Reviewer Appreciation Giveaway!

Yes, I know. This is WAY, WAY, WAY overdue.

I mean, I've been talking about doing a reviewer appreciation giveaway since April. But if you've been reading this blog over the last few months, well, you know that things got a bit crazy around here, and, well. My prizes kinda-sorta disappeared into a moving box for a little while.

But fear not. They have been found! And the giveaway is here and officially starts TODAY!!!

Take a look at these fab prizes:

In honor of Water So Deep, this fabulous Bella Del Mar Mother of Pearl jewelry set is beaded with tiny white pearls, and accented with clear crystal quartz. This set comes in a beautiful display box and includes a gorgeous necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and is a $95 value. (The crystals look slightly blue in this picture, but they are really mostly clear.)

Also in honor of Water So Deep, this stylish and trendy Refuse to Sink bracelet, still attached to the manufacturer packaging.

In honor of Descendant and Birthright, this lovely crystal quartz healing crystal necklace was custom made by Zuniga's Custom Jewelry. (She makes some of my very favorite original pieces.) Also in packaging.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a review of one of my books on your favorite review site (there are tons of choices) and then come back here and leave the link in the Rafflecopter link box. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY LEFT A REVIEW, it's okay. This contest is MEANT for YOU! Go ahead and leave me the link to your already posted review and you do not need to do anything more.

You will see that there are lots of places where reviews can be left for each of my books. In case you're wondering, YES, it is totally okay to copy and paste one review to ALL THE PLACES if you so choose. As long as you remember to collect the link and enter it into the Rafflecopter box, it totally counts.

This contest closes on June 30, so be sure to enter before then.

*Winners will be notified by email ir FB private message (depending on the information included through Rafflecopter) and will have 72 hours to respond with a U.S. mailing address. If you are out of the United States, you are still eligible to win the bracelet or healing crystal, but not the larger set. Prizes may be adjusted as necessary for this purpose. 

**United States prizewinners may be given the option to trade their jewelry prize for a paperback or ebook copy of any of my books. International prizewinners wishing to exchange their prize will be given the option for an ebook.

Also, while you're entering contests, don't forget to scroll to the post below this one and follow the link to the other fabulous contest for the Magic of Solstice Fantasy Writers' tour I'm participating in this month.

Good luck to all of you, and THANK YOU SO MUCH for your fabulous support. I couldn't do what I do without all of you.



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Up and Running Again!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased, relieved, and excited to announce that the Giles family move, 2015 version, has officially come to an end. I mean, okay technically, there are still about 100 boxes left to unpack, but I finally found the box with all my pants—which was truly missing for like 4 days. Also, the box with my kitchen knives and spatulas, which are also sort of important.

Pants = I can now go out in public. Hooray!

Spatulas = I can make things like grilled cheese without burning my fingers off.

The other boxes—well, I’ll get to them as I can. The goal is a box a day for now. And to be fair, I have organized every room in the house as I have unpacked, so that also takes time. I sort of feel like Super-Woman when I consider how much I have accomplished in the last month.

Me = muscling furniture into place and scrubbing hard water spots off the shower in the rental. (Who needs the gym?)

The downside is I have truly had to set aside my writing projects, which I fully expected and had planned for, but still hurt, since I am right in the thick of about four massive ones. However, I am now getting back into the saddle, and hope to crank out LEGACY and get to work on the sequel for Water So Deep.  

Me = dusts off computer and jumps into the waiting arms of my characters.

So. What have you been up to lately? 

Taking Time To Get The Story Right (Some thoughts about book 3)

Last week I went to a movie--something which doesn't happen much at all lately. It was the third in a series, (not created from a book, FTR) and I settled in with a bag of popcorn and a large drink prepared to spend the next two hours on the edge of my seat. Because that's what happened with the first two.

The thing with series of any kind is that the first book or movie sets up an expectation that the writer/cinematographer/filmmaker must not only fulfill in the next installment, but also exceed in every way possible.

Unfortunately, this was one of those films that only detracted from the original story line. In fact, it was a complete departure. That would be fine if it had been thought through and fleshed out, but to be honest, there were so many parts that felt forced or rushed or just sloppy, and it made me so sad. There was no suspension of disbelief for me, because plot holes stole the logic, and some merely almost-there filming issues left a whole lot of cars on a freeway with no passengers inside them. (Nope. No dummies.)

I left the theater wishing, not that I hadn't chosen to see the movie, but that more time and effort had been dedicated to bringing it up to par with the first two.

The experience has left me thinking about my own attempt to end the DESCENDANT series, and the third book I have been struggling with for so many months. I don't want to make these same mistakes as the makers of that movie. I don't want to write in plot holes, or leave threads untied, or forget important characters. I don't want to smash empty cars on the freeway, or kill off characters for shock value without advancing the plot. And so I am taking my time. Much more time than I ever planned or expected, and more writing than I've had to do since I first wrote Descendant (which went through about 30 drafts) in order to get it right.

Unfortunately, this means Legacy most likely won't be released in April, or even May. But it WILL be released, and as soon as I have a better idea of when, I promise I will shout it out to all of you.

I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting, but the truth is ending a series is HARD. This book is, to date, the hardest book I've ever written. And I want it to be awesome. I want it to be worth the wait. I want to do it right.

What about you? What things have you had to work hard to get right?

It's HERE!!!! WATER SO DEEP IS HERE!!! (And adding even more !!!!)

Guys, today's the day. Water So Deep is finally available for purchase!

Only the e-book version for now--there has been a very slight delay in the hard cover release, but I hope that will all be resolved this week, but all of you e-reader addicts, go! Buy! Enjoy! (And then hopefully review!)

I am not having an online launch party this time, but there is a blog tour happening starting Tuesday, February 3, and as soon as the hard cover issues are worked out, I will consider scheduling at least one signing.

In case you missed yesterday's teaser, here it is:

And one more, just because TODAY'S THE DAY!

Thanks for being patient with me and for supporting me as an author. I promise to start blogging about other things now. Thanks!

All The Best Laid Plans, Part II

The good news: in 2014 I did finish BIRTHRIGHT. And believe it or not, I wrote a collaboration with a friend. I also started another collaboration, and have been working feverishly on book 3 in the DESCENDANT series. I prepared WATER SO DEEP for publication. I attended a Utah conference and one in Kansas—and none in Texas. And I no longer live by the beach (boo!) but the mountains instead.

In 2014 I learned two very valuable lessons. 1. I can work through the hard stuff, even if it happens slowly. But equally important, 2. I realized that I don’t always have to.

I am allowed to not write for a month. Or two. I am allowed to catch up on TV shows I’ve missed instead of writing blogs, and to go Christmas shopping instead of finishing a chapter. Because stuff happens, and I am human.

I have high hopes for this year.

1.       The ebook of WATER SO DEEP will release February 2^nd. The hardcover may be a week or two later, depending on circumstances beyond my control. And that’s OKAY.

2.       Book 3 in the DESCENDANT series is about half-drafted, even though it should have been to the editor by January 1^st. And that is also okay. I will catch up, and it will be published on time. (I HOPE.)

3.       WSD will have a sequel, and I will write it and hope to prepare it for publication sometime this summer. Maybe.

4.       My collaborations and other projects will continue to move forward. I hope to finish at least two of them aside from the above mentioned projects.

But if life happens and things get in the way, I will adapt. No matter what goals or resolutions I reach, I will keep writing, keep trying, so that no matter what, by the end of the year, I will have made progress.

And that, my dear friends, is the whole, entire point.

Progress for the win!       

Word Counts and Inspiration

Yes, it's November, and this year I am once again participating in NaNoWriMo, wherein I write like crazy in hopes of getting in 50,000 words in 30 days. Except, that's not my actual goal, and it's sort of a problem.

Why is it a problem? Well, my NaNo project is actually book 3 in the Descendant series because even though I had big plans of having it done way before now, our big move back to Utah really threw a wrench in things. And we all know that Descendant and Birthright are both much longer than 50,000 words. More like 90,000 and change. So while I may likely win NaNo with the word count, to get to the end of my novel, I'll need another 40,000 or so more.

But don't worry, people. This book is going to be turned in for editing, formatting, cover art, etc. and released in April, as promised. (No, I do not have an exact date, but it will be sometime that month FOR SURE.)

In the meantime, I'm trying super hard to focus on this, the most difficult story of the series.

Also, I am working on several other super fun, secret projects. If you are a newsletter subscriber, you will be seeing some really AWESOME news in the next day or two. If you're not, I'll be sure to post the news here next week.

Good things are happening people!

And on a side note, last weekend was my anniversary. We spent a few days in San Francisco, where we found the most awesome castle turned winery just outside of Napa. I'll talk more about that next week. But for now, look what my husband had made for me!

Brownie points to the person who can tell me why it is significant, and why I am wearing it for inspiration as I work frantically on this project.

What inspires you while you work?

Digging Up Creativity (And Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo)

The last couple of years, my home life has taken some seriously major turns. So has my professional life. And since both are connected to my social life, this pretty much rounds things out into feeling a huge ball of oh-my-goodness-what-have-I-gotten-myself-into? Every. Single. Day.

Being that I’m the creative type, this feeling can get a bit overwhelming at times. Overwhelm tends to send me in one of two directions. Either I dive into my creative side and hide there for an endless amount of time (basically shutting out the rest of the world as I write like mad) OR I focus on the more practical side (like my family, home, etc.) and do NOTHING creative for, well, what feels like an endless amount of time. For me, there is really no happy medium.

This is a problem, given my chosen profession, because if I want to keep my readers happy and interested, I still have to produce books. And if I want to keep my family alive and happy, I have to do things like laundry, and making dinner, and homework and doctor/dentist visits, and driving to school and…you know, I should probably shower and stuff sometimes, too.

It’s a dilemma. And yet…through some of the craziest months of life, I managed to get through editing and releasing DESCENDANT, and then re-releasing it, and then somehow a miracle must have occurred, because I also got BIRTHRIGHT done and released as well. I’m not going to lie. They both took everything I had in me at that time, and then some. To this day, I’m still not sure how BIRTHRIGHT actually happened.

I won’t say I forced it, because that’s not true. But I must have managed to dig deep down and find that hidden box of creativity that was cowering inside me. I wish I could tell you how that happened, but it’s still a mystery.  

If you write, at some point, you will hear (probably a million-billion times) people tell you that you should write every day. I’m not going to agree or disagree with that. I think it works for some people, and for others, not as much. I don’t write every day, even though I do try. But for me, there is serious value in having a deadline. A goal. Something to push me forward. Otherwise, I might hang around waiting for life to calm down, which might mean I never write anything new again.

It’s been a few years since I managed to participate in National Novel Writing Month, but this year, I have not one or two, but THREE huge projects (and a couple of smaller ones) to finish, and my creativity has hit a low again. I think November is just the thing I need to kick me in gear. 50,000 words, 30 days, and half a million other writers urging me to keep going. It’s good incentive.

And maybe somehow, I will find my shovel and dig deep again. Because my books are not going to write themselves.

What about you? What motivates you when you’re just not feeling the creative vibe?

**Stay tuned for a possible very exciting announcement, coming soon. If you haven’t already subscribed to my newsletter, that’s where you should go to be among the first to find out! Also, I may, or may not, be giving away free stuff this holiday season. You can sign up on the sidebar.à

PARANOIA by J.R. Johansson, a Convention To Do List, and a Giveaway

Okay, first, guys, last week's DESCENDANT / BIRTHRIGHT blast promotion was so much fun. I have a lot of new followers here and also on all my social networking sites, and more new readers than I ever dreamed. DESCENDANT spent the entire week in the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, as well as the #1 spot for Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy, and BIRTHRIGHT sales are climbing like crazy. I'm counting the week as a smashing success. Thank you so much to everyone who participated in any way. I adore you. 

*blows kisses*

For those of you who are new here, you will soon learn that I have a thing for writer's conferences and conventions. I love them. They're exhausting, and expensive, so I do have to limit myself sometimes, but when I attend something, I tend to find all the partying-est parties. And meet the partying-est people. And make the most outrageous memories. Because I think if you're going to do something great, you might as well make it as great as possible. 

One of my very favorite conventions is WorldCON, the world-wide science fiction and fantasy convention. I've been twice now. (I am currently not planning to attend this year as it's in London, but my WorldCON friends are all going, and miracles have been known to happen. *coughcough*) Both times, I spent my week rooming and hanging out with the lovely J.R. Johansson, author of INSOMNIA and this week's new release, PARANOIA. 

Since all the other posts on this blog tour are all about PARANOIA, today, on the day of the PARANOIA launch party (which I can't attend because I'm far away in Texas), we thought we'd take a break from the book-ish posts and instead do one about authors and parties. The following advice is drawn from our experience attending WorldCon together, where we behaved...well, if not like total professionals...then at least like people that were having more fun than is considered legal in 12 states.

So here it is. J.R. Johansson's and my official Convention To-Do list (in no particular order):

1. Find the human outline on the floor in the Klingon party and act panicked, then hurry and lie down to see if it matches your body.

2. Throw cookies off a 19th floor balcony, and then rescue those cookies from the street an hour later. 

3. Sit on George R.R. Martin's lap while wearing tiara, and claiming you have officially WON the Game of Thrones.

4. Hijack a freight elevator with 11 other people, because there's a line to get on the ones meant for "guests." 

5. Go on a quest that results in you being knighted by a highly famous author waving a glowing sword. 

6. Be serenaded by an opera-singer diva who is dying to let the world know it's someone's birthday. 

7. Find the ONLY party with music and a disco ball and start a near-riot by bringing all your new friends from the elevator. 

8. Dress up in corsets to attend the Masquerade, and pretend you're Nevada show-girls along the way.

9. Ride an elevator with lampshades on your heads (not the freight elevator). 

10. Have impromptu dance parties in other people's hotel rooms. Start by doing the Macarena. 

11. Experience late night Aussie renditions of Monty Python tunes.

12. Throw late night rooftop parties complete with ipod battles that involve bands like Imagine Dragons.

13. Become besties with Harry Potter, Westley from the Princess Bride, the Ghostbusters, and Daenerys Targaryen. Also, the Hound. Woof.

14. Steal a Hugo. (And, okay, then give it back.)

15. Take a ride in a Tardis, and learn how to work the controls.

16. Have a sword battle with a Jedi.

17. Sneak into a private publisher party through the back door and then pretend you belong there.

18. Rescue a gentle giant from nearly falling into a bathtub filled with pop cans and ice.

19. Visit Japan, Helsinki, Boston, Texas, New Zealand, and Orlando all within an hour. 

20. Cram 8 people into a car built for four and go for a drive while all singing. Don't get pulled over by police.  

Disclaimer: this list was created by professionals and some of these activities should not be attempted without adult supervision. Or something like that.  

Okay, and now onto bookish stuff and PARANOIA: 

With Every Night of Blissful Sleep Darkness Grows Inside Him.

In the aftermath of the events that nearly killed him, Parker Chipp is trying to learn to cope better with life as a Watcher. And it seems to be working...until he wakes up in jail with a hangover and 12 hours of missing time. Darkness has somehow taken control and Parker doesn't have a clue how to stop him. He finds an unlikely ally in Jack, the mysterious guy in the motorcycle jacket who offers to help Parker master his abilities as a Watcher. But even as they practice, the darkness inside Parker is getting more and more powerful, taking over Parker’s body and doing everything he can to destroy Parker's life.

When Jack reveals that there is another kind of Night Walker, known as a Taker, Parker starts to wonder if the strange things happening in Oakville are more than just a coincidence. After all, people are more than just sleepwalking. They're emptying their savings accounts with no memory of doing so, wandering into strange parts of town and disappearing, they're even killing other people--all in their sleep. If Parker wants to find out what's happening or have any hope of seeing his father again, he’ll have to defy Jack and put his own life in danger...because the more he learns about these other Night Walkers, the more certain he becomes that his life isn't the only one that could be lost.

J.R. JOHANSSON is a young adult thriller author. Her books INSOMNIA, PARANOIA (June 2014), and a third untitled book (June 2015) are with Flux Books. CUT ME FREE (Winter 2015) and another untitled book (Winter 2016) will be coming out with FSG/Macmillan.  She has a B.S. degree in public relations and a background in marketing. She credits her abnormal psychology minor with inspiring many of her characters. When she's not writing, she loves reading, playing board games, and sitting in her hot tub. Her dream is that someday she can do all three at the same time. She has two young sons and a wonderful husband. In fact, other than her cat, Cleo, she's nearly drowning in testosterone.

Jenn’s Links -

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JennJohansson

Blog: http://www.jennjohansson.blogspot.com/

Site: http://www.jrjohansson.com

Tumblr: http://jrjohansson.tumblr.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJRJohansson

J.R. Johansson on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5100095.J_R_Johansson

PARANOIA on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12260608-insomnia

                                       

Pre-order Links –

The Book Depository - http://www.bookdepository.com/Paranoia-Johansson/9780738740188

Indiebound - http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780738740188

Books A Million - http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Paranoia/J-R-Johansson/9780738740188?id=5529587671279

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/paranoia-j-r-johansson/1117011365?ean=9780738740188

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Paranoia-The-Night-Walkers-Johansson/dp/0738740187

Oh, and let's not forget the fun stuff! A giveaway! Here's where you enter.

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The BIG PROMOTION I promised! Free Stuff and Giveaways, OH MY!

As promised, this is the week when I give away a crap ton of stuff. In case you haven't heard, the Kindle version of DESCENDANT will be FREE from June 2-6th, 2014. This is an extremely rare occurrence, because, um, I don't do free often. Or ever. So it's a great opportunity for a fabulous deal. PLEASE download it if you can.

I'd love your help spreading the word, because every download helps me gain ranking momentum, which turns into future advertising. So it's kinda sorta a big deal. Yeah. As a celebration/thank you for helping me celebrate this week, I'm doing a giveaway for three print copies of BIRTHRIGHT on Goodreads, and free e-book copies of BIRTHRIGHT to five lucky winners. You can enter to win those below.

ALSO, don't forget I'm running a Review Blast this week. Leave an honest review of BIRTHRIGHT (I don't care how short!) and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Guys. Seriously, I think I might die this week. Please help me out, okay?

THANKS!

XOXOXO  

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Something About Courage and Tons of Giveaways

Last weekend, while in downtown Corpus Christi, we came across this little beauty.

It’s a real ship, yo. Actually, it’s an exact replica of Christopher Columbus’s ship, the Nina. (The Pinta and the Santa Maria are in dry dock at a nearby museum.) Check out how freakishly small this baby is. Or was.

The sad thing is I don’t remember how many people actually crewed this ship, but seriously, I don’t know where the people actually fit. So I stood there, staring at it, and wondering how the heck they sailed halfway across the world in it, and thinking about courage. These guys. They had no radios. No GPS or electronic anything to tell them they were sailing in the right direction. They didn’t even have engines. Their entire journey was dependent on wind.

And they sailed from Spain to America in this TINY, TINY ship.

I’m sorry, but those guys—serious, HUGE courage. HUGE.

I talk about doing hard things sometimes. About how tough the publishing industry has become, and how taking chances (in all aspects of life) is tricky and hard and freakishly scary. But guys, this tiny ship really gave me some perspective. I will never have to pack up my whole life and family and travel into the scariest unknown on a rickety little ship with no radio to call for help if we happen upon a kraken or something.

Kinda made the scary things in my life feel a little less scary.

What about you? What scary thing have you put in perspective recently? And how did you find courage?

Oh, and BTW, next week, WAY fun promotions happening:

Starting Monday, DESCENDANT will be on a very special promotion. From June 2-6, you can download it on Amazon for FREE. That’s right, free. (I am not an author who believes in giving away my art for free, so this is something that is unlikely to happen again soon—if ever.)

Also, I’m giving away three print copies of BIRTHRIGHT on Goodreads, and three digital copies here on the blog (check back here Monday for the Rafflecopter form). No purchase necessary, but I’d love a little help spreading the word, if you will.

At the same time, I’m running a Review Blast for BIRTHRIGHT, because that poor baby book needs a little love. So if you’ve read it (or if you read fast) be sure to leave a review, and then go here to enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

So yeah. Next week, be prepared. I will be all over the internet promoting. I hope you’ll forgive me. I promise, by the 7 or 8^th, I’ll be done for a bit. 

Possibly Another List, Pics, and Great Deals on Books

Okay, so I think I'm changing my stance on the whole not-liking-lists thing I mentioned last week. That was a quick and easy way to breeze through lots of topics, and I pretty much covered everything I needed to in one fell swoop.

Maybe James Dashner has it right. (As long as I've known him, he is the KING of making lists.)

So yeah. I might make another one. Just because the last one was more fun than I anticipated. But this one won't be as long.

Okay, here we go. A new, shorter list of spring things.

1. In my last list, I forgot about the tulips. Tulips are some of my very favorite flowers, but I haven't seen any growing in south Texas. So I had to take a picture of these ones at Thanksgiving Pointe in Lehi, Utah. Aren't they gorgeous? They just make me all kinds of smiley.

2. It's possible I have neglected some of my favorite parts of Texas in the spring. So there's this.

And this.

And also this. (Why yes, that is a baby pineapple plant! Tell me that's not the cutest thing you've ever seen.)

3. Tomorrow, check back here and you will see some AWESOME deals on books that have dragons in them. If you've read DESCENDANT and/or BIRTHRIGHT, you know that my dragons are of an entirely different variety from most. But DESCENDANT is listed for a smokin deal for just ONE DAY. So be sure to come back.

4.  If you've read and loved BIRTHRIGHT, but haven't left a review yet, you might want to gather your thoughts about it. Anyone who posts a review between now and June 7th will be entered into a drawing for an Amazon gift card. *Details to come soon.

5. Let's talk about summer vacations. I'm feeling a Disney vibe in my house these days. It's been years since we visited a Disney park, and I have a weakness for fairy tales and anything Disney-esque. But so far, no solid plans. What about you? What fun summer activities or trips are you planning?

This Week and That and Also the Next

You know every once in a while when you have that week where everything kind of runs together? When you are so crazy busy that you forget what day it is, and all your deadlines are cut down to the very last second and you forget silly things like scheduling blogs and eating breakfast?

That week is happening right now for me. It's FINALLY time for my all-time favorite writer's conference, the annual LDStorymakers conference in Utah.

I'm already in the state, finishing last preparations and squeezing in as much visiting as possible. This actually involves planning down to precise minutes in some cases. It's a good thing, trust me.

And good news! Despite a few troubles with the printing company, my copies of BIRTHRIGHT have arrived! I will have them at the conference. Also, I've been watching Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and Kobo, and am seeing the links pop up live in all of them now. Even the paperback is available. You can officially buy BIRTHRIGHT at your favorite online retailer and start reading.

If you do, and you enjoy it, please consider leaving a review. As much as we authors wish it wasn't so, reviews make a huge difference in the sales of a book. Plus, if you do, and you come back here and leave me a link, I will send you a signed, double-sided bookmark.

I may not remember to post next Tuesday, since I am heading home that day, but if you follow me on social networks, I'll try to post pictures of my journey. Or at least of the conference. Or other interesting things. Like the wildebeest that tried to eat me last week. (Yes, that is how it's spelled.) I'm just random like that.

Happy spring!

BIRTHRIGHT COVER REVEAL DAY!! (And a contest!)

Guys. I am so excited because finally FINALLY I get to show you this gorgeous thing:

Designed by the amazing, talented Erin Summerill. What do you think?

Birthright is a follow up to Descendant.

Two months ago, Abigail Johnson saved the life of the boy she believes is her destiny and defeated an army of demons that have pursued her ancestors for centuries. Now, she and Kye should be taking their place as leaders of the new generation of Gifted. But the curse they thought was broken has returned, and every minute together brings them closer to death.

When remaining shadow demons attack again, the Dragons send Abby to Mexico. Being apart from Kye is slowly killing her soul, and it turns out she isn’t any safer here than she was back home. The shadows have tracked her, the locals expect her to help with their own demon problems, and the more time she spends away from Kye, the more she doubts the destiny that ties them together.

When the demons destroy her safe house, Abby has no choice but to take the fight to them. But the arrival of an old nemesis throws their careful plans into disarray, and Abby and her friends find themselves facing new adversaries in a battle that turns fatal. This time, not everyone will make it out alive. 

You can read the first TWO chapters of Birthright here.

You can also read the first two chapters of Descendant here.

Add Birthright to your To Read shelf.

DESCENDANT links (first book in the series. BIRTHRIGHT is the sequel to DESCENDANT):
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

**UPDATE**
Be among the first to grab your e-copy of Birthright for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, or Kobo. (More links to come as the official release date draws ever nearer.) 

And guys, we're giving away $15 in PayPal cash just for helping spread the word about Birthright! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two More Days

Guys. This week is crazy busy for me. First, tomorrow, my baby girl becomes an official adult. *gulp* And second, I am frantically finishing up details for the release of Birthright. Oh, yes, and also for this:

Please forgive me for being a lame blogging cheater today. But definitely come back on Thursday for the Birthright cover reveal. You won’t be sorry! 

The Thing About Dreams (and Some GREAT Deals on books)

I’ve been thinking about dreams this week, and what people will often do to achieve them. How far we travel, how hard we work, the sacrifices we willingly make, all for dreams that may—or may not—turn out the way we hope.

That’s the thing about dreams. They generally don’t work out the way we plan them in our heads.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably already know I’m a dreamer. My dreams tend to be grandiose and maybe even unrealistic on some levels, and yet on other levels, I openly acknowledge that sometimes it’s the ability to dream, the hope it inspires, and the journey I’m traveling that makes me truly happy. And I’m really very okay with that.

I want to be a bestselling author who makes millions of dollars. There. I said it. Seriously, I don’t know a single author who would turn that down. But that’s not why I write. In fact, it’s not why MOST of us write. Some friends of mine have posted beautiful thoughts about dreams and how they change over time. How some dreams might have to be retired to make room for new ones, and how one friend realized she writes to share a bit of her soul with others.

I don’t write to make money, and that’s a good thing. If that was why, I would have been forced to quit years ago. I don’t write to please others, teach a lesson, push an agenda. I write to tell a story. I write because the very act of creating soothes me, makes me whole. I write because it’s part of who I am.

I will always dream. I will always hope that someday I’ll write that book that takes off. Someday, I’ll make enough money to buy my vacation island in a tropical somewhere. Or a yacht. Or, you know, pay off my house and send my kids to college.   

But if that never happens, it’s okay. I may have to make room for other dreams that can be more lucrative, but I don’t think I’ll ever truly be able to stop writing. And so the dream lives on.

What about you? Why do you dream?

PS. This week, you can get a boxed set of seven romantic suspense books for .99 here. This is a SERIOUSLY great deal. Don’t miss out! Also, if you haven’t grabbed your copy of Elana Johnson’s latest release, Elevated, it’s not too late. And if you haven’t snagged your copy of DESCENDANT yet, better hurry! BIRTHRIGHT comes out in a little over a month. 

Reveals, Releases, and Really Great Friends

A couple weeks ago, I was able to spend a few amazing days with four women who are my best friends in the world. The trip started as a Christmas gift from one person’s husband and then snowballed into a full-blown all-in FAB 5 hoorah: Destination San Antonio, Texas.

In the few days they were here, we did a lot of fun things, including making the very long trek to my house and the nearby beach. But the thing that struck me most—the thing that always strikes me—is that when the five of us get together, it doesn’t matter what we do. Whether we’re treated like royalty in a five-star resort, or stranded overnight in a hotel in an unsavory city because we missed our connecting flight trying to get to that resort, we are always happy to each be in the company of the others.

When the weekend arrived and my friends had departed, I drove home feeling a glow of happiness that can only come from spending time in the company of other women, and I found myself thinking, hoping. Friendships like ours are increasingly rare.

It is my grandest hope that someday my daughters will be as lucky as I have been and build the kind of friendships that fill in the spaces and gaps in each other’s lives. The kind of sisterhood that should be shared, and maybe used in a story someday.

Do you have a unique relationship with someone? Would you write about it?

NEWS UPDATE:

Guys. I know this has been a LONG time in coming. But I finally have a release date for BIRTHRIGHT! Mark your calendars for May 1st, because—hopefully—it should be available for purchase from all your favorite bookstores on that day (and if you're coming to the LDStorymakers conference in Logan, UT in April, I plan to have a FEW advance copies).

But…but…you haven’t seen the cover yet, right? How will you know what it looks like? Don’t worry. The cover is coming very soon. Like, probably in the next few weeks soon. As in…check back on or around *April 10th, when I will be posting both the cover and also a teaser chapter to whet your appetites. Between now and then, expect updates, signups for events and/or contests, and any changes or other news. 

See you soon! 

*Date subject to change, but let's hope it doesn't!

Outside Appearances: The Importance of a Cover

As I’m working on edits for BIRTHRIGHT, I’ve also been brainstorming cover ideas and thoughts on what I’d like to see on the cover for DESCENDANT’s sequel. Since DESCENDANT was released, I’ve had a few ideas in mind, including links to some photos that sparked my interest.

But this week, I had an epiphany. The photos I’ve had in mind are lovely, and would work just fine. They’d even match DESCENDANT’s cover, which is something I want. They’d even sort of go with the continuation of the story. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that none of the photos have stood out as just right because they all look so similar to the book that’s already been done. No one wants a second book that reads exactly like the first.

BIRTHRIGHT may be a continuation of DESCENDANT, but it’s another story entirely, with a completely different objective and a number of different characters. BIRTHRIGHT deserves a fitting cover, and that cover should convey the mood of the ongoing story. It deserves a cover that makes people think, “Oh hey, that book looks interesting.”

Thus begins my search for a new cover concept idea.

This same philosophy can be applied to people and real life. Keeping up outward appearances tends to be a constant battle. A daily one. And then one day, years down the road, we realize that somewhere along the line we’ve changed. We’ve grown, and evolved, and our stories are so different than they were five, ten, fifteen years ago (or months—whatever). Suddenly, the outside cover we’ve fought so hard to maintain doesn’t really fit anymore. We’ve aged. We’ve experienced life. We’ve adjusted our thoughts and beliefs.

Maybe it’s time for a new cover. (Or new hair color, skin-care regime, workout routine, whatever whatever.)

The point is, sometimes life, like a story, is far more interesting when we are able to let go of previous conceptions and think outside the box.

Out of curiosity, what are some of your very favorite book covers?

Update on the Descendant Series

Okay, so it’s been about a month since I found out my publisher is closing. In that time, the date has been moved back from January to October. The specific date will depend on each of the authors and whatever they’re planning to do when our rights revert back to us.

Because DESCENDANT was already released, and because the timeline has become so short, looking for a new publisher would mean allowing DESCENDANT to drop off the market for a while. And since it’s still very new, I hate to do that. This puts me in a position I never dreamed I’d ever be in with this particular book.

Independent publishing.

What this means for readers: Not a lot, actually. Rhemalda publishing is a very rare publisher in that they are conscious of their authors and the futures of our careers, and specifically the books belonging to us. This means that the appearance and text of the actual book will not change with one small/big exception.

Since I have to re-do a few things anyway, I’m adding BONUS MATERIAL! That’s right. The second edition of DESCENDANT will also include a sneak peek of the second book in the series, the title of which I will announce here very soon.

What this means for me: a lot of extra work, but also some unique opportunities. Like the chance to add bonus material and get people excited about book 2.  I will retain all rights to the series, and my agent and I are willing to consider offers from publishers should they express interest.

Oh, and also I am planning to build my newsletter list and Facebook author page. Keep an eye on the blog here (or the newsletter, or Facebook page) for some super-fun promotions. And as always, your help in spreading the word is always, always appreciated.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Birthday to Me (and Some Celebrating)

They say it's my birthday. Da-na-na-na-na. It's your birthday too...

Wait. Maybe not. But we can pretend, right? I'm pretty good at sharing, usually. Why not? You can take that extra year and I'll keep the party. Sound good? Deal then.

Anyway, I had a post all ready for today, and then I realized that, ahem, today is a day I should be celebrating. Because I feel like it. And because most years I try to skip right over this day and not make a big deal about it and blah blah. But not this year. This year I'm already giving away prizes and gifts and doing fun things to celebrate (it's not too late to enter!) so I figure I might as well go all the way.

Virtual cookies all around! Party hats and all that jazz.
 No gifts required.

However, if you absolutely insist ... if you must offer a gift, read my book and then leave a review. Help spread the word on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, and Book Depository.

In the current market, reviews are one of the most effective helps you can offer to a new author. Two sentences is all we need, and those same sentences can be copied and pasted in each different venue. And what I want most for the coming year is to grow and expand my career. So yeah. Two sentences, five minutes. That's all. And if you do it by the end of today, July 9th, 2013, YOU get presents. 

*clinks glass with a butter knife*

 Regardless of the previous paragraph in which I contradict myself by saying no gifts, and then telling you what you can give me, I want to make a virtual Dr. Pepper toast.

Thank you! Thanks for reading and for continuing to come back here and see what I have to say and for giving me a reason to keep writing and keep blogging and just altogether keep on going down this path. I *heart* you all to the moon and back, and I can't wait to see what this next year brings!

Fun Stuff Coming Up!

Guys! I feel like I have so much to tell you. It’s not that I’ve been keeping secrets, or taken a break from posting, but suddenly I have a list of THINGS to share.

When I was writing my posts for the week, I looked at my calendar and realized that June is over and July is upon us. And HolyCrapSummersHalfwayOver, and there are some FreakishlyCoolBeyondAwesome things coming up fast.

Like a really fun Birthday Bash promotion, in honor of my birthday, and also DESCENDANT being published, and in which you can buy my book and get free stuff, be entered to win free stuff, and then get more free stuff for participating. It runs July 1-9^th, and there are lots and lots of ways to participate, and did I mention free stuff and prizes? Yeah.  Maybe keep that in mind and if you’re planning to buy or gift a copy of DESCENDANT, you may want to wait until July 1st, and check back here for the details on how to get your free stuff. (I mentioned free stuff, right?)

Party. Balloons. Party favors. YAHOO!

A few weeks after that, I will be doing a little traveling, some of which *might* involve research for a manuscript which *might* be a sequel to DESCENDANT. This trip will also involve a few days in Utah, during which time I may set up a signing if I have time. (I’ll let you know!)

Also, have you ever attended WorldCON? If you’re at all into science fiction / fantasy of any kind (Star wars anyone? No? Star Trek maybe? Game of Thrones?) it’s pretty much a week of unbridled awesome. And this year, it’s called LoneStarCON, because it’s in San Antonio, which is only two hours away from me, which means I WILL SO BE THERE! So far, I am not planning on being on any panels or participating at all because I hesitated too long, but I don’t even care. I have my reservations and have paid my fee and at the end of August, I AM GOING. (So if you’ve ever considered attending, you should come this year and find me and say hi.)

What else? Oh yes! My friend Tova (the one who made my awesome DESCENDANT lip balms and body sprays) at The Way of the Witch has recently launched an Ailment app, which will is geared toward helping people find holistic, natural remedies to whatever ails you, kind of like Abby in DESCENDANT. Cool, right? I recommend checking that out if you’re at all into natural healing.

Okay, last thing. I have some seriously big goals for the next few months, and lots of important tasks vying for my attention, so aside from a few extra promotional posts, I’m going to cut back to one post a week until September.  And because it seems like a good time to experiment, I’m going to try posting that once-a-week post on Tuesdays. (Obviously, I’m feeling rebellious.)  

Thanks so much for reading and for understanding and for just being awesome. That’s all for now!

*Don’t forget to check back on July 1^st for an opportunity to participate in the Birthday Bash Promotion and get lots of free stuff!