BIG NEWS FEATURE FRIDAY

Happy Friday EVERYONE!

It's been quite an eventful week and can you believe that September is officially coming to an end?  Seriously, where does the time go?  But I hope you all had a productive and pleasant week and month.  I'm actually very excited about the upcoming month.  October is always full of some of the most interesting celebrations, festivals and most importantly....IT'S FALL! Hurray! I love the fall. *sigh*

But for this week's #BNFF I have three very cool writer pals to introduce to you.  So please give a big round of applause for these lovely ladies.

BIG NEWS:

Today's first #BNFF is contemporary romance author Erin Kern.  Erin lives in the Dallas/Fort Worth with her husband and two children, where she fills her days playing with her kids, cooking, and finding all sort of things to do to keep this stay-at-home mom busy. Her book, HERE COMES TROUBLE is the second book of the McDermott Brother Series, which was released September 2011 and is now available at Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble. 

"Here Comes Trouble"

"Lacy Taylor didn't exactly have a fairytale childhood.  After being abandoned by both her parents and raised by her grandfather, she learned to take care of herself at a young age. Fiercely independent, Lacy finds herself back in Trouble, Wyoming working to pay the mortgage on the home her grandfather left her.  Though she isn't pleased to be back in the town that triggers memories from her complicated past, Lacy decides to make the best of her situation until she learns her father has been released from jail and she’s not able to make the payments on the house in time.  What's a girl to do? 

Chase McDermott hadn't thought about Lacy Taylor in years.  When he last knew her, she was nothing more than a lanky teenager who was glued to his dorky younger brother’s side.  Years later, she’s standing in front of him—grown up and he must admit hot--asking for a waitress position at his restaurant. Even though she doesn’t have previous experience, he offers her a shot and right away her sexy confidence and strong convictions begin to spark something unexpected in him. But when money starts to go missing, the pressure is on Chase to figure out which employee has the greatest motive. 

While Chase and Lacy’s attraction continues to escalate, her personal problems are on the rise when her half-sister comes into her life forcing her to deal with the mother that let her down. Lacy and Chase’s relationship culminates in a windfall that neither of them ever fathomed and challenges Lacy to learn what it means to trust someone. Chase will have to push aside his stubborn, unemotional side if there’s any chance they can reconcile their steamy affair into a real future. Can they get past all the roadblocks or will they fall prey to their own troubles?" 

For more information on Erin you can visit her blog, facebook, or follow her on twitter (@erinkern04).

****

This next young lady is definitely a force to be reckoned with...but mostly she's just wicked cool. Kendare Blake is a YA fiction author and also a writer of short fiction.  Her book ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD is her latest YA novel to be released and is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

I LOVE this book cover. Wow!

"Anna Dressed In Blood"

"Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
 
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life."

 For more about Kendare and her books you can visit her on her website, facebook, or find her tweeting around on twitter (@kendareblake).

****

And lastly we have the beautiful Kiki Hamilton, with her debuting novel THE FAERIE RING released September 27th, 2011! That's right folks, its fresh and HOT off the press. The first book of her THE FAERIE RING Series has already received stellar reviews and lucky for us there is more where this came from. THE FAERIE RING is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and you can click HERE for more links on her website.

"The Faerie Ring"

"The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist. 

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…"

 If you want to know more about Kiki please visit her at her blog and facebook.  Or you can also follow her on twitter (@kikihamilton)! You can also visit THE FAERIE RING Series website for more information about this engrossing story.

MY FAVORITE BOOK TRAILER(s) of the WEEK:

This week my favorite book trailer goes to two of the three brilliant authors mentioned in today's #BNFF.  The first being Kiki Hamilton for her book THE FAERIE RING!

And my last book trailer favorite of the week goes to Kendare Blake for her book ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD!

I hope you all will have a great weekend!

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

The perks of exposing yourself

While we can all agree that exposing oneself can in most cases be considered a very big no-no.  In this particular case, I believe it to be highly appropriate to let go and just let it all hang out. 

Case in point...

Good Exposure: (Awesomeness!)

Not-So-Good Exposure: (Well, I guess this all depends on who you are.)

As writers we know that at some point if we hope to achieve any sort of success or gain any acknowledgment for the work that we do, we ultimately have to take a deep fortifying breath, let go, and then hit that "send" button.  Now while this may clearly comes more easy to some, I am definitely part of that "other" group who always approaches this point of the process with a bit of trepidation.  And who, due to my sporadic spurts of genius, am able to see this for what it is, a necessary evil in a writer's life.  

Okay, so I'm being a bit dramatic with the whole "evil" thing, but you get my point.

Because at times I honestly do feel like not only am exposing my work (something I love and prize to death) but am in some ways also exposing a very sensitive and vulnerable part of my physical body.  Which is a freakin' scary thought people, and as I said, more so for some than others.  And I will also admit (my dirty little shame) that there are still times when I find myself experiencing moments of brief panic just before I hit the "Publish Post" for my blog.  And yes, even for this one.  

But luckily, with time and ultimately just pushing myself to do it, along with lots of great support, it's gradually become easier.  And despite my being one of those people who sometimes would rather die than expose myself to the criticism or possible disappointment my work could bring to others, I also know that my ambition and neurotic drive to achieve my dreams are a lot stronger than any possible (and highly likely) criticism I am sure to receive.

And so I present to you my list of the "Top 7 Reasons Why Exposure Is Good": *WARNING: I'm terrible at making lists*

1. Sometimes you just need to let things air out so they'll settle more naturally...including your writing.

2. Positive feedback can bring about some pretty spectacular results.  No really, it can!

3. You're now that much closer to reaching your goal...HURRAY!!!

4. It's one more thing you can check off your to-do list. 

5. It's one less thing you have to stare at on your to-do list.

6. It's great for weight loss, since you'll more than likely end up "chucking" anything you (binge) eat.

7. And lastly, because (in even my experience) no matter how scary it may seem, in the end, you'll more than likely get more out of it than you ever put in.

And now that I've gotten all this off my chest, it's your turn.  What have you found to be the benefits of letting go and sharing your work (whatever that may be) with others? 

Show me your stuff people!

Oh, and one other thing...

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

AUTHOR ALERT: Linda Poitevin

Today's AUTHOR ALERT features the delightful and crazy sweet Linda Poitevin, author of a new dark urban fantasy series, The Grigori Legacy, from Ace Books.  I encountered Linda (miraculously enough) on twitter a few months back and instantly took a shine to this lovely lady because 1) she's literally just the bees knees and 2) I am in serious literary love with her debuting novel SINS OF THE ANGELS, the first book of her series, The Grigori Legacy.

Linda currently resides in Ottawa with her husband, three daughters, one very large husky/shepherd/Great-Dane cross dog, two cats, three rabbits, and a bearded dragon lizard.  Seriously, Dr. Dolittle has nothing on this mother, gardener, coffee snob, and zookeeper.  Boy-howdy-let-me-tell-ya!!!

But the truly exciting news that goes along with today's Author Alert is the fact that TODAY is in fact the debut of Linda's novel SINS OF THE ANGELS! *Squeeeee!* I can proudly admit that I have been anxiously waiting for the release of this rockin' book for a few months now. (Which felt more like an eternity! Ugh.).  But I'm sure Linda has definitely been ready a great deal longer than that. So a HUGE congratulations to you, Linda, on this FANTASTIC day and your great achievement. 

And now for the really good stuff!

Sins of the Angels: The Grigori Legacy

"A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case-a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.
Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels.  A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days."

To read an excerpt from her novel SINS OF THE ANGELS you can click HERE.

But I say, why waste time with excerpt when you can get the real deal! SINS OF THE ANGELS is now available at Amazon US, Amazon Canada, Barnes & Noble & Penguin.com.

So you have no excuse to not GET YOUR COPY TODAY!

Or check out Ex Libris' blog where she's celebrating the release of SOTA with a FANTASTIC giveaway! Click HERE to check it out! Also, the My Bookish Ways blog is also having a SOTA giveaway! Click HERE to check it out!

BIG BONUS with today's Author Alert...there's also a book trailer! Enjoy!

For more information on Linda you can visit her website at http://www.lindapoitevin.com/index.html.  You can also find out what other shenanigans this crazy Taurean is up to by following her on twitter (@LindaPoitevin) and Facebook.

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

BIG NEWS FEATURE FRIDAY

Boy, do I looooove Fridays!  Not only because it signifies the start of yet another weekend of me lying around the casa hoping a morsel of inspiration will enthuse me to produce brilliant works of literary genius. But mostly because weekends are really a great time of deep thoughtful reflection AND most importantly guilt-free shenanigans! YUP! I can be a total spooze-ball on the weekends, and apparently an inventor of words. ;-)

So with that being said, let's check out today's #BNFF feature authors. 

BIG NEWS:

Annmarie McQueen is a UK indie author, who writes YA romance and paranormal novels. A bit of a weirdo (her words, not mine), she's also a die-hard Starbucks fanatic. But one of the things that really stood out about this brilliant, bubbly young author is (she's probably gonna hate me for this) SHE'S ONLY 17!!! No, it's not a typo....17.  Makes me feel like a total slacker. And OLD! Ugh. Moving on. Annmarie's debut novel COLD WATER was released June 2011 and is now available in Kindle stores.

"Cold Water"

"Hope Weller, sixteen year old cynic, has a grudge against the world. After years of living with her oppressive older sisters, she takes matters into her own hands and runs away from home. What she didn’t anticipate was waking up in a stranger’s house to a pair of curious, chocolate eyes: a boy named Ash. Yes. Like the tree.

By a strange twist of fate, she is roped into staying with this strange boy and his mother for the whole of the summer holidays. At first his outrageously cocky and happy-go-lucky attitude annoys her. But when Ben Hastle, Ash’s rival and resident pyromaniac, suddenly takes an interest in her, she finds herself caught in an old feud that was never settled.

There’s more than one person keeping secrets in this seemingly perfect village, and when the truth comes out chaos and broken plates are sure to follow. But from the shattered porcelain, can something else blossom as well?"

COLD WATER is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

For more on Annmarie & her novel got to her Facebook page & Twitter (@fanaticwriter1).

***

Samantha Young is a Scottish book addict, who writes paranormal and fantasy fiction for young adults.  Samantha is also the author of numerous series which you can read more about on her blog or clicking the following links: Chronicles of The Fade, Warriors of Ankh, and her latest The Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy.

 

"Moon Spell" Book 1 of The Tale of Lunarmorte series.

"Enter a world of fierce wolves, stunning magic and romance...

It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves?

No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her with a dangerous attraction from her decision to discover the truth.

But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect."

Samantha's novels & novellas are available at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords.

Website: http://samyoungyafantasyauthor.blogspot.com/ 
Twitter: SYoungSFAuthor
Click HERE for her Samantha's Facebook Author Page.  

***

Zannah Kearns is a YA author who lives in Berkshire with her husband and two young children.  Her first novel is NO USE CRYING, published by Francis Lincoln. 

"No Use Crying"

"Secrets, secrets, secrets, she thought. Itʼs just another word for lying.

The discovery of a grandfather Niki thought had died years ago means a sudden move to London and the start of a whole new life.

Niki has to learn quickly to fit in and survive in the school halls and on the tough streets. And at the same time she must get to know her grandad and come to terms with the fact that her mum has been hiding the truth.

But when Niki suddenly discovers her mumʼs biggest lie of all, could it change their relationship – and Nikiʼs own sense of identity – for good?"

**To read the first chapter of Zannah's debut novel NO USE CRYING click HERE.

NO USE CRYING is now available on Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Website: http://zannahkearns.com/
Twitter: @ZannahKearns
Click HERE for Zannah's Facebook Author Page.

***

And my last #BNFF author of the week is the lovely Tammara Webber! Woot woot! Tammara is an avid reader, a hopeful romantic, coffee addict, and a recovering cat magnet.  She is also the author of the contemporary YA novel BETWEEN THE LINES, her FIRST young adult novel.  The second book in the series (Where You Are) is due out October 2011.  Sooo close!

"Between the Lines"

"When Hollywood It Boy, Reid Alexander, arrives on location to shoot his next movie, his goals are the same as always—film another blockbuster hit and enjoy his celebrity status to the fullest while doing so. His costar is a virtual unknown with whom he had blazing hot chemistry during her auditions. The universe is lining up nicely to grant whatever he wants, as usual, until he’s confronted with unexpected obstacles on location like a bitter ex-girlfriend and a rival for the first girl to spark his genuine interest in years.

Emma Pierce just got her big break after more than a decade of filming commercials for grape juice, department stores and tampons, and more recently, bit parts in made-for-TV movies. Nailing the lead role in a wide-release film sent her agent, father and stepmother into raptures, and should have done the same for her. The Problem? Emma is experiencing a building desire to be normal, and starring in a silly, modernized adaptation of one of her favorite novels—opposite the very hot Reid Alexander—isn’t going to advance that aspiration.

Graham Douglas doesn’t fear playing the part of a nerdy dimwit; when it comes to choosing film roles, if it pays, he’ll do it. Besides, his friend Brooke Cameron snatched up the role of the bitchy hot girl and could use his help as a buffer, because her ex is the star. Graham has no problem keeping a handle on the situation, until he finds himself attracted to Reid’s costar, Emma, the girl Reid is pursuing full-throttle with his standard arsenal of charm, good looks and arrogance."

**Author Recommendation: Mature Young Adults + (language, drinking, sexual situations)

BETWEEN THE LINES is available at Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Barnes and Noble - NOOK.

Website: http://tammarawebber.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @TammaraWebber
Click HERE to view Tammara's Facebook Author Page.

MY FAVORITE BOOK TRAILER of the WEEK:

This week's favorite book trailer goes to N.B. Charles for their novel The Tender Kiss, book 1 of The Darkest Kiss series. Enjoy!!! (Release date TBA)

Website: http://nbcharles.weebly.com/index.html  Twitter: @NBCharles
Click HERE for N.B. Charles' Facebook Author Page.

"The Tender Kiss"

 

Well peeps, I hope you've enjoyed this weeks featured authors and FABULOUS book trailer!  Make the world a better place and go buy these books NOW! Have a fantastic weekend and I'll catch you all on the flipside!

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

What does King Julian say...

Just for a bit of fun!

Madagascar "I Like To Move It"

Have a great day!

Support is key, don't stop believing

The writing process is different for everyone, and since embracing my dream to go from simply being a writer to becoming an author, I find that I've taken on a whole new mentality when it comes to my work.  In the fact that I actually take my writing a great deal more seriously than I once did.  Not that I didn't exactly take it seriously before...okay, maybe I didn't, but that's not the case anymore. 

Lately when I sit down to write it's with the idea and belief that I actually have something to say and a story worth telling, which was something I kind of knew before but honestly didn't believe.  But all of that began to change when I finally opened my up and admitted I needed a support group.  A group of writers who, like me, were going through the trenches and could relate to me and my passion to succeed.  It's made all the difference in the world, with even more support coming from some of the most surprising and unexpected places (mostly all of you).  I feel such zeal for my work now that I even find myself wanting to share with everyone, despite my fears and not-so-latent insecurities. 

Now some of you may not realize how completely revolutionary the last part of that statement really is for me, but you have to understand that my writing is like my baby.  My only baby.  Which I'm sure is a feeling and connection most writers can relate to when it comes to their writing.  So often times, my way of trying to protect "my baby" from the big bad world of critics and rejection is to keep it very close to me, sharing it with no one.  Talking about it to no one, except, on the rare occasion when I'd work up the nerve to share something I had written with my hubby or the quirky ball of randomness that is my mother.

So I began to question again, why the thought of sharing my work bothered me so much?  Especially after being in this community and encountering so many brave writers who gladly and openly shared their work and passion everyday (warts and all).  While I still scurried to the nearest cave, wishing to do nothing more than bury away my stories and ideas.  And then it hit me.  After all the blog hopping and even after reading amazing articles with Sheryl Sandberg and writing a blog about what would you do if you weren't afraid, I realized while I wasn't so much afraid of actually writing anymore, I still had held onto the fear of disappointing those I had newly come to care about and respect, and of being rejected by my readers. 

Yeah, talk about putting pressure on yourself. Especially when logically I know that not everyone will like or enjoy my work.  That sort of thought and expectation is simply asking to be battered and bruised from the word go, and I wouldn't survive this business if I really thought that way.

But with a ROCKSTAR support group who call you out regularly on your work and offer some much needed and often times greatly repeated encouragement, I have found I don't linger so much over the blahdity blah blah stuff anymore, and instead focus on moving forward, because even the tiniest step is better than no step at all.  So I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to find and nurture a good support group.  A group of people who will push you and believe in you, when you can't seem to find the will to believe in yourself at time. 

So all-in-all I guess this post is mostly a HUGE thank you to my fellow #DreamWeavers and many many others who have on a daily basis pushed me to strive and be the best version of myself and to keep writing, and plugging away.  Because while I may or may not have given up on my dreams in those darker moments without you, I definitely wouldn't have gotten as far as I have if it weren't for you.

Now to all you BRILLIANT readers/writers/artists WHOEVER you are...remember that support is key.  And if there is nothing else that you take from this post, I think we can all take a bit of advice from the awesomeness that is JOURNEY!!!

(LOL! You know me, I just couldn't resist.)

Journey - "Don't Stop Believing"

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!!!

Lily Allen "Smile"

Okay, I don't know why but I really LOVE this song. Cheers!

Have a FANTASTIC day! ;)

It's not always easy

Are there ever mornings when you roll out of bed and gaze at your reflection in the mirror wondering, "What am I doing?" "Who the heck do I think I am to be such a dreamer?" I do! 

And I'm ashamed to admit a great deal more often than I wish I did.  When these moods arise I often find myself questioning my my ability, my skill level, and this entire crazy ambition and dream of mine to be a writer the world finds worth reading, especially with the high degree of standards set by so many of my predecessors.

And even though I pride myself on being one of those the-glass-is-half-full sorts of people, as my previous blogs can so accurately attest to.  I still fight the insecurities and uncertainties on a pretty daily basis (even on a good day) on whether or not I have something worth sharing with the rest of the world...anything worth saying to all of you.

So in cases such as this, I always find blog hopping to be a helpful and enjoyable way to steer myself back on track.  Since not only are there some really great blogs out there, but there are simply so many writers and real people out there who are willing to open up and share their experiences and journeys with others.  And I always find it to be a source of comfort and encouragement to discover time after time that I am not alone in this sometimes lonely and isolated road of being a writer, and neither are you.  There are people, the same as you and me, who experience the woes and worries of life, whether its about their art, their career or some other important goal in their life. Some of the world's GREATS have openly admitted that the road to triumph wasn't always paved with gold and unimaginable success. And just as I sit hear wondering and questioning the sanity of my dreams, they too sat before their notepad or computer screen, staring at that taunting blinking cursor wondering if maybe they didn't have what it takes.

But it never fails when I allow these self-diminishing thoughts to plant themselves and they undoubtedly start to fester that I immediately turn to my sure fire pick-me up. I pull out my PUMP-ME-UP music, sit myself down with a new book, and simply allow myself to get lost in a story. Any story, since funny enough it doesn't even matter if the story is good or bad, because if its a good or even great story I feel more inspired to push myself even harder to be even better.  And if it's an awful story than I feel compelled to prove to the world that I can simply do better.  Maybe its the competitive nature I've always lived with, but it never fails to remind me why it is that I do what I do and why I love writing and storytelling so much.

Now there's never really a rhyme or reason to the rising of doubts and uncertainties I experience, or the perpetual roller coaster of highs and or lows that I find myself going through.  So I've come to the conclusion that it's just one of those things that's part of my nature, something that's part of the human condition.  After all I do have the dreamer's disease and like any other condition, there will be side effects.

So what are some things that you do to help pull you out of your funk or depression?

And being that I love sharing with all of you, I thought I'd share one of the songs that always helps to lift my spirits when I'm feeling down in the dumps.  Enjoy!

New Radicals - "You Get What You Give"

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

NEW! WIP Playlist

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday...I need backup! I'm going down!!! Copy that. I'M GOING DOWN!"

I think I'm officially at the point where a little space from my current WIP may be both crucial and beneficial.  Or I just may do something completely irrational and drastic.  I'm still crazy about the story, don't get me wrong, it's just the intensity of this storyline is really starting to get to me and not in a positive, productive sort of way.  So I'm calling a brief guilt-free timeout. *blows whistle* But no worries, this always happens as I near the end of a project, and so does the need to dip into something new for some much needed creative mojo boosting! I find that sometimes being embedded in one project for so long (almost two years with my current WIP), along with rewrites and edits can begin to take its toll.

*sigh*

So I'm giving myself permission to take the breathing space I need to play with another story idea until things ease up with my current WIP.  But no worries, I'm not abandoning it.  I will continue to work but am taking on a side project for some needed fresh writing air.

And so after diving deep deep into my "NEW! WIP Idea Folder" I have decided on a new project.

Operation Relief WIP is officially in progress! Hurray!  And though I am still fighting off pressing guilt at dipping into something new while letting my series sort of marinate on the back burner for a brief time, I'm still really excited about this new story.  It's a novel that I've really wanted to write since it came to me about a year ago.  I'm not sure if I should talk about what sort of novel it is quite yet, but am interested to hear your opinions of what type of story YOU think it may be, based on this playlist.

So just for fun, I thought I'd share my playlist for my new WIP & (hopefully) get a few comments with your theories.  (And yes, I'm aware some of you may HATE some of the artist or songs, but that's why it's MY playlist & not yours. Enjoy!)

1. One Republic - "Won't Stop"
2. Ray LaMontagne - "Be Here Now"
3. Tony Bennett - "Fly Me To The Moon"
4. Josh Ritter - "Change of Time"
5. Dan Auerbach - "When The Night Comes"
6. Sondre Lerche - "Modern Nature"
7. Bibio - "Lover's Carvings"
8. Fatboy Slim - "Praise You"
9. Dido - "Here With Me"
10. Kanye West - "Flashing Lights"
11. Jimi Hendrix - "Foxy Lady"
12. Trey Songz - "Unfortunate"
13. Frou Frou - "Let Go"
14. Natasha Bedingfield - "Strip Me"
15. Robin Thicke - "Jus Right"
16. Sondre Lerche - "To Be Surprised"
17. Sia - "Breathe Me"
18. Duffy - "Mercy"

And here's a cool video to #15 on my New! WIP track:

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

BIG NEWS FEATURE FRIDAY

Happy Friday Everyone!!!

So here we are! With another week having quickly come and gone, yet again.  I don't know about the rest of you, but this month, no make that this entire YEAR has just blinked away.  And yes, I do realize how completely redundant I must sound to all of you when I keep saying...I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FRIDAY, AGAIN! But it's true.  I still can't believe it. And to be honest, I'm not quite sure what's really going on because time has apparently shifted into warp speed.  And if I'm not careful I'm gonna miss my own show.

But this week on #BNFF I have three very cool (as usual ;)) authors that I'm excited to feature.

BIG NEWS:

Today's first BNFF author is paranormal romance writer Lynn Rush.  And her first novel, WASTELAND, a paranormal romance that being called "fast-paced", "sexy" and "stunning" by reviewers, released September 2011 from Crescent Moon Press.  And something I really love on top of a good read is a really great book cover, which I definitely think this is.  So dark and romantic, incredibly captivating. Never under estimate the powers of a stunning book cover.

"Bound by the blood contract his human mother signed four centuries ago, half-demon, David Sadler, must obey his demonic Master’s order to capture fifteen-year-old Jessica Hanks. But as he learns more about her, he realizes she may be the key to freedom from his demonic enslavement.

The only obstacle—Jessica’s distractingly beautiful Guardian, Rebeka Abbott. He must not give in to their steamy chemistry, or he will lose his humanity. But fresh off a quarter millennia of sensory deprivation as punishment for not retrieving his last target, he may not be able to resist temptation long enough to save what’s left of his human soul."

WASTELAND is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ARe!

Website: http://lynnrush.wordpress.com/ & Twitter: @LynnRush 

This next author is a tweet pal of mine who I happened to stumble and trip over earlier this week.  Katherine Bayless is a witty, ball of roses and talent, and is a debuting author who I absolutely can't wait to experience more of her work.  Kat is a paranormal fantasy author, frazzled mother, passionate crafter, MMO addict,  and a social media newby (but she catches on very FAST!).  Her debut novel, DEADLY REMAINS, is book one of a Clairvoyant's Complicated Life.

"Magic isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  Trust me, I would know.  At three I learned I had an unusual ‘gift‘.  Why people insist on using that word is beyond me.  ‘Gift‘ makes it sound like a good thing.  Most of the time it’s anything but.  You see, when I touch something (or, worse, someone) with my bare skin, I learn things—things that are sometimes best kept private.  You can imagine what that does to my social life.  I can’t go anywhere without the protection of formal length gloves and clothes that cover almost every square inch of me.  But it’s the gloves that mark me for what I am—a clairvoyant.

To say my life is complicated would be an understatement.

Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been all bad.  I’ve made what many people fear into a successful career.  I read antiques.  I consult with archeologists, curators, appraisers and everyday people who want to know the secrets of old things.  Sometimes I even help the police.  I have friends.  I have enough money.  Yes, my life has its challenges, but I’m making it work.

Honestly, though, I think I’ve been in a rut, just going about my day to day business, comfortable with my life if not exactly fulfilled.  But now things have changed.  The Chiliquitham Police have asked for my help on a murder investigation.  What little they’ve told me scares me, which isn’t easy considering some of the readings I’ve done.

I’ve got a bad feeling about this case.  I worry it might land me in a psi-ward somewhere.  Or worse…"

DEADLY REMAINS is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.

Website: http://www.katherinebayless.com/blog/ & Twitter: @KatBayless <-- FOLLOW HER!!!

And lastly we have the the cute and perky Cyndi Tefft! (Aka. Twitter Ninja!!!) Cyndi is an author, mom, and lover of all things Scottish.  Her debut novel BETWEEN, is a YA paranormal romance and was released June 1, 2011.  Again, another completely GORGEOUS book cover!

"Sometimes death is just the beginning...

It just figures that the love of Lindsey Water's life isn't alive at all, but the grim reaper, complete with a dimpled smile and Scottish accent.

After transporting souls to heaven for the last 300 years, Aiden MacRae has all but given up on finding the one whose love will redeem him and allow him entry through the pearly gates.

Torn between her growing attraction to Aiden and heaven's siren song, Lindsey must learn the hard way whether love really can transcend all boundaries. "

***(Note: Due to some mature content, the intended audience for this book is older teens and young-at-heart adults.)

BETWEEN is available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Website: http://ctefft.blogspot.com/ & Twitter: @CyndiTefft  

MY FAVORITE BOOK TRAILER of the WEEK:

This weeks favorite book trailer goes to none other than one of today's BNFF authors, Katherine Bayless for her novel DEADLY REMAINS! Enjoy!

Thanks everyone for stopping by! I hope you possibly found a good read for the weekend or possibly another book to add to your list of "Must Reads".  I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and a great weekend!

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

Outline vs Free Writing

Okay, so here's one of those "writerly" details that always trips me up when I think about starting a new novel or screenplay.

Should I or should I not write an outline?

If you haven't picked up on it, I'm the queen of haggling over decision making. But the outline, the whole process of laying out a detailed sketch of my novel from start to finish is just one that I can't help but feel a bit of trepidation at moments. Of course no one would dispute the benefits of having a "tweaking" or exorcising the demons process for my ideas and plot points.  But there's always that wild rebel artist voice in my head crying out for freedom and reckless literary expression, begging me to let-flow-and-let-go and then just see what happens.

Yeah, I sometimes worry about that voice too.

Now from experience I have in fact tried both ways, and honestly found things I liked and disliked about both methods of writing styles.  And so this is why I need your help.  Because as I sit here debating which brilliant story idea I want to take on as my next novel or screenplay project, while desperately resisting the urge to face plant into my desk, I wanted to pose a couple of questions to all my writer and screenwriter peers out there.

Do you prefer the outline method or are you the free writing let-go-and-let-flow writer? And based on your experience what have you found to be the perks of your method of writing?

I really really would love to hear all your feedback and personal takes on this particular matter, whether you're a writer or screenwriter, any and all comments are welcome.

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

My first blog award

This is so cool! I actually feel like bustin' a move or something, but instead I'll send a HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to the wonderful & completely lovely Ashley for my FIRST EVER blog award! Woot woot! And second, you need to go RIGHT NOW and check out her blog (Ashley Nixon). Pretty please.

Wow! Doesn't it just look delicious. Hm. Now I'm hungry. Thank you, Ashely!  You rock!

And in keeping with the rules that come with receiving such an honored and yummy award:
1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me. (Done!)
2. Share seven random facts about myself. (Will be done!)
3. Pass the award along to 5 new-found blogging buddies. (Of course!)
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.  (Absolutely!)

So here are Seven Random Things about, well, ME!!! (Don't worry, I'll keep it simple.)

1. I'm a quiet person who has unexplainable roadrage. "Get out of my way!"
2. I've never broken a bone in my body.
3. I can quote the entire movie of Disney's "Beauty & The Beast".
4. I hate guacamole.
5. I'm terrible at coming up with a list of random things about myself.
6. I'm very big on comfort clothes, but not so big on fashion. *whispers* I hate shopping.
7. And finally, I LOVE CHOCOLATE! (Surprise, surprise.)

That wasn't so bad was it? I didn't think so. So now to present this delicious award to my 5 brilliant blogger picks! And they are *drum roll*...

Eve Marie Mont
Zoe Harrington
Carlyle Labuschagne
Marilyn Almodovar
Chelsea Fine

You should definitely check these bloggers out! Whew, I think that about does it. So in the words of Porky...

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

AUTHOR ALERT: Suzy Turner

**Additional content included after original posting**

Hello readers! I hope you all had a FANTASTIC weekend because mine was definitely just what the doctor ordered. I slept in (well, at least what MY version of sleeping in is). 7 AM baby! Woot woot! And I also got some rewrites done.  Yes, I said rewrites and not edits.  It appears my series is already getting a face lift, but I'm really excited about some of the changes I'm implementing despite the delay.  I just hope the changes are really for the better and not the worse. *fingers crossed*

But any who...it's another AUTHOR ALERT! YAY!!!

So for today's "Author Alert" I wanted to feature the lovely and delightfully vibrant Suzy Turner.  Suzy currently lives in Algarve, Portugal with her biker husband, two dogs, and four cats, and works as a freelance writer and author.  And has (in my opinion) a completely rational obsession for dark chocolate.

A writer of young adult fantasy and chick lit, her first two novels for teens, Raven, which has received top reviews by readers on Amazon, and December Moon, which released early this month, are both part of her THE RAVEN SAGA a fantasy witch saga for children and young adults set in the province of British Colombia.  I can't tell you how excited I am to dig into this series and how much I anxiously look forward to future works of Ms. Turner!  THE RAVEN SAGA is available on Amazon and Smashwords.

"After the inexplicable disappearance of Lilly Taylor's parents, she has no choice but to move to Canada where she unravels some frightening yet intriguing family secrets...

Her whole life had been based on a lie. Lilly had grown up in a loveless home with a father who she had barely ever seen and a mother who was... well, not very motherly. After they mysteriously disappear without a trace, Lilly is sent to Canada where she finds a whole new way of life. A life filled with love and people who care for her. But that's not all she discovers, Lilly also finds out that she isn't who, or what, she thinks she is.  Lilly has a very special ability and it's just a matter of time before her true self starts to shine. And when it does, her life will never be the same again."

 "On her 15th birthday, December Moon discovers she is the descendant of a family of witches, kept in the dark her entire life in an effort to protect her. But when Lilly, her best friend, finds herself in danger from one of the world's most evil vampires, December will do everything in her power to stop him."

BONUS! And being that I've become an obsessive fan of book trailers, take a peek at the December Moon (THE RAVEN SAGA Part II) book trailer (LOVED it!) and let me know what you think.

For more information on Suzy you can visit her website at http://www.suzyturner.com.  You can also follow her on twitter @Suzy_Turner and find her on Facebook.

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

Death Cab For Cutie - "Bixby Canyon Bridge"

This is such a great song! I couldn't resist. Enjoy!

BIG NEWS FEATURE FRIDAY

I can't believe it's already Friday!  It literally feels like the days and weeks are just slippin' away from me. *sigh* But nonetheless, HAPPY FRIDAY everyone! Lot's of fun news and great announcements today.  You know, ever since I began #BNFF (BIG NEWS FEATURE FRIDAY) I've spent more time actually looking for new writers & scouring book lists for new authors than ever before.  It's a beautiful thing folks. But this week I think I hit the jackpot again.

So let's do this...

BIG NEWS:

My first BNFF author I'd like to introduce to you is both a writer & a screenwriter (yeah, he's pretty awesome). Will Entrekin is a Pittsburgh-based writer.  His latest novel, THE PRODIGAL HOUR is the mind-bending coming-of-age story of 9/11 survivor Chance Sowin and his journey into time travel, love, and the mysterious murder of his father.  THE PRODIGAL HOUR has a solid 5-star rating on Amazon and is being called an "audacious, genre-bending novel".  Copies available at Amazon and in paperback. **I already have mine!**

Site: http://willentrekin.com/ & Twitter: @WillEntrekin

My next BNFF is Elise Stokes, author of the CASSIDY JONES ADVENTURE series, who currently lives in Bellevue, Washington with her husband and four children.  Yes, this is a very busy lady! But her book CASSIDY JONES ADVENTURE AND THE SECRET FORMULA the first book of her series has received numerous 5-star reviews from its reader on Amazon.  So if you're looking for a well written adventure story then check out the CASSIDY JONES ADVENTURE series. Now available at Amazon and B&N.

Site: http://www.cassidyjonesadventures.com/ & Twitter: @CassidyJonesAdv

My last BNFF is YA author Jamie McGuire, creator of THE PROVIDENCE series (available on Kindle & NOOK) who currently lives in Enid, Oklahoma.  Her latest novel BEAUTIFUL DISASTER is the heart tugging love story of Abby Abbernathy a reformed "good girl" and Travis Maddox the proverbial campus bad boy.  Rated a 5-star read by a majority of its readers BEAUTIFUL DISASTER is being called "Heart-wrenchingly Real" "A guilty pleasure!" and a read you'll be "Up All Hours Finishing...". BEAUTIFUL DISASTER is available at Amazon & B&N.

Site: http://www.jamiemcguire.com/ & Twitter: @JamieMcGuire_

MY FAVORITE BOOK TRAILER of the WEEK:

Tonya Hurley is the author of the NYT best seller GHOSTGIRL series..."This beautiful song was written by Tonya for the book and performed by Polly Scattergood with additional production by Vince Clarke. Tonya is also a filmmaker. ghostgirl is a NYT bestseller. For more information about Tonya's books, visit www.tonyahurley.com"

***To view more YA book trailers, visit http://www.yatrailerpark.com/

Well, I hate to say it but that's all folks! I hope you enjoyed this week's featured authors and book trailer, and I hope you found the perfect read for your weekend reading.  Have a great weekend!

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

Writing at your own pace

Now I'm sure we've all heard of or possibly (if we're really lucky) ran across that "uber writer".  You know the ones I'm talking about. The agent and publisher's ultimate fantasy writer.  Yeah. Them.  

Those freak of nature, regimented writers who delight in waking up at 4:30 AM every morning to get in their hour workout before enjoying their usual morning breakfast of dry toast, two strips of crisp turkey bacon, and coffee (their writer brain food).  Then spend an hour to an hour and a half responding to ridiculous amounts of fan mail which they typically can't get through in one sitting due to the enormous quantities.  After which they're experiencing some zen-like euphoric feeling that compels them to tackle that 5000 word count goal for the day, which they've breezed through daily for the last however many years they've been successfully writing and producing numerous best sellers for their publisher.

Oh! Not to mention they have an ASSISTANT! Ugh. If you're detecting a hint of envy somewhere in there...I plead the fifth.

Because let's face facts. I am definitely not that writer.  Most days when I do manage to convince myself I'm somewhere close to being a semi-decent writer I usually spend a few hours just staring at the screen like some useless zombie, trying to sell myself on the theory that what I have to say and/or the story that I'm trying to tell is actually a story at all, and bonus, is one worth telling.  And sometimes, yes sometimes, if I'm lucky I can convincingly convince myself that "Wow, this is pretty darn good!" to which I begin hammering away at my keyboard like some crazed junkie cranked up on the good stuff, hoping to get something worth while out of me before my buzz wears off.  Those days and moments, I typically try and relish when they decide to make an appearance, which they rarely do lately.  But most days, especially lately, I'm lucky to get a sentence out if the mood just isn't in me.

And I've spent a lot of time in this place lately. The dreary one-sentence phase. Just call me the one-sentence non-wonder. That's me.  Now on the bright side I figure if I keep a this rate, averaging 12 to 15 words a sentence, one sentence per day. I'll have a full first draft manuscript completed in about 23.5 years...the year 2035. I'll only be 51.  Hm. I guess that's not too bad considering...

But honestly, being in the slumps of the writing process I see as just another part of my writing process if you can believe it.  I know I know, how can not writing, being uninspired, and stressing out over whether I should waste my time and the time of the rest of the world trying to write a book that should more than likely make its permanent home at the bottom of my trash bend be a process? Well, because this is my writing process.  And no, I can't explain why. 

But yes, I do realize that for some this may seem pretty unconventional, while for others you may relate quite well to my method of chaos and randomness.  But as I said, it's my process.  And if I'm going to write my stories, and tell them my way, then I need to do it my way.  There's no real structure or uniform to this process. It is what you make it.

That is until I actually write something worth publishing and then may have to get my act together, but until then.  This is me.

So as I sit here staring at the blinking cursor on the opened file of my current WIP trying to determine if today is a juiced up junkie day or a zoned out zombie day, tell me about your writing process?  Are you the freakishly put together, clean writing space, on time, by the schedule sort of writer or are you the there's method to my madness type of writer?

Tell me. I'm listening.

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!

AUTHOR ALERT: Addison Moore

This weeks Author Alert is dedicated to the beautiful and brilliant writer, Addison Moore.  So not only is Addison as obsessed with chocolate as I am, she also writes paranormal YA romance (a double whammy in my book).  Residing on the west coast with her family, she is the author of the Celestra book series, and when not writing, she's reading.

But something that truly stood out to me about her work is the ease and flow in which her books read.  When I decided to purchase a copy of ETHEREAL (Book 1 of the Celestra Series) I was so thrilled to find myself immediately drawn into her story and the world of Skyla Messenger & Logan. 

But something else that really captured my eyes, were these gorgeous book covers! Absolutely love them.  But even more exciting, since receiving top reviews from readers, The Celestra Series is now an Amazon Best Seller! So huge congrats to Addison!  Books 1-3 of the Celestra Series is now available for purchase on both the Kindle & Nook, so get your copies today!

Coming September 2011

(Working Cover) Coming November 2011

For more information you can visit Addison on her blog, follow her on twitter @Addison_Moore, and find her on Facebook.

Happy Writing & Happy Reading!