Free books, Promo Books, and Finding the Perfect Match

There's a new eBook site in town, ready to connect readers with the latest in eBook promos! Today's eReader Buzz officially launches today and to celebrate, they are hosting a pretty awesome giveaway. If you sign up for their newsletter (featuring free or discounted ebook titles based on your reading preferences) you have a chance to win some great books AND an Amazon gift card! 

Another great site that recently launched is Book Matchers. Does it sound like a match-making website? Well, that's because it is! When you sign up with Book Matchers, they recommend books you'd be interested in reading based on your book specifications. As of today, there are 729 titles in 25 different genres to be matched with! Even I have a book waiting to be matched with some lovely reader. 

And a special shout out goes to Michelle Muto, who graciously promoted my Travelers Series box set today on her website! 

Travelers Short Story Now Available!

I hope everyone had a great holiday this week spending time with your friends and loved ones! The hubby and I spent the last few days with family and we had a great time. And even with all the family holiday fun, I still managed to get some writing time in and also found time to publish HITCHED (thank you Leigh for getting the edits back to me so fast)! As you can see, I ended up changing the title AND the cover art. 

HITCHED (A Travelers Series Short Story) is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Coming to Kobo and iTunes soon! 

I'm still winding down from all the festivities and can't believe it's already Thursday. I guess that means it's time to get back to writing! At least there's still New Year's to look forward to. 

Holiday Deals!

It's almost Christmas! Growing-up, we celebrated Christmas on the 24th, opening all our presents before heading to my aunts house for brisket and tamales. Now that I'm married, I've had to wait until 25th, although my hubby lets me open a few gifts on Christmas Eve. 

For those that celebrate on the 24th, on the 25th when Santa comes, or don't celebrate Christmas at all, there are still gifts to be had! If you already subscribe to my newsletter, it means you've made the nice list and you're getting a present this year! So check your inbox...

Another great holiday deal is a new release by author Michelle Muto. If you haven't read any of her books, now's your chance! THE HAUNTING SEASON is available now for 0.99! So if you get a new Kindle for Christmas, this is the book you should be downloading. 

NEW RELEASE! THE HAUNTING SEASON

New Adult/Horror Recommended for readers 17+

Be careful what you let in…

Siler House has stood silent beneath Savannah’s moss-draped oaks for decades. Notoriously haunted, it has remained empty until college-bound Jess Perry and three of her peers gather to take part in a month-long study on the paranormal. Jess, who talks to ghosts, quickly bonds with her fellow test subjects. One is a girl possessed. Another just wants to forget. The third is a guy who really knows how to turn up the August heat, not to mention Jess’s heart rate…when he’s not resurrecting the dead. 

The study soon turns into something far more sinister when they discover that Siler House and the dark forces within are determined to keep them forever. In order to escape, Jess and the others will have to open themselves up to the true horror of Siler House and channel the very evil that has welcomed them all. 

Available now!

Amazon

Check out Michelle’s other books

Visit Michelle’s Blog

Follow her on Twitter

Michelle’s FB Fan Page

Happy Holidays and I'll be seeing you next year! 

Two Year Anniversary

Two years ago this month I started this site, the same month I made the decision to become a professional writer. As if my schedule wasn't already full: I had a full-time job, and a part-time job teaching college. A year and a few months later, I resigned from my full-time job and took on more classes at the college to supplement my writing income. It's been almost a year since I began writing full-time and I couldn't be happier. I think I work more now than I did before! 

So what have I accomplished these last two years? 

I published a novelette, THE FURY, in April 2011

I published PARALLEL, the first in the Travelers Series, August 2011

Then came PARADOX, the second book in the series, in March 2012

A collection of horror shorts, unDEAD DIXIE DEBS, came next in July 2012

And after that, I released PARADIGM, the third book in the Travelers Series in October 2012

If you had told me that I'd have five titles out in two years, I would have laughed. I never could have imagined the amount of success I've had with my stories. And when I say success, I'm not talking book sales (although that's nice too), but rather, the fact that I have accomplished so much in such a short period of time. Of course, none of this would be possible without all the fabulous readers out there...thank you! 

All of my other projects are just icing on the cake: the Travelers Box Set, PARALLEL soon to released on audio, a Travelers short story published... All those things come with the territory I guess and I'm just happy I am able to take the next steps in my writing career. 

So what's next? I hope to have another Traveler's short story out before the end of the year, finish writing PARAMETER, the fourth book in the Travelers Series, and a new YA paranormal series is in the works. 

Again, I couldn't continue working from home in my pajama's, doing what I love, if it weren't for my fans. Thank you's aren't enough, but it's the best I can come up with. Ya'll have made my life much more fun and I only hope my stories have done the same for you.

Travelers box set now on SALE and other short tales...

Update: The Travelers Box Set is now live on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! Still waiting for iTunes. I hope it will be up on the iTunes store before they close for the holidays (after tomorrow)! Again, if you've already read the first three books (and you enjoyed it) please let your friends know that the ebook bundle is available. At $5.99, it's a great price for three books!

I've also been working on another short story in the Travelers Series. I hope to have it completed by the end of the week, at which time you will cordially invited to attend Cooper and Etta's wedding! The short story will be priced at $0.99. 

Here's a sneak peek at the cover for the short story. It's not set entirely in stone, of course. Hell, the title might change as well! 

Don't forget, there's another Travelers short available now, which involves Jenny & Chase and the Maya Apocalypse! It's a holiday story you don't want to miss out on, especially if the end of the world does happen this week. You can find it in the anthology, Let it Snow! Season's Readings for a Super-Cool Yule! It's currently $0.99 on Amazon, but there might be a FREE run on Christmas Day. All royalties from the sale of this collection will go to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. Not only do you get to read ten epic holiday tales, but you get to help those in need this season. It's a win-win!! 

Things in the works...

The Travelers Series box set has now been uploaded to Amazon, B&N, and iTunes! For those of you who haven't read the series, or are getting an ereader for the holidays, now's your chance to pick up all three ebooks! It should take a day or two for the set to go live, so I'll keep you posted!

A special thanks to Karri Klawiter who designed this awesome box set image! I did the cover design, but the 3D image was all Karri! 

I set the price of the box set at $5.99 (cheap, right?) and that currently reflects the cost of buying each book individually with PARALLEL currently free, but if/when I decide to end the promotion, the cost of buying each book will run about $7.00 (total price for all three). So again, if you haven't already picked up your copies, now's your chance! 

In other news, I am working on a new series and I have been writing like a madwoman! I don't want to give away too much, as I'm still in the early stages. But in the meantime, here's some inspiration images to give you an idea of what I'm working on...

Aren't these the coolest tarot cards you've ever seen? I purchased this set for research for my new WIP and I am absolutely in love with the sassiness of the cards. Notice anyone familiar?? This set has images of Elizabeth Montgomery (Bewitched), Jackie-O, Vanna White, and other pop-culture icons. 

This is La Catrina (aka Death). My sister got this for me a few years back and decided to hang her up over my desk for some added inspiration. 

Some News But Not Really

It's seems like forever ago since I've posted anything substantial. And by substantial, I mean, something... anything, you might be remotely interested in, like, let's say, a new release.

Sadly, I don't have any news as exciting as that, but I can say that I've been working on it. I'm still working on my short story (set in the Travelers universe), as well as PARAMETER, book four in the series. I know, it's not the same as saying a new book will be out soon, because, really, I won't be able to say that any time soon. 

And I know that's not what you really want to hear.

If you're still listening. 

But I am happy to say that the audiobooks for the Travelers Series is underway! I just received the first 15 minutes of audio to approve and I know I picked the right person to bring my books from written text to the spoken word. 

Here's a pic of the audiobook cover:

And, as if I don't have a fourth book to get crackin' on, I also began working on a new book. The story won't go away, so I don't have a choice to capture it before it gets bored with me and finds another author to write it. More on that later...

It's late and I have some more writing to do before I go to bed. 

Sleep tight. 

Don't let the bedbugs bite. 

Meet Rebecca and Courtney!

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of reading Project ELE, book 1 in the ELE Series, by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckles. After reading the second in the series, Finding ELE, I decided to read their Night Marchers Series. I had such a great time reading these books, I thought I would invite this fantastic duo over to talk a bit about their two hit series' and themselves!

*****

Thank you Claudia for hosting us on your blog! We are so excited to work with another Indie author who has a passion for YA like we do.

A Little About Us

Courtney and I have been best friends since the 6th grade. We took that friendship to a new level in October 2011 when we decided to partner together to write our first novel, Night Marchers. When Courtney originally approached me about writing a book together I thought she might have fallen off her rocker. My answer at first was obvious: "Um...No!" I thought it was a ludicrous idea. I mean, Authors are amazing and untouchable and so talented at weaving stories and they live in magical worlds and well...they are not us! Courtney doesn't give up though. She asked me many more times over the course of six months until I finally relented to get her off my back. (Just kidding, I love you Courtney. ;0)  After all, I figured that we would try this out and end up with an unfinished novel or possibly a fun hobby that lead nowhere. What I didn't anticipate was how it would become a creative outlet that would pull us into worlds we never knew existed and create a new career path that we can continue down for years to come. I certainly never expected that I would love writing so much that I can't imagine ever giving it up.

As of today, we have written a total of five novels in little over a year.

The Night Marchers Series

  

The Night Marchers series is the first series we wrote. This series follows seventeen-year-old Emma Townsend on her journey to Hawaii. We came up with the idea for this book when we were researching islands. We originally wanted to write a book about a girl who got ship wrecked but then we came across the legend of the Night Marchers. Night Marchers are thought to be spirits of Hawaiian soldiers who roam the islands at night. We were intrigued by the uniqueness of this legend and we felt that a story with these mysterious spirit warriors needed to be weaved.

Currently there are two books in this series: Night Marchers and Redemption. While Redemption does add some closure to the series, we still have plans to write a third Night Marchers per the request of many of our fans.

(Night Marchers is currently FREE on Amazon!) 

The ELE Series

This is our most recent series. I have to admit that this series has been a blast to write. We've had so much fun building up sixteen-year-old, Willow Mosby's life and newfound abilities. The idea for this series came from an accumulation of ideas that the two of us threw down on the table. This is an apocalyptic series with a paranormal twist.

We actually just finished the third book this weekend. Currently Project ELE and Finding ELE are available. The third book: Exposing ELE will be released mid December. We have plans to continue this series for a few more books since Willow's story has not been completely told yet.

(Project ELE is currently FREE on Amazon!) 

Where Can Readers Find Us?

Blog: http://nightmarchersseries.blogspot.com/

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/nightmarchers

Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/eleseries

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5308881.Rebecca_Gober

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5308882.Courtney_Nuckels

Twitter: MidniteBeckie and NuckelsC

http://www.eleseries.com

http://www.nightmarchersbook.com

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpSSFWmJDNY

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Project-ELE-The-Series-ebook/dp/B008R523K0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1345596424&sr=1-1&keywords=project+ele

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/project-ele-courtney-nuckels-rebecca-gober/1112411688?ean=2940044752931

Thank you again Claudia for having us!

Cover Reveal!

No, not for me...  Adriana Ryan, good writer pal and fellow Spellbound Scribe, is announcing the release of her new dystopian novel ! They say you can't judge a book by it's cover, but if the story is half as good as the cover designed by James Helps, we're in for a real treat!

World of Shell and Bone

Coming December 7^th, 2012

In a world ravaged by a nuclear holocaust, Vika Cannon knows there are no guarantees: no guarantees of safety, no guarantees that your neighbor is not actually a spy for the government, and no guarantees you’ll be allowed to emigrate to a new life in Asia.

New Amana is dying. Food and water are scarce, and people suffering from radiation-caused mutations—the Nukeheads—are the new class of homeless. 

Vika has just one purpose: to produce healthy progeny using a Husband assigned by the Match Clinic. Unhealthy children are carted away to Asylums to be experimented on, just as Vika’s little sister Ceres was, eight years ago. Parents incapable of producing healthy progeny are put to death in gas chambers.

When she’s assigned a Husband shortly after her twentieth birthday, Vika expects him to be complacent and obedient. But Shale Underwood has a secret. He is a member of the Radicals, the terrorist group intent on overthrowing the government. And Shale has information about Ceres.

As she learns more about the Rads’s plan, Vika finds herself drawn to Shale in ways she’d never imagined. When freedom calls in the way of a healthy pregnancy, will she betray her government and risk death for Shale and Ceres? 

*****

Adriana Ryan lives and writes in Charleston, SC. She is currently at work on a dystopian and an urban fantasy series. A huge fan of spooky stuff and shoes, she enjoys alternately hitting up the outlet malls and historic graveyards.

Adriana Ryan is a member of the Romance Writer’s Association (RWA).

Contact: Adriana@adrianaryan.com

http://adrianaryan.com

www.facebook.com/authoradrianaryan

www.twitter.com/adrianaryansc

Tree CPR, Free Stories, and Stocking Stuffers!

With Thanksgiving behind us, I still have so much to be thankful for. If you read my holiday post over at Spellbound Scribes last week, you'll know my heartache over the loss of some of my precious ornaments during the "great flood" in our basement this summer. I also thought my tree had perished in the flood, but after a close inspection last night, I was able to bring it back to life. 

Just call me Martha Stewart. While my tree survived, the plastic tree stand did not, so I fashioned a new stand with a bucket of sand! And my lack of ornaments? Well, there's a reason I save wine corks! 

Another thing to be thankful for is being in such great company this holiday season. Let it Snow! Seasons Readings for a Super Cool Yule is FREE on Amazon today (11/25) and tomorrow (11/26)! My short in this collection is from the Travelers Series... Chase and Jenny's first date and how they celebrate the Mayan 12/20 doomsday prophecy. 

Ten authors band together for a little holiday cheer:

A Laurents County Landfill Christmas, by Red Tash

Silent Night, by Jack Wallen

Crazed in Christmas City, by Jessica McHugh

A Manlove & Kickerdick Xmess, by Axel Howerton

The Snow Wolf's Gift, by Tim Tash

A Serial Killer Christmas, by Mercedes Yardley

Old Mexia Christmas Brew, by Claudia Lefeve

The Pratty Who Saved Chrissmuss, by Marian Allen

Believe, by Connie Roberts-Huth

Hau'oli Hanukkah, by T. Lee Harris

An in honor of this collection going FREE, Red Tash is doing a Trivia Stocking Stuffer Giveaway! If you know anything about me and my YA books, you're ahead of the game!  

Silos and Shelters

I like to think of myself as a "prepper." If there were ever an environmental, nuclear, or heaven forbid, a zombie apocalypse, the hubby and I would be prepared...but you can never research enough. Perhaps this is why I'm partial to post-apocalyptic stories! 

Here's what I've read this week:

Second Shift: Order by Hugh Howey. If you haven't read the bestselling WOOL series, you have missed out and you should go buy it now. For those that have and have been waiting for Second Shift, it's already out! I think I may love the Shift books (prequels) more than Wool! I just love the how's and the why's of it all. I talk about these books so much, my husband has no idea why I keep talking about silos and whether or not we'd be able to take our pug with us should we be forced to go into one. 

And this week, one of my readers recommended the Project ELE series by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels. I read the first book in the series, Project ELE, and immediately downloaded and read the second book, Finding ELE, the same night! You can't beat a post-apocaliptic story that includes love, powers, and FEMA. And the best part is, Project ELE (book 1) is currently FREE! 

So that's my reading "already read" pile for this past week! I hope you'll take a chance (if you haven't already) on some of these great reads! Remember, you can't ever be too prepared for the future! 

I doubt I'll be posting anything until after the holiday this week, so with that, have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

What Happens Next?

For those of you who picked up PARADIGM and want to know what's next, well, you'll be pleased to know I have already started writing book 4 in the series, PARAMETER. This book will mark the second volume in the Travelers Series. Set primarily in the dystopian future commandeered by Thornberry (if you haven't read the series, he's the bad guy), I hope to steer this series towards a new adventure (Etta can only go back and forth between realities so many times, ya know?). 

I am also working on a short story set in the Travelers universe. This will be a story about Etta and Cooper...at their wedding, and of course, you will be cordially invited to attend! I really hope to have this out by the end of the month, but don't hold me to it! At the very latest, I'll have it done by January. 

And if you haven't picked it up yet, Let it Snow! Seasons Readings for a Super-Cool Yule, is available for free on iTunes right now (but for a limited time as this anthology has now been enrolled in Amazon Select). There will be FREE days on Amazon and I will keep you posted on those days. My short story featured in this collection, Old Mexia Christmas Brew, is also set in the Travelers universe and chronicles Chase and Jenny's first date (remember when they went missing for awhile in PARADIGM? Well, now you'll know what they were up to)! 

As soon as I get more updates, y'all will be the first to know! 

Let's Celebrate!

It's been a little over a week since my last post. Just what have I been up to? Well, I am still riding the high since releasing PARADIGM, which is currently ranked on Amazon:

#56 in Children's Sci-Fi

#62 in Romance/Time Travel

#6 in Hot New Releases in Children's Sci-Fi 

YAY! 

I have also spent the last week working on a project for Write by the Rails, the local writers group that I'm a member of. An anthology has been put together and as part of the editorial team, I am tasked with formatting the book for print! It's a bit of a struggle, as I'm not used to formatting essays, poetry, etc. I am finishing it up today and I am thrilled to be part of this project! 

And speaking of anthologies, Let it Snow! Season's Readings for a Super-Cool Yule is now available! My short story, part of the Travelers universe (Jenny and Chase go on a super fun first date), is included in this collection of shorts from some of the most entertaining indie writers around. It is currently FREE on iTunes and Smashwords. If you'd like to see it FREE on Amazon, don't forget to report the lower price!! 

Lastly, when I'm not writing or teaching (which reminds me, I have mid-terms to grade later today), I also volunteer my time serving as one of the advisors to my sorority at James Madison University. Since the campus is over 100 miles away, I spend a lot of time out of town during the weekends. I LOVE our girls and I have a blast spending time with them! This past Friday, I helped out at one of their events (Mallard Ball, which is the biggest and most anticipated event for us). 

I love my camo bibs (overalls) and I'd wear them everyday if I could! You can't tell in the pic, but I also crafted an awesome blaze orange bow that I learned how to make from Pinterest! 

Now it's Sunday and as I've already mentioned before, there is a lot to celebrate today! My beloved Aggies just beat #1 ranked Bama last night, my hubby's birthday is today (so I need to start planning his birthday dinner), and it's Veterans Day!...so THANK YOU to all the veterans who served and continue to serve our great country! 

Thanks Amazon!

So today, I was minding my own business, when I get an email from the wonderful Tiffany A White who forwarded me an email from Amazon:

I've been waiting for months to get a forward from someone telling me that Amazon has recommended my books!! Yay! I couldn't get a whole shot of the email, but it had all three Travelers books! 

And speaking of Tiffany A White, please check out the interview I did with her over at her site today!!

....back to the Amazon love...

So then, I decide to check my ranking on Amazon and Paradigm is #6 on their Hot New Release list for Children's Sci-Fi! 

Really, though, it should be #5, as James Patterson's Daniel X, is ranked both #1 & #3 (ebook and hardcover).  

Winners!!

Thank ya'll for stopping by during Coffin Hop! And for those who are wondering just who the hell won the Grand Prize?? 

Aniko! The Happy Horror Writer! 

YAY!! 

Aniko will be receiving:

A signed copy of unDead Dixie Debs

An ebook copy of Coffin Hop Anthology: 2012 Collector EP Edition

Signed bookmarks

Zombie bumper stickers

Mini Zombie Doll

And Super cool buttons!! 

And the 8 lucky winners of an ebook copy of unDead Dixie Debs are:

Tradgedy6996

Gina 

Kim Koning

Milo Fowler

Jolie de Pre

thefishingwidow

Rachael Tu

Jason Darrick

Please send me an email with your preferred ebook file type!! 

Dead Man's Party

My birthday was a couple days ago, it's Coffin Hop, and Halloween is just around the corner. So to celebrate, I have Jack Wallen, who has graciously agreed to visit my blog today!

Anyways, Jack has a lot to say about creating the perfect villain, and in the sprit of Halloween and all things creepy, I'll let him take it from here....

******

It wasn’t until I was doing a touring a show along the east coast and Canada that I had that magical moment of falling under the spell of a villain. That villain was Shakespeare’s Richard III as portrayed by the brilliant Colm Feore. When Mr. Feore limped onto the stage and recited “Now is the winter of our discontent…” he had the audience eating out of the palm of his twisted hand. We laughed, we ooh’d, and we ahh’d at his incredible acrobatic use of the language and his voice. But more importantly, we fell in love with a character so utterly evil that when he walked on stage carrying a severed head we thought it just… for a moment.

That was when I realized how delicious a well played villain could be. Mr. Feore took a despicable character and made an audience want to cheer for him. The same thing happened with Anthony Hopkins portraying Hannibal Lecter in the Silence of the Lambs that made us, as an audience, so badly want to know the why a man or woman had become who they were. Why did Lecter eat humans? Why did Lecter get away with making us love him? Dexter Morgan – Same thing.

This begs another question – why do we writers need to create killers or protagonists that speak to the readers minds, hearts, and emotions? Aren’t they simply evil? On the surface, yes. But creating a character built completely of malice, with nothing for the reader to connect to, will cause a story one big problem – no one will care. Oh sure, they will care that your good guys get away… but any connection a reader might possibly make with the bad guy is gone.

Let’s take a look at an historical character often thought of as the single most evil human to ever grace the earth – Hitler. There is not doubt that the acts Hitler committed were despicable. But when you learn he was beaten as a child, ruled by an iron-fisted father, was an artist, and lived most of his life a vegetarian you (or the reader) all of a sudden might want to know more. Without those “humanizing” bits of information the man is nothing more than a monster and no one would be willing to invest in getting to know the why. Not that those elements, in any way, give a man that committed such atrocities any sympathy. But it does add an element of curiosity to the mixture.

What drove him to do what he did?

That human element is key. No matter how evil, violent, or malicious a killer is, they must have a hook (not literally…unless said killer is Candyman) that allows the killer to wend its way into the readers conscience. These “hooks” are not always easy to incorporate believably, but they are a must. For me, the best way to achieve some level of humanity in a serial killer is to consider the very moment of the killer’s past that allowed them to kill. Once I have that key moment I work my way backwards. Let me give you an example. In my book A Blade Away I discovered, during the creation of Lakme, the moment that caused him to want to kill was when he (as a young boy) witnessed the death of his mother at the hands of his physically and sexually abusive father. At that point, the young man had to stop his father from doing any further damage to the world, which allowed the young boy to release years of pain upon his drunken father.

It was at that moment I realized, as a child, Lakme had been so abused by his father, the reader would at least be able to extend the reach of sympathy for the child that became the killer. The audience could “see” how the man became the killer and, on some level, think I would do the same thing.

Killers are tricky to write. If you create a one dimensional protagonist, no one will care. If you create too many dimensions the character’s motives and actions become confusing. The single most important element for a killer (or protagonist), from the writer’s perspective, is humanity. If a killer does not seem human the audience will have nothing to connect to. If the audience is unable to connect they will not read. If the audience doesn’t read…you get the idea.

No man or woman is born evil. The beaten housewife that murders her husband. The tortured prisoner that wipes out his captors. The shipwrecked church group forced to cannibalize one another to survive. These atrocious acts seem justified to the reader, because the reader can relate, thanks to the given circumstances. But Imagine a Hannibal Lecter that wasn’t captured by Nazi’s and forced to watch as they murdered and cannibalize his sister. Imagine a Dexter who only cared about the kill and not cleaning the streets of the criminals the system over looks. Those characters all of a sudden are nothing more than horribly malicious men with no humanity for us to connect to. Evil, hatred, or malice without cause is a recipe for disaster very few writers can overcome.

Creating a believable killer is no easy feat. Even the most despicable men and women were, at one point, human beings that loved and were loved. Those connections must be made in order for big bad nasties to be believable.

I do enjoy creating a good killer. Although those around me tend to offer up that look when I describe my latest madman, I know, so long as I craft them carefully, those killers will give life to my books the good guys can’t touch.

Bwahahahaha!

Want to know more about Jack? 

Jack Wallen is the new name in horror. His works span genres and weave evil, conspiracy, and fear into nightmarish worlds.

Jack has been given the title "Zombie King" by his readers and fans. He didn't garner that title by dining on the brains of helpless victims. It was only after writing until his fingers and mind were nothing but meat for the beasts that he became a master of the zombie genre. During that haunted hay ride Jack produced works of fiction enjoyable by not just zombie fans, but anyone daring to take a peek into what might possibly become of humanity.

Of course, being of the insane writer clan, Jack isn't just happy with the penning of zombie fiction. Oh no, the nightmare does not end there. Like the late, great Freddy Mercury, Jack wants it all -- so, he will continue twisting the horror genre to meet his disturbed mind as well as write his Fringe Killer and Screampark series, and his joyous celebration of all things diverse -- Shero.

For his inspiration to begin reading and writing, Jack thanks the ever-incredible Clive Barker for penning in a genre with words of grace and horror. 

You can find Jack at www.monkeypantz.net

Thanks Jack for gracing me with your presence today! 

It's COFFIN HOP Time!

It's Coffin Hop time! I have anxiously awaited this event and now it's here!! What is Coffin Hop? Well, it's the best damn show in town! Over 100 horror authors participating in a Horrorpalooza of guts and glory. This is one event you don't want to miss!

I'll be giving away one Grand Prize Giveaway!! 

The winner will receive: 

A signed copy of unDead Dixie Debs (Southern Gothic Horror Collection)

A coveted ebook copy of Coffin Hop: Death by Drive-In (2012 Collector EP Edition)

Signed bookmarks
Zombie bumper stickers
Mini Zombie Doll
Super fun buttons and other spooky swag!  

#2 Giveaway (8 winners)

These winners (one for every day of Coffin Hop) will receive:

 An ebook copy of unDead Dixie Debs. 

So what do you have to do? That's the easy part, all you have to do is comment on ANY of my blog posts between October 24th and October 31st to be entered to win an ebook (giveaway #2). 

If you comment on ANY of my posts AND comment on another Coffin Hop participating author, you will be entered to win the Grand Prize Giveaway (the more authors you visit, the more times your name gets put in the hat)! Not only that, but you'll be participating in one of their giveaways (some MUCH, MUCH, cooler than mine), which equates to more than 100 prizes to be given away!

Also, please let me know in the comments (my posts) that you have commented on another author site. Winners will be selected at random. 

For more info on Coffin Hop, stop by the official blog.

To see participating authors, click on the pic to take you to the Linky List!

PARADIGM is Officially PUBLISHED!

I just hit the "publish" button and PARADIGM has now been uploaded to Amazon, B&N, iTunes, and Kobo. It will take a few days for it to go LIVE, so keep checking your favorite ebook retailer! I'll be doing periodic updates on FB as soon as I get word on it's status.

I know many of you have been super patient with me as I worked on this, and are excited as I am that it's finally here. THANK YOU for hanging in there!

UPDATE: Now live on Amazon and iTunes! 

SPOOKAGANZA!!

It's never to early to prepare for Halloween! A fabulous Spookaganza Giveaway!! 33 ebooks, by some fabulous indie authors, will be divided among 3 winners. That's 11 books, folks!

Contest runs from October 20th - October 30th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update: PARADIGM Release

Just wanted to post another quick update. PARADIGM was sent last week to editing and I should be getting it back sometime soon! Looks like a definite October release! For those that have been waiting patiently these past few months, I thank you for being so understanding. Sometimes things don't go as we planned and life sometimes gets in the way!

I want to thank all the beta readers who gave me some great feedback and I appreciate all your efforts!

Coffin Hop News!

For those of you who know me personally, you know it's been one hell of a month so far and it's only the 10th of October. BUT it's a new week and I'm forever optimistic!

You'll be pleased to know that I have all of my beta reader feedback in and will be sending in my final draft for editing today/tomorrow!! That means I'm only a couple weeks away from publication folks!! 

But right now, I want to focus on other things on the horizon. Can we say, HALLOWEEN anyone? The hubby and I have taken advantage of the early halloween candy displays at Walmart and have already eaten several bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. That's not my news though.

Some have noticed a new button on my side bar. What's Coffin Hop, you might be asking... Well, it's the grand dame of all Halloween extravaganzas! It's a blog hop featuring some of the best in indie horror entertainment. The cool part is, I get to be a part of it!! 

Between October 24 - 31, there'll be giveaways, posts, prizes, hexes, and a lot of B-rated horror cheesiness! I'll post more info prior to the hop, but here's a little teaser of what's in store:

The Coffin Hop Anthology will be available next year, but there will be an official Collector's EP - Coffin Hop: Death By Drive-In. The collector's sample edition (okay, it's a sneak peek) will contain stories from Amy K. Marshall, Jessica McHugh, CW LaSart, and Red Tash. This edition will be offered for a limited time during Coffin Hop 2012! 

If you can't already tell, I'm super excited about this event. Not only is the story I submitted some of my best work (in my opinion of course), but I love celebrating Halloween, my birthday (which falls during Coffin Hop), and giving away prizes! I'll have a giveaway for every day of the hop and that's just a win for everyone! 

It's too late to submit to the anthology, but it's not too late to participate in Coffin Hop 2012! If you're a reader, check back for more info!! It's going to be one hell of a ride! 

Paradigm Release Update

Just wanted to post a quick update! I'm still waiting to hear back from two of my beta readers and in the meantime, I am working on the edits from the feedback I currently have. I expect to have the final draft done and ready to send to my editor this week! 

For those of you who have emailed/send comments on FB, I know ya'll are anxiously awaiting PARADIGM, and I'm thrilled to hear from you. I am doing my best to get it out this month and it looks like I'm on track for an October release date. 

Until then...

Giveaway and Cover Reveal!

Three posts in three days! Must be a record for me... I guess that just means I actually have stuff to post about. So without further adieu:

I am ten pages away from sending my draft to my beta's, so I'll have a much needed break while they tear it to shreds. After I get their comments back, I'll be sending it to the awesome JL Bryan (yes, THE JL Bryan of Jenny Pox fame), who will be proofing the final draft for typos and all those little gremlins that manage to creep in. I am beyond thrilled to have him working with me on this.

And the lovely Heather, over at Bewitched Bookworms, has just posted an awesome review of PARADOX and is graciously offering a giveaway! One winner will receive the first two ebooks in the Travelers Series and another lucky winner will receive two signed print copies! Thank you Heather and BB for hosting this great giveaway!

And for those who've been waiting, {drumroll please} the PARADIGM cover reveal! Once again, Robin Ludwig Design Inc., has created another fantastic cover. I totally loving the blue/teal color scheme. Thanks Robin! 

I know... it's a lot of stuff to digest, but at the end of the day, all it means is that I'm well on my way to releasing PARADIGM soon! YAY! 

There are so many awesome folks in my corner, most importantly my fans, and I truly feel incredibly lucky. Thank you.

Review Love

Today I've set aside the entire day to tighten up book 3 so I can send it out to beta's later tonight. Of course, I get sidetracked and start doing other things (yeah, I procrastinate A LOT). I was messing around on Amazon Author Central and looky what I saw today! SIX new 5 Star reviews on Amazon! There were actually seven new reviews, but the screenshot I took couldn't capture them all.

I rarely look at reviews anymore, as I tend to get distracted (especially if they are unfavorable), but today, I'm glad I did. This gives me the added motivation to get cracking and finish book 3! A HUGE thank you goes out to everyone who reviewed PARALLEL and PARADOX! It means so much that you not only enjoyed the series, but took the time to write a review.

And tomorrow, I'll be announcing an awesome giveaway...so stay tuned! 

Until Next Time...

I thought I was late with my ROW80 update, but it turns out, the official last check-in day is tomorrow. I'm actually on time for once!

Since this is my last post, I decided to do a run through of all that I've accomplished these last 80 days:

1. I didn't get PARADIGM (book 3) published, as I'd hoped, but it IS ready to go out to beta's in the next couple of days...so I only missed this goal by a day.

2. I turned in two short stories (one Christmas, one Halloween) or two separate anthologies and I'm pleased that they were accepted (more details on that later).

3. Did some awesome interviews of epic proportions (I got Jack'd by Jack Wallen, was featured in The Indelible's newsletter, and even got a guest spot on the Wattpad Insider!)

Since I started participating in ROW80, I've always kept my goals simple: write everyday. With a couple of exceptions, I've pretty much kept that goal and I can't ask for anything more than that, right? I think next round (starting Oct 1) will include getting things turned in ON TIME! 

I hope everyone had a great round for those that participated and see ya'll in October!! 

*****

For those wondering about the status of PARADIGM: I've already submitted image files to my cover artist, my new editor has been contacted, and my beta's should get their copy this week!

I also have some cool news about the direction the Travelers Series is going and I'll be sharing that as soon as PARADIGM is released!! (And no, it's not being optioned for film, or anything amazing like that). 

PARADIGM blurb!

I just sent the final blurb to my fabulous cover artist so she can get started on the full cover design. Thought I'd go ahead and share it with ya'll! 

Take hold of your destiny...

Etta Fleming doesn't know she was meant to return to her true reality four years ago. After years of being the "orphan girl" in the alternate world she grew up in, she's finally carved a niche for herself with a great job, a steady boyfriend, and a best friend by her side. 

Undeterred by the shift in the timeline, it is up to Cooper Everett and his friends to convince Etta that she is still destined to become their leader, fighting against their post-apocolyptic future. 

Will meeting ghosts of her past convince Etta that she's part of a grander destiny? Or will her past, present, and future worlds collide? 

Hope you enjoy this little teaser and I hope that I'll a have a cover reveal sometime next week! 

Always Running Behind

Leave it to me to get behind on a lot of things this week. I forgot my post over at Spellbound Scribes on Tuesday, but I finally managed to get it up there (if you want to know about plotting, check out my post)!

Yesterday, I forgot my Wednesday ROW80 update (as I scrambled to get my Spellbound Scribes post up a day late). So here I am. Better late than never, right? 

And lastly, I'm a bit behind on getting PARADIGM out to my beta's. I am feverishly trying to get my final draft up to par before sending it out. I had hoped to send it right after I got back on Monday, but needless to say, I didn't get a whole lot of editing done. But can you blame me? I was doing this all weekend:

      

The view from our condo at South Padre Saturday morning and there's me enjoying the view on the beach. It always amazes me how beautiful South Texas can be. 12 years is a long time to be away from home! 

And trust me, I would have carted my laptop to that beautiful sandy beach if I wasn't afraid it'd overheat under the Texas sun, umbrella or not!

As for book 3 updates, I am now half-way done with final edits on PARADIGM and I WILL get it out to my beta's soon. I also contacted my fabulous book cover designer to start working on the cover! SOO excited! 

Hopefully I'll have more updates on Sunday! Happy week ya'll!