New Release - The House

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I bring you the release of THE HOUSE! I'm super excited about this book for several reasons. I'll tell you why, but first, grab your coffee or tea! Got it? Awesome. Let's get going!

We'll start off with some fun facts!

• This book is written in first person. Not anything you've ever seen from me before (I'm a third-person writer), and it kinda skeers me because I've never done it.
• It's told from the house's POV, as though the house is speaking to the reader, so it's done as an observer--the house remembering watching the people living inside and telling you the stories.
• The House is a collection of short stories within one, longer, story.
• There are five shorts:
  The Butcher
  Fred, Marna, and Kimberly McDade
  Lacy Mae Ritter
  Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
  The Writer
• Guess who The Writer is!
• If you guessed Jo Michaels, you'd be correct. Yes, I wrote a book with a story in it about me writing a book for the entity telling us the story.
• Confused yet? It'll all make sense when you read the book. I promise.
• Now for the sucky part! I know, I know! Sorry.
• If you plan to read Intensification (the third story in the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series), you MUST read it first. The House gives too many things away about Intensification. They're tied and twisted together in several ways.

Here's the book trailer!! :D



Now for all the things like details!

Title: The House: A Killer Collection of Short Stories (Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Book Four)
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length: 218 printed pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle  ~  Paperback

Blurb:
This house is cursed, and everyone who lives there is in grave danger.

Ever wonder what stories you’d hear if walls could talk?

What if those walls witnessed unimaginable horrors?

Inside these pages is the story of one such house. What it sees, the people it meets, and what happens when a terrified spirit is invited to stay.

Story 1 – The Butcher
Story 2 – Marna, Fred, and Kimberly McDade
Story 3 – Lacy Mae Ritter
Story 4 – Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
Story 5 – The Writer

The House is a collection of short stories that ties in with the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series by Jo Michaels. You’ll find a couple of those characters named, and discover how one grew the teeth he used on the women he captured later.

~~~~~~

Excerpt time!

Story 1 – The Butcher

My yellow paint; pretty, white shutters; and pristine porch were sullied by the first man who dwelt here. I call him The Butcher, but his name was Butch Campion, and he was thirty-seven. His face is one I’ll never forget, and the atrocities he committed are things I still shudder to think about. We met one month after I was born. He walked in, so proud and full of himself, his feet sending vibrations through my floorboards as he tromped through, checking every room like he was planning to bring a whole family in and bring them up. I thought we’d get along famously and was looking forward to warming the feet of small children as they played.

Once the papers were signed, and I was his property, things went well for a month or so. He’d go to work, come home, sit on the threadbare couch, and drink beer. To my chagrin, he didn’t seem to have a wife or children, so there was nothing for me to do during the day except sit here.

It was after that first month that I started to figure he might not be my ideal owner after all. My lawn was never cared for, and the ivy growing nearby was allowed to spring up, threatening to take over the cute porch the builders thought to add. Butch would go out and bring home booze of some kind, cigarettes, and fast food. He never cooked, and he left wrappers and empty boxes all over the place, making me smell like a trash can. Roaches scuttled in, intent on a good meal, and he’d squish the ones he saw, leaving their carcasses to decompose where they met their gruesome end.

~~~~~~

Teasers!

Are you ready?

Buy it now!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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

Jo

Next On My Roster of Writing Plans

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, I'm gonna share with you a couple of covers and blurbs for upcoming releases. These will happen at the beginning of 2018. Ready? Grab your coffee or tea, and let's get going!

Title: Provocation - Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Story Two
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length (guessing): ~ 60k
Release Date: March, 2018

Blurb:

Doctor Victoria Ward has been killing men for over thirty years. Her victims all have one thing in common: they’re abusive. Righteousness is a close companion—it helps her sleep at night—and she holds the virtue closely as she defends the innocent, upholding the law when it won’t rise to protect those who need it most. When she meets a young girl named Kelly, and follows her down a twisted path of deception, Doc Ward finds herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past. Never before has she wavered in her resolve—but can she defend another against someone she loves?




Title: Intensification - Pen Pals and Serial Killers - Story Three
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Length (guessing): ~ 60k
Release Date: March, 2018

Blurb:

Detective Hank Reynolds has just been handed the case of a lifetime. Another reality TV star has gone missing, and it’s up to the Atlanta police department to find her before it’s too late. While he’s digging around, he discovers there have been nearly twenty similar kidnappings in the surrounding areas over the last twenty years, and while trying to find out more—and a witness that’s still alive—he’s dragged into a past he wishes he could erase. His dreams become nightmares about the women, and his sanity unravels. Even his eyes begin to play tricks on him, but no hallucinations are as devious as the antics of the killer—who’s always one breath away—waiting for the chance to strike again.


Title: The House
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Short Story Collection/Horror
Length: 51k
Release Date: April, 2018

Blurb:

This house is cursed, and everyone who lives there is in grave danger.

Ever wonder what stories you would hear if walls could talk?

What if those walls witnessed unimaginable horrors?

Inside these pages is the story of one such house. What it sees, the people it meets, and what happens when a terrified spirit is invited to stay.

Story 1 – The Butcher
Story 2 – Marna, Fred, and Kimberly McDade
Story 3 – Lacy Mae Ritter
Story 4 – Mark and Olivia Cullpepper
Story 5 – The Writer

The House is a collection of short stories that ties in with the Pen Pals and Serial Killers series by Jo Michaels. You’ll find a couple of those characters named, and discover how one grew the teeth he used on the women he captured later.

~~~~~~~~~~

And I'm finishing up a cute, romantic, young adult, short story titled Black Tie Christmas for a charity anthology that will release next year.

How fun is this?

Which one are you most excited for?

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

Jo

Cover and Trailer Reveal - Keeper of Crows

Title: Keeper of Crows

Author: Casey Bond

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Horror

Cover Designer & Photographer: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design & Photography

Editor: Stacy Sanford, The Girl with the Red Pen

Book Trailer by: Rebecca Ethington

Expected Release Date: March 2017

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: Carmen Kennedy is a spoiled brat from Beverly Hills with a chip on her shoulder and a cocaine addiction to match. Using drugs to suppress reality, her life is more than she can stomach most days. All she wants is to disappear, and on one fateful night, her wish is granted.

There is a world that exists just beyond the fabric of our own. When Carmen is dragged there against her will, her hopelessness seems to disappear, replaced by a determination to survive. The Keeper of Crows is charged with guarding Carmen, but is safety a possibility in a world so desolate? Can love blossom when danger lies in wait? Together, they fight like hell, seeming to lose more ground than they gain with each battle against the dark enemy threatening to tear them apart. Can love keep her safe? Can it give her the strength she needs?

When the lines between life and death, reality and dream become blurred, who will save the souls trapped in the spaces between Heaven and Hell? Who will save Carmen's only love, The Keeper of Crows?

Award-winning author Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction. You can find more information about Bond’s books via the following links: 

Website: www.authorcaseybond.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorcaseybond 

Newsletter: http://authorcaseybond.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e812bbce406a10776c6a28162&id=79850847f2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorcaseybond Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7212486.Casey_L_Bond Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/caseyb007 Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PmE0pg Bookbub Author Profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/casey-l-bond Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1032678336804562/

Fantastic I, Zombie Review and a 99 Cent Sale!

Happy Wednesday! Oh my goodness! I'm cheesing so hard this morning over this review I just read. I have to share it, and I have to tell you all about my 48 hour flash sale!

Here's part of the review from Ethan Gregory over at One Guy's Guide to Good Reads:

"While I have read collaborative works from Michaels in the past, I, Zombie marks my first full-length read from her. I've heard incredible words of praise from her fans, so I was more than pumped to check out this read from Jo. As many of my readers will well-remember, zombies are one of my least favorite genres. I've read two series that to this day remain two of my all-time favorites (Nazarea Andrews' The World Without End and Rachel Aukes Deadland Saga), but I have been hard pressed to find any other novels in this specific genre that have held my attention as they have.

I am proud to say that through a truly original and unique plot and an elegant writing style that left me hanging onto every word, Jo Michaels has definitely earned her spot on my list of favorites in the zombie genre.

I, Zombie was everything I wanted, and more!

I'm not going to lie to you guys, this was a super quick read for me and I can't say too terribly much about the plot without giving away massive spoilers. Like other zombie-poc novels, this one follows the story of the supposed end of days, but this time, with a twist. It's told from the point of view of the infected through their decline and fight with the virus that cripples their lives and civilization. Truly imaginative storytelling..."

If you want to read the rest, go here.

Now, for information about the book!

TRAILER! Eep!



I, Zombie - Young Adult - Horror

Paperback
Hardcover
Kindle

Recommended for ages 13+ due to a mild amount of gore.

Blurb:
It's the end of the world as we know it.

Trixie Collins is a normal teen making her way through high school. One night at a party, a boy comes on to her and won't take no for an answer. As she jerks her arm away, his fingernails cut into her skin.

When she finds her dog's mutilated body and realizes she's to blame, she starts to think maybe the zombie apocalypse they've been screaming about on the news isn't a hoax after all.

Worse, she begins to think maybe she's one of the infected.

Now it's a fight for life as she joins together with her brethren to stop the humans intent on destroying them. Are zombies all bad, or is it just a huge misunderstanding?

~~~~

What are you waiting for? If you ever wanted to read this novel, it's on SALE right now for just $0.99!!

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

Jo

Author Interview - Erin Hayes

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I have another utopYA 2015 unofficial author interview for you all. I just know you're gonna love this little lady. She's sassy, and she's doing a giveaway for you all! If you don't have tickets to utopYA yet, get them here now. That link will take you to the Eventbrite page. You only have a week left to get in on the action. Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Jo: Erin! So excited to have you here on the blog! As a utopYA 2014 first timer myself, I can’t believe I didn’t run into you at any point. But, I get to squee with you and give you big ole hugs this year! Are you ready to get going?

Erin: We will have to meet up for this UtopYA, most definitely. Let's do this!!

Jo: And so we shall! *grin* Let’s goooooo! A little birdie told me you lived in New Zealand for a long while (okay, okay, it’s on your bio). I must know, do you have an accent, and do people comment on it?

Erin: Haha, when we first moved back, my accent was a little funky, because I sounded American with weird twangs. We were there for four years, and moved back to the US in December 2013, so I sounded like a fish out of water wherever I was. It's toned back a lot now, although I did pick up on some Kiwi-isms, like to-mah-to and gehr-aige (tomato and garage) that I still say. Still, I can't record my voice and listen to it – I sound like a cocktail of a bunch of different accents.

Jo: That's awesome! I love a little twang in an accent. Makes talking to someone new a load of fun! What were some of the highlights of the Alabama Book Fest you attended? Meet anyone notable?

Erin: I had a great time at the Alabama Book Festival! I was there as an attendee, so I got to do whatever I wanted (as she says in five-year-old voice). I listened to a great pep talk from Reed Farrel Coleman, who is now writing Robert B. Parker's Jesse Stone series, and he was incredibly inspirational. He also said that authors wear black, so I need to update my wardrobe, haha. I also got to see Deborah Wiles, Faye Gibbons, and UtopYA authors D.E.L. Connor and L.A. Starkey, who were awesome.

Jo: Black? Oh noes! I have a problem, too! LOL! I read that you want to live in Venice and Tokyo for a year. Do you think you’ll ever use either for a setting for a book? Which one and why?

Erin: Haha, that's EXACTLY why I want to live in both of those places for a year – to write books set there! I visited both places and I wanted to stay because they're both such fertile settings for stories. For Venice, the streets have a sense of mystery and history – perfect for a YA book I have waiting. And Tokyo – Tokyo is one of those places where anything could happen, so I'd love to see what would happen to my characters. Hopefully, right?

Jo: Heck yes! Visiting is so much better than doing a Google search for images, no? You did a virtual book tour, and I’m always curious about authors who embark upon a journey like that. Tell us, how did it work out? Did you sell a ton of novels, or was it more about exposure? Will you do it again?

Erin: Oh definitely! I look at tours as a way to get visibility. I don't expect sales (although they are certainly up during tours), but I seriously hope that in doing tours, I reach out to more readers and people who are interested in my crazy stories. I will definitely do it again, so I recommend them to anyone who wants to reach new readers.

Jo: There you go, folks! Yet another mixed review on blog tours! All in what you're looking for! What’s your favorite Poe story and why? Fave King story and why?

Erin: I know it's a poem, but my favorite Poe story is The Raven. It paints such a picture that makes me shudder every time I read it. For Stephen King, I'm going to have to go with The Long Walk. It's a story written as Richard Bachman, and man is it terrifying. Simple in its execution and plot, but there's so much going on with it. I highly recommend it. It ranks up there with my favorite novels of all time.

Jo: Okay, now I'm curious. Must read that King one! Rapid-fire question time! Orange or pink?

Erin: Orange! Tastes better!

Jo: LOL! Secrets or Lies?

Erin: Secrets. Lies hurt worse.

Jo: Right? Toilet paper: over the roll or under the roll?

Erin: Over the roll. I've never had toilet paper tear when it was over the roll.

Jo: True statement! Love it. haha! Time travel question! I’ve had so much fun asking these. Since the theme for utopYA 2015 is time travel, enjoy a question along that vein! Haha! If you could go back in time and meet Shakespeare, what would you ask him, and what response would you hope to get?

Erin: This going to be a bit deep and nerdy, so bear with me. One of William Shakespeare's contemporaries was a playwright named Christopher Marlowe who wrote The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. In it, there is a line very similar to a line in a play that Shakespeare was writing at the exact same time. I remember my high school teacher speculating about it and that has always stuck with me. Although, for the life of me, I can't remember the line at the moment! Anyways, I would want to go and ask Shakespeare if he copied Marlowe or if Marlowe copied him. Or If they were even the same person! And I hope his response would be in iambic pentameter. Because I imagine that's how Shakespeare would speak.

Jo: Now that's an awesome answer! Having a zombie novel firmly under my belt, I have to know: What drew you to the horror genre, and what was the most difficult thing about penning your zombie novel?

Erin: You can ask my husband: I love a good horror movie and the visceral nightmares that you get from horror impact you like you couldn't believe. My horror novel Fractured came to me in a dream, and I wanted to give readers the same nightmares that I had – which must have worked, because I had a blogger say she had to stop at 21% in the book because it was terrifying her so much. Actually, the most difficult thing was knowing where that line was when it came to too much horror versus just enough. I hope I satisfied all the Goldilocks horror readers out there.

Jo: I'm sure you have! Love a good horror novel, I do. How about the werewolf genre? Was there something in particular you were looking to explore there, or were you just writing something you wanted to read? Which book so far is your favorite?

Erin: With my Her Wolf trilogy, I was just writing something that I wanted to read. Quick, easy, and werewolfy. They were a lot of fun. My favorite book so far is Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average. I loved the world that it's set in. Although I do have a few books that I'm working on right now that might rival it. We'll see. :D

Jo: I'm always intrigued by why an author is drawn to a specific genre. *grin* Great answer! Did you get your first LitCube? Were you happy with the contents? What was in there?

Erin: OMG yes, I got my first LitCube, Peggy is a genius. Loved it, and my husband loved it too (He enjoyed half the goodies in it). The first one had Chanda Hahn's book Unenchanted, there was t-shirt that I wear every week, a cookie, some coffee, and other amazing stuff. Perfect for book lovers like me.

Jo: *itches to sign up* Tell me how we can meet you at the Great Lakes Book Bash in October! What novels will you have with you?

Erin: Will you be at Great Lakes Book Bash too? That would be awesome, please say you will be too!! If all goes to plan, I'll have a couple of new books with me, especially How to be a Mermaid which is part of the Falling in Deep Collection that I'm doing with fourteen other authors; Damned if I Do, which is a vampire novel that I hope to wrap up shortly; and the sequel to How to be a Mermaid, which will feature witches. I'm excited. It's going to be a big year.

Jo: I wasn't planning on going, no. But I know a few people who'll be there, so maybe. We'll see. *grins* Who are you most looking forward to meeting at utopYA Con in June? Why?

Erin: Everyone! I went last year, so I know quite a few from that, and to name any one person would leave out so many others. Just know that I'm excited to seeing familiar faces again and meeting wonderful people, no matter who you are.

Jo: I know the feeling! Do you have any writing quirks (must have XYZ snack, music, etc…)?

Erin: I listen to the strangest music when I write. Right now, I'm stuck on the Attack on Titan soundtrack by Hiroyuki Sawano. Seriously, if you haven't heard it yet, go to Spotify and listen to it. It will make you shiver with its power. I also have my lucky Sailor Moon figurines watching over me as I work.

Jo: Okay, I'm geeking out right now. Sailor Moon?! For real?! I LOVE that show! Sorry, sorry. Back to the interview! Is there anything you’d like to add?

Erin: I will only have a table on Thursday – but I definitely will make it worth your while to stop by. I will have paperback ARCs of my newest book available for those who sign up for my newsletter (limited supply though, so make sure you get there). Which one? Well, you'll have to stop by and see!

Jo: Oh my! Great idea! Thank you so much for your time, Erin! If I don’t see you early on at the conference this year, come find me at the IBGW table so we can selfie! *grins*

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

Title: Fractured
Author: Erin Hayes
Genre: Horror
Length (print): 234 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99  ~  Smashwords $0.99  ~  B&N $0.99

Blurb:
Blinded by a mysterious seizure when she was three years old, Bash Martin has managed to carve out a normal life for herself as an adult. Yet she still yearns for a deeper connection with her twin sister Lily, who has always been jealous of the attention their parents bestowed upon Bash due to her disability.

A dream vacation seems like the perfect chance to heal their relationship, but Bash soon realizes there is something terribly wrong with Lily and that her sister is hiding a dark secret. And when a supernatural fire engulfs their hotel and corpses come back to life, the sisters are plunged into a nightmarish world that threatens not only their lives, but their very souls.

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

Pinterest: egulyas
Google +: Erin Hayes
Facebook: Erin Hayes Books
Twitter: @erinhayes5399
Goodreads: Erin Hayes
Website: erinhayesbooks.com/
Amazon Author Page: Erin Hayes

Erin has blessed you all with a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Jo

Fractured Glass - Pre-order Signup Form and Goodreads Giveaway

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow. What a crazy week it was, huh? Well, I have a little something that just might brighten your day. Not only are we taking signups for folks willing to help us announce the awesomeness that's releasing for pre-order around Thanksgiving, we're also giving away a couple copies of the book over on Goodreads (INTERNATIONALLY). So, get your clicking fingers ready and let's get into it!

First up, a little information about the book:

Expected Release Date: December 24, 2014
Pre-orders: November 28, 2014
Title: Fractured Glass - A Novel Anthology
Author(s): Tia Silverthorne Bach, Jo Michaels, Casey L. Bond, Kelly Risser, and N. L. Greene
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction with five sub-genres (paranormal, horror, fantasy, magic, and romance)
Length: ~100k words

Synopsis:
What if other worlds existed alongside your own? What if you could travel through them and truly escape reality?

Sloan and Harley Glass were born moments apart; but, despite their differences, the sixteen-year-old twins couldn’t be closer. They’ve held their tongues each and every time their mother has uprooted them—often moving across the country with little notice. They’ve learned to accept change. But what is Mom running from?

They discover they’re travelers—half-descendants of those who can traverse an entire universe of parallel worlds known as fractals. When the past catches up, Harley is kidnapped and taken to one of those distant worlds. Now, Sloan must garner her courage and find a way to rescue her sister. Traversing the worlds isn’t the hard part; it’s surviving the elements and the creatures lying in wait to destroy everything in their path.

Will the Glass sisters be able to save the fractal worlds from the kidnapper, or will everything fracture and crumble around them?

Sign up to help us out here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15qWiXB2UT85p-L7y-FqdUBrarbtMawKtAebZunf48CU/viewform

Now, I know you're ready for the Goodreads giveaway entry form, right? Yeah! Okay, here ya go:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Fractured Glass

by Jo Michaels

Giveaway ends December 31, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

It's not live yet, because they haven't approved it. But it will be. So add it to your shelf and, when it goes live, enter to win it!

What do you think? Would you like to help us out?

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

Jo

Cover Reveal - Fractured Glass

Hello all! Welcome to the cover reveal for Fractured Glass! Before we get into the covers, how about a little information on the book?

Expected Release Date: Late December, 2014
Pre-orders: Late November, 2014
Title: Fractured Glass
Author(s): Tia Silverthorne Bach, Jo Michaels, Casey L. Bond, Kelly Risser, and N. L. Greene
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction with five sub-genres (paranormal, horror, fantasy, magic, and romance)
Length: ~100k words
Synopsis:
What if other worlds existed alongside your own? What if you could travel through them and truly escape reality?

Sloan and Harley Glass were born moments apart; but, despite their differences, the sixteen-year-old twins couldn’t be closer. They’ve held their tongues each and every time their mother has uprooted them—often moving across the country with little notice. They’ve learned to accept change. But what is Mom running from?

They discover they’re travelers—half-descendants of those who can traverse an entire universe of parallel worlds known as fractals. When the past catches up, Harley is kidnapped and taken to one of those distant worlds. Now, Sloan must garner her courage and find a way to rescue her sister. Traversing the worlds isn’t the hard part; it’s surviving the elements and the creatures lying in wait to destroy everything in their path.

Will the Glass sisters be able to save the fractal worlds from the kidnapper, or will everything fracture and crumble around them?

*****

Sounds good, eh?

Why is this novel different? Well, because it's a novel anthology. Each of the authors endeavored to use the same characters, and to guide those characters through five sub-genres of 20k words each in the same storyline. You've never read anything quite like it, and we do hope you enjoy the Glass sisters' adventures.

Now we'll get to the good stuff! First, the digital cover:

Now, for the full wrap:

We can't wait to release this puppy out into the world for all to read and be entertained. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out our cover. We'll have some giveaways when the book goes live, so be looking for that post, too!

If you'd like to visit the authors, you may do so via the links below:
Tia Silverthorne Bach
Jo Michaels
Casey L. Bond
Kelly Risser
N. L. Greene

What do you think? Pretty? Interesting? Leave a comment and let us know.

Author Interview - Liz Long

Happy, happy Monday, everyone! *cheers* I'm back with yet another interview with a lovely UtopYAin. Today, I'm pleased to welcome Liz C. Long to the blog. She's got a quirky sense of humor, and we have stuff in common (which means we're like sisters)! So that's awesome. If you don't have your tickets to the con yet, what are you waiting for? The theme next year is time travel, and I'm positive Janet Wallace (the mastermind behind UtopYA Con) and her crew are gonna bring us some awesome stuff. Get your tickets here. Right now. So you can come meet awesome authors like Liz (and me! *waves hands around*) and go to panels to learn stuff. Pssst! There's a giveaway on the bottom of the page!

Enough rambling! Let's get going.

Jo: LIZ! Welcome to the blog of Jo! It’s super awesome to have you here, and I can’t wait for my readers to get to know you. Ready?

Liz: So ready! Let’s rock this interview!

Jo: And the congregation says, "Amen!" So, a little bird told me your book made it to the semi-finals in the KBR Best Indie Book 2014 Awards. Congratulations! How did you feel when you found out, and which book was it? Why did you enter?

Liz: First off, thank YOU because you were MY little birdie who told me the good news! My standalone title WITCH HEARTS was the submission that made semi-finals and I am beyond blown away by that fact. With nearly a thousand submissions, the fact that my book made it into the Top 20 is a huge honor. I entered mostly just to see how I’d do – I honestly don’t think I expected to make it that far! LOL I think the day I found out, I double- and triple-checked the website to make sure I wasn’t reading it wrong (you know 500 times in a row).

Jo: I know what you mean. The Bird hit the semi-finalist list last year and I stared and stared at the title; wondering if it was really sitting there. How exciting for you! *squee!* Tell me about the section of your website that gives authors tips and tricks on writing (my readers are totally your audience). How did the idea come about, and what do you hope to accomplish with it?

Liz: Part of the reason I write those pieces is for authors like me who are just starting out. I remember googling every little question and sometimes there’s so much information out there you aren’t really sure where to start. My background is in marketing and I’ve been writing for publications on and off since I was a teen, so I’m relatively familiar with tricks we should all learn as indie authors. There’s always room to grow, so I’m always hoping to learn something new to pass along to my readers! I’ve had such great feedback from both writers and readers who get something out of those posts and I’m always tickled to receive an email thanking me for one of them. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!

Jo: I love to see Indies helping Indies. It makes me happy how we all share. You have really great reviews on Amazon! I have to ask who your editor is. Everyone talks about how well written the books are.

Liz: Thank you! Actually, my editor is my best friend from high school, Morgan Wall. She was a newspaper journalist and editor for several years after college and is now a high school English teacher, so I’m really lucky to know someone with such a keen eye. We’ve always gotten on well due to her blunt honesty and similar humor, so not only do I understand how to take her critiques but I always know that she’s doing everything she can to make the book better (because eventually, I will have to pay her!).

Jo: It's awesome to have such a killer editor in your corner, huh? I have one, too! *shoutout!* She knows who she is. *nods sagely* So, I must know! What magazine do you work for, and how did you get the job? What kinds of things do you enjoy most about working there?

Liz: I am the Social Media & PR Strategist for LeisureMedia360, and we publish several publications, including the Virginia Travel Guide, THE ROANOKER, BLUE RIDGE COUNTRY, and BRIDEBOOK magazines. I’m really lucky in that I love my job – it’s a great 8-5 M-F gig that not only gives me a great writing schedule at nights and on weekends, but also gives me opportunities to meet great people in the area for interviews and networking. It sounds weird to my ears, but here in Roanoke, I’m supposedly a social media expert, so it’s also a good way to tie in what I learn with marketing my writing. I really love supporting my city in such a big media-based way and of course being a magazine writer is pretty much a dream come true!

Jo: What a perfect job for a writer. Hell yes, dream come true. Rock on, lady! Talk to me about getting your BA in English (yeah, I cyber-stalked you a little - don't judge). *grin* What prompted you to major in that subject, and what were your favorite classes?

Liz: I actually started out as a Communications major at Longwood University; I wasn’t crazy about the program, so I figured the next logical step was English because obviously I wasn’t too bad at it ;) I had a few fantastic classes I still think about years later, including my YA Literature class and American Literature with a tough-as-nails teacher who really shaped a lot of my senior year. My creative writing courses were of course favorites too, even if the homework wasn’t for the faint of heart!

Jo: I did almost the same thing (but with different majors). Ha! Cool. Okay, I’ll stop harassing you about your personal life for a moment. *bats eyelashes* Rapid fire question time! Lime green or hot pink?

Liz: Hot pink!

Jo: Sparkles! Amen! Toilet paper - over or under the roll?

Liz: Oh god, over. I’m totally in the middle of a toilet paper war with an unknown coworker who is a MONSTER and puts it under. She doesn’t know about the war, but it’s there.

Jo: I'd be doing the exact same thing. Only I'd call it to her attention. Haha! Puppies or kittens?

Liz: Puppies. My family raised dogs when I was a kid, so my entire childhood was based around puppies!

Jo: Puppy breath! *awwwwww* Now for the time travel question of the interview! Hey, we gotta have a theme, no? If you could go back in time and meet just one person, who would it be and why?

Liz: For real?! Oh my god, that’s too much pressure. Um…normally my celebrity is Justin Timberlake, but I feel like that’s inappropriate here. Someone dead…hmm…how about – no he’s a fictional character, Long…let’s go with Queen Elizabeth I. Can you imagine a woman in her time ruling an empire? I’d love to hear her advice on how to deal with bitchy coworkers. (Fun fact: In kindergarten, I brought in old coins for show and tell, one with Queen E on it. Because I’m also an Elizabeth, my clever classmates called me Queenie until the 8th grade!)

Jo: Now what are the odds that you and I would have the same historical figure? I freaking LOVE Elizabeth I. Obsessed a little. Wrote a huge paper on her in college and made a family tree and everything. Awesome. Oh, and you shall now be called Queenie for the duration of this interview. *evil laugh* Which of your books was the most difficult for you to write? What was so hard about it?

Queenie: That’s a tough one! I’d probably have to say BURNED, the second book in the Donovan Circus Novel. It was a bit tougher than I expected having to pick up in a series – not only do I want a reader to be able to pick up any title out of order and still understand what’s happening, but I also knew there’d be some choices readers would be annoyed about (ie a boy choice when I have two teams) – so I have to leave things open-ended for the third book to let them know a lot more will be going down! It’s fun to think about how things will develop for the characters over time, but you can’t reveal too much or too little. There’s a balance I had to find, but luckily, I think I found it in time for publishing!

Jo: I get the reading out of order and leaving dangles requirement. It's a fine line. Where’s one place you’d like to visit if you had unlimited money? And would you set a story there?

Queenie: I’ve been watching a lot of Outlander lately, so Scotland is pretty high up there. Then again, some of my family is old Irish, so Ireland has always been at the top of my list. And you bet your bonnet I’d set a story there once I visited and had plenty of details to go off of!

Jo: My husband is Irish, and we're planning to visit there later in life. Hope it's all I've built it up to be. Haha! Remember, if you base a book there, you can probably write the trip off on your taxes as research. *grin* Did I miss anything? Something you’d like to add?

Queenie: I’d actually like to let everyone know I’ll have a new book release coming out October 30th called A REAPER MADE. It’s a clean NA Fantasy about a new Reaper who has to go back and save her family from demons. It’ll be available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in time for Halloween!

(Liz Queenie gave me the synopsis - and a very pretty banner - which I'm now sharing with you all)
Grace had finally gotten used to her new afterlife as a “Made” – a Reaper who used to be human. When Made Reapers and souls begin disappearing, however, Grace and her mentor Tully suspect demons. Grace’s worst fears are confirmed when her living family is threatened.

She’ll have to break every rule in the Reaper book to save them, including using a little magic to become temporarily human. With the help of Tully and her witchy friend Tessa, Grace goes undercover to save the fates of kidnapped souls – only to discover that demons aren’t working alone. Betrayal and distrust runs deep and Grace discovers that sometimes even Reapers are prone to humanity.

Jo: Sounds amazing. I'll be sure and check it out! Thank you so, so much for joining me on the blog today. It was awesome having you here and I can’t wait to squee with you at UtopYA 2015.

Queenie: Thank you for having me! Expect a tackle hug in June!!

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

Title: WITCH HEARTS
Author: Liz Long
Genre: Paranormal/Horror
Length (print): 212 pages
Buy links: Amazon ~ B&N ~ KOBO  ~  $2.99

Synopsis:
How does a witch stay safe if a killer can get through her protection spells?

Witches like Ruby and Courtney can take care of themselves. So when Courtney is murdered, Ruby’s world crashes to a halt. The only thing keeping her grounded is the return of Courtney’s brother, Cooper. He seeks revenge, but Ruby wants to help other witches stay alive. To do that, she’ll have to reunite with her old coven’s High Priest, who also happens to be her cheating ex-boyfriend.

If that wasn’t awkward enough, when the killer gets too close, Cooper temporarily moves into Ruby’s place while a police officer tails her every move. Cooper’s presence distracts Ruby as they fight their desire against their need to stay safe. Then Courtney begins to haunt Ruby’s dreams and secrets are spilled, things from Cooper’s past that could get them both killed. The killer continues to stalk Ruby and the more she discovers, the more she fears she won’t be able to keep her heart in her chest.

While your fingers are in the clicking mode, why not give Ms. Long a follow on alllll these awesome social media sites?

Twitter: @lizclong
Facebook: Liz C. Long Author
Pinterest: LizCLong
Website: http://lizclong.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBsxIcJsG0L3owWYOzNhczg
Google +: LizCLong
Goodreads: Liz C. Long
Amazon: Liz Long Author Page

Wait! Don't go yet! Liz has graciously offered to give away a copy of Witch Hearts for one lucky reader.

No, there was no torture involved! Okay, maybe a little...

Now that you know I could get in trouble for my persuasion tactics, don't you want to enter even worse? Perfect! Here you go:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
If you have any questions, pop them into the comments below!

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

Jo

Sleep - A Short Story

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Did you have an awesome weekend? I know I did. I'm rip-roaring and ready to go. Today, I'm gonna write you a short story. Keep in mind this is unedited and right out of my fingers onto the page (I'm just trying to entertain you today). So, grab a cup of something, cozy up, and let's get going!

Sleep

As my senses roused, I tried to force them back to the beautiful dreams I was enjoying a moment before.
Ping!
Ping!
I felt my skin tighten as my ears adjusted themselves on my head. That sound...
Giving my head a shake, I stretched my arms over my head and swayed my back as I pointed my toes. Energy flowed into me from either end of my body with the motion. No more pinging sounds assaulted my senses, and I lay there with my eyes closed for another moment.
I took a deep breath, letting the air flow in and out of my nose; cleansing me, and leaving me prepared to take on the world one more time.
One eye popped open.
Blue liquid filled my vision, and I could see a faint, distorted reflection of myself in what seemed like glass. Another round of oxygen passed through my lungs, and my other eye opened. I slammed my eyelids down against the harsh light emanating from the cerulean.
I flattened out my hands and ran them down my throat, over my torso, and around my thighs.
My skin was softer than I remembered.
Ping!
Ping!
Damn that sound. I knew what it was but couldn't place it. Where had I heard it before?
Again, I pushed it away, concentrating on the feel of my fingers on my belly. I traced small circles, sending chills down my arms. My toes curled until cramps began in my calves. Slowly, I forced my body to relax.
Mondays always felt like the beginning of the end of the world. I thought of Garfield—the fat, orange, loveable cat from the comic strip—and identified with his loathing. Yes, Mondays were bad news.
"What's she doing?" A man's voice interrupted my procrastination.
Smooth as silk on freshly shaven skin, a woman's tone met my ears in response to his question. "She always does this. Ever since we activated her. Dim her light."
Activated.
Who were those people?
What did she mean by "activated"?
My eyes popped open once again, the vivid color surrounding me causing me to blink rapidly while my pupils adjusted.
I moved my hands to cover my nakedness. Why were there people in my room?
Ping!
Ping!
And what the hell was that noise?
Once my eyes and the light adjusted, allowing me a full view of my room, I felt my jaw fall open and gagged on the warm water that swirled into my mouth.
Computer monitors winked back at me from every inch of the space. A low hum vibrated the viscous liquid surrounding me, causing miniscule waves to pass through my field of vision. Oatmeal with blueberries was the flavor on my tongue when the liquid poured in. There was no odor, only the blue gel filling my nose.
Brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, blue eyes, and the diminutive features of a doll appeared before me.
"Good morning, Layla. I hope you had a nice weekend. We gave you some beach dreams to keep you calm. Did you sleep well?"
Like a jackhammer pounding information into my head, memories returned full force.
Falling.
Duke...
The Cliffs of Insanity.
A million knives stabbed into my heart and sent pain all the way to my toes.
I remembered why I was there.
Inhaling, I stared back at Sherry. "I slept well, thank you. So well, I forgot where I was."
Her laughter filled my ears over the roar of anguish for my loss. "Monday's are a bitch, aren't they?"
"Yes, they are." My words echoed around the room from the speakers outside my box.
Ping!
Ping!
"Would you mind turning off my alarm clock?"
She smiled and waved a hand in that direction; her assistant running to do her bidding. "How are you feeling today?"
I wanted so badly to smile back, but the corners of my mouth refused to cooperate. Looking through Sherry at my reflection on the far wall, I felt and saw my traitorous lips turn down. My black hair swirled around my face, blending with the wires attached to my head. A sob caught in my throat—what was left of it, anyway—and I closed my eyes again. "I'm great. Thank you for asking." I pulled my eyes away from the mirror. "What's on our agenda for today?"
Her yellow legal pad snapped to attention in her hand, and she peered down at it. "It looks like we'll be hooking you up to another person. He should be here momentarily."
I wanted to scream at her and punch the glass. They shouldn't be allowed to do this to people. But, what the government wants, it gets. That doesn't make it humane.
"Ah! Here they are now." Shelly's heels sounded like tennis balls in a tournament of champions as she ran to the door and punched in her code.
My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes strained to see what the newcomers were bringing in.
Over the threshold came the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. His hair was short, his eyes were a brilliant sea-blue, and his wires were the perfect compliment of orange.
He stared, and we shared something for a stolen moment. Finally, his lips turned up and parted to reveal perfectly white, straight teeth.
Unable to contain my excitement, I felt my mouth copy his.
This was my eternal partner. Suddenly, being in my box didn't seem so bad.
My only regret was that I would never be able to touch him.

~ The End

What did you think? Did you get it?

Click here to see the image and find out if you were right.

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

Jo

Back on Track and an I, Zombie sale!

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I may be bringing you a guest post from my awesome featured author, Elizabeth Kirke, but it may come later. I'm not sure. It's been so darned crazy around here. But, we're settled into our new house and things are finally getting back to the way they were. That means no more spotty blog posts. Okay, they've been darn near non-existent, but such is life. I'm back on track now, and have a special announcement for you!

I, Zombie is on sale over on Amazon for the next five days. That's right, it's a countdown deal. First reduction is to $0.99. From $3.99, this is an amazing price to be able to snag a copy.

Here's where you can get it and a little about it:

Kindle: $3.99

Recommended for ages 13+ due to a mild amount of gore.

Synopsis:
It's the end of the world as we know it.

Trixie Collins is a normal teen making her way through high school. One night at a party, a boy comes on to her and won't take no for an answer. As she jerks her arm away, his fingernails cut into her skin.

When she finds her dog's mutilated body and realizes she's to blame, she starts to think maybe the zombie apocalypse they've been screaming about on the news isn't a hoax after all. Worse, she begins to think maybe she's one of the infected.

Now it's a fight for life as she joins together with her brethren to stop the humans intent on destroying them. Are zombies all bad, or is it just a huge misunderstanding?

Happy reading!

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

Jo

Meta-Data for Books, Videos, and a Chance to Pick My Brain

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna talk to you a little about meta-data for your books, show you a couple of videos, and tell you about a chance you have to ask me a question about writing, editing, self-publishing, or marketing. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Meta-Data for Your Books

What is meta-data? Namely, it's data that you can't see but has an impact on web search results. It's part of SEO (search engine optimization), and not something you should be skipping over when creating your novel. We're all familiar with tags and keywords on Amazon, Smashwords, Createspace, etc... But! Did you know you have keyword (description tags) available to you in MS Word? Best of all: There's no limit to how many you can use!

Screenshot time! I bet you're all familiar with this:

Now, that's awesome, right? You put in the document title, click save, and off to the races you go! But look a little closer and pay attention to the arrows:

Each of those is a field you can put meta-data into. Just click on them and they'll open like this:

Best part? If you've used certain tags previously, it suggests them. All you have to do is tick the check-box. Once you're done with the author name (it will auto-populate your user name on your computer), add tags and a title. When you're done, it'll look like this:

Then you can click save and all that beautiful, digital information will be embedded in the book file. How cool is that?

See? You had a tool and most likely weren't using it.

Why does it matter? Well, we all know what tags are and how they function on Amazon, right? Think about how many more you'll get with this function. Roll that around in your mind for a moment.

Ahhhhh, I can see the lights upstairs come on from all the way over here! Now you know.

Moving on...

Videos!

I promised you a couple of videos, so here you go:





Those were fun, huh? Yeah, that's a book trailer for I, Zombie and one for Chasing Shadows.

Okay! On to the next topic!

Your Chance to Pick My Brain

Natasha Hanova is hosting a Q&A session with me on her blog. I've agreed to take five industry related questions from readers. This is your chance to get an answer to a question you have (that you can't find the answer to here).

If you'd like to put a question in the hat, either comment below or DM Natasha on Twitter. You can find her here:
Natasha's Twitter Page

How about that? Did you all have fun?

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

Jo

Book Review - The Bestiarum Vocabulum

Happy Thursday, everyone! Wow this week flew by, huh? Today, I bring you another book review. This one is a collection of beastly horror stories (from A-Z) and is titled The Bestiarum Vocabulum (TRES LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM). There are a lot of authors on this book so I'll give you the full wrap cover rather than list them. It's yet another I'll be adding to the Indie Fever Reading Challenge 2014 page. You can join in the fun here.

As always, a little information about the book up for review today before the meat (get back in your cages):

Title: The Bestiarum Vocabulum (TRES LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM)
Author: Many
Genre: Horror Short Stories
Length (Print): 398 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon Kindle $3.99 Paperback $15.26

Synopsis:
A catalog of mythic beasts and demons that were summoned by esoteric means. Once owned by Count Allesandro Di Cagliostro, it was thought forever lost in a fire at the Chateau de Versailles.

Two hundred years later, twenty-six modern day masters of the macabre bring The Bestiarum Vocabulum back from the ashes. 

**Not to appear in review elsewhere - As for the cover of this book, I think it could use an overhaul. I can't really make out what that is supposed to be on there; but it looks like some kind of beastly egg. It just doesn't mesh with the great stories inside.**

Now, on to the good stuff.

I picked this book up during the 12 Days of Christmas event on my blog, where I ask Indie authors to pitch me their books, I grab a sample, and then I choose and purchase the 12 books to be reviewed over the next year. This one was another stand-out in that crowd. After the sample, I was horrified there were no pages left and zipped over to Amazon to buy it. Enough about that, let's get to the review, eh?

From a Reader's Perspective:
This was an enjoyable collection of short stories. There were a couple that really stood out from the crowd and a few I wouldn't read again. I read one of them three times and still couldn't follow the story. It meandered around and jumped in time telling things that didn't seem to be pertinent. However, if you're a fan of horror, there are a ton of other really great stories in this collection. Some of them had me cringing, a couple had me doing an internet search to find out the history of the fantastical beast portrayed. I'd never heard of many, others were all too familiar. Description and world building was great for 9/10 of the tales. I do enjoy a good horror story. All in all, a very cool collection that was well worth the money and kept me entertained for long periods of time.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Most of these stories were very well edited. A couple could've used a hand in the punctuation and redundancy department. After all, it's a short story and every word matters. Having said that, I read a disclaimer in the front of the book that talked about keeping the author's voice intact (because they're from around the globe). Okay, I get it. Keeping the idioms makes sense. But it's a whole other beast to let blatant errors through. I've read books from every country, so I'm familiar with differences in writing. However, with so many authors, surely they could've shared the editing hand before going to print/publication. Those few that made little to no sense left me reeling and I don't feel like I enjoyed the other stories as much as I could have because my brain kept checking out to think about why I didn't get those that meandered.

Rating:
+1 Star for a wonderfully creepy collection
+1 Star for descriptive writing
+1 Star for bringing me to the edge of my seat more than once
+1 Star for teaching me (I love books that do this)
-.5 Star for those meandering/unreadable stories (there were only about three out of twenty-six)
+.5 Star for the editing on the others

Overall, 4.5 Stars! We all know I round up, so you'll see a 5 star rating everywhere ratings are used. Highly recommended for lovers of Horror.

What do you think? Have you read this book?

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

Jo

I, Zombie Soundtrack

Happy, happy Friday, everyone! I hope you all have something awesome planned for the weekend! In order to kick your weekend off the right way, I've compiled a little soundtrack for the book I, Zombie. These are the songs I've heard that made me think of the story (or songs others told me were brought to mind as they read). When possible, I used the videos with lyrics so you can read along if you choose to do so. I'll give a short explaination of why I used each one after. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the videos below and the sound of music!

#1: Zombie by The Cranberries



This may seem like an obvious choice, but really listen to the lyrics. If you've read the book and this song doesn't make you cry, I don't know what to say...

#2 Let Her Go by Passenger



Again, seems like an obvious choice given the nature of Trixie and Jack's relationship. But he didn't know he loved her 'til he let her go...

#3 Dust to Dust by The Civil Wars



Takes one to know one? Thank you for the recommendation, Casey L. Bond! I listened to this and bawled my eyes out...

#4 I Need a Hero by Bonnie Tyler



The epitome of Jack.

#5 Bring Me to Life by Evanescence



Oh my... It's that scene! You know of what I speak if you've read the book. If not, pick it up, listen to the music after you've read it. Heartbreaking, no? *grin*

Okay, so if you don't have a copy of I, Zombie yet, you can snag one over on Amazon (for Kindle) for just $3.99. It's sitting at 4.3 stars on 31 reviews, so it's doing pretty well! Get yours here.

I hope you all enjoyed this little foray into the world of I, Zombie and what music speaks to the author (and why).

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

Jo