Showing posts with label steel lily. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steel lily. Show all posts

Friday, September 5, 2014

Winners of Iron Pendulum and a Freebie

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have the winners from my Rafflecopter giveaway and announcement of a freebie for you all. Get strapped into that chair and let's get going!

First up, the winners!

Each of these lovelies win an e-copy of Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd.

Alana M.
Wendy P.

Bummed you didn't win? Well, you kind of did! Why?

Steel Lily, book one of the Periodic Series, is FREE right now!

Information about the book:

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: YA Dystopian with hints of Steampunk
Length (print): 314 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon—FREE Kindle  B&N—$0.99 Nook

Synopsis:
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She's a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn't any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

...Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything...including the fate of your world.

Link to my review of Steel Lily: http://jomichaels.blogspot.com/2013/12/book-review-steel-lily.html

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend of reading! Go get that book now and start your journey into the future.

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

Jo

Friday, August 29, 2014

Book Review - Iron Pendulum

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I'm bringing you a book review and a giveaway (because I loved this book that much). If you recall, I did a little giveaway of my five star reads for the year a couple of weeks ago on my birthday. Happy birthday to all of you! *grin* This time, I'm giving away two Kindle copies because I wanna. No special reason other than I think you'll enjoy this book immensely.

A little about the book up for review:

Title: Iron Pendulum (Book Two of The Periodic Series)
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: Young Adult Steampunk Dystopian
Length (print): about 335 pages

Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Synopsis:
Six months ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But six months can change everything.

After fighting to escape a tyranny she didn't even know existed, Avery has had to come to grips with all the secrets she's uncovered. But more secrets continue to come to light, revealing how little of her world she truly knew. When evidence starts to show that Dome Four might be under siege, Avery knows what she must do.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

Six months can change everything. Another month could wipe out all of Dome Four. The clock is ticking.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere: Wow at the cover for this book. I love the monochromatic color scheme. It makes me want to squeal and happy dance. Love what the designer did with the cogs, too. Steel Lily was yellowish, and I imagine Copper Phoenix (book three) will be orange tinted. Keep an eye out for that one, too! If you're curious, I wrote a review for Steel Lily on the blog last year. You can check that review out here.***

Onward and upward!

If you read my review of Steel Lily, you'll know I had mixed feelings about it. There were some errors in the writing that threw me out of the story, and left me sad. But, I wanted to give the author, Megan Curd, another chance to win me over because I was very fond of the story, the characters, and the steampunk world she'd built. I bought Iron Pendulum the day after it went on sale because I was so eager to find out what happened next. Well, I wasn't disappointed! Let's get to the review.

From a Reader's Perspective:
Twists and turns and revelations, oh my! So much was explained in this story that was left dangling in the last one. I was caught by surprise a number of times as the tale unfolded on the page (not an easy thing to do with me because I can see most twists coming). Avery redeemed herself more with every page I turned. Middle of the trilogy blahs can't be found in this novel. You get action, reaction, and scenes that will leave you needing a hankie after you read them. Curd outdid herself with the emotion she threw into the story. Pacing is awesome, and I found myself totally engrossed in the story. If you don't like cliffhangers, beware! There's a big one at the end of this book. Of course, that leaves me frothing at the mouth to get hold of the next installment. If you haven't read Steel Lily, I suggest you do so before picking up this book. There are a few things that tell you the history, but you need to immerse yourself fully in the world so you have that connection with the characters that can only be built over time. Chills and thrills await you!

From an Editor's Perspective:
Nowhere near the issues of the first one. A misplaced pronoun here and there, but that's to be expected. Nothing that pulled me out of the story, and nothing that contradicted the first book. Nicely done.

Rating:
1 Star for clearing up the love triangle I hated in the first book
1 Star for world building
1 Star for ripping my heart out of my chest
1 Star for pacing
1 Star for lack of errors
Overall 5 out of 5 stars! You'll enjoy this book if you love clean young adult novels that keep you guessing.

See that five star rating? Yeah, now you know why I'm doing the giveaway. Get your fingers ready to do some clicking!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think? Will you check this book out?

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

Jo 

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Book Review Steel Lily

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have another book review for you all. I know you've seen Ms. Megan Curd's book, Steel Lily, on the sidebar of the blog for the last week and a half. Well that's the book on the chopping block for today! I bet you've been wavering on whether or not you should pick up a copy, too, eh? I hope this review will help you make that decision.

First, as always, I'm gonna give the book blurb before moving on to the review.

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: Dystopian with hints of Steampunk
Length (print): 314 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon—$0.99 Kindle  B&N—$0.99 Nook  Kobo—$0.99

Synopsis:
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She's a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn't any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

...Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything...including the fate of your world.

I just love love love the cover for this book. It really encompasses the story within the pages. Rust, gears, and beautiful type! How could you go wrong?

Let's get to the juicy!

I picked up a copy of Steel Lily on Amazon not too long after I got my interviewee list for the UtopYA Con authors. They signed up and I snagged a couple of their books to read (wasn't planning to write reviews at all). But some of them were so good, I just haven't been able to help myself. Besides, it's a nice surprise for the authors when they find their shiny new review. Enough of my babbling, let's get to it!

From a reader's perspective:
I found the characters to be well rounded and full of life. Avery's struggle to contain the instant attraction she felt toward Jax had me laughing at times. It shows her strong will and how much she's been hurt in the past. But she also judged him by his arrogant attitude at first, which gives me insight into what kind of person she is. I connected with her in this way. I loved that there were no infodumps in the book. I know this is the first book in a series and that leaves the open-ended things a good plot idea. It makes me want to read the next book. I got completely pulled into the world Curd created and it was easy to picture in my head. It's a great YA story many will enjoy. I simply adored the twist in the end of the book. That's just good stuff right there. I didn't like the hits at the relationship with Legs. There's never any indication that he's interested in Avery romantically until Jax shows up. I could've used a bit more lead-in with that whole triangle of fun and tension. I was thrown out of the fantasy a couple of times by errors I noticed. Which leads me to...

From an editor's perspective:
As I read on my Kindle app, I highlight errors (my editor brain works all the time). I find it easy to open the book up and hit the notes to see how many booboos a book had without having to remember them all. I found a slew of them in this book. One, the dates go all wrong from page 34 to page 56. I also found a large number of errors in sentence construction, grammar use, and word use. I don't usually give heavy weighting to editing errors (limiting them to 1 star overall in my rating scale), but the date error was a booboo from a story perspective so it bled over a hair.

Rating:
+1 Star for giving me characters I could see and identify with
+1 Star for excellent world-building
+1 Star for great pacing and an awesome twist
-.5 Star for the sudden use of a character in a love triangle that wasn't led up to in any way
-1.5 Stars for errors in both timeline keeping and general writing
Overall, 3 out of 5 stars. Recommended for anyone who's looking for a good, clean, YA read.

I hope you enjoyed that review! I had a great time reading the book. I do hope you'll scoot on over to the platform of your choice and get your own copy. Links are above the book.

Have you read this book? What did you think?

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

Jo

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

A Guest Post by Megan Curd

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I bring you a guest post by Megan Curd, my featured author for the last two weeks and one of the ladies attending UtopYA Con 2014. If you don't have tickets to that event yet, you should! You can get them by clicking the name. If you missed my awesome interview with Megan, you can check that out by clicking here. Don't forget to come on back next Monday and meet the awesomeness that is Bethany Lopez!

In other news, I, Zombie is sitting with a beta-reader and my lovely editor, Tia Silverthorne Bach of INDIE Books Gone Wild. I'm not setting an official release date just yet, but I'm shooting for early January. How exciting is that? Enough of my babbling, on to the post!

PROCESS OF GETTING READY TO WRITE
by Megan Curd

Hey Jo! I Thanks so much for having me on your blog today. It’s an absolute honor!

Okay…so, onto the topic of the day: getting ready to write. I think every author has a different process, but I think we all have quirks. Hopefully mine aren’t too weird or terrifying, haha!

I’m not a big plotter, so generally when I sit and write, I know the beginning, and I know the end. What happens in between is usually very organic and the characters dictate a lot. When I tried to explain to my husband’s aunt, who’s a psychologist, that my characters are the boss and I just let them tell the story, I think she might have thought I needed help, lol! But it’s very much the truth for me. My characters are bossy!

As for my process for sitting down to write, I’m a creature of habit. My preference is to go to a café to write (getting out of the house helps me focus. Otherwise I’ll always end up doing something besides working. It’s like the procrastinator’s Murphy’s Law.). I have this closet addiction to collecting Starbucks coffee mugs from all over the world, so each night I take a different mug with me to the café. This is a BIG deal to me, lol. I have to pick the right one for the night. Sometimes my son helps me pick, and every night my husband rolls his eyes. But I love those darn mugs, and they’re like my writing mojo provider.

Besides the café and the coffee mug, I HAVE to have music. I love music all the time, but when I’m writing, it’s an absolute must. Steel Lily was written almost exclusively to Muse’s album, “The 2nd Law.” I swear the album was written FOR Steel Lily. Now I’m writing the sequel, Iron Pendulum, and it’s been more of an Imagine Dragons, Lindsey Stirling, and Placebo type playlist. It’s interesting, because each book takes on a personality of its own.

One other thing I do is a fairly new habit, but I had the honor of going to UtopYA this year in Nashville, TN, and C.J. Redwine was there as a panelist. She said she kept a log of how much she wrote each day, and challenged herself by crossing off every 500 words she wrote. I’m very much a challenge-driven person, so I immediately started implementing that as well, and I’ve seen how much it’s helped. Seeing the progress happen is a huge boost, and it makes me want to push for “just another 500.” I’m really glad I heard her speak.

I think those are the things that make up my writing process. I’d like to think I’m not crazy, but I suppose that’s up for interpretation. I’d love to hear from other writers what their process is, and if they have any rituals or “must-haves.” Thanks for having me on the blog today, and I hope everyone loves Steel Lily! :-)

~ Megan

I have to say, telling people you're an author is a valid excuse for Multiple Personality Disorder. If you write stories for a living and don't have characters in your head, talking to you 24-7, you're weird in this world. So, Megan, know we all suffer from the same illness and just embrace it! Viva la Creativity!

Now, a little about Steel Lily, Megan's featured book of the week:

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: Dystopian with hints of Steampunk
Length (print): 314 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon—$2.99 Kindle  B&N—$2.99 Nook  Kobo—$2.99 

Synopsis:
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She's a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn't any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

...Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything...including the fate of your world.

While you're here, why not check out some of Megan's links?

Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page

I've read Steel Lily and will be posting a review later this week. Surprise, Megan! Wow, that never gets old! *evil grin*

And don't forget to enter the FANTASTIC giveaways here. You could win a $500 shopping spree over at Amazon, a Kindle Fire HDX, or a ton of awesome books!

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

Jo

Monday, November 25, 2013

Megan Curd Author Interview

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! As you all know by now, Mondays are reserved on the blog for the lovely authors who’ll be attending UtopYA Con 2014. If you don’t have tickets yet, be sure and click the name to pick yours up today. They go fast. Between now and then, these ladies will tell you about themselves, give you little tips and tricks for writing, publishing, and marketing, and we’ll have a ton of photos for you to look at so you’ll know them at a glance when you meet them face to face.

Today, I have with me Ms. Megan Curd, author of a number of YA titles. So grab your coffee (she’ll appreciate that one), pull up your favorite comfy chair, and let’s get going!

Jo: Hiya, Megzie! Okay, I won’t call you Megzie again; I just always wanted to say that. Sorry. *grin* Backing up! Hiya, Megan! Thanks for joining us on the blog today and agreeing to this interview. I do hope my research on you doesn’t freak you out too badly.
Megan: Hiya back! And no, it doesn’t freak me out…I think! We’ll have to see how in depth you got before I give my final verdict. *smile*

Jo: My readers are like rabid animals (please don’t feed them or poke them with sticks), and we don’t really want to take too long to get to the meat of the interview, so I’m gonna start off by asking you something they can sink their teeth into. I see you’ve lived in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, and South America (those are the ones I could find). I mean, South America? Wow. I’m impressed. You move around some. I can’t imagine living in so many places. Tell us why you lived in each place, if I missed any, and what your favorite thing about each was.
Megan: Oh, wow, you really HAVE done your homework! Most of my friends forget half the places I’ve lived, haha! Well, I was born and raised in Fairborn, Ohio. When I was 18, my grandparents took me on a missions trip to Quito, Ecuador with them, and right then, I knew I wanted to do something with missions work. I went on another trip to Ecuador as a short-term missions worker, but then when I went to college (in St. Paul, Minnesota!), I was given the opportunity to intern as a missionary and have it count toward my degree! So I went down to Quito, Ecuador for a semester, and then also had the opportunity to spend an additional three months in Cochabamba, Bolivia and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Those were amazing experiences, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Then, after finishing college, I married my best friend, and we lived in Wisconsin for a few years, before his job moved us down to Kentucky, where we now reside. Lots of moving, as you said! :) As for my favorite things, Ohio will always be home (GO BUCKEYES!), but I really loved living in Wisconsin. There’s so much to do outside, and the people are so kind. I love snow, so I was the weirdo that loved when we got loads of snow. However, if I was ever given the chance to go back to Ecuador, I would in a heartbeat. I loved the people, the way of life, the fact that they aren’t focused on the next big thing. They’re content, and that is just such a wonderful feeling to experience. Plus, my mentors live there as the missionaries, and I would love to spend more time with them. I miss them very much. (Phew, was that enough for you? Ha!)

Jo: *grins* I like to dig around for info on my authors. You’re lucky to have been able to visit and live so many places. Oddly, I’ve been to almost all of the fifty states; but never to any of the ones you’ve lived in. Haha! Onward! You’ve published four books since 2009. From what I’ve read, you can crank out between 2k and 3k words in a sitting. Is there a reason you’re only up to four or do you have a ton of partials (like so many of us do)? If so, what are they?
Megan: Ha, I have a few partials, but I also didn’t take writing seriously until this past year. It was more of a hobby, something I enjoyed and I loved sharing with others, but I wasn’t sure I could do as a career. When I attended UtopYA, I realized just how much I loved the writing community, and just how possible a career could be if I put my mind to it. So, I do assure you, there will be quite a few more novels in the future, and it won’t be one a year. :) But you asked what the partials were, right? I have one NA Paranormal Romance about the Grim Reaper (sitting at around 30k), I have Steel Lily’s sequel, IRON PENDULUM, which will hopefully release around Christmas, that is sitting at 66k, and then I have an idea that won’t leave me alone, whose main character is a very handsome pirate. But…that’s all I can tell you about those. :)

Jo: That sounds awesome. I can’t wait to wrap my eyes around your pirate story! What degree do you hold from Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and what led you to pursue that particular vein of study?
Megan: My degree is in Intercultural Studies with a minor in Bible. After I started participating in missions work, I knew my heart was there and that I wanted to serve cross-culturally. I still do, and I hope at some point that I will be able to go back to Ecuador or another South American country and serve with my family.
 
Jo: Sounds like an honorable mission. It looks like you haven’t updated your personal website in a little while with links to your new books. Is there some reason for that?
Megan: Yes – because I have been running like a chicken with my head cut off! It’s about time for a personal assistant, ha. But thanks for reminding me! ::jots down on to-do list::

Jo: When you get a PA, lend him/her to me for a week or so, mkay? *grin* So, according to an interview I read, you say you can’t cook. What made you realize that? Was it some embarrassing moment? *crosses fingers* Did you ever have a desire to cook?
Megan: Oh Lord, there were an array of embarrassing moments, but one that sticks in my mind was when my husband and I were dating, and he came to visit me at my college. I wanted to make a good impression, so I attempted to make spaghetti…which SOUNDS easy. Problem is, with me, no cooking is easy. I burnt the spaghetti to the bottom of the pan and set off the fire alarm. I think that was the moment in time he knew that if he married me, we were either going to starve, or he would have to cook. :) I personally don’t really care to cook, and I’m glad he loves it. Every once in a while I’ll get a surge of domestication and try something, but it’s not often, and people are probably happy about it. Last time I tried something, I forgot to take the toothpicks out of the bread holding the whole piece together…and then had to warn everyone to be very careful about their sausage rolls, since they might be booby-trapped. Luckily everyone knew the fact I had even tried meant I really liked them, lol.

Jo: Oh my… Thanks for being brave enough to share that one with my readers! You say your husband is a science guy. Expand on that, please. Tell us what it is he does and how that could relate to your writing.
Megan: When we first met, my husband was a high school science teacher. He taught AP Bio, Biochemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, and a touch of Chemistry. He has a master’s degree in Biology as well. He taught for 11 years, and I can tell you this much: anytime we went outside on a date, if we hiked or anything, it was a science trip. :) I love watching him with our 2-year-old son. Now, he’s a pharmaceutical rep and he’s really enjoying that as well. For me, I always ask him the science-y questions for my books, but I also ask him for his opinion with “guy” stuff. He’s a very straightforward answer type of guy, so he is always honest with his opinions. It helps me know if I’m on the right track with an idea or not.

Jo: Wow. Sounds like a super intelligent guy. Your son is the cutest little man! Okay, I’ll be honest with you. I went through almost every review on every one of your books. Some people rave about them, other people can’t stand them. It seems no matter what, you never respond. I understand that you feel it isn’t really your baby anymore once it’s published; but, I’m wondering if people ever contact you to see if you saw their review and what you feel inside when it’s a less than stellar write-up.
Megan: First off, I will say that I strive to read EVERY review on GoodReads and Amazon about my books. I appreciate every review, no matter what the opinion! I do have people contact me about their reviews via other routes, and when they do, I always thank them for their time, no matter what the review was. It takes time to read a book, just as it takes time to write a book! In my mind, like you mentioned, I feel that once I press the publish button, it’s out of my hands. I’ve done what I can, and now it’s up to the people who are reading the book. Will there be positive reviews? I sure hope so! And when those come, I do a little fist pump, touchdown dance and what not. Will there be negative reviews? If I didn’t expect those, I would be fooling myself. Not everyone will love every book, and that’s a GOOD thing. It means the book industry is diverse and giving people options. Does it hurt to read those reviews? I would be lying if I said no. It bums me out to a degree, but I also know that I’ve read books that I didn’t like, and others absolutely love. It’s a matter of opinion, and I think the best thing about books is that they elicit emotions in the readers. Not everyone will like a book, but if I’m giving them some emotion about it, then I feel as though I’m on the right track. :) I also want to say that I strive to be extremely accessible through Facebook and Twitter. If they would like to chat with me, I’m definitely around, I just choose to allow the reviewers their space to review, without them needing to worry about me censoring their opinions one way or the other. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read and review my books. That’s how I know if I’m on the right track with the books or not. :)

Jo: I’m the same way. I go so far as to thank every reviewer, too. As a fan of great coffee, I have to say I admire your Starbucks mug collection (over 100!). I have a couple of very special ones myself (yes, they’re from SB). Have you been to the first Starbucks store in Seattle? In your best writerly voice, tell me what you think it would be like to go there. If you’ve been, tell me what it was like.
Megan: Oh man, you have mugs too?! You need to show me which ones you have sometime! I’m up to around 175, if they all show up! My husband is starting to get a bit concerned (I think he was long ago, but now he’s *really* concerned, ha!). I haven’t been to the first Starbucks store in Seattle—yet—but I hope to get to go sometime in the future! That’s like the mecca of all things coffee. I have heard the store isn’t as big as some people imagined it to be, but I don’t really know much else besides that. I would love to experience it. That’s also where the Starbucks Headquarters is, which I think would be neat to see. One of my favorite mugs is the Pike Place Market icon I have–a long, very hilarious story is behind it, but it’s best saved for another day. If you’ve been there, please show me pictures!

Jo: Yes, I was there. If you go, you’ll be shocked. It’s packed! Wall-to-wall people. That’s a lot of mugs, dear! I have nowhere near that many! Quick! What’s your theme song?
Megan: Ha! I’ll be very honest, lately I’ve been in a writing funk, and I keep listening to Imagine Dragon’s “Amsterdam,” since the lyrics are, Your time will come, if you wait for it, if you wait for it, it’s hard, believe me, I’ve tried. I think a lot of times it’s the patience and the continuation to drive forward, even when the words aren’t flowing as easily as they do other times. I am hoping to get back on track this week.

Jo: If your passion is writing, let nothing derail you from that dream. In your photo on Twitter, your website, and Facebook, you have blonde hair. Is there a major reason you changed it?
Megan: Ha! Does it look blonde? I’m going to have to look at that closer. They’re actually highlights. I’ve always been a brunette…and I think I’ll stay that way. :) I used to do highlights quite often, but I got tired of having to go touch them up, so now I’m all brown, and in the summer, it looks almost black. The Native American/Spanish genes kick in during the summer, which is okay by me!

Jo: It does look blonde. Haha! Interesting to know. You write with a pen name. Any particular reason why?
Megan: It’s actually my maiden name, and I began writing before I got married. When we got married, I thought about switching it, but then I realized I’d have to build up my audience again under my new name, so I just kept it as Megan Curd. The only time it gets confusing is if I’ve signed a lot of books, then try to write a check or something. Then people give me strange looks as I scribble out my last name and put my married one. Oops!

Jo: Ahhhhh I know the feeling. I use a pen name to protect my anonymity. My books are kind of controversial and I don’t need people knocking down my door. Haha! I know of your distaste for the whole querying and long waiting process thing. I agree; I’d rather be writing and letting folks read my work than waiting! What would it take for you to take the leap to a trad publisher?
Megan: I would never be opposed to a traditional publisher, if the offer was right. It would be nice in many ways to not have to be a jack-of-all-trades. I love having creative control over my covers and over my pricing, but I would love to have the opportunity to be in a brick-and-mortar store. I’m happy with being an indie right now, but I would never go so far as to say I would never go traditional. It’s a bridge I’ve yet to cross, so we’ll see what happens in the future. :)


Jo: Amen to that. You can still get your book into brick and mortar stores, it just takes money. Time to ask the alien question of the interview! You know the theme for UtopYA Con 2014 is aliens so we just have to! Are you planning to wear or bring a costume to the event? Is there something special you’re gonna do so we know who you are at a glance?
Megan: I don’t have a costume planned, but I’m pretty sure anyone can tell you from last year, I’m a jeans and a t-shirt kind of girl no matter what the occasion! I love being comfy, so I will definitely be in jeans and a t-shirt all of next year, too. I’m actually plotting my awards outfit, though, and I’m thinking I’ll spice it up a little bit…and put a jacket-vest over my t-shirt…you know, maybe bust out a fedora. You never know, ha. I’m pretty simple, though. I can count on two hands how many times I’ve worn a dress!

Jo: I love my jeans, too. Time for you to tell us about your featured book of the week! What’s the title, why did you write it, and why does it hold a special place in your heart?
Megan: STEEL LILY! This one is near and dear to me because of the effort that went into it. I wrote it in two months, but then between querying, revisions, then having to part ways with my agent, revisions, book cover, etc., it was nearly a year and a half before it released. (Hence that delay in books coming out, ha!) This book was close to never coming out. I had become jaded with the system, and I’d decided that I was fine with not doing much in the writing arena. Then my very good friend (and amazing author—just wait until you read her debut!) Mindy Ruiz pushed me to go to UtopYA, and it changed my life, quite literally. I was renewed and excited about writing, and I realized how much it meant to me. I released Steel Lily two months later, and now we are here today, with me almost finished with the sequel and planning a third for early next year. :)

Jo: Anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?
Megan: I must say, you are the most in-depth interview I’ve had, and I loved it! I think you covered everything.

Jo: That’s all the time we have for today. Thanks for stopping by and chatting with us, Megan! I look forward to meeting you in person at UtopYA Con in June.
Megan: Thank you so much for having me! I’m honored to get to be here today, and get ready for your tackle hug at UtopYA Con! :)

Jo: I’m so ready to be there already. LOL

Now for some information about the featured book!

Title: Steel Lily
Author: Megan Curd
Genre: Dystopian with hints of Steampunk
Length (print): 314 pages
Links to Purchase: Amazon—$2.99 Kindle  B&N—$2.99 Nook  Kobo—$2.99


Synopsis:
AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She's a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn't any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

...Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything...including the fate of your world.

You can pick up a copy at the links above. While you’re here and clicking on stuff, why don’t you give this little lady a follow on her social media platforms!
Twitter: @MeganCurd
Facebook: Author Megan Curd


I do hope you all take the time to pick up one of Megan’s books. She’ll be featured on the sidebar of the blog for the next two weeks so if you didn’t get to take all this in today, come on back tomorrow.

Get on down to the comments and ask her a couple of questions. Seriously. Do it now.

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

Jo

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Cover Reveal - Iron Pendulum by Megan Curd

Happy Tuesday, blogospherians! Today I have a very special post for you from my fellow UtopYAn, Megan Curd. You'll get to meet Megan in one of my tell-all interviews at the end of the month. In the mean time, check out the great cover for Iron Pendulum, book two of The Periodic Series that began with Steel Lily.





By Megan Curd


BLURB:
A month ago, Avery thought the world ended outside Dome Four. Thought she was one of the few of her kind. Thought the war that brought the human race to the brink of extinction was over.

But a month can change everything.

Returning to the dome she longed to escape is a challenge for Avery, but now she knows there’s corruption lurking in the shadows. A massive steam shortage leaves half the dome without power, and people are falling ill. Dying.

And they’re blaming Avery.

A month can change everything. Another month could kill everyone. The clock is ticking.

LINKS:
Goodreads: Iron Pendulum
Twitter: @MeganCurd
Facebook: Author Megan Curd

Buy Steel Lily: For Kindle at $0.99

Now what you've all come for...

The thing I know you're dying to see!

I give you, the cover for Iron Pendulum:


And, for fun, let's have a look at the hardcover!

How completely awesome are those?

What do you think of the cover? Have you read Steel Lily yet?

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

Jo