Cover Reveal - M

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today, it's all about the cover for my new novel titled M. What's the book about? Well, keep reading!

Title: M
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Urban Fiction
Publication Date: June 17, 2015
Length: 55k words
Blurb:
In 2026, it finally arrives, the drug promising to make life easier for the masses. One dose of M and anyone can gain an ability. There are no promises made as to what the power could manifest as, but people are crawling over one another to take a chance.

There's a problem: One pill costs a million dollars. Only those with extraordinary wealth are afforded the luxury of cleaning house with a click of their diamond-adorned fingers or solving a puzzle by talking to it.

A knockoff begins circulating in 2038 that does the same thing as M. Hundreds of thousands of people have mutated for a mere one hundred dollars.

Enter the year 2042.

Seventeen-year-old Griffin is a normal kid, who has a regular job, and dreams of going to college someday. When his girlfriend of three years succumbs to peer pressure, they break up. He believes the body is a temple not to be messed with outside of nature, and she wants to fit in. Once he meets the supplier, things take a turn for the worse.

He's left with nothing but pain in his heart and the desire to make them suffer when his plans for payback blow up in his face.

Thirst for revenge consumes him, and he finds himself locked in a battle he never anticipated with a merciless kingpin as they struggle to gain the advantage.

How far is too far?

***This book is a standalone novel, suitable for those over the age of thirteen. There is some violence that may not be appropriate for younger children.***

Ready for that cover? Wellp, here it is!

Now, it's time for the full wrap! Oooooooh yeahhhhhh baby!

Isn't it lovely?

Release date is set for June 17, 2015. That's right, you can pick up a copy at utopYA con or online at Amazon.com in June.

For now, you can keep an eye on its page on Jo's site!

What do you think? Like it? Interested in reading it?

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

Jo

Publication Spotlight - Erin Hayes

Happy Monday, everyone! Wow, I can't believe I've done a whole round/year of author interviews already. This is the last one for now (not sure if I'll bring it back after utopYA 2015 or not). I hope you've all had a ton of fun getting to know the authors attending utopYA this month. I can't believe it's only sixteen days away. Posts between now and then should be super fun. If you didn't get tickets, you're out of luck for this year, but you can still attend the Saturday signing event! Information here. Let's get to the spotlight fun, shall we?

I present to you, the bibliography of my featured author, Erin Hayes!

Her Wolf is a paranormal series that shows that lives of women in different packs who have to navigate the dangers and rules of being a werewolf, including who they choose to love. 

Title: Embracing Her Wolf
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length (print): 67 Pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb: Not everyone wants to be a leader.

So when werewolf Gemma Branford is expected to act as one for her pack, she wants nothing to do with the leadership and societal rules involved with being a werewolf. As a purebred Alpha female, her refusal to mate with any wolf in the pack has caused a stir, as this allows for any werewolf she chooses to become an Alpha male.

When a rogue Beta wolf tries to take advantage of this, she realizes she has to stand and fight back for her right to choose a mate. Suddenly, it looks like her chance meeting with Adam, the lowly Omega wolf from a nearby pack, is her best chance of saving both her pack and herself.

This is a paranormal romance novella with language, violence, and sexual content. Not recommended for readers under the age of 18.


Title: Rockin' Her Wolf
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length (print): 103 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb: Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

When rockstar Huck answers his phone, he's shocked to hear from his long-lost childhood sweetheart. Anxious to see her after all this time, he agrees to meet her and gets swept up in her crazy world, changing his life forever.

Annie's been on the run for a long time, and she's determined to protect her friend's son from the vicious werewolves of their own pack. Her hunt to find safety unexpectedly leads her to Huck. And he won't let her go until she's safe.

This paranormal romance novella is the sequel to Embracing Her Wolf. It has language, violence, and sexual content. Not recommended for readers under the age of 18.


Title: Becoming Her Wolf
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length (print): 98 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $0.99

Blurb: When hope is lost, the one thing you can trust is love.

Beta wolf Jon is dragged to Las Vegas to protect Gemma and Adam as they finally tie the knot. Yet when the wedding is sabotaged and one of their own is taken hostage, it looks like his only hope for answers is a human woman who was left behind as warning to the newlyweds.

Waking up in the hospital, Eva doesn’t believe Jon when he tells her about the world of werewolves. But when she turns into a werewolf herself and the attraction between them grows, she’ll find that her life has been changed more than they ever could have imagined.

This paranormal romance novella is the third book in the Her Wolf series. It has language, violence, and sexual content. Not recommended for readers under the age of 18.

Title: Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Length (print): 228 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb: Jacob Smith is an average thirteen-year-old boy.

He’s of average height, average intelligence, average looks. He even has a normal family, like an over-achieving brother, a rebellious sister, a kooky grandfather, and one or two family secrets. Maybe he was living too normal of a life.

When his mother announces she’s expecting another baby, Jake starts noticing that he’s being followed by strange beings. They want Jake because he is the most normal, average person on Earth. And they need him so they can take over the planet.

Can a boy like Jake save the world?


Title: Death is but a Dream
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy and Mystery/Thriller
Length (print): 310 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99

Blurb: Caught between life and death, all Callie wants is to live again.

Homicide detective Callie Saunders knows that death isn’t all pearly gates and angels. After being hit by a bus, she finds that it's the ancient gods and goddesses of Greek mythology who are in charge of everything.

So when Hades offers her a deal, she accepts. If she wants to be brought back to life, she’ll have to figure out who is trying to kill his son. But if she fails, both her soul and the world will be destroyed.

With the odds mounting against her, it’ll take everything she has within her to wake up from death. But the rules are constantly changing. And someone wants her to stay dead.


Title: Fractured
Genre: Horror
Length (print): 234 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $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.


Title: Bedtime at the Zoo: An Illustrated Children's Picture Book
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Length (print): 32 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $1.49

Blurb: During the day, the zoo is busy and alive.
But you only see the animals 9:30 to 5.
The zookeepers lock up and turn off the lights.
But do you know what the animals do every night?

This is an illustrated children's bedtime story, perfect for the Kindle Fire and Kindle Apps. Recommended for children of all ages.



What do you think? Gonna check any of them out?

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

Jo

One More Chapter - Indie Author Haven Page Spotlight

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm here to talk with you about a page over on Facebook you should maybe give another (or a first) look at. Grab those steamy cups of coffee and let's get going!

There's this little page on Facebook rocking the Indie world with support and mad love for all things books. At the helm is Tawnya Peltonen. You should also check her out on Goodreads.

She's a serious reader and has given 676 ratings since 2011. That screams book lover to me.

But, not only does she love books, she's also a huge advocate of Indie authors. Tawnya reads and reviews Indie books often, and shares a bunch of our giveaways on her page on Facebook known as One More Chapter.

Support people who support Indies!

This link will take you to her page.

Once you're there, check out her newsfeed; you'll be astonished at the number of promo posts there with Indies at the core.

Maybe you already love OMC. Perhaps you gave it a like way back when and forgot about it. Interaction is a great way to get pages you love back in your newsfeed. 

As an alternative, you can also use the dropdown under the like button to get notifications or add the page to an interest list (don't worry, Facebook will walk you through the process of creating an interest list if you don't have one already).

Either way, go show this page some love, and enter to win one of the amazing giveaways running. There are always a ton!

What did you think? Did you check it out?

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

Jo

Have You Seen a Scene Around Here? Scene Writing 101

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today, we're gonna talk about scene writing. Every book is a collection of scenes, so getting this part right is kind of a must. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

First off, understand that every scene has three basic parts: An opener, a middle, and a conclusion.

A chapter, while still made up of those same parts, usually doesn't contain just one scene.

Let me break a scene down for you. We'll use a tidbit from my section of Fractured Glass with Elba and Diego.

Color coding is as follows: Green = Scene Open, Red = Scene Middle, Blue = Scene End

As he walked down the hall, he pondered how she got in without setting off the alarm, and wondered if she was dangerous. Logically, he’d rather have her in the foyer than his room. After shuffling some things around, he grabbed the book, spun around, and walked right into her. “How—”

She grabbed his hand and took two steps backward.

Air like an arctic blast hit him in the face. He shivered and his teeth chattered even as his eyes scanned the area. “Whoa. We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

Walls that were once a dark blue had become rough rock. To the left, where the door used to be, there was an opening with jagged protrusions all around. He felt his jaw drop as he took in the landscape. Purple skies, bright yellow mountains, and green clouds greeted his eyes.

She snatched the journal out of his hand. “You don’t even have the beginnings of a grasp on the amount of danger those girls are in.”

“Where are we? How’d we get here? How do you know what happened? And what do you mean by ‘danger’?”

Her eyes widened, and she stuck out her hand. “I’ll show you. If you’re brave enough to come with me.”

Diego put a clammy hand in hers. “Brave? Lady, I’m like a lion. Are we going back to my house now?”

Super white teeth flashed from between her lips. “Not yet. There’s something you need to see.” She took another two steps backward.

They were in a cave—much like the previous one—only the air was warm.

He jerked his hand away, and the crazy woman disappeared. Fear clawed at his throat when a deep rumble echoed in the small space. “Hello? Where’d you go?” A scaly blue tentacle slithered from the shadows and moved over the floor in a sweeping motion. Dust and debris kicked up, forming a small cloud of particles.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he backed toward the cave’s entrance. “Um, hello? Crazy lady? A little help here?”

Inch by agonizing inch, the thing connected to the leg came into view. It seemed to have no skeleton, rather like an octopus, but it was flat as a pancake. Once it fully emerged, he saw the teeth. He looked back and considered jumping to his death rather than being torn apart by the razor sharp incisors grinding together less than twelve feet from his position. Choices raced through his brain, and he wiped his palms on his jeans.

A sheer drop was on one side, the monster, slowly oozing its way across the floor, was on the other.

“Help!” he yelled.

Quick as a flash, the thing searching for him launched itself across the cave.

He put his hands over his head and prepared for the impact.

There was a pulling sensation on his arm, and the scene changed again. This time, he found himself waist-deep in a pond with the woman’s hand around his bicep.

For the water, he was grateful; it washed away the evidence of his fear. Anger replaced the cloying feeling present a moment before. His face was cold, and he knew he was as white as his skin could turn. Gesturing at the sky, he let his rage take over. “Where the hell did you go? That thing almost ate me!”

“I didn’t realize you’d pulled away from me. We have to keep touching or you can’t traverse the fractals with me.”

“Fractals? Lady, you’ve lost your mind! How do I get home?” Again, his teeth were chattering, but it wasn’t cold.

“Oh my. You seem to be in shock. Okay, I’ll take you home. But we can’t go back the way we came. Thanks to you, that thing in the next world over will be waiting for us. My name is Elba, by the way. You can stop calling me lady, crazy lady, and creepy lady now.”

Diego felt his face get warm. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve been called worse.”

Something slithered along his leg under the murk. “Um, whatever we’re gonna do, can we do it fast?” Images of the same creature he’d just encountered being able to swim gripped him in a fist of iron. His whole body shook harder.

She smiled. “I’m working on it.” Her journal was in her hand, and she was turning it this way and that.

Another creature touched his calf, sending tingles up his leg. “I don’t mean to interrupt again, but I think something just stung me.”

“I doubt it. These are glooshna eels. They’re only put into a feeding frenzy by urine. You’ll be fine.”

“Actually…”

Her hand collided with her forehead before she slammed the book closed, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him along after her.

They turned left, climbed the embankment, and ran ten steps, then right for two steps, before the scenery changed again.

She pointed to the left. “That’s the cave you were just in.”

High up on the side of an electric green mountain, the squishy creature could be seen dangling from the hole where Diego almost met his demise. He squinted at it. “What’s it doing?”

“Shh! We certainly don’t want it to know we’re down here. Those things are fast.”

He rubbed his hand on the back of his jean shorts. “Tell me about it.”

Again, they moved forward. But this time they went fifteen steps before the scene changed. Purple skies and yellow mountains greeted them.

“This is way weird.” All the hair on his neck stood up. “Is there anything here that can eat us?”

Elba grinned. “Always assume there’s something that wants to eat you. It’s the only way you and your little friends will survive.”

He gulped.

“Now, we have to climb up to that cave so I can guarantee we end up back in your room.” She stuffed the book in her knapsack and began the ascent. By the time they reached the top, he was panting.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him two steps forward.

They were back in his bedroom.

Diego collapsed and kissed the carpet. “So good to be back home.”

“All right, kid. Go clean up, change, and meet me in the kitchen. We need to talk.” Laughing, she strode from the room, pivoted in the hallway, and disappeared.

Rolling over, Diego lay on the soft floor, allowing himself a moment. “We need to talk.” He mimicked her gravelly voice. “You bet we do. But, this time, you’re giving me answers.”

No, this isn't the whole chapter; it's actually the second scene from the beginning of section 2 (my section of the book).

I used the five W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why.

This scene serves a huge purpose in introducing the reader to the fractals. Without this adventure, the story would be beyond confusing from here out as the characters traverse the parallel worlds.

Your beginning should set up for the action.
Then, you have the exciting part, where you get to kill people or heighten tension.
At the end, you should be preparing the reader for a transition to the next scene and leave a question or two open that needs to be answered (why should I keep reading?).

So, I answered the most basic question: Is it necessary?

Always ask yourself that when you're doing your edit. A lot of times, a scene can be cut and it not impact the overall story. Talking about what the character is seeing every other scene gets boring. Seek and destroy those dragging visuals when necessary.

When it doubt, cut it out.

Once you've identified the scenes, you can use this post to measure the pace of your entire novel. Pretty cool, huh?

This section gets a score of: Beginning = 72.6, Middle = 86.9, End = 87.5. Not bad pacing. Nice high there at the end.

What do you think? Have you ever broken down a scene like this?

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

Jo

Actions and Reactions

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today I'm talking about something that hits kinda close to home: Actions and Reactions. No links to click today, so you can just sit back and read along with your cup of coffee or tea, and try to enjoy yourself. Ready? Let's get going!

As a self-published author, your attitude, actions, and everything connected to you is part of your brand. I'm not talking about visual branding, we all have logos or something like that. What I mean is the feeling someone gets when they see you or your books. It's that intangible thing that connects you to the people you count on to make a living: fans.

I see a lot of authors shooting themselves in the foot with the way they behave when something happens to them. Someone does the author wrong, and a rant is shortly thereafter posted somewhere the general public can see.

Why does it matter?

Because when you have a visceral reaction to something and blast it all over social media, it follows you forever. Not for the moment, for the week, or for the month. It's searchable for the rest of your life.

This article by an acquisitions agent spells it out in plain words: you will be researched if you submit a book for publication consideration.

That means the agent is going through all your social media accounts. They'll check you out well. If you've behaved badly, it's likely your book will hit the trashcan without another thought.

Authors have to be careful. I recently saw a post on Facebook where a very popular blogger asked the general public what would turn them off a writer's work forever.

Know what the number one answer was?

Yup. A rant by the author on a public space. Didn't really matter what the rant was about, either. You rant, and fans leave. There are so many authors out there for readers to choose from, they don't have to stick with you and your books.

Keep that in mind.

Also consider the ramifications of your actions to the human you're reacting to. We're all human. We all screw up sometimes. Does it really need to be made public?

Why not choose to be the bigger, better human?

I understand the desire to lash out at someone who's made you angry. You have every right in the world to do so.

Just, maybe, do it privately. A little Grace will go a long way.

God forbid you walk into a room and everyone points and whispers, "There's that author that bashed XYZ. Can you believe she had the nerve to show up here?" And all the while, you're thinking they have good things to say. You smile and they smile back. But it was that one time, that one thing you did, five years ago, that was so egregious people can't forget it.

It's easier to remember the bad things about a person.

I learned the following when I was in training for a customer service position at a major tel-com company: When someone loves you, they'll tell a couple of people. When you screw up, they'll tell anyone who'll listen.

Truer words were never spoken.

Your books are your business; don't give them a bad name by doing something because you're angry. It doesn't go away.

What advice do you have for angry authors? Talk about it!

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

Jo

Learning at UtopYA Con 2015

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm here to talk to you all about panels. Why? Because you need to know what you want to attend when you arrive at utopYA in June. If you don't have tickets to the con yet, you need to get them now. There are only five more days to buy! Go here to visit the Eventbrite page and get your order on!

Let me tell you, $110 for all you can potentially learn is one heck of a steal!

You can add these panels to your schedule on this page of the Sched app.

Let's just get going, shall we?

Thursday, June 18 11-12am:

ClockWise World Building
Moderator: C. J. Redwine
Panelists: Amy Bartol, Helene Dunbar, and Marissa Meyer

What you can expect to learn:
World building isn’t just for fantasy books. It is central to not only things like the topography of the places held within its pages, but also to the cultural standards and rules governing the interpersonal relationships and politics of the book’s plot and story. Is there such a thing as too much description? How do you temper or pepper it throughout the book to best effect? The creative process intertwines with research to create rich, believable characters, settings, and mythology that keep the reader coming back for more. Learn how to do this well from authors at the top of their game.

For: Beginners

Expand Your Universe: A How-to Guide for Newbies and Introverts
Moderator: Mindy Ruiz
Panelists: Rachel Harris, Eva Pohler, and Misty Provencher

What you can expect to learn:
Writers are inherently isolated creatures -- even the most extroverted still have hints of insecurity that tend to hold them back from effectively networking at conferences. Let’s face it; writers work and play with imaginary friends most days and nights. This panel aims to provide an interactive how-to workshop on how to network for the wallflower or newbie. What to say past “I love your book.” And how to step out of your comfort zone, approach any group, and add them to your “clump” or tribe of collaborators, conspirators and friends.

For: Beginners

Tense Time Warp: Raise the Tension with Past and Present POV
Moderator: Crystal Bryant
Panelists: Kristina Circelli, Cambria Hebert, Elizabeth Kirke, and Christina Mercer

What you can expect to learn:
The overwhelming trend in current NA books is to switch points of view each chapter between the male and female protagonists. And in YA we see one book written from one person’s point of view, and the next in the series written from another.  There are even books out there where one chapter is written in first person, and the other chapters, written from another’s point of view are written in third person limited. Do you know how to write from the different points of view? Do you know what they are and what ones are most effective for your audience?  While it drives purists insane, it drives readers wild with delight. What’s your point of view?

For: Advanced

Thursday, June 18 12-1pm:

Expanding Your Empire: International Markets, Audiobooks, etc...
Moderator: Tammy Blackwell
Panelists: Nikki Jefford, Carlyle Labuschange, Lana Popovic, and Cameo Renae

What you can expect to learn:
Now that you have a few published books under your belt and sorta have the hang of this whole writerly life, it's time to take your books and career to the next level. There's a big world out there, and this session will help you: navigate the waters of international markets, get yous books into libraries and book stores, market to new and influential audiences, understand licensing - turning your booksinto audio books, comic books, movie franchises and more.

For: Advanced

Great Sexpectations
Moderator: Delphina Miyares
Panelists: Angela Graham, Katie McGarry, and Jessica Sorensen

What you can expect to learn:
The lines of sex in NA and what is acceptable and what is expected are blurry at best. Clean NA is getting slammed for being too clean. Hot NA is being called erotica in disguise. New Adult is still a NEW category, and it will undoubtedly evolve or split off into multiple categories. Why not be a part of the discussion and influence the future of NA. There is just so much here to unpack, and these panelists are going to help you do just that.

For: Beginner/Advanced

So You Wanna Be a Writer?
Moderator: Kallie Ross
Panelists: Laura Christiano, Amy Evans, Kim Holden, and Morgan Wylie

What you can expect to learn:
You have a book in your heart, characters chatting in your head and a desire so deep to finally write that book you’ve been dreaming about. So what’s holding you back? Time to step out of the shadows and into the world of writing. Whether it’s just something you want to cross off your bucket list or what you want to do for the rest of your life, getting a book into the hands of the public has never been easier. This session will talk you through the realities of the writer’s life so that you can lead your dreams.

For: Beginner

Did you miss the buy link? Let me share it yet again:

Get tickets here!

You don't wanna miss this conference. Just read some of the testimonials on the Our Stories page on the utopYA website. 'Nough said.

Don't forget to visit the other official bloggers today and tomorrow so you learn about the other awesome panels that are happening at utopYA this year.

A Book Vacation
Book Junkie
Paisley Reader

Which one are you itching to sit in on?

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!

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