Guest Post and Giveaway: "Sidelined" by Kendra C. Highley

Today I am excited to be a part of the "Sidelined" tour as part of Rockstar Book Tours. For those of you who don't know, "Sidelined" is about the struggles that main character Genna Pierce faces after a freak accident ends her high school basketball career and the only thing to ease her pain is Vicodin. 

Why Write about Addiction?

When I was thinking through Sidelined, I knew I wanted to take an honest look at a phenomenon occurring more and more frequently with teens: prescription drug abuse. Right now, more teens illegally obtain and abuse prescription drugs—painkillers in particular—than marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined. No longer do friends pool their money, drive to the shady side of town and buy illicit substances. Nope, they raid their parents’ drug cabinet. It’s quick, it’s free, and who would miss a few pills?

The problem is, Vicodin—along with other scheduled narcotics—is highly addictive. I’ve had a few surgeries and have taken prescription painkillers. The high is rapid, and it really kills the pain, no matter what that pain is. The hard part is quitting. I was lucky; I didn’t have to take them for long and had a smooth transition off. However, if your pain isn’t physical, if it’s something deeper, letting go of the pills might feel like crossing a highway at rush hour…blindfolded.

With Sidelined, I didn’t want to preach the ills of drug abuse, or condemn people who get addicted. Instead, I wanted readers to be able to experience Genna’s struggle vicariously, to see what this can be like and how easily the trap can be sprung. This is a girl who lost the one thing that defined her. Of course she was looking for a way out, a way to numb all the feelings battering her from every direction.  Genna was responsible, driven to succeed…until she met Prince Vicodin. The good prince changed her life without her even noticing for a while. And when she did notice, she had her excuses ready.

In fact, she came to understand she was willing to throw away everything good in her life for one more pill. Even knowing that…she couldn’t stop.

So why write about addiction? First, to show that no one “type” of person falls into prescription drug abuse. It can be anyone—family, neighbors, friends—and you might never know. Shedding light on the problem might help others recognize it better. Second, to show that addicts aren’t criminals or worthless. With the right help, everyone has a chance. There’s always hope. If one person reads the book and realizes that he or she has a problem—or a loved one does—and seeks help, then Genna’s story will have done its job.

You can find out more about "Sidelined" here:

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Kobo/iBooks

About Kendra:
 Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most critical job. She believes in everyday magic, extraordinary love stories and the restorative powers of dark chocolate. 

Giveaway!

$25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card and a women’s collegiate basketball to the first prize winner (US Only)

3 $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift cards for 3 second prize winners (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find out more about "Sidelined" by visiting the following stops! 

9/30/2013- Bookish Things & More- Guest Post

10/1/2013- Sarah Elizabeth's Bookshelf- Review

10/2/2013- Avery's Book Nook- Guest Post

10/3/2013- Once Upon a Twilight- Review

10/4/2013- BookHounds YA- Interview

Blog Tour: "Mortality" by Kellie Sheridan

Today I am excited to have author Kellie Sheridan (and fellow Ontarian book blogger) to tell us a bit about her debut novel "Mortality"!

As a Canuck who reads a lot of books, I have a tendency to award Canadian books with bonus points. They’re Whose Line is it Anyways style points since they don’t really count for much, but if a story is written by a Canadian or set in Canada, I take notice. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way about novels set in their hometown/state/country. A book set in a place you already know has the ability to suck you that much farther into the story. If something amazing can happen there, then something amazing can happen to you.

So why didn’t I set my own debut novel in the Great White North? Believe me, I wanted to. I’d always intended to. But I didn’t, and despite making my decisions for all the right reasons, I still feel a little bad about it. Canada can get pretty cold. We don’t actually live in igloos, but there is sometimes a desire to hibernate during the coldest months of the year. The zombies I created for The Hitchhiker Strain (at least some of them) freeze if left out in the cold for too long. With the initial outbreak of the virus happening in September, that gave maybe three months until most Canadians would see a significant uptick in their survival rate. Good for the characters maybe, but bad for the plot.

There were also some geographical issues. Most of our cities sit relatively close to the U.S. border, but we’re dealing with a large expanse of land. It was difficult for me to see how an infection that started in say—Calgary, would be able to spread and eventually overwhelm the world. I tried to science-it-out multiple times, but I just couldn’t get it to work in a way that worked with the story I wanted to tell. I was forced to rethink my plan.

Finally, there’s the issue of place recognition. Which city do you think is more well-known—Jackson, Mississippi or Mississauga, Ontario? Sacramento or Saskatoon? It’s really not much of a debate. While Canadian cities might be significant to me, that wouldn’t be the case for all of my readers. Part of what scares me about the idea of a zombie apocalypse, is you can imagine how it would unfold, how it just might be possible. If putting easily recognized landmarks into my character’s lives would help readers to immerse themselves that much farther into the world I’d created, then I had to go for it.

Or maybe I just didn’t want to have to imagine zombies running around in the streets of Toronto.

So, will my next series be set in Canada? Alas, probably not. My next few projects have a decidedly fantasy twist to them and won’t be set anywhere we can actually visit (except within the pages of a book, of course). But until I do manage to find a story that can allow a city or town in Canada to become that ‘could be anywhere’ setting for one of my novels, I won’t feel like I’ve checked off all the boxes on my writing career bucket list.

From Goodreads: "After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death. 

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough."

About the Author: I have been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as I can remember.

Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been my true love. In early 2011 I began writing a book blog in order to share my favorite reads with book lovers. From there, the bookish community encouraged me to stop sitting on my own stories and share them instead. Since then I’ve been madly devouring everything I can about digital publishing.

For the past two years I have been mainly obsessed with young adult books, but my favorite stories still come from the adult fantasy genre. As far as I’m concerned, Briggs, Bishop, Vincent and Vaughn are all must reads.

I spent part of my twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but am now back home in Ontario, Canada. My family includes two Glen of Imaal Terriers and a Green Cheek Conure.

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes&Noble Kobo iTunes
Website- http://www.kellie.snarkybooks.com
Twitter- https://twitter.com/Kellie_Sheridan
Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6579646.Kellie_Sheridan

Guest Post: Author Juliana Haygert

Today I am excited to have Juliana Haygert, author of "Her Heart's Secret Wish", stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process! 

Like most writers, I started writing at an early age. But then it was just a hobby. During college, I stopped writing. Not sure why, though. Too busy? Even though I wasn’t writing anymore, my mind never stopped creating stories and making observations “ah, this would be an awesome detail for a story” and things like that.

Around 2008, the urge to write again was overwhelming. I started writing again, and I started thinking about it as more than a hobby. For the first time, I thought about trying to get published. While I wasn’t writing my first real manuscript, as I call it, I researched about the process, the agents, the editors, the wants and wishes, all of that dance.

Early into 2010, I finish my first real manuscript and submitted to agents. I’m serious. Man, I hope they don’t remember me. The writing was horrible. Horrible! Yes, the story was good and I have plans of rewriting it, but the writing … oh, gosh.

But I learned.

I created a blog, I became active on twitter (where the writing community is fantastic!), I read blogs about writing and other writers, I bought several craft books and devoured them, I learned more about the process, the dos and don’ts …

But, there was a big problem I had not foreseen: I write New Adult (if you don’t know what New Adult is, you can read about it here). Back in 2010, nobody wanted New Adult. Because of that, I almost gave up on New Adult. I started YA or adult stories, but they didn’t sound good to me. My voice wasn’t true. So I stuck with NA, even if I never got published because of it.

I found out small presses were more likely to accept New Adult. So I subbed to them. And I got contract for two novellas—one that was just released a few days ago, and another that will come out in February.

Today, New Adult is very popular and, because of many self-published NA books that hit the NYT bestseller list, several agents and editors are now accepting New Adult. Some friends and I created a blog dedicated to New Adult, called NA Alley—if you want to know which agents and editors are accepting NA, or get recommendation on which NA books to read, check our blog out!

I have plans to self-publish a NA Paranormal Romance novel in April, and a NA Contemporary Romance in June, but I think about querying agents again with another project.

The great thing about writing today is that we have options. We just need to stick with it ;)

Thanks, Avery, for having me here today!

From Goodreads: "With a renowned reputation as a player, she had everything figured out...

Twenty-year-old college student, Natasha is the life of every party and the reason behind many celebrations. The easiest girl on campus has all guys at her feet and more than a few in her bed.

…until he came into the game…

Having entered the academic world by chance, Professor Jason Stone is surprised to find one of his young students a huge temptation. The infamous Natasha has caught his attention. But is there more to her than meets the eye?

…and changed the rules.

As their unexpected friendship grows, so does their attraction to each other. When Jason’s Christmas plans are canceled and he ends up at the same party as Natasha, sparks flare, destroying the safe zone around them. Will they figure out how to break through their self-imposed barriers to be together, or lose one another forever?"

About the Author: New Adult author. Contributor at NA Alley blog.

Lover of: coffee, chocolate, wine, dancing, World of Warcraft, books, jeans, high heels, friends + family.

She would love to be Wonder Woman, Cheetara, Elektra, Buffy, Phoebe, She-ra, Rose, Korra, Cornelia, a blood elf shadow priest, and other various kick-ass female from comics, TV series, movies, books and games, but she settles for—the less exciting but equally gratifying life—a wife, mother, friend and a writer. Her heroines are like the ones cited above and she also writes about the heroes who drive them crazy—and occasionally hot.

Guest Post: Author Evelyn Ink

Today I am excited to have Evelyn Ink, author of "Ill-Fated" and "Sticks, Stones, and Dragon Bones" stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process! 

On Writing Fantasy and the Invention of Words

One of the most fun things about writing Ill-fated was inventing words and place names. I have always loved writers who immerse you in their world with language (think of Tolkien’s use of Norse mythology and Rowling’s use of Latin). Whether they’ve invented new words, or brought back old, rare words with a twist, it definitely sets up the whole feel of a fantasy world; making it more vivid and real, or strange and surreal.

While writing Ill-fated, I tried to invent words that sound like what they are, but with a poetic touch. For a long time, I kept a journal of words I just liked the sound of, and then paired them up with other words to create names for things like types of trees, flowers, potions, or places. A few of my favorite invented words were: Idlerile for a stream androughrunnel for a river, moonbloom for phosphorescence, dayspell and nightspell, and some fun names for trees and plants like: gingerburn, sallow trees, poppyglums, androsedeads.

Finding a way to introduce words that have a more specific meaning (like drudge for a slave or servant) without slowing down the plot can be difficult, especially since some readers like everything explained and others are annoyed if the story is brought to a screeching halt each time a new word or a bit of history / backstory is explained.

As a writer you can pick a middle ground, but whether you realize it or not, you are likely favoring one side or the other. Sci-fi authors and deep fantasy writers tend to offer a lot of technical details and explanations, I seem to do quite the opposite. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but I think my readers aught to recognized the context in which the word is being used, and deduce the meaning. In most cases I feel like a slight misunderstanding is less vexing then a cumbersome definition, but this is a tricky line to walk, and I will say this, I certainly intend to add a word index in my next edition and maybe this will appease the more methodical readers.

However you choose to handle it, I feel that no matter the genre of a novel (steampunk, paranormal romance, sci-fi, etc.), taking time with your word choices, whether it be the place names, history, or the defining limits of a new realm, can give your book a literary edge. Place names are especially important because they set the feel and mood of the destination (Within Ill-fated a few of my favorites were: the Fiercehollows, the Iron Spine, and Deadroamer. There are many more, but I best leave some surprises for those who are going to read the book). First names and surnames, are also just as important (Would Lord Voldemort be as terrifying if his name were Terry?). In real life villains are named Dennis, and dreadful, dismal towns are called Point Place, but in a world where you can create an immediate mental image with just a name, why be dull?

From Goodreads: "The stars have aligned to make my life grim and loathsome...” fourteen year old Leila Edgewick stands on the brink of disaster, balancing the fate of Bainland and her father’s legacy against a vague, ill-fated prophecy. A meaningless number, a luckless red moon, and worst of all– a star that falls south– send Leila on a quest she does not expect to survive.

Simultaneously, an unknown boy wakes up in the sunken hull of a decrepit cargo ship. Captured and mind-locked, the boy– dubbed “Sam” by the ship’s crew– must escape the infamous Bonesplitter and the dark schemes of one Captain Erastacus Oren.

All the while, Leila journeys out of Bainland. Crossing the wall for the first, she finds a world where magic meets machine. Aeroskiffs, daguerreotypes, and automatons merge with the earth-dolven magic of the South, leaving her to question, “What is sorcery and what is science?”

When Leila and Sam's paths cross, fate ties them together, sending them deep into the Ramble in search of the Wasteland Witches. Plagued by Sam's erratic memory and Leila's dubious rationale, they must outwit the Southland drudge hunters, and take on the dangers of the Ramble: sandwolves, bloodswamps, and the Kartivause – terrifying night creatures from the Shadowland.

Their friendship develops quickly, but as Leila’s quest unravels, Sam’s past is pieced together– and when Sam’s identity is finally revealed, Leila must face up to a bloody family history that could rip their friendship apart..."

About the Author: Evelyn Ink was formally trained to be a parachutist, but found it did not fit her longstanding desire to avoid heights and thus decided to study the much less vertically horrifying subject of English Literature.

Due to the web of conspiracy which surrounds Evelyn Ink, she rarely appears in public, but when she does it’s best to avoid her on account of her enduring history of social disrepute. There has been more than one regrettable event regarding bent cameras and shattered umbrellas.

It’s hard to say how old she is, but I would guess she was born well before you were. Her childhood home, deep in some unknown, but undoubtably pleasant countryside, was turned into a plastic bubblepuck factory forcing her family to move far into the Stonegrave Mountains. These Mountains were unfortunately chosen to be used as an experimental avalanche catastrophe (EAC) site and once again the Ink Family was forced to move. It seems ill-fortune struck again and again as they were repeatedly obligated to change locations: once due to a plague of urban badgers, a fracking sinkhole, and then again when a tuna factory’s waste disposal sight was established just outside their home.

As an adult she has continued on in this nomadic lifestyle, crossing oceans and continents when necessary. Necessary being: under the scrutiny of the press, unwarranted investigations, and an ill-timed anarchist fan base. Evelyn was quoted saying,


Mrs. Ink also prefers the term “vacation” to “exile.”

That said, Mrs. Ink continues on writing and publishing while in exile . . . sorry, on vacation, with her husband, who (name unknown) is thought by many to be both an anarchist and mad philosopher.


You may choose to follow Evelyn Ink on her blog, although due to her absolute terror of electronics and a crippling phobia of the social media (technical term: Socmephobia), her blog posts tend to be infrequent and erratic. Also, due to several post exile investigations and her current relocation program, she is generally prevented from giving specific information regarding her whereabouts (Though, by the hollowly echo and vintage-like hum of a rotary phone, I would suspect from our last conversation, she is somewhere deep underground).

This report was conducted by:
Mr. Edwin Riddle
Of Public Relations, Personal Investigates, and Subterfuge.

Guest Post: Author Hanna Peach

Today I am honored to have author Hanna Peach stop by the blog to tell us the heartwarming story about how she became a published author!

A sunflower & how I came to be published… 

I wrestled with whether this story was too personal to tell, too soon to tell... I’ve been told, as writers, that we must ‘tell the truth’. So…

…this is what happened.

I had wanted to be a writer since I was seven, but for the lack of confidence in me, I was never serious about my writing. Instead, I dabbled, I hobbied, I busied myself with a ‘real job’. But always there was this sense that it wasn’t enough for me.

In early 2012 I was accepted into a week-long writing Masterclass, where I met my writing mentor, the man who would change me as a writer forever. He was one of Australia’s most popular writers, having published (to date) 21 bestselling novels. For some reason he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. I left that Masterclass with these words in my ear, “Keep writing, Hanna. You’re going to make it.”

In September he announced that he was dying of cancer and asked would I fly down to see him one last time, to do one last Masterclass with him. With a sob in my throat, I said yes. The trip was joyful and devastating at the same time. How blessed was I to spend one last week with such an amazing man, how blessed was my life to be touched by his.

This time I left holding a small sunflower seedling – his last gift to me – in one hand and these last words ringing in my ears, “My one regret with you is that I won't live to see you published.”

The best way to ignite a fire in my heart is to tell me that something can't be done. His words were a challenge I fully, yet silently, accepted. Dammit, he was going to see me published. Traditional publishing was too long a lead time and he didn’t have that much time, so indie-publishing was the way to go.

Since I left him that day, I secretly, desperately, worked every second of my spare time to get my book published so that I could surprise him… as a ‘Thank You’ to him for his belief in me and his mentorship over the last year, to show him that his legacy will live on through me. I finished the manuscript, had it edited, cover art professionally done... I made mistakes, drank too much coffee, read everything I could about indie-publishing… I filmed a book trailer, setup a website, a facebook page and an account with Amazon…

Now here I am. A published author. Thanks to him… the man who believed in me until I could believe in myself.

It’s my turn to say to you… Keep writing.

x Hanna

Epilogue.

My mentor passed away late Thursday night on 22nd November. His sunflower bloomed overnight on the Thursday of his passing and its’ beautiful yet humble face was a comfort to me when I found out the news on Friday. I know this is him saying farewell.

My book was published on Friday 23rd November.

This may seem like a sad epilogue, but it’s not. He may not have seen the book but I’m sure he knows. In fact, he knew before I did. Wherever he is now, I know he is proud of me.

From Goodreads: "An army of angels walk among us. They have kept us safe and ignorant, so far.
Earthbound for centuries and ruled by the Elders, they have established hidden cities, a society and The Code: obey your Elders, kill all demons, eliminate Rogue-angels, protect the mortals, remain hidden. Their warriors are the ungifted earthborn angels armed with blades and the ‘borrowed magics’ of distilled angel-blood tattoos.

Alyxandria is a young warrior with a fondness for customized knives and illegal night-races. If only she could overcome the taint of her parents who abandoned her to become Rogues.

When Alyx saves Israel, a gifted mortal with a past, she is forbidden to see him again. But she can’t help herself, drawn to him through their Guardian-bond, an ancient and long-forgotten bond; if he dies, she dies.

An encounter with a handsome Rogue leaves Alyx questioning all she has been taught to believe. Alyx begins to dig into the Elders’ secrets. Two thousand years of secrets that begin with the death of the Archangel Raphael. She is not prepared when she uncovers an Elder’s dark plan.

Somewhere on earth is a key to unlock hell. Somewhere on earth are pieces of an amulet that controls Lucifer and his army. Somehow Israel is the link and now both sides are after him. Who can Alyx trust when Good and Evil is no longer clear?

The war for earth begins."

About the Author: A writer of fantastical things, especially stories with fangs, magic or wings.

I want to tell you tales that will rip away the glamour from your life, keep you running and fighting and gasping long past the devil’s hour and maybe, just maybe, reality will look a little bit different when you return.

Sit with me around this witchlight. Let me tell you a story.

Guest Post: Adrienne Kress

Today I am excited to have author Adrienne Kress stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process- Adrienne is the author of "The Friday Society", a book which I recently read and adored! 

Comedy

Why do I like comedy so much, and why do I make it an important element of my writing?  For these five reasons:

1. I love to laugh. 

2. I love to make other people laugh.

3.  The fact that something is funny doesn’t mean it can’t also speak to human truths and have serious moments.  In fact, I tend to find comedies can pack even more of an emotional wallop than pure drama.  Life, in general, is absurd.  And to deny that absurdity is to take something honest and real away from the moment.  Yes, there are purely serious moments, and, in fact, I have such moments in all my books.  But those are rare.  Usually we feel a mix of feelings, life isn’t all black and white.  I remember when I was delivering the eulogy at my grandmother’s funeral.  I’m an actor as well as an author and I tend to work best when I get audience feedback, be it laughter, applause, etc.  Of course at a funeral people aren’t really doing any of those things.  They are sitting listening to you.  Not really responding that much.  So as I was reading my eulogy, and was getting all teary and missing my grandmother so much, I also couldn’t help thinking, “Wow, tough crowd.”

See? Absurd, right?

4.  Speaking of absurdity.  Douglas Adams has got to be one of my greatest literary influences.  It was his absurd humour that taught me I was allowed to play in the telling of a story.  My father read to me before bed every night, and we worked our way through the classics (Dickens, Tolkien, etc).  But then one day he picked up THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, and my perspective on books and on writing changed in that moment.  I don’t think my mind would have been nearly as blown had I not been introduced to the classics first.  And I think it is very important to have a solid grounding before you start to hop around like a crazy person.  But Adams definitely inspired my love of absurdity, and that tends to be at the core of most of my humour.  I think, going back to point 3, what I like best about it is that life is kind of absurd.  And building up on that idea to an extreme is still a very honest reflection of how humans live.  It is also hilarious.

  

5. A shared joke that everyone loves brings people together in a wonderful way.  It’s an instant moment of connection.  Of “Even if we are quite different, we have this in common.”  The best evenings out with friends are the ones where everyone is laughing, where everyone is having fun.  I really love bonding over comedy.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

From Goodreads: "Be your own hero.

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures."

About the Author: Adrienne Kress is a Toronto born actor and author who loves to play make-believe. She also loves hot chocolate. And cheese. Not necessarily together.

She is the author of two children's novels: ALEX AND THE IRONIC GENTLEMAN and TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE (Scholastic). Her debut YA novel, THE FRIDAY SOCIETY, launches Fall 2012 from Dial, Penguin.

She is a theatre graduate of the Univeristy of Toronto and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in the UK. Published around the world, ALEX was featured in the New York Post as a "Post Potter Pick," as well as on the CBS early show. It won the Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award in the UK and was nominated for the Red Cedar. The sequel, TIMOTHY, was nominated for the Audie, Red Cedar and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards, and was recently optioned for film.

"Release" Blog Tour: Guest Post and GIVEAWAY with M.R. Merrick

Today I am excited to be a part of M.R. Merrick's "Release" blog tour! Matt has been kind enough to stop by and tell us a bit about his writing process. 

My Writing Style

Everybody has their own style and method to writing, but I’m still trying to nail mine down. I’ve found something different that has worked for each book I’ve written, but doesn’t necessarily apply when I start the next one.

With Exiled, I had an idea in my head and I wrote until I’d gotten it out. As the series progressed however, that same method wouldn’t work. I put Chase, Rayna, and company on a big journey in Exiled, and I couldn’t expect myself to flounder through it for the entire series. For Shift I used a full outline. It veered off the path from time to time, but for the most part, it stayed committed to my original ideas.

Release is where things really started to change. I had a full outline written for the book, but I struggled a lot while writing it. The outline was there, the story was ready to be told, but it just wasn’t working. When I finally realized the outline was the problem, I fought with myself trying to fix it. That didn’t work either. The story didn’t truly come to life until I just let myself go and wrote. The truly major plot points stayed, of course, but the road to getting there changed drastically and in my opinion, it changed for the better.

I’m currently writing the final book in the series and I’m having trouble outlining even a little bit of it. I know everything that needs to happen, I know the plot points I need to close off, and the character arcs that needs to turn, but plotting seems impossible. I plot a few chapters ahead, but then I hit a wall, so I go back and start writing what I know I have to work on and then come back to it later.

The fourth book is the last book in the series, and writing this one feels like I’m tackling an entirely new beast. I realize now that it is. Each book is a different entity and as such, needs to be treated so. While some writers can plot everything before they write a word, others will never plot a thing. I don’t think either approach is wrong, but what I think is important is finding the approach that works for you.

I’ve realized that my style is somewhere in the middle. Sometimes I need the outline to nail down the details and put on paper exactly where I want to go. But in some cases, the story wants to tell itself. It doesn’t want me going into each chapter knowing the outcome. It wants me to experience it with my characters. And sometimes, that’s the approach that evokes the rawest emotions from me.

One thing is for certain, I no longer push one method or the other. When one route doesn’t work, I don’t stress out about it, I simply continue down a different path. I always start out trying to outline my novels first, but if it’s not working, I’ve found some of my best work comes from just “letting it all go” on the page. After all, that’s what first drafts are for. You can clean up any errors, fix plot points, and adjust character development at any point in your editing process. What’s important, first and foremost, is telling your story. If you don’t get it down on the page, you can’t edit it and turn it into something completely fresh. The first draft has no rules, so a writer has to take advantage of that. Just write, have fun, and take yourself on an adventure.

From Goodreads: "After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight."

About the Author: M.R. Merrick is a Canadian writer, and author of Exiled, the first installment in The Protector Series. Having never traveled, he adventures to far off lands through his imagination and in between cups of coffee. As a music lover and proud breakfast enthusiast, he's usually found at the computer, between a pair of headphones and in front of a large bowl of cereal.

 As part of the blog tour Matt and Valerie (from Stuck in Books) have prepared some AMAZING giveaways!

Grande Prize Pack (3 Winners)
3x Signed paperbacks (Exiled, Shift, Release)
3x Signed 8x10 posters (Exiled, Shift, Release)
5x Bookmarks
1x Notebook (Winner’s choice of cover)
1x Magnet

Runner-up Prize Pack (5 Winners)
1x Signed paperback (Winner’s choice of Exiled, Shift, or Release) with signed poster
1x bookmark (Winner’s choice)
1x Magnet

Secondary Prizes A (10 Winners)
Release eBooks

Secondary Prize B (10 Winners)
1x bookmark (winner’s choice)
1x The Protector magnet

Winners will be chosen as follows: First 3 names drawn from Rafflecopter will get the grand prize. The following 5 names get the runner-up prize. The following 10 names win ebook copies of Release, and the final 10 names win the swag pack.

There will also be multiple opportunities to win signed paperbacks, signed posters, notebooks, swag packs, and bookmarks throughout the tour on both Twitter (@MRMerrick) and Stuck in Books's Facebook Page .


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Author Jessie Harrell

Today I am excited to have author Jessie Harrell stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her book "Destined"!

Since my book baby, Destined, is turning a year old tomorrow (*sniff* where has the time gone?) – and since it’s set in ancient Greece – I thought I’d share with you a factiod about birthdays in ancient Greece: They didn’t celebrate them.

What? No cake and ice cream?

Nope. In fact, the Greeks considered the day of one’s birth a “dirty day.” Certainly not cause for celebration. At least, it wasn’t a cause for celebration for mere mortals. The gods on the other hand… well, let’s get the party started. For example, Artemis got a birthday party every lunar month since she was the moon goddess. She was brought round cakes (shaped like the moon) , alight with candles to represent the moon’s glow. (I sense the beginnings of a tradition here…)

So, that being the case – gods got celebrated and mortals don’t – how would a mortal/immortal couple spend the mortal’s birthday? Surely a love-struck god would want to shower his beloved with attention. Or at least I chose to think so. Here’s how I imagined Eros (a/k/a Aris - at this point, he’s in disguise and Psyche doesn’t know who he really is) and Psyche spending her birthday ~

That evening, I sat on the bed and watched the sun set behind the gardens, casting a glow of brilliant oranges and reds across the landscape. Just as he had done the past two nights, Aris’s darkened form flew in through the window. My breath caught in the back of my throat as I gazed at the obviously powerful creature now standing before me.

He didn’t speak right away, then cleared his throat. “Sorry about passing out on you last night. Not exactly how I’d planned things to go.”

I shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. Seriously. You obviously needed the rest. I didn’t mind.”

“Yeah, well, I felt like I did all the talking last night and I want to know more about you. I already know my past.”

“I thought you already knew everything about me.” I couldn’t help the playful barb; I probably even threw in an eyelash flutter for good measure.

He chuckled and I heard fabric shifting under his personal cloud. “I don’t know nearly enough. So I figured you could tell me everything -- over cake.”

I took the package he held out to me. Once I’d untied the string and pulled away the cloth wrapping, I saw an amazing-looking cheesecake.

“Happy birthday to you,” he sang in a low voice.

“How’d you know?” I asked.

“I figured it was something I ought to remember.” He cleared his throat again. “I hope you like cheesecake.”

“Who doesn’t?” I slid onto the stool at my vanity, pulling the cake closer and breaking off a piece to pop into my mouth.

He stopped my hand before I could indulge. “Wait… this game has rules.”

I looked at him with narrowed eyes. Since when does eating cheesecake have rules?

“I want one fact for every bite,” he said. “Talk first, eat second.”

Reluctantly, I backed the cake away from my already-parted lips. If he wanted to make a game out of this information exchange, who was I to complain?

So, yes, I took some liberties with past traditions in an effort to ensure Eros comes across as romantic as possible. And if you think a surprise cake is sweet, just wait till you see what else he has in store for Psyche. If you’d like to know more, here’s the back cover blurb:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

About the Author: By day, I'm an appellate lawyer. By night, I'm a wife, mother of two, and author/lover of all things Greek mythology. I'm a native Floridian, frustrated world traveler, unrepentant dreamer, lover of acoustic music and not-so-closet geek. Destined, released November 17, 2011, is my first novel. Stay tuned for Beneath the Surface, co-written with the amazing Brooklyn Grant, coming summer 2012.

Blog: http://jessie-harrell.blogspot.com
website: www.jessieharrell.com
Twitter: twitter.com/jessieharrell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieHarrell.Author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4965551.Jessie_Harrell

Guest Post and GIVEAWAY: Author Sarra Cannon

Today I'm excited to have Sara Cannon, author of The Peachville High Demons series, stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process- Y'all are going to want to take notes, Sarra knows what she's talking about, she's sold more than 100,000 copies of her books! ;) 

Hi Avery and fans of Avery's Book Nook!! I am Indie author Sarra Cannon, and I am so excited to be here on the blog today to talk about my writing process.

 I have always loved to write fiction. When I decided to pursue writing as a career, I knew I wanted to write YA. For research (wink, wink), I bought a TON of new YA books and read for months and months, analyzing what worked, how the stories I loved most were put together, and what types of characters I connected with on a deeper level. Finding my own voice and writing process wasn't easy. It took years of work and self-discovery, but when I finally figured out my best process, my writing got better and a lot more fun.

 So what's my process? First of all, I keep an 'idea box'. Whenever I have a new idea, I file it away so that I don't forget. When it's time for me to work on a new project, I look through my idea box and pick a story that speaks to me. Then, I outline my idea using a three-act structure. I am obsessed with colorful post-its and pens, so my initial story grid looks like (to the left). I spend about a week or two filling in as many scenes as I can, which for me is usually only the beginning and end of the story with a few scenes peppered in here and there randomly. I definitely already have a good idea of the main characters in the story and can see them clearly in my head before I begin writing.

 Then I start the rough draft. My rough drafts always suck, lol. I write in circles, sometimes with scenes out of order. Sometimes I have notes to myself that say things like, “Figure out a scene to add here that is romantic.” During this stage, I usually bite my nails and swear that I'm a terrible writer. For the record, my husband hates this stage because he has to hear me whine about how the story just isn't coming together. He says I do this every single time. Ha!

 Even though I think I know what my novel is about when I begin, I always have this revelation somewhere toward the end of the first draft that completely changes everything I've written so far. When I first started writing, I got so frustrated by this. Making these changes means rewriting most of the book, and I felt that I had just wasted my time by writing words that would never see the light of day.

 It wasn't until I finally gave in to my true writing process that I started writing books that people actually liked to read. I no longer let myself get frustrated by the fact that most of my rough draft is completely tossed out. I actually call my rough draft my 'exploratory draft'. I know going into it now that my readers will never see most of it. I am simply exploring my idea of what the story might be. I start writing and find joy in waiting for that beautiful moment where the light turns on and the true story reveals itself to me. It feels like magic, and for me, it's one of the most exhilarating things I've ever experienced in my life.

Of course, this moment usually comes about a month before my book is due to be published, so I end up rewriting the entire book furiously in the middle of the night. For Rival Demons, book 5 of my Peachville High Demons series, I rewrote the entire book in a week just before it was published in January. It was grueling and exhausted, but it was incredibly fun and exciting. This is my process, and the more I embrace it, the faster I write. I also would like to think the better my books become, but I'll let my readers be the judge of that.

Speaking of readers, I would love to introduce some new readers to the Peachville High Demons series. Enter below to win copies of all 6 ebooks in my series, including the brand new book, DEMONS FOREVER, which will release October 29^th. I'm also throwing in some fun swag for a US winner! And for any current fans of the series, you can still enter to win book 6 even if you already have the rest of them. The winner will be announced here on the rafflecopter and on my twitter (@sarramaria) and Facebook page Tuesday the 16^th.

 Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by the blog today, and thanks again to Avery for having me as a guest!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: Rachel Roberts

Today I'm excited to have Rachel Roberts, author of the "Avalon: Web of Magic" series, stop by to offer aspiring authors a few words of wisdom! 

Rachel Roberts - Rachel's Writing Tips 

Since so many of you have asked for tips to create your own stories, Attila, Raider, and I thought we'd share some writing secrets! Whether you're a writer starting with a blank page, a painter staring at a canvass or a sculptor shaping a lump of clay, creating is a process. It takes time, practice, and patience to bring your vision to life. Creativity can be hard work but it's always worth the effort. The important thing is to have fun!

WAIT! Don't write - yet: You have to prepare first. Make some decisions about what kind of story you want to tell - action, adventure, fantasy, mystery - and who your characters are. But where do you get ideas?

You need input to get output: 
To get your imagination flowing, start by doing something you like. Read a book, watch a movie, listen to music, walk in the forest - any experience that makes you feel inspired and ready to create.

Be open to ideas: 
As a writer, part of your job to observe. Ideas- big and small- will come if you pay attention to the world around you. Maybe your cat did something so amazing that it gives you an idea for a magical creature, or your BFF had an interesting comment that made you think, or a ray of sunlight shining through a maple tree looked like a cloud of golden fairy dust. The more you study the real world, the truer and realer your own world and characters will feel.

Be ready to catch ideas: 
If you don't grab that idea when it pops into your mind it, it might get lost. Carry a notebook so you're always prepared to jot things down. Soon you'll have a lot of cool stuff to help create your story. Some ideas you'll love and others you won't, but that's okay. You never know what will help build your story. Plus, when you feel stuck during writing, you can always go back to your notebook and find ideas to get you moving again.

The Big Idea: 
You've immersed yourself in great stories, you have a collection of cool ideas, you're inspired, excited - now what? Here's what I do:

1. Write A Story Summary: 
A story summary helps you answer the question, "Hey, what's your story about?" This will help you keep the big picture in mind as you start designing the beginning, middle, and end to your story. You can also use this summary for sales copy when you are ready to post your book online or print it. Here’s some examples of the Avalon book summaries:

Circles in the Stream:

Three very different teenage girls are all drawn to a secret place deep in the woods. There they discover a portal to another world through which strange and wondrous animals have emerged, searching desperately for the magic that will keep them alive. The animals are peaceful and good, but what follows them through the portal is pure evil. Emily, Adriane, and Kara have been chosen by magical beings called Fairimentals to protect the magical animals, though they don't know why. To save them and their world, the three girls must begin a quest to find the lost home of legendary magic, Avalon...or to perish trying.

Secret of the Unicorn:

The problems in the magical world of Aldenmor are getting worse. Many new creatures are arriving in Ravenswood through the portal and they report that the Fairy Glen, home of the Fairimentals, has vanished. A frightened and terribly wounded unicorn is among the new refugees to Ravenswood. Can Emily communicate with her to offer help? The future of the magic web depends upon the dark secret the unicorn carries.

2. Create Character Bios: 
Write a short bio for each of your lead characters, including stats like age, hair color, eyes, height, likes and dislikes. Don't worry about selecting names. I always use placeholders (any name I can think of) until the perfect name comes to me.

3. Build Your World: 
Write a short description of the places in your story. Is it a fantasy world? Is it a zoo? Is it a mall? An old, spooky house? Know your environments to make your world feel real.

Keep your notes handy because as you start to write your story, you might want to update, expand or change these 3 things.

Okay, now that you have the basics it's time to start writing and start creating your own world.

Your fellow writer mage, 
Rachel

Guest Post: Author Ashley Stoyanoff

Today I am excited to have author Ashley Stoyanoff stop by the blog to tell us a bit about her writing process! 

Some of us write just to write, scribbling words on a page out of love and letting our imaginations soar. Others like to take a more planned approach. We outline, create character sketches full of back story, plan out every detail of the town, and the details go on and on...

I like to think I fall somewhere in the middle. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m an obsessive planner. I create outline after outline after outline until the story is sound. But then as I pound out the words on the keyboard, I always seem to get lost in the story and then before I know it, I’m at a new place I had never before imagined.

This can be a great thing, but, like all organization freaks, I find myself pulling back, and again, I'm back at the drawing board trying to find a way to have this new development work in the story.

After hours, days and even weeks of frustration, trying to balance out my obsessive and creative sides, I came up with a compromise which has led to a writing process that keeps both my personalities happy.

I write every day no matter what. I always start out the first 30 minutes with my imagination, letting the words come out however they please. This is my warm up, getting those creative juices flowing. Usually I pick one of the minor characters within the story I’m writing to play the lead. I never fail to be surprised to see some of the crazy things those minors do when they have the spotlight. It gives them a chance to shine and gives me new inspiration.

Then I like to have a coffee or 5 (I drink at least three pots a day). While I sip on the delicious java, I read over my little sprint and see if any of it is usable in my present or maybe a future story. If a new story idea comes to mind from the warm up, or I think of an awesome place to add it in the current story, I take 20 to 30 minutes to jot it down, if not I move on, checking out where I left off on my outline. Then I take a few minutes to review the last few paragraphs from the day before to get my bearings.

This is where my writing process takes, what I like to think of as a designer feel. Like most, I write scene by scene, breaking the book down into sections. However, I don’t stop there. I strip it down and write every scene in sections, dialogue, emotions, narrative, and then setting. And by splitting it up into steps my organizational side stays content.

My favorite thing to write is dialogue so this is where I always start. I will sketch out the whole scene with just the dialogue. I find that when I’m only thinking about what is actually being said and nothing else the dialogue is more natural, not forced, and overall, original.

But the neat thing about this is, when the dialogue is done, the emotions are easy to fill in since I already have a great sense of exactly what is being said.

At this point, I read through everything again, filling in narrative and thinking of the perfect place for this scene to happen. I find setting can be tricky, which is probably why I leave it to the end. I really over think this part. Would an 18-year-old boy throw a punch in his own living room when his parents could be in the kitchen? What if a 16-year-old girl was being picked on at school? Would she cry in public or would she run to the bathroom? Where is the best place for that first kiss? Should it be a romantic setting or did it just happen at a continence store?

However, in the end, I have a great scene; my imagination has been let loose and my fixation with organization has been kept satisfied, and then I get to start the process all over again.

About the Book:

From Goodreads: "Anxious to leave her destructive past behind, Amelia Caldwell moves to Willowberg, excited for a fresh start. Once there, she discovers that her birthmark is more than it seems. She has been marked by a vampire's soul. Not only does she hold his soul, but Amelia is also his soulmate.

After almost a century of searching for his soulmate, Mitchell Lang fears the worst—he is going to lose Amelia to another man. His heart takes over, and his impulsive decision to take away her free will and to intensify their bond quickly turns her growing love into hate.

When they become trapped in the emotional rollercoaster of their souls' bond, open conflict erupts. Amelia has no intentions of belonging to anyone, not even her soulmate, and Mitchell refuses to let her go.

While she frantically searches for a way to escape his grasp, Amelia unlocks the painful memories of her past and uncovers a powerful secret. But before she has a chance to explore her newfound edge, she finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly game of revenge and is forced to realize that YOU CANNOT RUN FROM DESTINY." 

You can find the author at: 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshleyStoyanoffTheSoulsMark  

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ashley_stoyanoff

Website: www.ashleystoyanoff.com

Email: ashley@ashleystoyanoff.com

"The Destiny of Shaitan" Guest Post and GIVEAWAY!

Today I am hosting Laxmi Hariharan in celebration of her new release The Destiny of Shaitan. Check out the guest post below and make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post for a chance to win either a $15 Amazon Gift Card or Autographed Paperback of The Destiny of Shaitan. 

The birth of an Indie writer - Laxmi Hariharan 

A chance meeting with a stranger in Hong Kong sparked off The Destiny of Shaitan. At that point, Harry Potter had released, and the blackberry had just squeaked to life. By the time I completed it, fantasy was a mainstream genre, and the tube was alive with the silent swoosh of kindles.

On the advice of a writing program, I decided to move on to my next novel without completing Shaitan. Six months into plotting chapter and scenes for my second, my first born clamored for more.

If I wanted readers to dedicate time to my novel then I had to be a one hundred percent sure of my content. I commissioned an editor - and rewrote the entire second half of the book; a full 150 pages in three weeks. At the end of which, I felt like Michael Fassbender’s character in A Dangerous Method. I had a swollen right hand; minus the orgasms of course.

Then, came the search for my cover. I first found a young Romanian student based in Bucharest who was very eager to try his hand at it. After a few changes I had what I thought were interesting clothes for my baby. I happened to show it to my husband who dismissed it in one sentence: “The woman looks like an ugly Bollywood heroine.” Crushed, off I went, hunting for a superior artist, and found a New York based book cover designer, ready to take it on. This time everyone loved the results, even my husband.

It had taken me nine years to birth it, but within three weeks, I had edited it, crafted the cover and released my first born to the swells of Amazon.

The Destiny of Shaitan was uploaded in time for the first round of KDP promotion.

Closure? It was just the beginning. Within minutes of declaring it a life-event on my Facebook timeline a friend told me she had downloaded it for her son. I panicked wondering if her fourteen year old should be reading the love scenes in the novel. A guest blog post on how western science fiction draws from Indian mythology drew emails from kindred souls. I was not alone.

Oh! I also wiped out my annual savings in a matter of weeks. Once I opened my purse strings to promote Shaitan, there was no looking back. Within days it was clear that while I was a London based writer, my real market was the US, with its wide kindle reach. I refocused, targeting all my efforts stateside. Most mornings I was awake at four a.m. trawling the internet, promoting my first born on various social networks; I discovered a family of writers like me; many ready to lend a helping hand and an encouraging word.

This was my new avatar. Welcome Indie writer.

Self-e-publishing seems to be an oxymoron. It’s great to be published, but terrifying to be actually read. Once the book is out there, you scramble to promote it and soon there is no mind-space to write, which is why you got into it in the first place. But, I love it. I thrive on the contradiction that comes with the freedom of being the captain of your own destiny; wouldn't have it any other way!

What are your experiences with e-publishing? I would love to hear from you.

Summary: Partially set in a dystopian Bombay of the future, The Destiny of Shaitan is a coming of age story, painted against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. 

Yudi, Tiina & Rai embark on a mission to save the universe. Sent to retrieve the Isthmus from the ruthless Shaitan, Tiina seeks more than the end of the tyrant; she seeks herself. Shaitan is determined to stop them at any cost. The three friends must learn to trust each other and overcome their fears as they fight towards the ultimate showdown. The universe is at stake and the combatants determined. Will Shaitan's ultimate destiny be fulfilled? 

Author Bio 

About Laxmi Hariharan: I am a writer, technophile & dare I say, a futurist, with a penchant for chai and growing eye-catching flowers. Wanderlust drove me out of my home country India and I travelled across Asia, living in Singapore and Hong Kong before coming home to London. I am inspired by Indian mythology; I draw strength from the stories my grandmother narrated to me as a child. It is in acknowledging my roots that I found my voice. When not writing I love walking in the woods with my soulmate, and indulging my inner geek.

I would love to connect with you on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or my website.

Reviews: 

"The Destiny of Shaitan is mind blowing, dark, humorous, and clever. It took me on a powerful journey inwards, which was a surprise as I'm not generally drawn to scifi or fantasy."

- Sonia Ducie Dip.CSN.AIN, Numerologist, Author 11 Numerology books. 

"The low-key humour that runs like an under-current through this delightful, gripping adventure had me chuckling from page one" 

- Pippa Merivale, Author, Rescued by Angels 

“A truly refreshing approach because it is inspired by Indian mythology, direct references to which are few in the sci-fi/fantasy genre. That aside, Shaitan is a ripping yarn and a gripping read and a must have for every fan of the genre. Besides, it's bound to win more fans from across genres too. The character of Rai in particular is the most fascinating, but that's not to take away from the other players in the narrative especially Yudi and Tiina and of course the titular evil Shaitan himself, who makes Darth Vader look like a kindergarten wimp.” 

- Amazon Review by Moviescriptwriter 

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