Betas Make you Better!!!

I'm not here today, so please, nobody feel obliged on any front. My office is moving and I have no computer access for the day...

But I just wanted to give a HUGE SHOUT of thanks to first round beta readers for Ill Omens:

Stacy Gail
Jill Haugh
Jade Jamison
Teresa Coltrin
Marissa Montano

You ladies ROCK!!!!!

(please enjoy this eye candy)

A cruise, with this for your captain...

And him below decks...

Stop at an island for a swim with him...

And then a sneak peak at MATT...

Seriously, accolades to all of you...

Every one of you caught things and called me out on pieces where no one else did, so THAT is fabulous (and evidence we ALL need multiple readers). And there were a couple (well ONE) biggie you ALL called me out on (what the hell was I thinking?) so THANK YOU!!!

And so friends who stop by here today... would you mind PLEASE giving a visit to one or more of my FABULOUS READERS to help express my gratitude?

And for the couple of 2nd round readers who have signed on... my goal is Friday to have input incorporated...

In Praise of Beta Readers

Know what makes us better? FEEDBACK.

I've had and am getting some great help lately and I just want to express THANKS to some fabulous friends. They happen to all be women at the moment, but it can come from all kinds of people.

THANK YOU, Stacy and Leigh for developmental feedback on MEDIUM WRONG. It is about 40% through what will be final revisions for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest which opens January 14, and I KNOW will be better for the help.

THANK YOU Helena, for beta reading the excerpt with a microscope! The contest is such that the pitch is read first, then the excerpt, then the whole book, so that excerpt really needs to be highly polished. I trust the STORY when someone is reading the whole book, but if they only get three chapters, then any mistakes will hit harder.

THANK YOU Erica and Johanna for feedback on my STUPID BLOODY SYNOPSIS for KAHLOTUS DISPOSAL SITE. I am querying and some agents want a synopsis... and synopses are HARD to write!

SO THANK YOU!!! (if you have time, you should go visit them all, they are AMAZING!)


And I have a little excitement to share... apparently my next book cover is up! I didn't get the okay to share it, but since Amazon took liberties, I figure I am okay... So here is The Begonia Bribe! To be released May 7, 2013 (one day before Hurray Hurray the 8th of May!)

It has got me guessing what color the third will be... Maybe light blue? I love the begonias inlaid into the yellow here, though. And this version of Elmwood Park in Roanoke is fantastic! If you wanted to go like it on Amazon, that would be really amazing. 

DOH! I Forgot to Blog!

Okay... so not FORGOT exactly, but on Saturday I got back the 2nd of my FABULOUS Beta reponses for this round, so I've been sitting with my head buried in Chrysanthemum Campaign for 3 days. I am FINALLY DONE addressing all their CAREFUL AMAZING Feedback. I have a few SQUEEES to share on the matter.

Both Leanne and Stacy, true-blue betas who've each read MOST of my stuff say this is their favorite. They ALSO pointed out all the holes and points of incredulity so I could address them head on. It is a better book for their input and I THANK THEM with this line of Chippendale Dancers.

Leanne's suggestion led to them, but Stacy will approve...

And this adorable set of animals.

How cute am I?

I am now BACK to my BuNoWriMo project and after three days off, MAN, I needed that!!! Passed 35K—it isn't the 2K per day average I was trying to keep, but the EDITING is really mostly DONE!

I even managed to read a GREAT BOOK while they had Chrysanthemum Campaign.

If you haven't read Susan Quinn's Open Minds, it is a BRILLIANT YA with excellent premise, excellent plotting, excellent premise... seriously. A FANTASTIC book.


But now back to reading my OWN darned book on the commute *pout* and THANKFULLY, writing at night. (and blogging on schedule... that will be good)