The Paisley Reader - utopYA Con 2015 Walkthrough on Creating a Pre-order Form

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, as with every Friday, I'm bringing you a snippet from one of the utopYA Con 2015 blogger's posts. It's Maria over at The Paisley Reader. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Don't forget to go get part three of the phrase you'll need to enter the giveaway for Saturday signing space at utopYA con!

Hey Authors, this one’s for you!

A big question you might have before going to utopYA is, “how many books should I bring,” and let me tell you, it is an important question to answer. Take too many, and you’ll have to ship some back home. Take too few, and you’ll sell out quickly, leaving you sitting at a table with no books.

So how can you begin to know how many books you should take to utopYA?

Pre-Orders.

By creating a pre-order form, you’ll know how many books to bring for definite sales. You can also have people prepay via PayPal...

Why are you still here? Get going! Learn how to create a beautiful pre-order form, and collect the third piece of that phrase so you can enter next Friday!

As you can see, the lineup changed due to circumstances beyond our control, but Maria's post is a must read!

What do you think? Did you check it out? Find it helpful?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Featured Author - K. C. Neal - Publication Spotlight

Happy, happy Monday, you gorgeous readers of my blog! Today, I'm bringing you more information on my featured author. A publication roundup. Since Ms. K. C. Neal strictly writes YA, I'm gonna leave that part off the genre descriptions. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Title: Pyxis: The Discovery (The Pyxis series book 1)
Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy
Length (print):  238 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99 

Blurb:
Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same nightmares. Pursued by a woman who wants to take over Corinne's mind--and has the supernatural ability to do it--Corinne discovers that her own family holds the key. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she's destined to protect this world–-and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free . . . 

Title: Alight: The Peril (The Pyxis series book 2)

Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy

Length (print):  242 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99 

Blurb:

When Corinne learns who the second Guardian is, she must find a way to make peace with the last person in the world she wants to deal with. As she struggles, her nemesis unleashes an otherworldly evil, and a mysterious illness strikes Corinne s friends. Faltering under the weight of her destiny, Corinne escapes to the dream world. There, she meets Zane, who has a revelation that binds them together and alters the path of Corinne s life. She throws herself into fighting for everything she loves, but just as she s certain she will prevail, she s robbed of what she needs most.

The Pyxis Series is for readers who enjoy teen & young adult science fiction & fantasy fantasy paranormal & urban, teen & young adult science fiction & fantasy fantasy coming of age, magic magical telepathy telepathic dreams colors, teen & young adult romance paranormal & fantasy, teen & young adult romancecontemporary, teen & young adult literature & fiction action & adventure, children's ebooks science fiction fantasy & scary stories fantasy & magic. 

Title: Arrival Day (Helia's Shadow Prequel - Starlight Age Series)
Genre: Sci-fi
Length (print): About 100
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99 

Blurb:
When alien boy Kalo first arrived on Earth with the rest of his people, he never imagined a future with anything other than the Universal Mission. The Mission had carried them through the universe for millennia, finding and studying intelligent species, always with the end purpose of enslaving them. But lately, something unfamiliar has taken root inside Kalo—the desire to break free of the Mission and his leader, Tal-Reku. And he’s not the only one. He and the other alien rebels must learn how to be revolutionaries within a society that’s never strayed from their practices, and under an all-knowing leader who will stop at nothing to complete the Mission on Earth.

Meanwhile, Earthborn boy Gordon conducts his trades in and out of Haven so he can pay for extra medicine and food for his sick mother. He may be only 12 years old, but he knows Haven’s underground better than most grown-ups. When he gets an unusual opportunity to help a young couple start a new life outside of Haven, he learns of an underground resistance—citizens who want the seemingly-benevolent aliens gone. Intrigued, he can’t resist the pull of the organized rebellion and the dark-haired girl who’s already part of their ranks.

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part One (Starlight Age #1) 

Genre: Sci-Fi 

Length (print): 300 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:

Sixteen-year-old Helia wants two things in life: to step out of her over-protective mother's shadow and become an engineer, and to stop hiding her relationship with alien boy Kalo. But the world definitely isn't ready for a human-alien romance. And worse, the human-alien partnership is crumbling. Humans are arrested without explanation. Some of them are never seen again.

When the alien leader imprisons her mother on a false charge, Helia discovers the aliens never intended to help humans at all. Now, she must join forces with alien rebels. If she succeeds, humans have a chance at survival and she has a chance at love. If she fails, the dwindling human race dies out in slavery.

When the aliens arrived, they were hailed as the saviors of a dying Earth and dwindling human race. But the aliens didn't come to help. Now, one human girl's ingenious invention and one alien boy's awakened heart are humanity's last hope...

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part Two (Starlight Age #2)
Genre: Sci-Fi
Length (print): 246 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $3.20

Blurb:
Helia’s Shadow Part Two picks up right where Part One ended, with Helia trapped in a transporter on the way to the lunar prison. When she gets there, she discovers that the rumors Gordon heard were true—there are alien cannibals on the moon. It’s more horrific and dangerous than anything she ever imagined. She must survive long enough to figure out how to escape back to earth, find Kalo and the rebels, and take down Reku before he enslaves the last surviving humans.

One human girl’s ingenious invention and one alien boy’s awakened heart are humanity’s last hope . . .

Title: The Naturals: Awakening (Serial Series Complete Episode 1 Box set)

Genre: Sci-Fi 

Length (print): 225 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb:

A small town full of secrets. A coming darkness. Teens with supernatural abilities. Think you know the story? Think again.

As Summer ends, the students at Silverwood High are getting ready to go back to school and resume their normal, everyday lives. Too bad "normal" is no longer an option. When these teens get their very first tastes of what destiny has in store, will they embrace that destiny... or flee from it? Will they be selfless... or ruthless? Will they master their abilities... or will their abilities master them?

This is their awakening, the first step of an epic journey. But it's only the beginning of something bigger than they could ever imagine.

The sleepy little town of Silverwood is about to wake up.  

Title: Pretty Little Liars: Better off Dead (Kindle Worlds Short Story)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 25 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb:
For years, ever since beautiful, tantalizingly evil Alison DiLaurentis disappeared and died, surviving victim-friends, Aria, Hanna, Emily, and Spencer have been traumatized by knowing, surgically precise text message revelations from Alison’s alter ego, the mysterious, vindictive “A.” In Better Off Dead, the four liars find strength in numbers, taking in a new girl, Mona – another apprehensive victim of A’s poison-text campaign. Finally they get a break when after some expert sleuthing, Spencer believes she’s discovered the source of A’s cruel power – a revelation that is guaranteed to blow the roof off Rosewood High. After one of the girls is backed into a potentially fatal corner by A’s ongoing maliciousness, Spencer begins a secret investigation that will ultimately cause all of the pretty little liars to re-examine everything they’ve been through, starting with Alison’s unexplained death.

Better Off Dead provides another dazzling climax of the Pretty Little Liars mysteries; one that is sure to find favor with the many fans of the series and People’s Choice Award-winning, ABC-TV show.

Well? Whatcha waitin' for? Go get a new read!

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo 

Author Interview - K. C. Neal

Happy Monday, you beautiful blogospherians! Today, you have the honor of meeting Ms. K. C. Neal. I know you're all over the moon about it (as am I). It's not often I get to interview someone who's been with the con from the first, but they do pop in now and again. So excited! If you don't have your tickets yet, it's not too late! You can grab one here. Sadly, earlybird prices have expired, but that doesn't mean you can't join up. Nothing's worse than being left out of the fun, so be sure and grab yours now! With that said, let's get rolling!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, K. C. It’s so amazing to have a veteran utopYAn with me I can barely breathe. Are you ready to get going?

K. C.: Haha, you make me feel like such a celebrity. : ) Yes, let’s dive in!

Jo: That's because you are! Perfect. Let's do it. I read somewhere that you meditate every day. What got you started, and what do you feel it’s done for you over the long-term?

K. C.: I was going through a challenging time, and I really needed a tool to help me process things emotionally. I stumbled on iRest Yoga Nidra online and asked on Facebook if any of my friends had done this type of meditation before. A couple of people replied and basically said it was amazing, so I decided to give it a try. That was nearly two years ago, and I haven’t stopped since. I attend a weekly class and also practice on my own, and it has changed my life. iRest is really hard to explain, and it’s also kind of difficult to describe what it does for me. The best way I can put it is that it helps me process the ups and downs of life in a way that gives me so much more peace than I had before.


Jo: I'm a huge advocate of yoga and taking the time to center yourself and just friggin' relax for a little while each day. I understand exactly what it does for you. Tell me, how long have you been with StoneHouse Ink, how did you get in, and what are the three best things about them?

K. C.: StoneHouse published my first book, Pyxis (YA fantasy), back in 2011, and the sequel, Arise, in 2013. I became friends with the owner of StoneHouse and that’s how that happened. Up to that point, I’d been planning to self-publish. Three great things about StoneHouse: large royalties, author input into all stages of the publishing process, and the best thing of all – I left my corporate job three years ago to become the Publishing Director at StoneHouse. It’s a great job, and I absolutely LOVE the flexibility and working from home!

Jo: I totally feel you about the ability to work from home. Congrats on landing the job. That's amazing! I found out you’re a NaNoWriMoer. Such a wonderful thing to have so many words produced in a month by people around the world, huh? How many years have you participated, and what novel(s) have you written? What was the most difficult thing about writing a novel in a month?

K. C.: It is quite the event! During the most recent NaNo, think I worked on a couple of things at once and the total added up to enough words to “win.” It probably seems strange that I can’t remember for sure what I was working on—it was only four months ago!—but I’ve been writing like a maniac since last spring and things run together in my mind! I’ve actually completed a few of my own private NaNos (written 50,000 words in a month) I guess you could say, but they happened to occur during months other than November, which is the official NaNo month.

In general, I’d say the most difficult thing about writing that many words in a month is developing the writing habit in the first place. Actually, the writing habit is going to be the topic of my UtopYA 2015 Idea Exchange talk. I went from writing a book every two years to writing five books in one year (and that’s around a full-time job). I want to share how I did this because it’s NOT about “having enough time,” like we often think. It’s all about mindset, and every writer has the power to change her own mindset. The right mindset leads to the right habit. Then you can optimize your writing habit, and watch your word counts take off! But like so many things in life, it starts with what’s going on in your head.

Jo: *high fives* YES! Developing the writing habit is number ONE! I can't wait to hear your talk. How exciting! So, you’re a utopYA Con veteran—there in 2012—and saw the launch of the amazingness. What was that first year like, and what’s changed about your experience(s) since then?

K. C.: That first year was one of the best experiences of my life. Before the first UtopYA I knew a lot of the attending authors online, but had never met any of them in person. It was like meeting a bunch of famous people! It was a profound experience. My roomies that year—Angeline Kace, Heather Hildenbrand, and Chelsea Fine—remain some of my favorite people and greatest friends. Most of us at the conference were fairly new authors, and it was just so wonderful to connect with everyone. That first year was really kind of intimate. It was a small enough group that we could really get to know each other. That’s probably the thing I miss most—though I’m totally THRILLED that UtopYA has flourished, don’t get me wrong!—last year I didn’t know many of the attending authors.

Jo: I was so scared about going, I developed this interview process to get to know people. *grin* It's worked wonders. I met Ms. Fine last year (she's sweet as pie!), and I'm excited to know more faces this year. Because of my stalking of you research, I can feel it in my bones… You seem like the kind of author that has an unhealthy obsession with office supplies (I can totally identify). How many post-it pads and colored pens do you own? What started your love?

K. C.: OMG I do have a serious obsession! I have Post-It pads in pretty much every room of the house. And probably at least two dozen colored pens. I’ve always liked to make lists and to color-code things, so I think that’s how the Post-It and pen obsession came about. But as far back as I can remember I’ve always loved binders, folders, index cards, pens, pencils . . . there’s nothing like the feel of a fresh notebook in my hands! I know, weird, right? But I figure there are much worse obsessions to have, haha.

Jo: Birds of a feather... Yeah, I totally don't have a billion office supplies *hides hundreds of journals and grins* Rapid fire questions! Chocolate or caramel?

K. C.: Caramel, mmm!

Jo: Computers or paper notebooks?

K. C.: Notebooks—of course!

Jo: Popcorn or peanuts?

K. C.: POPCORN POPCORN POPCOOORN (one of my other obsessions lol).

Jo: I knew that, too. Just wanted to see how many times you'd type it! haha! *wink* Let’s move on to the time travel question. Since you’re such a lover of science fiction, this one should be right up your alley. *grin* If you went to the future, what turn do you see books and publishing taking, and what one thing would you bring back to the modern day with you?

K. C.: I really wish I knew where books and publishing were going! I think as the younger generations—kids who have never known life without iPads and smartphones—grow into adults, paper books will become novelties. And I think books (eBooks) will start to overlap with other media and become more interactive.

I’d probably want to bring back whatever the hot gadget of the moment is.

Jo: Yup. Gadgets will make you billions. haha! Your novel, Helia’s Shadow Part One, has amazing reviews. Kudos to you! What was your favorite part of writing it, and which character do you identify with most? Why?

K. C.: Thank you! The middle part of Helia’s story, where she’s imprisoned on the moon with cannibal prison guards, was actually the first part that I wrote originally, and probably my favorite part. And actually, that’s the first half of Helia’s Shadow Part Two, the sequel. I love writing about aliens and futuristic technology, and imaging life on an earth that’s been destroyed by war and waste. And in general, I just absolutely love writing in the world of this series (The Starlight Age Series). It was a world that developed in over several years, and it’s extremely vivid and rich in my mind. There are SO many stories I could tell in this world. I have about half a dozen ideas for more prequel novellas.

I probably identify with Helia the most, in that she’s analytical and into science and technology. My background is in science (I have degrees in Chemistry and Health Science Research). I love female characters with real smarts, and I’m really proud of Helia as a character!

Jo: You're the second science fiend I've had on the blog in as many weeks! I love you ladies! I'm such a total nerd over science. *blushes* Seems I've found a couple of like-minded people. Since we just talked about part one of your series, let’s discuss your new release! How long did it take you to write Helia’s Shadow Part Two, and how many more novels will be in the series?

K. C.: I actually wrote the entire story—Parts One and Two—before I published the first book. The first draft of the entire story probably took a few months. Then it went through a major, major rewrite—like 90% of it was rewritten. And after beta feedback I probably rewrote about 20% of it yet again. It was quite a process! In addition to the two novels (Helia’s Shadow Part One and Helia’s Shadow Part Two), I’ve also finished a prequel novella called Arrival Day. I consider the series “complete” at this point, but probably will write more stories in this world—I’m not sure I’ll ever be fully ready to leave the world of this series behind. Like I mentioned before, there are tons of fun possibilities for prequel stories. Some of my beta and ARC readers have actually given me some great ideas for alternate point of view stories and prequels!

Jo: I'm so picking this novel up. Die hard reader over here. I adore an excellent sci-fi story, and I love a clean read! Well, I’ve taken up a ton of your time. Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers that I didn’t ask?

K. C.: Thanks so much for interviewing me, Jo! I’m so looking forward to seeing you at UtopYA!!

Jo: I’m stoked to meet you in June, too, K. C.! EEP! Thanks so much for giving us some of your time.

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Helia’s Shadow Part One
Author: K.C. Neal
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Length (print): 300 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99 ~ Google Play FREE ~ iBooks FREE ~ B&N FREE ~ Kobo FREE

Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Helia wants two things in life: to step out of her over-protective mother's shadow and become an engineer, and to stop hiding her relationship with alien boy Kalo. But the world definitely isn't ready for a human-alien romance. And worse, the human-alien partnership is crumbling. Humans are arrested without explanation. Some of them are never seen again.

When the alien leader imprisons her mother on a false charge, Helia discovers the aliens never intended to help humans at all. Now, she must join forces with alien rebels. If she succeeds, humans have a chance at survival and she has a chance at love. If she fails, the dwindling human race dies out in slavery.

When the aliens arrived, they were hailed as the saviors of a dying Earth and dwindling human race. But the aliens didn't come to help. Now, one human girl's ingenious invention and one alien boy's awakened heart are humanity's last hope...

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give K. C. a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Pinterest: KCNeal
Blog: K. C. Neal's Blog

Facebook: K.C. Neal Fan Page
Twitter: @kcnealtweets
Goodreads: K. C. Neal
Website: Author K. C. Neal
Amazon Author Page: K. C. Neal

Tsu: K. C. Neal


If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. My lovely guest will be around to answer and/or respond!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

utopYA Con Interview - C. J. Redwine - Query Letter Workshop

Happy Friday! Do I have a treat for you all today! The amazing C. J. Redwine is here to answer some interview questions and talk about her upcoming workshop—Query Letter—at utopYA Con 2015. If you don’t have your ticket yet, you need to get one soon! There are only 104 days until the event, and you don’t wanna be the only one not at the party. Get them here (hint: you can purchase a ticket to C. J.’s workshop here and find out more about it).

In addition to the amazing information you'll get this month from the official bloggers, be sure and write down the partial phrase you'll find on each blog. We're giving away Saturday signing space, and you'll need the whole phrase in order to enter. 

Ready? Grab a cup of coffee and let’s get going!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, C. J.! I’m super excited to have the opportunity to learn about you and your Query Letter workshop at utopYA. Without dawdling around, because I know you’re a super busy lady, let’s jump right into the questions (these first few will be about you, then I’ll get into the workshop). If you wouldn’t mind, could you talk with me a little bit about being the amazing adoption advocate you are? What made you consider adoption, and what have been the best and most trying things about your experience?

C. J.: We had three biological boys in four years (Which is nuts. NUTS, I tell you.), and I was stick-a-fork-in-me done with being pregnant, but I couldn’t shake the sense that our family wasn’t complete. I began feeling drawn to China, and felt like I had a daughter waiting for me there. My husband was resistant to the idea at first, but a few years later, he too felt drawn to China. We brought our first daughter home in 2010 and our second daughter home in 2014. The best thing about adoption is seeing our daughters blossom and feeling absolute joy at discovering who they are. They are light and happiness in our family—their older brothers dote on them! The most challenging thing about the process was the wait. We waited 5 years for our first daughter, and it was very difficult, but the moment I held her in my arms, I knew I’d wait as long as I had to just to have that little girl in my family.

Jo: Yup. I had four sons in four years, so I feel ya there. Wow. Five years? That's incredible. It's amazing it all worked out! Congratulations! Now, I hear your husband, Clint, is a lot like Superman. Could you share with us what he does for work, what he’s like on an average day, and what’s the most incredible cake he’s ever baked?

C. J.: Ha! We have a long-standing debate in our home about whether Batman or Superman is the better super hero. I am firmly in the Batman camp, but yes, my hubby has some superhero traits! He is a dj and producer on a morning radio show, so he leaves very early for work each morning without complaint. He is also a movie critic for both the radio and a local tv news channel, so he is often out at night viewing movie screenings. So he’s often tired and busy, but he still takes time each day to spend with his kids, he helps me by doing a lot of the chauffeuring required in the afternoons (Teens, man. They have places to be!), and he tirelessly supports my dreams by picking up whatever slack is left behind when I’m on deadline.

The most incredible cake he ever made was a nativity scene that was under a glass dome and that spun slowly so you could see it from all angles. I mean … a cake with a motor in it, amiright?

Jo: He certainly sounds hero-like! You guys seem like you'd fit together perfectly; a match made in Heaven.  A motor? Oh man... Great, now I want cake... Anyway, let's move on! *shakes off hungry feeling* I’m all about being dramatic in novels and surprising the reader, but you take your YA Fantasy books to a whole new level of amazing. Tell me which book was your favorite to write, how long it took you to write it, and which romance pair you love the most.

C. J.: I think my favorite to write is whatever book I’m currently working on, because I have to be in love with the characters and the story in order to do the book justice. So my upcoming early 2016 release THE SHADOW QUEEN is my current favorite because it combines some of my absolute favorite things—fairy tales (it’s an epic fantasy retelling of Snow White), dragons, magic, and a heroine who is both brave and smart. But if you were asking which book of the DEFIANCE trilogy I loved writing the most, I’d have to say DELIVERANCE, the final book, because I got to give the villains their just desserts, I got to bring my characters through the fire and give them hope, and my hero and heroine got the kind of happily ever after that gave them peace.

I loved the romance between Logan and Rachel (from the DEFIANCE trilogy) the most because there’s so much history between them, and such strength in their loyalty and love. They are both survivors, but both of them have this mile-wide streak of self-sacrifice in them that endears them to me even as it worried me because I wasn’t sure if I could bring them out of the story alive. They complement each other so well, and they earned every piece of happiness they got. It isn’t easy to survive a post-apocalyptic world with dragons that tunnel up from beneath and egotistical power-hungry men who use people like pawns in a chess game that started before either of my main characters was born.

Phrase part one: Learn how to

Jo: Holy moly, Batman! That new book sounds off the charts good. Let’s dive into questions about your utopYA Con workshop: Query Letter. What can folks expect to get information on?

C. J.: My query workshop focuses on unlocking the key to writing the kind of query that gets results. I go over format and what not to do, but most of the time is spent teaching writers what questions need to be answered to distill their plot into a compelling 2-3 paragraph letter that will read like the back of a book. I also do cold reads and on the spot critiques, so writers can immediately hear what worked, what didn’t, and how to fix it.

Jo: *signs up* Sounds like a great class to learn how to write compelling back cover copy. Count me in! How long will the workshop be, and how might people benefit from attending?

C. J.: I actually don’t know how long I’m scheduled for, but I imagine it will be 1-2 hours. People will benefit from learning how to write a query from a writer’s perspective (I have such an easy formula to apply!) and from hearing critiques on both their own letters and the letters of others. The critiques take the lesson from theoretical to practical in a heartbeat, and often bring a lot of clarity to the process.

Jo: That makes me a little nervous... haha! I'm not a most excellent public speaker, but I'm game! Have you held similar workshops before? When and where?

C. J.: Yes, this is actually one of my most popular workshops. I’ve taught it online (I offer workshops throughout the year at http://queryworkshop.blogspot.com) and across the nation at book festivals, writing conferences, and individual writer’s groups.

Jo: *Looks at audience* Did you hear that, everyone? Go check it out! Okay, last question! Do you have any workshop success stories to share with us?

C. J.: One success story is author Shannon Messenger (KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES series), who took my query class, my synopsis class, and my plotting class before finding an agent. The query we worked on in class together ended up getting her a load of requests from the agents she queried, and she signed with one shortly thereafter.

Jo: So there's proof it works! What else could we possibly ask for? Thank you so much for giving me the honor of interviewing you! I can’t wait to meet you at utopYA in June!

About C. J. Redwine:
C. J. Redwine writes speculative fiction and is represented by Holly Root of Waxman Leavall Literary Agency. Her DEFIANCE trilogy is available from Balzer + Bray. Her book QUERY: How to Get Started, Get Noticed, and Get Signed is available on Kindle and Nook. C. J. has an English degree and a teaching credential from Pepperdine University. She's spent the last five years teaching workshops on all areas of writing. C. J. regularly offers workshops online and can also be booked for teen workshops at schools and libraries, as well as adult workshops at conferences, writing chapters, and book festivals.

Now, why don’t you give C. J. a follow on social media?

Workshop Website
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Website
Amazon author page
Tumblr Blog

Don't forget to visit the other official utopYA bloggers this month for information on the other workshops, and the special event going on Friday evening. Here's the schedule:

Week 2 – A Book Vacation hosts Victoria Faye's discussion on her workshop - Book Branding Blueprint
Week 3 – The Paisley Reader hosts Regina Wamba's discussion on her workshop for graphic designers and photographers
Week 4 – Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous  will be talking about the special Friday night event, will have a list of Saturday signing authors, and will be giving away a spot at the signing


What do you think? Is C. J.’s workshop something you’re excited about? Why?

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Featured Author - B. Kristin McMichael - Publication Spotlight

Happy Monday, everyone! It's that time of the week again, and I have some great young adult novels for you to check out. If you missed my interview with Mrs. McMichael, be sure and give it a read here. Get your clicking finger ready, grab a cup of Jo, and let's get going!


Title: Carnelian (The Chalcedony Chronicles Book 1)
Genre: Young Adult Time Travel
Length (print): 238 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
Everyone has a past, but for most it isn't so far in the past as Seth Sangre. His past is literally from thousands of years ago. Seth's past led him to the present seeking something that might help him save his country from destruction. He has been in the present for over three years now, and he just found exactly what he has been looking for. Mari had dreams of college being a fresh start, one where she would start over and not fall for the good looking player like high school. Unfortunately for her, that's exactly what ends up falling into her lap on the first day she moves into the dorms. Now she has to hold to her promise to herself not fall for the handsome Seth Sangre. But he doesn't plan to make it easy for her. Seth has already marked her as his next conquest.

As the semester progresses, Mari learns that Seth might just have a past of his own that's literally in the past. Suddenly, Mari finds her future along with her past put into question. She's connected to Seth far more than she ever wanted to be, and maybe he isn't the player who she thought he was. If Mari can trust her heart enough to follow him, Seth will lead Mari on an adventure of a lifetime-and reveal family secrets she never knew existed.

Title: Chrysoprase (The Chalcedony Chronicles Book 2)

Genre: Young Adult Time Travel

Length (print): 212 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $3.99

Synopsis:

Mari had her time in the past and is finally home. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand the goddess’ warning that traveling to the past would have consequences. She could never have imagined what they would be, but she quickly finds out that not everything is the way she left it. Now Mari must learn how to time travel if she wants to put her life back into the order it was before she went into the past to be with Seth. Mari soon discovers that time traveling isn’t as easy as she thought it, and the goddess refuses to help her learn. Mari must turn to an old friend, someone she never planned to see again, and get his help if she wants to right what she has changed. But even that might come with a price.

Mari travels into the past again to find loved ones. Her journey brings more questions, and a few answers, to the puzzle that is her life. Mari can quickly see why her mother went to the future, and Mari needs to do the same as soon as she can to bring her loved ones back. The past is far more complicated, and dangerous than she ever imagined—particularly for Mari. She might just be the piece everyone is seeking in their own puzzles to control not only the past but the future, too. 

Title: The Legend of the Blue Eyes (The Blue Eyes Trilogy Book 1)
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Length (print): 252 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Synopsis:
Arianna Grace liked her boring, Midwestern, teenage life where she ignored the many unanswered questions of her childhood. Why were her parents dead? Why did she not have family? Where was she raised until she was five? When someone offers to explain it all, Arianna thinks she's just getting answers. Instead, she is thrown into a world of night humans who drink blood.

On Arianna's sixteenth birthday, her world is thrown upside down when she changes into a vampire. Night humans, or demons, as some call them, live in normal society. Learning all of the new rules of a world she didn't know existed might be hard enough, but it's further complicated by two former-friends that now want to help her take her role as the successor to her grandfather.

There is a war going on between the night humans. Sides have been taken and lines are not crossed. Four main clans of night humans are struggling for control of the night. Divided into two sides, clans Baku and Tengu have been at war for centuries with the clans Dearg-dul and Lycan. That is, until Arianna Grace finds out the truth; she's the bridge of peace between the two sides. But not everyone wants peace. With the night humans divided, Arianna is now a pawn in the war between them. She must choose a side--her mother's family or her father's--and for once in her life, decide her own fate.

Title: Becoming a Legend (The Blue Eyes Trilogy Book 2)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Length (print): 273 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:

Arianna Grace is about to turn seventeen, and her life has been very complicated lately. She is the leader of four clans of night humans: dearg-dul, baku, tengu, and lycan. While the four clans seem to get along better with each other, there is internal conflict on both sides of her family, not to mention the three boys vying for her attention. Devin is set on keeping her safe above all else. Turner’s goal is to make her happy. And Andrew wants her for himself. At some point Arianna will have to choose between them, but first she needs to survive the plots against her.

Edward Lucan is making a chase for the power to lead the baku clans and is playing his cards by using his nephew Andrew to lure Arianna into a trap. Unfortunately for Lucan, Andrew has his own plans. He has spent the last year waiting for Arianna to see him as more than a friend, and he now finds it necessary to make a move for her affection, despite his uncle.

In the dearg-dul estate, Arianna discovers that the ambitious Lord Seeger has been laying his own strategies for power and is slowly poisoning her. After getting away with her grandfather’s murder, he is setting his sights on her. Luckily for Arianna, her team is on to all of the plans and is making their own counter strategies. Will it be enough to keep Arianna safe? Several people close to Arianna have been keeping secrets. If Arianna is to take power and control of the night, she will need to know the truth. Will someone finally tell her what it really means to become the legend everyone is waiting for, before it is too late to turn back?

Title: Winning the Legend (The Blue Eyes Trilogy Book 3)
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Length (print): 257 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
Arianna has gathered the outside clans to decide her fate in marriage. A tournament will be held, and she is the prize, whether she wants to be or not. The only thing for her to do is watch the clan leaders fight over her, or is it? Thanks to her team’s well-made plans, Arianna has other strategies in place. Hopefully one of those plans will earn her freedom.

As the contestants gather and she learns more about the night human world, there are new allies to keep close and more enemies to keep even closer. Some even hold more secrets to her legend and possibly the actual reason to her existence. Now Arianna must decide what to do with the fate she has been dealt. The time has come to step out of the shadows of the men who protect her, and into her own power. The time is now for Arianna to take control, and fight for the destiny she wants to live.

Title: The Blue Eyes Trilogy Complete Collection

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Length (print): 665 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $6.97

Synopsis:
All three books in the bestselling Blue Eyes Trilogy are available together in one collection. Books 1-3 in the Night Human World follow the story of Arianna Grace, a girl who shortly after her sixteenth birthday finds herself thrust into the world of the night humans. Surrounded by the vampire-like Dearg-dul, the werewolf people called Lycans, the dream-consuming Baku, and the angelic Tengu, Arianna struggles to grow and find her place in the new world.

Title: The Day Human Prince (Day Human Book 1)
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy
Length (print): 222 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $3.99

Synopsis:
Devin Alexander grew up as the only day human in a world surrounded by vampire-like night humans who drank blood, sometimes his blood. He spent his life training toward one goal: the protection of one of those blood drinkers, Arianna Grace. But what is he supposed to do when the blue-eyed girl of the legends doesn’t need him anymore? What does his life mean then? How is a guy supposed to move on when the girl he has yearned over for a decade has chosen someone else?

Before he can even start to figure out his new life without Arianna, Devin has to deal with another problem. He needs to take care of some unfinished business with a night human he has known for less than a month, but with whom he is magically bound.

Vanessa McKinny has promised that she knows a way to undo the spell she placed on Devin to save his life. Devin would do anything to break the bond to be free of her, even if it means traveling to the sidhe village, a place inhabited by a race of night humans that has not had a day human visitor in more than a hundred years. If he doesn’t want to get stuck, he must work with Nessa to find a way to break the bond. Only then can Devin have time to get back to finding his new goal in life, unless he discovers that his path lies with the sidhe.

Title: The Day Human King (Day Human Book 2)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Fantasy

Length (print): 222 pages

Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $3.99

Synopsis:

After he inherited the power of the late sidhe king, Devin thought the battle to protect Nessa and proceed with her coronation was over. Everyone feared him, and he had the power to do anything in the sidhe world. He was wrong. As problem after problem arises, Nessa and Devin discover that the path to the throne isn’t as simple as they thought. Formalities must be adhered to, preparations must be made, and between all of that, Devin and Nessa must decide what to do with an obviously pregnant Fiona, who won’t name the father of her child. To make matters worse, the elite sidhe are still assassinating each other. No one in the palace is safe. Who is behind the latest deaths, and can the coronation actually occur with all of the drama going on? Devin and Nessa’s road to power might be cut short if they can’t find the answers.

Title: To Stand Beside Her
Genre: Young Adult Historical Romance
Length (print): 350 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $3.99

Synopsis:
To be the best courier in the world, eighteen-year-old Benét Leila follows three simple rules: always work alone, never stay in one place too long, and never fall in love. Too bad she didn't follow her own advice.

Leila is a courier. To the people she takes from, she is seen as a common thief; to the people she helps, she is a savior.

Nalick is your typical king. He's rich, powerful, and always assumed to be right. When Leila crosses paths with King Nalick, she finds herself trapped. In a rush to save her best friend Kay from a prison sentence for a crime Leila committed, Leila trades her hand in marriage in exchange for Kay's freedom.

Tomboy Leila does not want to grow up, but in three months' time, she will be married to King Nalick, if Nalick can keep his end of the bargain. First, Nalick must make Leila fall in love with him, a hard task since Leila is not ready to love again after losing her first love to a greedy king. Second, Nalick must keep her safe. He is not the only king trying to hold onto her. Leila has made many enemies over the years, and even more admirers that want her as a prize. Lastly, Nalick must convince Leila that ten years of love is better than a lifetime without. Unless Leila can trust her destiny, she might not reach her wedding day at all.

~

There you have it! Which ones are you gonna grab?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous - utopYA Con Book Match Scavenger Hunt Game

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, as with every Friday, I'm bringing you an official utopYA post! This time, it's from Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous. Our giveaway of a prize pack of books by the utopYA con keynote speakers is running hard. Get in there and vote for the synopsis.

From Book Junkie:

Happy Friday everybody! It's the 4th week of the month, which means it's time for my Official #utopYA2015 Blogger Post!

Today, I am excited to bring to you an awesome contest from the utopYA Con official bloggers: We pulled together and are leading you on a scavenger hunt for our panelists' books! Read on for more deatils, but first, let me remind you about the utopYA Con 2015 earlybird ticket prices! They're ending February 28th! Standard admission is $90 right now, and VIP is $115. On the 28th, those prices go up to $110 for standard admission and $135 for VIP. So, go get yours here. For serious. Get 'em now!

Now, let's get to the book hunt! Here's what you have to do to win:

• Read the synopsis below.
• Guess which book from my short list the synopsis belongs to.
• Type your answer in the Rafflecopter entry form.
• Enter every day throughout the month of February for a shot at the prize!

Each blogger will list one synopsis and five possible titles for you to choose from. It'll be a different title each week (this is week four). This form will stay up on my blog for one week. At the end of the game, (which is one week from today) all incorrect entries will be removed before the winner is chosen.

What's the prize? Well...

You have a shot at winning a pack of three e-books--one from EACH of our keynote speakers:

Denise Grover Swank, Kim Holden, and Lauren Miller

These prizes are being donated by the official bloggers. We wanted to do something awesome for you guys. What's better than books written by awesome women you're going to meet?

Ready to enter? Go here to read the synopsis for this week and enter the rafflecopter giveaway!

Don't forget to visit the other official bloggers this month!
Week 2 – A Book Vacation
Week 3 – The Paisley Reader

What do you think of our little giveaway? Have you entered?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Progress and Pre-Orders

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Yay! It's the middle of the week; that means just two days until the weekend. Hang in there. I didn't get a whole book read this week, so rather than a review for today, you're getting a progress report and, for those of you who are fans, a chance to get some of my paperbacks on special. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Progress:
Markaza - Mystic book 6 (and final)
Word count: 23,000
Projected completion date: Mid-March
Projected publication date: After my editor, the fabulous Tia Silverthorne Bach, fixes all my boo-boos and we get it formatted. Should be near the beginning of May.
Cover: Shown here

M
Word count: 15,000
Projected completion date: end of April
Projected publication date: end of June
Cover: Done. TBR at utopYA con

Now, on to a little about pre-orders, orders, and feeding your book needs. Because utopYA is coming in June, I'm offering my paperbacks on discount. If you're coming to the con, you can pick them up there. Not coming to the con? I'll ship them for a small fee. Either way, you're totally winning, and you have a shot at the giveaway.

Here's the link to the pre-order form:



Note that if you order books with this form, you'll be entered in a drawing to win copies of two of my novels (Fractured Glass signed by all the authors and M).

Which book are you looking forward to most?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - B. Kristin McMichael

Happy, happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! By the luck of the gods, I'm bringing you an awesome interview with author B. Kristin McMichael today! She totally came through for me at the last minute, and I'm so very, very grateful to her. You're gonna love her so much. She's one of those strong, well-educated women I love to feature. Want to meet her in person? Well, you can! She's one of the authors attending utopYA Con in June. Ticket prices go up in FOUR days, so get yours here now. You don't wanna be the only girl left out of the party. Grab a cup of something warm, and let's get going!

Jo: Kristin! Welcome to the blog. I’m so excited to have you here I may drop. You’re such an interesting author to stalk *ahem* research—yes, that’s what we’ll call it—and I’m looking forward to reading your answers. It’s amazing how much I can dig up on a person with the internet. *grin* You ready?

Kristin: Uh oh… I mean yes. :)

Jo: Great! I’m gonna jump right in with both feet here, because my readers like the juicy questions to come first. No, no, don’t poke them. So, I have to know: How hard did you dance when your Blue Eyes trilogy hit #1 in so many Amazon categories?

Kristin: No dancing here- just sitting and staring in shock! I was sure it had to be wrong. Hubby might have been dancing in the background (all the promotional stuff is his hard work) but for me it was more like shock, and maybe a little denial, than anything.

Jo: I can jibe with that. When something so amazing and unexpected happens, how does one react? I see you have a PhD. Man, I do love to see a well-educated woman. May I ask what your field of study was and how long it took you to graduate? What was your most trying assignment? Should I call you Dr. McMichael? Heck, you worked hard to earn it, might as well demand it. *grin* Makes me ten times more excited to meet you at utopYA Con! I’m a total science geek, and love the endless possibilities.

Kristin: I am a molecular biologist in the real world and I worked in a lab until last fall when I had my third child. Now I love being a mom who writes books. It took me four years after my bachelor’s to get my PhD, but it mainly meant I spent a lot of time in the lab doing research for that time. The most trying aspect was writing my thesis. A couple hundred pages of scientific text is more than enough for a lifetime! The worst part of it is writing the background section where you have to cite every source for every fact you want to use. I think my reference list ended up including over two hundred papers I had read and cited!

Oh gosh- no- don’t call me Dr. anything! Then I feel like a shrink. It’s best to just call me by my name (and if you know the secret handshake you might even find out my first name….)

Jo: *widens eyes* Holy crap. If I wasn't starry-eyed before, you can bet your butt I am now. That's awesome. Now I'm really geeking out. You're an inspiring person. Okay, okay, no Dr. But I'll tackle-hug you for that handshake code! Okay, if I were picking through your life and meeting all your friends and family members, which person would say they do the most for you and your writing? Why?

Kristin: Oh by far that would be my hubby. It was really his idea to do the whole publishing thing to begin with. I have been writing for years and had novels just sitting around on my computer collecting computer dust. He was the one that said- let’s do this. I was really in the background going- gosh no. Why would anyone want to read what I write? So almost two years and eight books later we are still at it. He does everything behind the scenes and I wonder if people think he is B. Kristin McMichael at times when he contacts them about promotional stuff (his name also starts with a B). He does the marketing, helps out with all my social media (I can be so dense- hubby how do you do this?… How do you do that?… Thankfully I married a computer geek that can teach me everything- over and over again) He also reads all my books to check for any last typos after the editors get through with them, and sometimes he even leaves me messages in the margins like ‘Andrew did not just do that…..’ It is fun. He is my partner in life and now my partner in the book business also. I don’t think I’d have even half as much done if I had to do it alone.

Jo: That may be the sweetest thing I've ever heard. Isn't it a blessing to have someone share so much of your life? High-five your hubby for me! Tell me about the In D’tail Magazine Cover Contest. Are you the one that entered or did someone else nominate you, and what did you hope would come of it?

Kristin: That was a complete surprise. They chose the cover for The Day Human King out of the books that they were reviewing. They emailed us on a Tuesday morning saying we were part of the contest and sure enough after following the link we saw the book up on it. I actually didn’t have much hope for it as many of my new fans aren’t all indie fans and we were up against some stiff competition. It was just nice to be nominated as I can’t say enough about my cover artist Ravven. She is great to work with, and I love her work. Even if I just give her a slight idea of what I want, she can come up with something great, and then all the little details she puts into a cover makes them complete and unique.

Jo: That's awesome. Yes, I'm very familiar with Ravven's work. Being a cover design lover, I follow a lot of the news surrounding imagery and design. Now, your Facebook page has 23k+ likes. Wow. How does that make you feel on a daily basis? What’s the next milestone you’d like to hit with it?

Kristin: It is completely amazing if you ask me. Again- that is all my hubby’s hard work. I’ve sold tens of thousands of books in the past year but never had a clue who they went to. We were at first focused just on getting the books done, which has a learning curve of its own. As we got a little more used to the publishing part of it, we decided it was time to work on building the fan base to interact with the people who bought all my books. The retailers don’t tell you who buys your books, so we’ve been trying all sorts of things to reach book lovers and build awareness. Really, my hubby is a miracle worker. The best part is that I can finally connect more with the fans. There are so many people out there that have read my books, but I never knew where to find them. Now I get more interaction with them and it has been exciting to attach real names and faces to my fans.

Jo: He certainly sounds like a marketing guru and someone you're very lucky to have in your corner. Huge kudos to you for figuring out how to make the transition from nameless to interactivity. Rapid fire question time! Would you rather a t-shirt and jeans or a hoodie and sweats?

Kristin: T-shirt and jeans (that’s what most scientists wear to the lab every day- it’s a hard habit to break)

Jo: Me too. haha! Bubbles or Stillness?

Kristin: stillness

Jo: Left or Right?

Kristin: right

Jo: Love those answers. Time travel question! Since utopYA 2015’s theme is Time Travel, I’m asking everyone a question along that vein. Ready? If you could return to the past and change one person’s life forever with a small act, who would it be and why?

Kristin: I don’t know if I’d actually do anything at all. I’m one that feels like everything happens for a reason, and if you changed something, it would affect everything else. You have to take the good and the bad because if you change any aspect, everything else could change also. But if I had to choose something, I’d have to go with my grandparents- I’d try to convince them not to buy the laundromat they had for years in the 1950s. They both ended up getting cancer from the chemicals they used and they both eventually died from it. My grandmother was 49 and never even got to see my mother graduate from college, get married, or even have kids. But at the same time, without that my father would have never been roomies with my grandfather (after my grandmother passed away they lived together) and I would have never had my step-grandma who taught me how to make donuts. My parents live every day like it would be their last, since they lost their own parents at such a young age. So as much as it would be nice to change some parts of the past, I don’t know if I would want the other parts to change.

Jo: That's so sad, but I just love that answer. Sending you virtual hugs. Because I can’t help myself: Tell me about your time-travel series, The Chalcedony Chronicles. What inspired you to write them, and which character is your favorite?

Kristin: I’m a scientist, but in reality I actually was more interested in anthropology when I first was in college. I’ve always had a soft spot for historical times and wondered about the past. What was life really like in all these different times? I especially have always loved ancient Egypt. I have done a lot of reading over the years about various pharaohs and there were some that really intrigued me. When I was brainstorming novel ideas- Ancient Egypt was just one place I couldn’t pass up.

As to the series itself- my favorite character from the series is a toss-up between two of the side characters- Ty and Kye- and no they are not twins! Kye actually appears in the book that is coming out next in the series and he’s a character that sort of pushed his way into the story (no he was not planned, he kind of just showed up in the end of the second book. After writing the last chapter it was just like an ah-ha moment where he became more important than just being an unnamed guard in the palace). And Ty is just a fun, nice character who has a sucky fate.

Jo: Yeah, baby! I totally have a book recommendation for you! Give me a quick rundown of your plotting process for your novels.

Kristin: I plot, and I don’t plot. I kind of do both. I normally go into a book with certain points that need to happen (beginning, middle, end) and maybe a few subplots. But as I write, the characters tend to take things where they want them to go. To write the best characters I can, they tend to have extensive backstories in my mind so that I can picture everything they do perfectly. While I might want things to happen a certain way, sometimes the characters don’t let it. If it doesn’t make sense for them to do something, I just can’t force it to happen. Other times I’ll be writing, and then step away to say, “well darn, don’t know how that happened”. And then I’ll have to change parts of the plotline. I will say that a lot of my inspiration comes from my dreams. They feel so real that I can’t change who the characters are even if I wanted to.

Jo: I know exactly what you mean. My characters surprise me every day. Love your process! We have too much in common. LOL! Tell me, which book of yours would you suggest a new (potential) fan start with? Why?

Kristin: Well I’d say that would depend on what you like. For hardcore paranormal fans or those that prefer third person, I’d recommend The Legend of the Blue Eyes. It’s a paranormal series that follows around a sixteen year old girl that just changes into a vampire-like night human. But for those that prefer first person romance and like their protagonists a bit older, Carnelian would be better for them.

Jo: I'm gonna have to check those out. Not a hardcore paranormal fan, but I do love books. Well, that’s all the time we have for today. Is there anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?

Kristin: Just a thanks for having me. It is always great to do interviews and meet all sort of new people. Can’t wait to see you at UtopYAcon.

Jo: You're more than welcome. Thank you SO much for joining me on the blog, Kristin! I can’t wait to meet you in June.

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Carnelian
Author: B. Kristin McMichael
Genre: College Romance / Time Travel Paranormal
Length (print): 238 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~  Smashwords $2.99  ~   iBooks $2.99  ~   B&N $2.99

Synopsis: Everyone has a past, but for most it isn't so far in the past as Seth Sangre. His past is literally from thousands of years ago. Seth's past led him to the present seeking something that might help him save his country from destruction. He has been in the present for over three years now, and he just found exactly what he has been looking for. Mari had dreams of college being a fresh start, one where she would start over and not fall for the good looking player like high school. Unfortunately for her, that's exactly what ends up falling into her lap on the first day she moves into the dorms. Now she has to hold to her promise to herself not fall for the handsome Seth Sangre. But he doesn't plan to make it easy for her. Seth has already marked her as his next conquest.

As the semester progresses, Mari learns that Seth might just have a past of his own that's literally in the past. Suddenly, Mari finds her future along with her past put into question. She's connected to Seth far more than she ever wanted to be, and maybe he isn't the player who she thought he was. If Mari can trust her heart enough to follow him, Seth will lead Mari on an adventure of a lifetime-and reveal family secrets she never knew existed.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give this lovely lady a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Pinterest: bkmcmichael
Blog: BKristinMcmichael
Facebook: BKristinMcMichael
Twitter: @bkmcmichael
Goodreads: B. Kristin McMichael
Website: http://bkristinmcmichael.com/
Mailing List: BKMcnewsletter
Amazon Author Page: B. Kristin McMichael
Tsu: B. Kristin McMichael

If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. Kristin will be around to answer and/or respond!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Paisley Reader - utopYA Con Book Match Scavenger Hunt Game

Week THREE! Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! As usual, on Friday you get a utopYA post. Today, you'll be heading over to The Paisley Reader to enter the "guess the book" contest. Get your clicking fingers ready, and let's get going!

From The Paisley Reader:

Now, let’s get to the book hunt! Here’s what you have to do to win:

• Read the synopsis below.
• Guess which book from my short list the synopsis belongs to.
• Type your answer in the Rafflecopter entry form.
• Enter every day throughout the month of February for a shot at the prize!

Each blogger will list one synopsis and five possible titles for you to choose from. It’ll be a different title each week (this is week three).

This form will stay up on my blog for one week. Then, I’ll change the entry form to a link for the new hunt over on Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous. And so on, and so forth. At the end of the game, all incorrect entries will be removed before the winner is chosen.

What’s the prize? Well…

You have a shot at winning a pack of three e-books–one from EACH of our keynote speakers:
Denise Grover Swank, Kim Holden, and Lauren Miller

These prizes are being donated by the official bloggers. We wanted to do something awesome for you guys. What’s better than books written by awesome women you’re going to meet?

Go to The Paisley Reader now to read the synopsis and titles and enter!

Don't forget to visit the other official bloggers this month:
Week 1 – Jo Michaels
Week 2 – A Book Vacation
Week 4 – Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous

Well? Did you enter? What book do you think Maria chose?

That's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Author Interview - Kristina Circelli

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you another author interview from one of the fine ladies attending utopYA Con 2015! I did an interview with Kristina about a year ago (check it out here), and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2014 con. If you don't have your tickets yet, you need to get them now. Go here. Prices go up February 28th. You don't wanna be the only one left out of the party, do you? *grin* Anywho, grab your coffee and let's get going.

Jo: Welcome back to the blog, Kristina! I’m honored to have you here. It was so amazing to meet you at utopYA 2014, and I can’t wait to see you again this year. Are you ready to get rolling with this interview?

Kristina: You know it! I love to talk about writing :).

Jo: Yee haw! Let’s get to it. I totally didn’t realize you were a shy lady, and I was shocked to hear how you felt uncomfortable (didn’t pick up on that when I hugged you at ALL, but maybe I was just overly excited to meet you LOL). How are you planning to help yourself push through it this year? Any way we can all help?

Kristina: I’m always uncomfortable in large groups, haha. I am not exactly the best at small talk and close contact - but I have mastered the one-arm hug! To be honest, I push through it at every event, but I think I’m getting better now that I know more people, so I’m more comfortable just going up and saying hi.

Ways to help? I’m not really sure. But I will say that if you do approach me, I’ll talk your ear off about books, writing, movies, Disney, cats, elves that live in the forest. You’ll be wondering how to shut me up.


Jo: Heck no! I'll be asking for more. *grin* Now, I hear you’re writing a couple of horror books. Fill me in, lady! I want all the juicy details: Title of the series, main idea, and when we can (possibly) expect the first one.

Kristina: I am! I had actually planned on writing one horror book in a couple years, but I had the opportunity to pitch the book to a publisher, Permuted Press, at Indie BookFest last August. Permuted signed me, on the condition that instead of one book, I would make it five. So, the Five Flames series was born!

Without giving too much away, the premise is about a spirit that contains within it five demons, and when this spirit comes in contact with a human, those demons enter into a bidding war for the person’s soul. Five demons, five souls, five books. Though each book focuses on a different demon and person, they are all interconnected. So, a minor character from book one just might be the main character of book five, and so on.

The idea was born out of my own greatest fear - being possessed by an alien, ghost, or demon. My husband and I planned a trip to Savannah and went on a ghost tour, and the story built from there. The entire series centers around one house in Savannah, and its many horror stories.

The series will be out in 2016. The first book, Follow Me Home, will be out in November 2016 and then the others will be released in the following consecutive months.

Jo: It sounds incredible! I can't wait to read them. Congratulations on getting signed! How exciting is that? So, did you return to teaching at UNF? Why not? What did you learn by teaching writing?

Kristina: No, I never did return, and I’m pretty sure that I won’t. Between writing, editing, and my other job, it was too much and, in the end, not worth it financially. I enjoyed teaching but it was really more an opportunity that fell into my lap, and I didn’t want to pass it up because it was great experience and I learned a lot. I learned not only how to connect with students (which translates to connecting with readers and fans), but also how to better express myself. I’m great when I can write things down, but when I speak I can get jumbled and my words don’t come out right. Obviously as a teacher that’s frowned upon, ha. So I had to get better at presentation.

Jo: It's good to know exactly what you want and go for it. I applaud you. How’s the business going? Any awesome updates since the last time we chatted? I know you were wanting to expand your business and take on some new faces. Any luck on making that happen? What’s the plan?

Kristina: Business is great! I’ve taken on several new clients and worked with lots of current clients that I absolutely adore. I also began offering blurb writing services. I’m one of the rare few who loves writing blurbs :). That’s about it expansion wise. I actually took a few months off at the end of the year to write Follow Me Home, since it’s due at the publisher in February (book two is due in June), but now I’m back in it full swing. I don’t have plans to do anything big and crazy this year since I have a lot of books to write, so it’s business as usual for now.

Jo: I'm not a fan of writing blurbs, either. Great idea! I'm knee-deep in Markaza, and will be taking time for that one over the next month. I set a goal to have it written by March 10th. We'll see. Now, tell me about the book you wrote about your cousin that passed, and what writing A Single Swim did for you (kudos to you for writing that novel to raise awareness; I can’t imagine how difficult it was). By the way, it’s not on your Amazon author page. Is there a reason for that?

Kristina: Simple oversight - it’s on my Amazon author page now! Thanks for the heads up.

A Single Swim began as a book for my cousin who passed away, and her family. But the more I researched it, the more I saw an opportunity to really raise awareness on the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, so that people everywhere could protect their loved ones. I worked a lot with my cousin’s mom, PJ, and their organization, The Courtney Nash Amoeba Awareness Foundation in Florida, and with Heidi LaMeyer of Swim Above Water in Minnesota. With their help I learned about the amoeba and the families who lost young children, and a couple who lost adult family members (children are more common victims due to their immune system and the way the cribriform plate in the nose is constructed). I also met with infectious disease specialists who taught me the science behind the amoeba so I could better present that in the book.

It was heartbreaking to write, and hard because above all I wanted to do these families justice. I wanted to honor the victims, not create something that was sensationalist and used their stories for personal gain. So I sought to find a way to incorporate their stories and quotes from their loved ones, primarily the parents of young children, in a way that would speak to the hearts of readers.

The reception to the book has been phenomenal. People are aware, and they are thankful this issue has come to light, that stories are being told. I am actually planning to go back and add more to the book about awareness efforts. Now that I’ve been to events held by the organizations, I want to showcase them better, and offer updates on progress in terms of treatment.

Jo: You're welcome! Do you know you're one of my favorite people? How amazing of you to use your writing skills to try and save lives. *bows* You do so many awesome things to bring awareness with your books. *wipes away tear* Let's lighten the mood a little! Rapid fire question time! Aliens or ghosts?

Kristina: Oh man. Aliens, I suppose. I’m kinda terrified of a ghost possessing me. Aliens could too, but at least then I’d have proof of life from outer space.

Jo: Great answer! Cheese or mustard with soft pretzels?

Kristina: Cheese! Not a mustard fan.

Jo: Puppies or kittens?

Kristina: Kittens. I love puppies but my kittens (Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Master Malachi the Mighty) are the best.

Side note - if I ever get a dog, I’m going to name him Bohannon, Bo for short. Named after Cullen Bohannon from Hell on Wheels.

Jo: You totally need an itsy bitsy one! Great name for a tiny dog. haha! Time travel question (because the theme for 2015 demands it)! *grins* If you went back in time to the days when your Native American family was roaming what’s now the U.S., what do you think would be the most interesting thing you’d learn from them? What specific questions would you ask?

Kristina: Ooh, that’s a good one. I think the most interesting thing I’d learn is simply their way of life. Living off the land, truly being absorbed in the culture, everything from hunting to making crafts to spiritual beliefs.

I would ask a lot about that, spiritual beliefs and the cultural legends. I love origin stories, not necessarily of a people as a whole but of everything. Why the butterfly is silent, why only certain trees lose their leaves, and so on. Being able to connect to the spiritual aspect of the culture would mean the world to me, especially if I could then come back to my time and carry on those ways having personally experienced them. I try to do that now, particularly as a storyteller.

Jo: I agree. Spiritual beliefs are all kinds of interesting. Talk to me about the panel Tense Time Warp: Raise the Tension with Past & Present Tense & POV. What kinds of things will you guys be discussing and why should people attend?

Kristina: We … should probably start planning that, haha. I guess I can’t really speak to what all will be discussed just yet, but I can guarantee I’ll have some things to say :). This topic is a great one for me because I plan to come at it from the viewpoint of an editor rather than writer (because I write third person omniscient exclusively and don’t see that changing).

Regardless of what’s discussed, the panel will be extremely helpful to authors because it will help them get a feel for the tense and POV that is truly right for their story and genre, rather than choosing a tense/POV to follow or go against a trend. Knowing the benefits and pitfalls of each makes for a stronger book overall!

Jo: I noticed when reading Fragile Creatures. It's different, to be sure. I'm looking forward to attending! On a personal note, what did you think about Tom Hardy being Bane, and are you hoping he gets the role of Apocalypse in the new X-Men film? *wicked grin*

Kristina: Oh, you caught on that I have a little thing for Hardy, did ya? I could go on all day about the many wonders of Tom Hardy, but I’ll stick to the question at hand. What did I think of him as Bane? I think I’ve never been more attracted to a man wearing a mask that covers the majority of his face. Hardy in the X-Men? Be still, my heart.

PS - Reese was an idiot for choosing Chris Pine over Tom Hardy.

Jo: I figured that question would interest you. LOL! Yeah, my research goes deep! This interview could go on forever, but I’m out of space! Anything else you’d like to share with my readers before you go?

Kristina: Just to thank everyone for taking the time to read the interview! And, if anyone decides to check out my work, I hope you like it! I write something for everyone, which is why I am known for genre-hopping when it comes to my books. You never know what you’ll get!

Jo: I'm sure they'll love it. I know I'm digging your novel. What a great story! Thanks so much for joining me on the blog, Kristina! I’m looking forward to June so much. Can’t wait to see you!

Now, it’s time to tell you all about the featured book of the week!

Title: Fragile Creatures
Author: Kristina Circelli
Genre: YA Contemporary
Length (print): 274 Pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~  Smashwords $2.99  ~  iBooks $2.99  ~  B&N $2.99


Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Evangeline Frost had a great life, until the car accident that killed her father and turned her mother into a bitter alcoholic. Unable to bear the guilt, Evangeline attempts to take her own life, saved only by the memory of her beloved father.

Left with no other options, Evangeline is enrolled in a program for troubled teens at Kindred Hides Wildlife Preserve. There she meets Caster, a keeper as annoying as he is caring; Jett and Lettie, who treat her more like a daughter than troubled teen; and Ruke, a prized giraffe in mourning for his lost mate.

Immersed in the preserve with her new friends, Evangeline finally begins to heal. But the haunting memories of the accident and her mother’s unforgiving words threaten to destroy her progress. Only her new friends and their unconditional support, along with her own special connection with Ruke, can save her.

Evangeline must learn that there is redemption for her father’s death, and that the bonds between human, animal, and life are not as fragile as she once thought.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Kristina a follow on every social media platform I could think of when writing up the template for these interviews (plus some)?

Blog: An Awfully Big Adventure
Facebook: Author Kristina Circelli
Twitter: @KCircelli
Goodreads: Kristina Circelli
Website: Kristina Circelli
Amazon Author Page: Kristina Circelli

If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below. Kristina will be happy to answer them!

Well, that’s all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo