Hook an Author Up! GIVEAWAY

As a reader and someone who only wrote for fun, I didn't understand the significance of a book review on Amazon or GoodReads. I would usually leave a review on Goodreads just to share with my fellow book lovers, not thinking about how it affected the author. I think that's pretty normal.

Well, I've since learned how much a review and rating on Amazon can influence a book's success. I think that most of the book lovers of the world would be glad to leave a quick review if they realized how much it impacts the success of an author. Not a seven paragraph, professional review-- but just a sentence or two stating how the book made them feel.

Write Every Day with Shannon Mayer

Shannon Mayer started her publishing journey back in September of 2011. Since then she has released a total of eight books, which is pretty impressive by anyone's standards.

I am very glad to have had the chance to interview her, and you'll love what she has to say about her publishing experience.

The Land of Heart's Desire Giveaway

Princess Edane heard a voice singing on a May Eve like this, and followed half awake and half asleep, until she came into the Land of Faery, where nobody gets old and godly and grave, where nobody gets old and crafty and wise, where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.  ~WB Yeats, "The Land of Heart's Desire," 1894

This is a quote by a favorite Irish poet of mine, WB Yeats.  His poetry inspired images of magic and a mysterious people just out of our reach.

It's only fitting to introduce this special giveaway with a touch of magic. I've been blessed by the friendship of a group of lovely authors who write in the realms of Irish fairy stories and folk lore. As you may know, my novel in progress has basis in Irish mythology as well, so it was an instant attraction to the #FairyTribe on twitter.

Two of the #FairyTribe (Sophie Moss and Diane Reed) recently got together with me to discuss this phenomenon that has taken place across the interwebs, the banding together of authors in all stages of publication. Like the mystical land of Eire, this group has a magic all it's own. 

As we talked, it was amazing how similar the paths to publication have been for these lovely ladies. Both share a love for all things Irish, making it a no-brainer that their debut novels would be based on magic and romance.

Diane Reed is the author of Twixt, a novel of magical realism featuring Rose-our skeptical heroine trying to start her life over, when after her 30th birthday, circumstances force her to take a new look at her life and challenge the her beliefs in magic and love.

After writing the manuscript, Diane attempted to have it traditionally published. The replies she received all had a similar tone- strong story, but not something that would sell. Publishing houses felt that it was not quite a fantasy, but not quite women's fiction, either.

Diane decided she didn't want to compromise her story, so she self-published. Knowing nothing about marketing or social-media, she didn't sell many books that first month.

She thanks her lucky stars she met fellow author Sophie Moss, who had recently been through a similar experience. Sophie took Diane under her wind and showed her the ropes of Amazon's KDP select and how to maximize the free days offered through the program. At one point during Diane's promotion, Twixt reached Number One on Amazon's Free list.

A few months before Diane's publication, Sophie had published The Selkie Spell, a story based on experiences living in Ireland and the movie The Secrets of Roan Inish. 

After spending several years writing The Selkie Spell, Sophie queried agents and, like Diane, was told she had a fantastic story, but they didn't think they'd be able to sell it.

After hearing that reply enough times, Sophie decided if nobody else thought she could sell it, they could all just watch her sell it.

The Selkie Spell is about Tara, an American doctor who finds herself moving to an island offshore of Ireland. When a mysterious woman tells her she has the power to break a 200-year old spell, she gets caught in a world somewhere between magic and reality.

The synchronicity between Diane's and Sophie's stories is nothing short of magical, and if you've spent any time chatting with them, don't be surprised if you come across a patch of coveted four-leaf clovers!

To celebrate our love for Irish folklore Diane, Sophie and I have come together to put on a magical giveaway featuring copies of their books- Twixt and The Selkie Spell as well as art prints created by honorary #FairyTribe member Liza Lambertini.

Twixt- Midnight Flight

The Selkie Spell- Drawing Down the Moon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Magic

Today I'm in a blog hop at Tessas Blurb called The Nature of Magic. We're sharing our magic with the world, and checking out what others think of magic and giving them some comment love! 

Fantasy books, whether they be urban fantasy, science fiction or paranormal, involve different types of magic. It's always fun to learn how magic plays a part in different worlds, and it's usually vastly different from one story to the next. In many of the urban fantasy series I've read, magic is an energy source that offers the wielder a sort of give-and-take... using the magic has many advantages, but you must pay the price for it. I've seen insanity play a big part... ie if you use magic, the trade-off is to lose a little of your sanity with each spell. I've also seen magic described in one of my favorite fantasy series as a sort of layer around the atmosphere that you can gather to yourself and use at will.

In the manuscript I'm working on, which is an adult fantasy, magic is based in the mind or in the blood. I wanted to have a unique format because I feel like my story has a lot of unique characteristics and wanted it to stand out when it is published. Now, I have certainly heard of blood magic being done before- and I have no doubt mind magic exists in books. However, I have not read anything with it, so I'm hoping mine will be a unique twist... :)  Until I'm done writing the ms, I won't be reading either of these in hopes of avoiding any confusion.

OK, so on to the fun stuff. How MY magic works ;)

The supernatural or fantastical beings in my story have several abilities. As with humans, they all have some abilities that are stronger than others. Some are able to see the future, by focusing on threads of time they see in their mind's eye. Others have strong coercive talents. They are able to control those with weaker minds then theirs. This skill also allows them to change the way other's perceive them, which they refer to as "cloaking" themselves or some objects. My favorite talent is the ability to communicate mind to mind, as either mind-reading or mind-speaking. Imagine how handy that would be IRL!! It would be so easy to have an adult conversation with my husband if I could just talk straight into his mind... The last talent they possess is telekinesis, they are able to use their minds to move things without physically touching them. Another super-handy ability. I sometimes feel like I have this ability since I had kids... it's so nice to be able to say "Honey, would you mind running upstairs to get the baby wipes?" Haha, sometimes it works better than others.

In my world, blood magic is forbidden. It's considered "Old Magic" because it is no longer allowed. This type of magic is obtained by using the blood of another living creature to strengthen the mind magic the wielder already possesses. When my creatures use blood from humans it allows them to walk in this realm, which normally makes them sick and weak. There are definite disadvantages to blood magic, though. It corrupts their minds, like poison. But, like a drug addiction, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop.

I'm excited to check out everyone else's magic stories on this blog hop. If you're not in the hop, you should check it out here!

Check out this Contest at DNA Writers!

There is a contest of EPIC proportions going on at this site I just discovered, DNA writers, which stands for Dumbledore's NaNo Army. Here are the deets:

Prizes:
* Free $25 Amazon gift card.
* Free book from the Book Depository under $15.
* Free book from the Book Depository under $15.
* Free 10 pg MS critique or 4 pg synopsis critique ($35 value).
*Free $15 Starbucks e-gift card.
*SIGNED paperback of Lisa McMann's WAKE.

GRAND PRIZE: Full substantial edit of 80k or less (MG or YA only) from Kari!
Rules:
Must be a follower of this blog.
Fill out the form below.
Contest ends at midnight EST March 6th

We Have a Winner!

This morning I tallied up my comments and followers and chose a winner for the $15 Barnes & Noble giftcard from my List & Giveaway!





And the winner is...Carolina Valdez Miller!!!!





Congrats Carolina!




Today is an exciting day for me, because I'm going to my first ever book signing right here in Massachusetts. The lovely Kim Harrington will be signing copies of her new release Clarity, and I'm so thrilled to get my own signed copy.

A List and a Giveaway

I found this great list on Nicole's page and thought it might be fun to challenge people to give a litte of themselves, really put it out there with a fun questionnaire. Please copy & paste in the comments!! I will choose a winner from all who comment before March 5 for a $15 Barnes and Noble giftcard And everyone who follow me get two entries!

Anyone who's watched Inside the Actor's Studio will be familiar with the questionnaire. The show's host, James Lipton, asks it of every celebrity guest at the close of the interview. The questionnaire was originally created by Bernard Pivot, a French journalist, for the cultural series he hosted on French television from 1991-2001, called Bouillon de Culture.

What I love about the questionnaire is you can either answer the questions with all the truth in your heart, or you can approach them with creativity and cleverness -- finding answers or deliveries no one else has ever come up with. But which ever way you go, each of your answers will be revealing, telling us interesting things about you.

What is your favorite word? Shimmer
What is your least favorite word? Cancer
What turns you on creatively or emotionally? Seeing beautiful art of any kind
What turns you off? People who are negative and say "I can't" too much
What is your favorite curse word? Shizzat
What sound or noise do you love? My kids'laughter
What sound or noise do you hate? My kids Fighting
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Graphic design
What profession would you not like to do? Gynecology

Please help me spread the word!!