you’re in for a world of hurt.

Pills will make you hurt a whole heck of a lot less.

There’s a reason the term “starving artist” exists and it’s not because artists across the world are living it up on yachts with scantily clad members of the opposite sex lounging around the deck sipping fruity island drinks.

Writing books is not an easy path to riches. It never has been and it never will be. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an easy path to the poor house, but the chances are pretty good that the yacht/thong scenario described above is out of reach.

Write because you love to write.

If you can make enoughmoney with your writing to buy yourself a five dollar foot long at Subway and possibly a bag of chips, that’s awesome. If you can make enough money to pay a few bills every now and then, that’s even more awesome. If you can scrounge together enough money to pay your mortgage for a few months, consider yourself awesome with a healthy slather of awesomesauce. If you can manage to do even more than that with your earnings, you’re officially the most awesome thing since Hello Kitty fought Mr. T in a steel cage on the outskirts of Eternia with Pikachu as the referee.

You’re also in the minority.

My advice to anyone thinking about dipping their toes in the wacky world of literature is to have fun with it, keep a level head, and toss their expectations right out the window. Expectations will kill you. Goals are good – reasonable goals, anyway. There’s nothing wrong with goals. Everyone should have goals. Without goals you’re just a worthless lump of mostly water stuffed into a bag of ever-expanding human flesh.

Without goals you’re Snooki. Expectations are a different story entirely. Expectations will leave you crying on your bed at night. Expectations will lead to razor blades and self-mutilation, and an iTunes download of The Cure’s Greatest Hits.

Ten bucks to hear dough-faced Robert Smith moan for eighteen tracks? You’re better off using those razor blades to slice your ears off.

When you were a kid you made art because you loved making art, and because you felt better about yourself after you’d made it. That’s it. That’s why I did it. That’s all it was. Like so many things in life, we tend to lose that feeling as we get older. When the focus of art becomes the act of selling art, it’s sort of not really art anymore.

At least in my opinion.

When that happens it becomes a job, and jobs suck. They sucked when you were ten and they still suck when you’re thirty. Don’t let your art become your job. Enjoy the highs and try to understand the lows for exactly what they are – because they’re unavoidable. If that sounds like something you might hear in one of those awful after school specials from the eighties, let me close with this: THE MORE YOU KNOW.

ABOUT STEVEN NOVAK
 Born in Chicago Illinois, Steven Novak has spent the whole of his life creating. After attending The Columbus College of Art and Design for four years he moved to California where he married his wife. The pair have been together for nearly a decade. He likes pizza. He’s sort of a nerd. He has terrible luck and worse personal hygiene. He also hates having to write bios about himself. He thinks bios are stupid. His work can be found online at www.novakillustration.com

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Review: Blood: The New Red by David S. Grant


Blood: The New Red by David S. Grant is a tongue-in-check satrical look into the fashion world.  The book is told from the viewpoint of Mickey, a male model, making his entrance into the fashion world after a stint as a porn star.  Mickey gets caught up in a war between Paul Johnson and Sandy Johnson - two (non-related) fashion designers battling it out for the coveted spot of number one.

Mickey aligns with Paul Johnson against Sandy Johnson and Kung Fu Master, the homeless Japanese man that Sandy is remaking into a model.  Amidst drugs, vintage wines, psychiatrists and deaths, Mickey has to decide whether or not to grow a conscious and put an end to the madness before anyone else dies.

The book is a dark comedy.  It's a quick enjoyable read.  The story is very campy and fun.  I could see Bruce Campbell playing a part in the movie.  It was a quick read, and as long as you aren't expecting something too serious, you will like it.  It was a perfect way to take my mind off work during my lunch break.

**This book is not suitable for my young adult readers

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
David S. Grant is the author of ten books including “Corporate Porn”, “Bleach|Blackout”, “Hollywood Ending”, and “Rock Stars”.  His latest novel, “Blood: The New Red”, is now available.  David lives and writes his weekly rock, travel, and NBA columns from New York City.  For more information go to http://www.davidsgrant.com  Twitter: @david_s_grant




Purchase Links:





Publisher: Offense Mechanisms, an imprint of Silverthought Press

Release Date: December, 2011

Monday, April 9, 2012

Review & GIVEAWAY: Hunter Moon by Cait Lavender


Hunter Moon by Cait Lavender tells the story of Shelby Flint, a tough as nails rancher, trying to run her grandfather’s ranch on her own. Her grandfather has died, and her cousins are contesting the will, and her right as owner of the ranch. Amidst all of the family drama, and the daily ranch duties, Shelby is dealing with a pot grower on her land, and a lone wolf that appears on her property.  The incident with the wolf brings the new game warden, Cash onto her property, into her life, and working his way into her heart. 
This is not your typical werewolf story.  Or your typical romance novel.  Shelby is not a damsel in distress.  She is tough as nails, independent and a sharp thinker.  She’s also good with a gun.  Shelby has a quick wit and the ability to laugh at herself.  Cash is a hottie, for sure.  Right as he is making headway with Shelby, his equally hot younger brother arrives on the scene, making waves for Shelby and Cash. 
I wasn’t sure what I was going to think about this book when I first agreed to review it.  I don’t usually read a lot of adult paranormal romances, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  I could not book the book down.  I found myself getting deeper and deeper into Shelby’s world – falling in love with her ranch and her friends (and her man – lol).  I loved the book so much that I went online and bought Cowboy Moon the novella that takes place before this book and tells the story of Shelby’s mother and father. 
I cannot wait for the next book in the series!
GIVEAWAY INFO
I will giveaway one ecopy of the book to a commenter on my blog.  Please go to Cait’s guest post and read her list of favorite authors – then come back here and tell me who your favorite author is and why.  Make sure to leave me a way to contact you.  Giveaway runs until April 19th.  Open to anyone able to accept ebooks.

Guest Author Post: 10 Favorite Authors and Why by Cait Lavender


Listing my favorite books or authors is like choosing which one of your children is your favorite. Each author has a unique writing style and personality and I love them as much for their differences as their similarities. And when I discover a new favorite? I don’t love the others less, I just have more reader love to go around! Still, even though it’s so hard for me to do it’s nearly impossible, for you, my beautiful, wonderful readers, I will try.

10. Heather Killough-Walden: I love Heather for so many reasons, not the least of which the fact she’s so active with her readers on facebook. Her books are amazing, original and I’m continuing to be surprised with how much I love her male lead characters.

9. Robert Jordan: My relationship with Jordan started in high school when I picked up The Wheel of Time. The series is an epic fantasy that personally I put on par with The Lord Of the Rings. His way with words and descriptions forces you to submerge into that world and connect with the characters. It was a tragedy when he passed away from cancer, but luckily for all of us avid readers the saga has been continued by Brandon Sanderson, another author I’m beginning to love.

8. Kate Johnson: Johnson is a new love of mine. She’s from the UK and her books are set there as well and, even though I find myself using Urban Dictionary to muddle through the ‘language barrier’, I love getting that glimpse into the British culture. Her Sophie Green books are funny, quirky and very entertaining.

7. Anne McCaffrey: I fell in love with her works when I was in Jr. High and have read and re-read them ever since. An icon in Fantasy, her books truly do transport you to another world, with whimsical dragons and relatable characters. Love her!

6. Jeaniene Frost: Only recently discovered, Frost has quickly become one of my favorites. Her main characters, Cat and Bones, just work their way into your hearts with Cat’s tough, kickass-ness and Bones superior, arrogant sarcasm.

5. Jeff Lindsay: I discovered Lindsay before Michael C. Hall was playing the emotionally detached serial killer we all love, Dexter. The simple fact that he can create a character so inhuman and yet so amazingly likeable should be enough to make you go out and buy one of his books.

4. Karen Marie Moning: Good Lord I love her. What Mr. Darcy did to ruin men for the women of the world, Jericho Z Barrons ruined fictional leading men for me. How can I go back to the emo, whiny sparkly boy when I’ve had the Dark, sometimes-bastard, sexy man with questionable motivations? *sigh*

3. Patricia Briggs: Briggs is amazing. I adore her Mercy Thompson series. Mercy is kick ass, self-sufficient, oh, and did I mention she changes into a Coyote? This is by far my favorite Paranormal Romance series and I eat up everything she writes.

2. Jane Austin: Come on, I wouldn’t be a girl if I didn’t say I loved her. I’ve read and watched Pride and Prejudice so often I can almost quote the entire thing. I relate so much to Elizabeth Bennet and wish all men were like Darcy.

1. Terry Pratchett: I love to laugh. If a book can get me to giggle aloud as I’m reading, it scores major bonus points. Pratchett’s sense of humor and clever wit endeared him to my heart forever. But he’s not all laughs (well, mostly), the satirical nature of his books poke fun at the inane hypocrisies of our world.

So there they are, my top 10. Check them out and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

About the Author:


Cait Lavender is a twenty-six year old wife and stay at home mother of one (so far) in Central California. Living on a cattle ranch in Central California where she and her husband raise papered Black Angus cattle. When Cait's not chasing her toddler around the house or doing mountains of never-ending laundrym she's writing feverishly or reading anything she can get her hands on. Cait's favorite thing about books is their ability to transport you out of the stress and fatigue of your own life into a more interesting, sexy world.



Title – Hunter Moon

Genre – PNR

Format – Ebook

Publisher – Kindle Direct

Release Date – March 1, 2012









Thursday, April 5, 2012

Hoppy Easter Giveaway Hop




For the Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop I am giving away a book of your choice valued at $10 or less from Amazon or the Book Depository.  The giveaway is open to any country where the book depository ships.

Please enter using the rafflecopter, and be sure to head on over to the rest of the blogs for more chances to win.



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine as a way to highlight upcoming releases. 

My can't wait for book, for this week is:

Enshadowed
by Kelly Creagh
Publication Date: August 28

From Amazon:

The second book in a modern gothic romance trilogy channeling the dark brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe.While Varen remains a prisoner in a perilous dream world where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life, Isobel travels to Baltimore to confront the dark figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster. This man, the same man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams and abandoned her in Varen’s nightmare world, holds the key to saving Varen.
But when Isobel discovers a way to return to this dream world, she finds herself swept up in a realm that not only holds remnants of Edgar Allan Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world of fear, terror, and anger.
Varen is changed. And now Isobel must face a new adversary—one who also happens to be her greatest love.



What are you waiting on?

Marketing, Or How I Proved the Existence of Hell by Justin Ordonez

Please enjoy this guest post by Justin OrdoƱez, author of the YA novel (for 18+ readers), Sykosa. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $550 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.


Marketing, Or how I Proved the Existence of Hell.



Self-publishing requires either A) no skills and being totally deluded as to the reality of success in the book market, or B) no skills and the reality you’re going to have to learn a lot. And that’s a simple fact. Between writing, editing, formatting, choosing a printer, choosing retailers, web development, content generation, typesetting, book trailers and the fifty other things I’m forgetting, you’re certain to encounter a challenge for which you are in no way prepared, and not only are you not prepared, your desire to become prepared hovers somewhere near the axis of zero.

I discovered mine on January 11, 2012--Marketing.

Marketing’s an entirely deceptive term. When a thing is so multi-dimensional and other-worldly abstract, we expect it come coupled with tongue-tying terminology. I mean, who would touch marketing if it was done by someone called a, “Surpurgodunintrihumanthofeelemo-ologist?” (Stands for: “Surveyor, purveyor, and Godlike understander of all intricate human thoughts, feelings, and emotions.”) No one. And that’s just the beginning! As it’s really only one aspect of marketing. You not only need to communicate with the potential book buyer, but with the many marketing channels available, i.e. book bloggers, book reviewers, book recommendation sites, book social networking sites, and many, many more. Essentially, in order to succeed at marketing, when you’re not busy being a social butterfly, expanding your pool of contacts and showing a legitimate interest in people’s lives, you need to be a socially reclusive, type-A, mega-jerk who produces the stuff that gets sent to all the people who are now your contacts.

As this is seriously an enormously enormous undertaking, I did what I’d advise any author do. Write Novel Publicity and get some help. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Problem solved, right? How could it be that marketing is such a huge undertaking you cannot count on Novel Publicity alone? Unfortunately, while Novel Publicity is your access to the market, you are still your own personal generator of content. Guest blog posts, interviews, all manner of interactions still come from you, and they’re a perspective reader’s introduction to your writing, your style, your passion, and ultimately if they’re interested in your work.

These are elements I’m fine with.

Or…

These are elements I thought I was fine with.

After all, it can’t be that hard, can it? Blog-post-smog-post. Promotional-images-smosional-images. You’re a brilliant author who wrote an entire novel, what can this world throw at you that you can’t beat back with your bare fists? Well, a lot, and way more than you think, too. Do you know how to use Calibre? HTML? Gimp? Neither did I, but thanks to our good friend YouTube, I was able to spend a what-would-be-hilarious-if-it-weren’t-so-depressingly-true amount of time learning them. And it was going fine—sure, I was underslept, over-sugar’d, and had begun to scratch myself so frequently I was breaking skin in more than one or two places, but aside from all that, I was a marketing genius! I was…lying to myself. I was scratching my head frequently, and I was encountering a new, unforeseen challenge at every corner. (Novel Publicity would gladly have helped me, but I wanted their time to be used for, you know, generating publicity, not a grade school-style education seminar for me). Then, it finally happened, I realized what I had needed to realize since the beginning.

Children are evil.

No, seriously, they are. Stay with me on this one.

It happened while I was working on the image below.


Let me preface the story like this.

Being an adult means your time getting screwed over on the playground is over. Well, it’s not really over. Adults are as catty as children, but it’s different. Adults are so covert, so pathological, and so politically calculating in their screwing over of others that it trumps all human understanding. Kids simply call you a name and move on, so I suppose I mean to say that, as an adult, your days of outright mockery are over. No longer will you be subject to a choir of second grade girls singing, “Jus-tin, bus-tin, the big fat…” as the song dies since they had called you fat, there was nothing obvious to rhyme it with, and there was no reserve hatred left in them, and since they’re not total nut job psychotics like grown-ups, they move onto the sensitive boy who loves to draw unicorns and hearts.

As you may have guessed, I was talking about myself.

And I was wrong.

My days of outright mockery had only begun!

Why, you ask?

Because I decided to self-publish my novel, and because I lacked skills. The image above did not make itself. In fact, I’m only 20% certain of why it turned out the way it did. Much like a child, I bought in on total faith that the directions I was being given would work, then knocked this “learning comprehension” business aside. And why do I use child in that example? Well, being such an amateur, you won’t know how to correctly ask Google for answers. For instance, in the text up top, a professional knows to type, “How do you create text with a radius of so-and-so so it appears like an arch?” You, on the other hand, type, “How do you make text look like a rainbow?” That’s right. You’re gonna ask as if you were a six-year old, so guess what? You’re gonna get search results from midget-geniuses who’re so young they’re struggling to lose that lisp one gets when learning English.

With your earphones plugged it, that little voice starts at you in much the way that girl (or boy or still girl given your gender and sexual orientation) looked at you when you innocently sat next to her on the bus, that look of, “Who are you and what makes you think you don’t have to maintain fifty feet of distance from me at all times?” “Okay, guys, like, this is simple, like, first thing we’re gonna do is create a path.” Click-click-click-click-click-click! “Okay, looks nothing like what you want, but that’s fine, we’ll fix it later.” Click-click-click-click-click! “Okay, here we go, we color to alpha, create a new layer, color to alpha again.” Click-click-click-click-click! “Take the path tool, debate buying a shotgun now that I’ve convinced you you’ve failed at life, then change the angle, now, if you want to change the color, you use the select tool, but not like you’re used to using it, I’ll now proceed to click around the screen like a swarm of hornets attacking an intruder and not explain a single step.” Click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click! “Alright guys, wasn’t that simple? Make sure you submit your humiliatingly easy questions so my buddies and I can laugh at you before we record the next lesson.”

How long did it take you to read that?

Divide that by four, and that’s how fast the kid said it.

(Blood pressure…rising).

In a way, it’s not the kid’s fault. Children have brains that learn everything quickly, effortlessly, and with no respect for it. It’s not till you’re a teenager when you hit places where, despite your effort, you’re not gonna learn it. Rationally, I understand this. But, as a human being, in a dark corner of my favorite local eatery, constantly pausing/playing/pausing/playing/pausing/playing while I toggle between Firefox/Gimp/Firefox/Gimp/Firefox/Gimp in an ever-failing attempt to emulate this six year old Einstein, I realize: It’s kind of amazing such a young kid knows this stuff. Still, I don’t know if I admire this child or I want to punch him in the face. That’s what this child had done to me. That thin line between love and hate, he has blurred it and I can no longer tell the difference between unconditional love and righteous hatred.

[caption id="attachment_11071" align="alignright" width="225" caption="“Wow, mister, I’ve never met anyone as dumb as you before!”"][/caption]

So I add an addendum to my original statement: Children are evil, and so is marketing. And by that I mean: Marketing is responsible for all evil on the planet Earth. I’m serious. It’s hard at its every level. There’s no way to just be “good” at marketing, and nothing will diminish the fact that literal blood, sweat, and tears will be lost to its cause, which ultimately ends up at what we call the “marketplace,” or as I’ve recently been referring to it, “The Death-Vacuum that Took the Giant Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way and Said, ‘Wow, You Look Like a Tasty Candy Bar.’” I hate to use sports analogies since not everyone likes sports, but the only thing more infuriating than marketing may be consistently hitting a baseball.

In baseball, if you hit 30% of the time, you’re a legend.

In marketing, I’m gonna say if you hit 5% of the time, you’re a legend.

Sykosa, my new YA novel for which all this marketing is being done, is a work of love, but more than a work of love, it’s a good book. I went to fantastic lengths to ensure this. Like any good character should be, Sykosa is indescribable, but because we have marketing in this evil world, I’m going to do it anyway. Sykosa’s a sixteen-year-old girl who’s struggling to reclaim her identify after an act of violence shatters her life and the lives of her friends. She’s also kind of a riddle, but that’s alright, because you’ll know—in your gut—this is exactly the decision she would make, even if you can’t articulate why. She likes a boy she probably shouldn’t, except you’re not going to think, “Why is she dating this guy?” because you’ll know—in your gut—this is exactly the guy she would date, even if you can’t articulate why. She’s bright and could do a lot with her life, but she’s letting it slip past her, and you’re not gonna get upset with her, you’re gonna empathize, because you’ll know—in your… Egh, I could go on and on. Sykosa is special, I’m telling you she is, and I’m working this marketing game—which fits me like the worst fitting glove imaginable—to get her an opportunity.

I don’t say that to illicit sympathy. This is marketing, after all.

As I’ve learned, if I wanted sympathy, I woulda joined the military.

Comparatively, they treat you nice there. (I jest).

Still, perhaps you can imagine… What’s it like to watch this child’s mouse clicking about the screen, thinking seven things at once, and me in my chair, unable to eat my entire plate of French fries cause my metabolism won’t allow it, confused cause, as an adult, you need things presented to you sequentially, and logically, and, like, yes, you need people to take at least one breath between sentences! I mean—seriously, when do children breathe? Does it ever happen? Is this one of those things you don’t have to do until you’re grown up?

(Count to ten, Justin. Count to ten… He’s just a child. Nothing more).

Anyhow, Sykosa came out this week, and now she’s finishing her Whirlwind tour. I’m writing this all before it’s happened and I think, I hope, I’ve survived it and things are looking good for the future. For now, all I can say, in my most evening news-ish marketing voice, “Please visit Sykosa.com for lots of Sykosa related stuff, like character profiles, sketches, funny diagrams, a video question and answer blog, and a forty page excerpt.” But, I wonder if it that message can be heard, if amongst this open array of electrical impulses large enough to capture the entire human imagination, and small enough molecularly to be stuffed into box so tiny we lack the technology to even build it, is there room for Sykosa?

Can she break through the mist? Do you hear her?

She’s trying to say, “What’s up!”



As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Sykosa eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $550 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:
        
  1. Purchase your copy of Sykosa for just 99 cents
  2.     
  3. Fill-out the simple form on Novel Publicity
  4.     
  5. Visit today’s featured social media event
  6.     
  7. BONUS:  Leave a comment on this post*


Leave a comment, win $100:

One random tour commenter will win a $100 Amazon gift card. Just leave a comment on this post, and you'll be entered to win. For a full list of participating blogs, check out the official tour page. You can enter on just my blog or on all of them. Get out there and network!

About the book:  YA fiction for the 18+ crowdSykosa is a sixteen-year-old girl trying to reclaim her identity after an act of violence shatters her life and the lives of her friends. Set at her best friend’s cottage, for what will be a weekend of unsupervised badness, Sykosa will have to finally confront the major players and issues from this event, as well as decide if she wants to lose her virginity to Tom, her first boyfriend, and the boy who saved her from danger. Get it on Amazon.

About the author:  Sykosa is Justin OrdoƱez's life's work. He hopes to one day settle down with a nerdy, somewhat introverted woman and own 1 to 4 dogs. Visit Justin on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

B*tches in Bookshops (based on Jay Z and Kanye West's "N*ggas in Paris")



Warning explicit lyrics - but I couldn't pass up posting this.  I can relate to this - lol 

Top Ten Tuesday


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!


Each week we will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of our bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

Top Ten Books to Read In a Day

1. Any of the Peachville Demons book by Sarra Cannon.  I'm on the third book.  I really liked the first one, and then I got two and three the same day and read them in a few hours.  I really like the series and I'm hoping to finish books 4 and 5 very soon.

2. Any of the Tales of Lunarmorte books by Samantha Young  I love this series.  It's a very interesting take on the whole werewolf thing.  I recommend it to any YA paranormal fans.

3. Any of the Fallen Star books by Jessica Sorensen.  This was actually one of my first indie series, and I absolutely loved it.  I wait rather impatiently for each new book in the series to come out.

4. Any of the 13 to Life books by Shannon Delany.  I read book 1 in a day.  Then I read book 2, and was sad because I didn't have the next book.  I ordered books 3 and 4 and I plan on reading book 3 tonight.  They're also werewolves, but with a little conspiracy and Russian mafia thrown in for fun.

5. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson.  I had this book on my TBR list for a while.  It wasn't high priority, but when I got an email from my library stating the kindle copy was ready and available for me, I started reading and couldn't stop.  It's an amazing ghost story, and I am dying for the next book to come out.

6. Any of the books in the Need series by Carrie Jones.  I read book 1 late in the game.  I then got the remaining books so far, and read the rest of them in a day.

7. Any of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.  Janet's lead character, Stefanie Plum is my hero!  I absolutely love reading her stories.  I always laugh out loud when I read these books.  The audio books are also wonderful too.  The reader is great at doing the voices of all the different characters and bringing the stories to live.  Depending on my mood, I read or listen.  Either way they're great.

8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Like most people that I know that read this book, I devoured it in a day.  Then we read it again for my book club.  Now I'm looking forward to seeing the movie with my group.

9. Nevermore by Kelly Creagh.  This book was so unique.  I love how Kelly Creagh incorporated Edgar Allan Poe.  The book is a little bit thicker than your typical YA book, but I couldn't put it down until the last page.

10.Any of the Sweep books by Cate Tiernan.  These books are a new guilty pleasure for me.  I have read the first three so far, and finished all three in less than 2 days.  I'm waiting for my next trip to Bookman's so I can get the next omnibus of 3 books.



Interview with Justin Ordonez author of the YA novel Sykosa



Please enjoy this interview with Justin OrdoƱez, author of the YA novel (for 18+ readers), Sykosa. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $550 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.



1. Who or What is a Sykosa?

Sykosa is a sixteen year old junior in high school. She’s the main character of a novel I’ve written by the same name. For a quick rundown, she attends a prestigious preparatory academy, is part of the school’s coolest clique, “the Queens,” and she has started dating the boy she’s secretly been crushing on for a year, Tom. It’s taken a year to start dating him because A) there was this SUPER HUGE thing that happened during her sophomore year, and it delayed things and made being intimate with Tom difficult, and B) she kinda starts seeing stars around him and loses the ability to behave in any type of serious manner.

2. Why is Sykosa different from other novels?

It’s different because youth driven literature has become full of metaphors for danger that seem to have split into either science fiction or fantasy. (Before I go any further, I like both genres, so I’m not being a snob!) Sometimes, it feels like instead of dealing with real problems, it’s easier to have kids use magic. And instead of facing real contemporary issues, kids should fight aliens or something. These metaphors are meant to represent real life, but I fear they’ve slightly crossed over into a bit of denial about contemporary Americanism, which is a hard topic to write about since our country is in an identity crisis, and has been for about 11 years. Sykosa is an attempt to counter-act this trend. When I was young, I read books about young people that blew me away like One Fat Summer and The Outsiders. These books felt real, and it felt like I could slip into them at any moment. The writing was gritty, it was unapologetic, it was brilliant. I just don’t see many of those around, and I wanted to write one, and I wanted to write one with a female protagonist.

3. Why did you chose cross-gender writing?

Toward the end of the my high school education, I was allowed to split my school day from my normal, traditional education and a newer style, self-directed educational program. I took an English class where my English teacher, someone who I’m still friends with to this day, gave me only one assignment for an entire semester, and it was, “Perform a deep self-evaluation of yourself and your writing and come up with one goal for what you’re going to improve on.” At the time, I was seriously into writing, and had taken to writing a few books per year, but most of them were in the first person, and they were just me talking about myself. The issue was that I had been in a serious car accident the year prior and I had injured a friend in it. (He fully recovered, but never forgave me). I had tried to write a first person story about myself many times since the accident, but I was constantly failing because I was dealing with some lingering self-loathing and guilt. As a way to get away from it, I decided I wanted to work on a story I had been thinking about for a while, but that I never started writing for one super scary reason.

The main character was a teenage girl.

Odd as it might sound, I was intimidated by the fact that the main character was a woman. So I faced my fear and said my goal would be to write women better, and I proceeded to work with several teachers and several female students to help me craft a female character that was realistic, yet met my vision of her as well. This challenge stuck with me into my adult life, and it eventually found its ultimate form in Sykosa.

4. How will I know I’m a fan of Sykosa?

I’m glad you asked! Sykosa.com has tons of stuff to help you determine if this book is right for you. Below you’ll see some humorous diagrams I’ve made, but at the website you can read an excerpt of the book, watch the book trailer, read character profiles and really get a solid understanding of Sykosa’s world.
5. What kind of stuff influenced you to write Sykosa?

The primary motivators for Sykosa were Buffy The Vampire Slayer and It by Stephen King. It so happened, in 2001, I moved in with a woman I was dating. She was a fan of Buffy, so I had to watch it and became a fan myself. While most people were probably drawn to the vampire killing, it was the last thing I was interested in. I thought Whedon created an interesting cast of personalities and analyzing them was something I enjoyed. At the time, I was reading It. What I liked about It was the small town, insular feel to the novel, and how the inhabitants of this town were able to show a “front” of values, but were secretly hiding and allowing evil to proliferate all around them. From these two things came Sykosa, a girl who does not have any super powers, nor does she kill any vampires, but she did have a traumatic event happen in her life, and she’s struggling to deal with it, and its made no easier by the fact that her small, insular parochial school has decided to ignore the incident.

6. What is your most favorite and least favorite part of Sykosa?

The most favorite part is easy. It’s Sykosa’s best friend Niko, who just gets my blood pumping every time I have to write her. I love Sykosa, she’s definitely the main character and the story would never work without her, but I could sing Niko’s praises all day and all night. She’s such an interesting young woman and to see how she’s developed over the years as I’ve written the story has been a real treat. When someone first reads Sykosa and then decides to talk to me about it, I’m secretly waiting to hear them mention Niko. It’s never the first thing they say, it’s never the last, it’s always sandwiched somewhere in the middle, “By the way, this Niko—I love her!”

My least favorite part… Wow, that’s hard to answer, isn’t it? In the middle of the book, there’s a section called an Interlude, which is a story structure that Stephen King used in It, and that I borrowed as an homage to it. There’s a section where Sykosa, Niko and her mother are driving in a car together. I swear, I rewrote it fifty times—maybe more—and it’s never read right to me. It just never has.

7. What kind of writing schedule do you keep?

Let’s put it this way: I recently heard a story that there are “cat writers” and “ox writers.” I’m an ox writer. I put in the time, every day, whether I’m feeling it or not, whether its terrible or not, even if I know I’ll just end up deleting it, I push through it and I do it anyway, and somewhere along the way, it ends up coming together as a story.

8. What’s the coolest story you have from writing Sykosa?

Sykosa is interesting in the sense that it took me a long time to finish it. The first couple years I was writing it, I was really just writing stories about the characters, feeling everyone out, figuring out how they fit together, but there was no plot holding it together or pushing anything forward. In 2003, I seriously debated quitting, as it had been the hardest piece of writing I had ever taken on, and to be honest, I was somewhat used to overcoming challenges easily and without a lot of adversity. And while I usually worked on the book on my bus ride to and from work, this one beautiful, sunny day, I decided not to. I sat on the bus and kept the binder of writing closed on my lap. When the bus stopped at Pioneer Square, a homeless black woman sat next to me. She noticed the book, then said to me, “So you’re writing a novel?” I couldn’t tell how she knew that, but I said, “Yes, I am.” She asked me what it was about, but I’m terrible at talking about my work, so I gave her the gist, “teenage girl” “high school” “likes her boyfriend” etc, etc. The conversation lasted one stop, when the bus opened its doors, the woman reached out with her hand, put it on my own (which was clinging to the book like I was protecting it or something) and she said, “Justin, I want you to know, God blesses this book. He blesses it, and you can’t quit.”

I had never mentioned to her that I was quitting it.

I started working on it after she left the bus, and I never spoke or saw her again.

True story.

9. Do you have any tips for people who are struggling with writing or want to take it up?

I do. First off, keep struggling. It’s a worthwhile struggle. There’s a lot of be gained from writing. And for those who want to take it up and for those who are already writing, I can’t stress this enough: Draft. And by the I mean, write in drafts, don’t sit in a chair and challenge yourself to make it perfect now, write it perfect now, but instead write in drafts. If something only gets 5% better, that’s fine, cause it’s just one draft of what will be many, and eventually, that 5%, that 3%, that 7%—it adds up and you end up with a really good story. But, if you try to knock it out of the park every time you step up to the plate, you’ll swing the bat a whole lot, and you’ll be tired and exhausted when you’re done, but you won’t have a ton to show for it. That’s when most people quit. They think, “I can’t do this” or, “I don’t have the talent.” They don’t understand they’re doing it wrong, that’s all.

10. When you’re not writing, you’re…

Singing karaoke. I go once a week with some close friends of mine. It’s a fantastic release, also you get feedback from an audience, which you sometimes miss from writing, and you can forget how exciting it is to share your work with others. My favorite song to sing right now is Gaga’s “You and I.” Gaga has got a great voice that she can make raspy if she needs to, and I’ve got a voice that can match the raspier songs, so I think I do her proud. Otherwise I’m singing the Killers, Kings of Leon, Oasis or Lauryn Hill.



As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Sykosa eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $550 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of the book.

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To win the prizes:
  1. Purchase your copy of Sykosa for just 99 cents
  2. Fill-out the simple form on Novel Publicity
  3. Visit today’s featured social media event
  4. BONUS: Leave a comment on this post*
Leave a comment, win $100:

One random tour commenter will win a $100 Amazon gift card. Just leave a comment on this post, and you'll be entered to win. For a full list of participating blogs, check out the official tour page. You can enter on just my blog or on all of them. Get out there and network!

About the book: YA fiction for the 18+ crowd. Sykosa is a sixteen-year-old girl trying to reclaim her identity after an act of violence shatters her life and the lives of her friends. Set at her best friend’s cottage, for what will be a weekend of unsupervised badness, Sykosa will have to finally confront the major players and issues from this event, as well as decide if she wants to lose her virginity to Tom, her first boyfriend, and the boy who saved her from danger. Get it on Amazon.

About the author: Sykosa is Justin OrdoƱez's life's work. He hopes to one day settle down with a nerdy, somewhat introverted woman and own 1 to 4 dogs. Visit Justin on his website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.
 
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