utopYA Con 2015 Needs Your Help!

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Well, we've managed to survive the first half of the week; if you can make it through today, there are just two more days until the weekend. GOOD LUCK! *grin* I have a couple of requests for you today. The first involves two clicks, and the second involves a copy/paste with a click. Ready? Let's get rolling!

As you know, I'm one of the official bloggers for utopYA for 2015. Next year, for the five-year anniversary, I'm officially the book blogger/tuber coordinator. I'd really love to see this conference grow into the next big thing.

Here's where your help comes in.

If you wouldn't mind, please click on this link and vote for utopYA. This grant could do a lot for the con, and it's just a little two clicks of your mouse button: One to get to the Chase website, and one to click vote. That's it.

Ready?

Go here to vote!

Second, I'm going to beg you to please, please share the following post(s) on your social media sites:

Twitter:
Two clicks, $100k! http://bit.ly/1djRIye Please help @utopYAcon become the next big thing! #utopYA2015 #authorcon

Facebook:
UtopYA Con is for writers. Like you. Like me. It's a place where you can feel safe being exactly the person you are with no need for pretense. Help keep the dream alive! Please. Two easy clicks will give the conference your support, and it will help writers of the future learn how to achieve their dreams. UtopYA's tenants are: Education, Collaboration, and Inspiration. Now that's a powerful message. Spread the word and vote here: http://bit.ly/1djRIye

Thank you! Know I appreciate every single one of you. Tomorrow, we return to our regularly scheduled program!

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

Jo

Nominated for Two Awards - Vote?

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I have some amazing news for you all. It's late because I've been on the fence with how to approach it. Bear with me while I explain, please. *grin* Do you have coffee? If not, grab some, sit back, and relax while you read.

I was recently nominated for two amazing awards by the utopYA Academy, and I'd like to tell you about them. I'm gonna ask you for a favor here in a minute, so stick with me.

First up, I got nominated for Blogger of the Year. This was huge for me, because there are some amazing bloggers on that list with me: Maria Pease, Tammie Ross Zimmerman, Shana Benedict, Vilma Gonzales, and Mandy Anderson. I mean, wow. I'm over the moon to be on that list.

More than that, it helped me realize what I do here in my corner of the blogosphere is appreciated, and it tells me someone, somewhere, found something I published helpful in some way. That made me smile. It's not about winning the award; it's about being on that list. I'm there. I helped someone in some way. I've already won. *cheers*

Secondly, I was nominated for a super amazing award that honors people who've displayed the tenants of utopYA over the last year (education, collaboration, and inspiration). It's called Utopian of the Year. Appropriate name, huh? On that list with me are some women I greatly admire, and there are a few I'm lucky enough to call friends: Carlyle Labuschagne, Tammie Ross Zimmerman, Heather Hildenbrand, S. M. Boyce, Carol Kunz, and Casey L. Bond.

This nomination means a lot. I'm humbled beyond words to be included with those women.

Why did I struggle with how to approach this? Well, it's because I'm me. While I have few issues with talking about my books and how much you may love them, I tend to freeze when I talk about myself. I'm just a woman at a keyboard. I do appreciate the things I do for others, but I always feel like I could be doing more.

I believe in the message of utopYA: Lift as You Climb. It's a powerful movement I'd love to see everyone embrace. That link will take you to a piece I wrote on the subject. Because of that, I stand behind the conference 100%.

Recently, I was asked to join the team of awesome that helps bring the conference to fruition every year. No, I won't be working to get sponsors or help organize the con. My end comes down to promotion and getting the word out. I'm the Book Blogger/Tuber Coordinator.

I have no words for how excited I was when Janet Wallace asked me to be a part of something so monumental in my mind. Something I believe so strongly in the message of. I jumped at the chance to help spread that mindset.

Speaking of which, if you don't have tickets yet, get them here now. They're almost all gone, and utopYA isn't an experience you want to miss.

But, I digress! Funny how you can do that when you're talking about your passion, huh?

Here's what I'd love it if you guys would do: Go vote for your favorites! It doesn't matter if it's me or one of the other women/men/books on those lists. Add your voice to the sounding board. Support the people you adore!

Want the link? Your wish is my command!

VOTE HERE

Thanks for reading my little post.

Did you vote? See anyone on that list you love?

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

Jo

Fractured Glass and M Preorder Goodies

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm gonna tell you about some awesome goodies you can get when you buy my books at utopYA Con in June. I'm also gonna talk about the awesomeness IBGW will have at our table at the con. This is an image heavy post, so be prepared! Ready? Let's get going!

First up, here's the link to pre-order my books: Get Books by Jo Michaels

As you can see, anyone who buys Fractured Glass will get either earrings (we'll have many styles) or a bookmark of their choice. Here's what they look like:

 Earrings:

 Bookmarks:

Here's the goodie bits. For the first two people that pre-order M, I'm giving away this awesome t-shirt:

Everyone who pre-orders one or more of my books will have their name put in a drawing to win a copy of Fractured Glass signed by all five authors and a copy of M.

Now, for the IBGW table, we have this collection of books, these two awesome t-shirts (large - regular cut), and this cool canvas tote bag:

And will be adding these:

There are more, including a copy of M (cover not revealed yet), but we're waiting until the authors either publish or reveal their covers to add the images. All are signed by the authors and are paperbacks!

In addition, we'll also have 11x17 posters of a couple of covers we'll be giving away.

How fun, huh? I know you see some titles up there you've been wanting to get your hands on. So be sure and visit us.

What do you think? Exciting?

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

Jo

UtopYA Con Presents Authors R My Idols Public Book Signing

Are you an avid reader who wants to meet and hang out with their favorite authors?

Here's your chance - and you get to do it for a great cause!

Meet bestselling authors like Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller, Kim Holden and Rysa Walker (and many, many more!) at Authors R My Idols (ARMI), sponsored by Indie-Visible and presented by UtopYA Con.

On Saturday, June 20, an open-to-the-public book signing will be held at Nashville’s Millennium Maxwell House Hotel. The book signing benefits local non-profit group Book 'Em. The signing is free for fans who donate a book, or only $5 without a book. Two signings will be held from 10A-12P and 1-3PM to insure readers get plenty of time to find their next pile of books to read!

All donated books and admission fees go directly to Book ‘Em to help them with their two-part mission: to get books to children and teens in lower-income families who might not otherwise have books of their own; and providing volunteer readers to local pre- and elementary schools. Book’em creates a more literate Nashville by helping economically disadvantaged children, from birth through high school, discover the joy and value of reading through book ownership and enthusiastic volunteers.

UtopYA Con is a proud supporter of this organization and looks forward to connecting authors and readers for such a great cause. For more information such as exhibitors, conference tickets, and more, visit utopyacon.com or you can purchase tickets (or save your signing space) here.

Join us on Saturday!

UtopYA Con 2015 Thunderclap for Awards Voting

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm not gonna mess around here. I know you're all busy! Plus, I have a little incentive for your help. I'll get to what in a few. So, with that being said, let's get to the meat of today's post.

UtopYA Con is inviting you to join in helping spread the word about awards voting. This is a big deal because this con is the only one with their own awards program. It's very chic, and everyone gets dressed up in their finery to attend. Trophies are awarded for a number of different categories, all related to young adult and new adult novels. See the whole list and details about how nominees are chosen here.

See last year's winners here.

The most awesome part of all this is: You, the public, get to vote once the nominees are announced! That's right, if you have a favorite author attending the con, you can go on over there and show your support for their novels by voting for them.

But utopYA and the authors need your help to spread the word to fans everywhere! All we're asking is for one tiny support of our Thunderclap campaign Your Voice, Your Vote. It's FREE, so we really just want to borrow one (or more) of your social media outlets for one tiny post on May 8th.

Here's the link to sign up: http://thndr.it/1zgCvSG

You can support with Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr (or all three). Makes no difference.

Want to see if authors you love have been nominated? Be sure and click the link on May 8th when we go boom! Then, if you see a book you loved, vote!

Now, here's the incentive I mentioned. If you support the Thunderclap, and share that you supported, with one of your social networks, you can enter below to win a utopYA 2015 t-shirt. It's easy: Support, share that you supported, copy the link, paste it in the entry form, click enter! Boom! Done!

If you've already supported, just share the Thunderclap and paste in the link where you did. Easy peasy.

You have until May 7th to support and enter! And... GO!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How fun is this? Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

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

Jo

UtopYA Con 2015 Pro Sched User

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! It's time for another utopYA 2015 update! I know you're all super excited. BUT! Even if you're not going to utopYA, you can still figure out how to use Sched if an event you're attending in the future chooses to be green and save a few trees by going digital. Don't be the girl left out of the party. You'll lose out on a chance to join a huge family of like-minded creative people. Ever wanted to walk into a room and know the people there get you? Yeah, that's utopYA. So get your tickets here. Right now. The price goes up at the end of May, so don't dally!

Let's get to the info for today, shall we?

If you've been following along with the official bloggers this month, you'll know most of the ways you can use Sched to your advantage. Let's do a quick recap (links will take you to the corresponding posts):

Here on my blog, you learned how to create and update your profile. We went through connecting your social media and adding a cute profile picture.

When A Book Vacation took over, Shana taught you all how to mark things you'd like to go to, and she showed you a few awesome tips in her video.

Then, we went to The Paisley Reader. Maria walked you through syncing Sched with your phone (or freaking KINDLE)!

Today, we have the Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous, Ashley, walking you through how to change your ticket information and finding your friends!

By the time you get through all the posts above, you should be ready for the conference and have your reminders set so you don't miss a single panel. Have fun!

There won't be printed programs this year! Sched is what you need to learn how to use to get the most out of your experience.

What did you learn from the bloggers this month? Are you all set to go with the app?

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

Author Interview - Mindy Ruiz

Happy Monday, wonderful people of the blogosphere! Today I have a super amazing guest to introduce you all to. Remember back in December when I had the awesome Kindle Fire giveaway going? Well, this lady donated in a big way to that event, so please give her a round of applause. Besides that, she's running a giveaway of epic proportions on the blog while she's my guest. How about a big note of thanks for that? Mindy is an amazing utopYA author, and she's involved in the con by both being an exhibitor and a panelist. If you don't have tickets yet, go get them now. Linky! Since I just saved you many tears from missing out on the fun, smile, grab a cup of coffee, and get comfy for my interview with author Mindy Ruiz.

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Mindy! I’m over the moon to have you here. You’re such an awesome supporter of other Indies, and I’m pleased you’ve agreed to grace us with your presence. You ready?

Mindy: Hell, yes!

Jo: Awesome! Let’s jump right in with both feet. Your series, Game of Hearts, heavily uses elements of Greek mythology. Why did you choose to include that genre, and what can we expect out of the rest of the series?

Mindy: Great question! The whole series came about because Lady GaGa’s song, Poker Face, played right after Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Las Vegas. I loved the idea of exploring the Suits in a deck of cards as if they were living, breathing people. Plus, I’m totally obsessed with anything Royal, so marrying the world of the Cards and Greek mythology was a no-brainer. I needed a back story and a nemesis and who better than to fill those shoes than the man obsessed with everything glittery and gold but King Midas himself.

Bam!

The House of Midas was born. But something was still missing. I needed a cohesive unit that tied the two powers together but still kept them under thumb. The myth of Midas and Dionysus provided the answer: I needed more Greek gods! The gods are the ultimate authority both The House of Midas and the ruling Cards fear and serve. The gods are to the Game of Hearts series what the shark was to Jaws.

In the final book, Cassie and the other Queens (Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs) uncover a devious plan that threatens all of humanities’ freedoms. Shadows and rogue factions play a huge part in the epic conclusion to free the Titans from Tartarus. Cassie has to make the ultimate decision whether to serve as the Queen of the House of Hearts or forget everything and everyone she’s experienced the last three years of her life.

Jo: I'm the biggest geek in the world, and that just made my inner-goddess sing! I can tell you love your novels. You heard it here, folks! Go check out this series! Moving on. How much is your character, Olivia, like you? Do you feel it’s a help or hindrance to be close with a character? Why?

Mindy: I’d like to say Olivia is all me, but not true. I based Olivia’s sass and in-your-face honesty off of a life-long friend, Rochelle Spears. Nothing, no past, no secret, no future prediction fazes Olivia. She’s going to experience life on her terms and be loyal to a freaking fault. Okay, the loyal to a freaking fault might be me.

I think it’s vital that you feel a connection or closeness with your characters because we all can write the paper cutout Disney prince or princess, it’s the complex tortured hero, heroine, and yes, villain, that really tugs at our and our reader’s hearts. I believe exploring those pieces, both the good and the bad, of you and those around you is how you create believable, likable, swoon-worthy characters.


Jo: Awesome picture! Great answer. I get asked all the time if I'm like my characters. I have to admit, they have a trait or two, but mostly they're based on people I know. I agree 100% on the need to be close to them. You must. *smiles* I know you’re a huge advocate of encouraging authors to keep learning. So, tell us, what writerly educational books grace your shelves? Which is your favorite and why?

Mindy: Albert Einstein said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.”

If you think you know it all, then you really know nothing at all. I never want to be the smartest person in a room and luckily, I have yet ever to be. :) That being said, I have way too many writing books on my shelves. My favorites, because they’re totally like kids and I can’t choose one, are:
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. I was a pantser forever, and with C. J. Redwine’s online plotting & world building classes and Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, I’ve cut down on the plot lines I chase down rabbit holes. Painless Grammar by Rebeca Elliott, Ph.D.

Why? I may have daydreamed through all my English classes when they didn’t relate to Literature. Seriously, where was my Grammar Godmother when I needed her?!

Last one, the www.ce.SavvyAuthors.com website because, truly, Liz Pelletier and the crew over there are brilliant geniuses that make the technical side of creative writing easy to understand. One day I will share a chocolate martini with the lady. Maybe even in Las Vegas. *giggles*

Jo: I haven't heard of either of those books. *adds to list* I love that quote; it's so dang true, huh? Sooooo, I hear you aren’t a girly-girl (don’t judge; a little bird told me). So I’d like to know what your perfect date-night outfit and location would be. Why?

Mindy: Buahaha! Your birds are crazy accurate! I’m so not a girly-girl. I was raised with four brothers, have three sons, a nephew who is my fourth son, and seven more nephews to top off my testosterone world of wonder. I would die a slow, GI-Joe death if I didn’t suppress my estrogen. LOL.

Perfect date outfit would be blue jeans, a rockin’ hot top that was comfortable but still screamed ‘oh, yeah, she’s a girl!’ and flip-flops to show off my hot-pink pedicured toes.

Perfect location: I’m a beach girl. Give me salted sea air, waves crashing on the shore, and a bucket of Dungeness crab legs and I’m all yours. The husband threw in peach mojitos and laughed when I bombed him with crab shell shrapnel. It was true love from there on.

Jo: I feed those birds lots and lots of cookies! *wink* Sounds like a fabulous date! I know all about suppressing the estrogen. Ha! Let's not get too far off the question line, because I could talk all day about being a tom boy. You have two books out in the Game of Hearts Series: Enchanted Hearts and Lying, Cheating Hearts. What’s next? Care to share a little snippet of the blurb?

Mindy: The last book in the Game of Hearts series is in the hopper right now.

I’m also working on a paranormal category romance called: Cupid’s Curse. Yep, that’s what I’m going to give to you.

Blurb snippet:
My name is Jack. Oh, don’t let the manly sounding nickname fool you; I’m all girl. From my waist length blonde hair, over every curve of my five-foot-six frame, down to my pedicured toes, I scream female. But when it comes to matters of the heart, well, I’m a bitch.

That’s not my technical title.

Officially, I’m a Cupid. Turns out the god of love, Eros, doesn’t like it when you curse amore. He gets down right bitter when you swear to never be a sucker for the swoon. That one phrase, “I’ll never love again,” with the right amount of fortitude behind it, will land you cursed in Eros’s Cupid Corps.

Yep, I’m totally cursed to play Cupid until I believe in love. If I don’t, well, my heart goes all petrified and I become immortal. Sounds damn good to me.

Ha! Looks like I really do have a thing for Greek gods.

Jo: That sounds fan-freaking-tastic! I can't wait to check it out. You did a marketing thing at UtopYA last year I thought was absolutely brilliant. Tell me about the Enchanted Heart screen cleaners, and how you came up with the idea, please! I still have mine.

Mindy: *big ole toothy grin* OH. MY. GAWD!!!! You have no idea how stinking happy that makes me! I would love to take all the credit for Enchanted Heart screen cleaners, but that fabulous find lies at the feet of my darling husband. Luckily, he is in real estate and is required to attend numerous conferences and conventions. I may sweet talk him into bringing home an extra swag bag. Seriously, I go through their swag bags like I’m discovering buried treasures.

Jo: Yeah, I totally do. People ask me about it all the time. *grin* Now that we’re on the subject of UtopYA, talk to me about the panel you’re on for newbies and introverts. What can people hope to take away from that experience?

Mindy: Confession time: I’m painfully shy and awkward. It took me a long time to shatter the wall-flower vase and really own who I am. Before writing became both my passion and my career, I was in the family business of selling Real Estate. Cold calls and open houses and strangers all around brought me face-to-face with my biggest fear, talking to people. Anyone who knows me knows I hate talking on the phone and the thought of face-to-face tends to break me out in hives. That being said, I knew I could either have my excuse of being shy or I could, full force and despite being shy, put myself out there and chase my dream. It came down to do I want the excuse or do I want the dream. I chose to chase after the dream.

At my first UtopYA conference, where I climbed back into my wall-flower vase, (no, really, sat up in my hotel room with flowered pajamas), my darling friend Megan Curd, kicked me out of the hotel room and told me to find my freaking mojo.

After the conference, I read online that there were so many people who had traveled to UtopYA and had done the exact same thing I did! The overall themes:
I don’t know what to say?
I don’t want to be “that” crazy fan-girl!
And, I’m new and shy.

That was it.

I embraced Janet’s “lift as you climb” mantra and decided to apply what I’d learned successfully practicing real estate and networking at conferences for twenty years to writers and share that knowledge. Megan and I tapped some amazing people who have successfully networked both online and at conferences to help: New York Times Best Selling Author: Rachel Harris, Misty Provencher, and Eva Pohler will be adding their tips and tricks to the panel.

The Newbie and Introvert panel is an interactive session.

You will leave knowing at least three people you didn’t before.

You’ll be armed with three open-ended questions to get your conversations past, “I love your book” and on to more substantial chats with authors and readers you love.

Finally, you’ll leave the panel with a starter toolbox with basic how to’s:
* How to comfortably step out of your comfort zone.
* How to be able to identify when you’re starting to slip back into your wall-flower ways and what to do.
* How to approach an author you love.
* How to spot a fellow wallflower and build your own wacky clump or tribe.

Jo: Oh man. Even seasoned veterans can benefit from that panel! I'm so stealing this (with credit, of course) for something the bloggers have coming. *grin* Rapid-fire question time! White, dark, or milk chocolate?

Mindy: *cue big pimpin’ music*
White Chocolate.
White chocolate Kit-Kats, if I’m totally honest.

Jo: Paper or computer (for writing)?

Mindy: Computer. I’d go through too many erasers and trees if I went the long hand route.

Jo: Up or Down?

Mindy: Up! The ever-eternal optimist says UP!

Jo: Right? Somehow, I knew you'd choose up. *grins* Time travel question! Because the theme of UtopYA 2015 is time travel, I’m asking everyone a themed question. *grins* If you built a time machine, where would you go, what would you do while you were there, and would you tell anyone of your creation? Why/why not?

Mindy: Ooooh. Yikes. The practical girl in me says time travel = bad. But the caution-to-the-wall hellion in me says, Hell, yes! Time Travel? Where be the seatbelts?!

I’d totally go to the past and whack some Eleanor Roosevelt spine into the people-pleasing girl I thought I had to be. I’d tell her she was fine just the way she was and she should totally chase after the story-telling dreams her dad told her were “useless lies.” Now, because I’d messed with the space-time continuum like Marty McFly’d done in Back to the Future, I’d leave my mom a note and picture of my uber hunky husband and tell her not to let me settle for anyone else except this man. One: Mom’s Italian and no matter what moxy I’d gain from my Roosevelt spine whipping I’d still fear the woman. Two: the man is truly the love of my life. He loved me when I was bald, filled with chemo, and begged him to leave. He stayed and fought for us both, and I’m so blessed.

Would I share the technology? Nope! Not even hesitating about that one. Refer back to my Marty McFly Back to the Future reference.

Jo: Okay, can I just say I LOVE that photo? It's awesome! I hope you had fun taking these. Haha! Heck yeah. I love answers that involve going back to your younger self and giving advice! Don't we all wish we could do that? Speaking of road trips, did you ever get to go to Vegas? If yes, what did you see while there? If no, what do you plan to see while there when (notice I didn’t say if) you get to visit?

Mindy: The lady who inspired Olivia moved to Las Vegas a few years ago, so I visit as often as possible. Plus, living in Southern California makes it all too easy to jump a forty-five minute Jet Blue flight to get lost in Sin City.

When I was plotting the Game of Hearts Series, I knew I didn’t want to highlight the typical Las Vegas sites. I wanted to explore the history and the off-the-beaten-tourist traps of the desert oasis. The catacombs were based on an article my girlfriend sent me about Las Vegas’s Homeless living in the underground sewers after the 2007 financial crash. The Neon Graveyard (they call it a boneyard) where we first meet Isaac actually exists. I HIGHLY recommend taking the tour. Freemont Street and the digital canopy, for realz. Umm, OOOH, the water preserve where A. J. introduces Cassie to the forgotten and the declaration stones, they’re for real. The quote from John F. Kennedy carved in the side of a boulder, totally in the water preserve. I’m still ninety percent certain he really was from the House of Hearts. ;)

Jo: I read a book recently called The Underground that was about the people living under Seattle after the city's destruction. Awesome story. I'll have to check out the spots you've suggested if I ever make it back to Vegas. I'm totally psyched you and Tia live in the same state. All I can say is: expect coffee in the future! *winks* I adore anything outside the box. Anything you’d like to throw out there that I didn’t already ask?

Mindy: Ummm, I wish I could say something really prolific, but … nope! I’m all good. Oh, wait! If you see me at UtopYA, Penned Con, Indie Bookfest in Orlando, or Great Lake Book Bash, please don’t hesitate to come up and squeeze me. I tend to walk around in a haze of “holy shiz! I can’t believe I’m here.” Enhance my experience and say Hi, Mindy. Send me over the moon and tell me you love my books or make my millennium and leave me a fun review.

Jo, thanks so much for having me. I just adore you and your readers and can’t wait to have a peach mojito with ya!

Jo: I do hope to see you this year. It's so crazy, I'm surprised I saw my table mate last year. HA! I've never had a peach mojito, but I'm totally blushing at your compliment. Thank you. Sorry to take up so much of your time! I appreciate you being here. I really enjoyed researching you for this interview. You sound a lot like me (low-maintenance, has many sons—I have four, and I’m someone who just adores books), and I can’t wait to see you at the conference! Not long now!

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

Title: Enchanted Heart
Author: Mindy Ruiz
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Length (print): 322 pages.
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $0.99 US and UK  ~  Smashwords $0.99  ~  iBooks $0.99 US and UK  ~  B&N $0.99 US and UK


Blurb:
Cassandra Vera never ever broke the rules.

Ever!

She’s also had a nonexistent social life since her best friend moved to Vegas. Armed with a new set of resolutions, the promise of a hot date, and her adoptive parents out of town, seventeen-year-old Cassandra agrees to a road trip, which is the perfect way to celebrate her birthday and ring in the New Year. After all, she’s headed to Vegas, the city where secrets are meant to stay hidden. Little does Cassandra know her past is buried there as well.

Cloaked in the shadows of the glitz and gaudy lights of Vegas lies a power struggle centuries old. One wrong step and Cassandra could destroy the delicate web of secrets. Now an enemy she never knew existed is after her, and the one boy who may be the missing piece to the puzzle — and her heart— is the one person she can’t afford to trust.

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

Pinterest: Mindy Ruiz Books
Instagram: Mindy Ruiz
Google +: Mindy Ruiz Books
Facebook: Mindy Ruiz Books
Street Team: Heart Breakers 4 Ever
Twitter: @MindyRuiz
Goodreads: Mindy Ruiz
Website: MindyRuiz.com
Amazon Author Page: Mindy Ruiz
LinkedIN: Mindy Ruiz
Tsu: Mindy Ruiz

Time for the Rafflecopter giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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

Jo

Featured Author - Natasha Hanova - Publication Spotlight

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, as every Monday, I'm bringing you information about an author. This time, it's Ms. Natasha Hanova! If you missed my interview with Natasha, you can check it out here. She's giving away a copy of the book below in paperback and a $10 Amazon gift card, but you gotta go to the interview to enter! Get your clicking fingers ready and let's get going!

Title: Edge of Truth
Author: Natasha Hanova
Genre: YA Dystopian/Paranormal
Length (print): 302 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~ Amazon Paperback $9.99 or FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Synopsis:
Citizens who report to work on time, obey the Overlord’s laws, and stay off the Synbot’s radar, live long lives. Long, dull, monotonous lives.

It’s not a bad plan for someone with a hidden, emotion-based ability to trigger earthquakes. In a world pitted against her, sixteen-year-old Rena Moon strives for a life beyond working herself to death at the factory. Seeing an alternative, she risks selling relics from the forbidden lands at Market. It becomes the worst decision she ever made. Someone kidnaps her best friend in exchange for the one thing that would end her oppression.

Driven by loyalty, Rena and seventeen-year-old Nevan Jelani, soulful composer, green thumb extraordinaire, and the secret love of her life, plot to rescue her friend and reclaim her salvage. Still, the thought lingers whether Nevan is a true hero or another thief waiting for his chance at her loot. Events spin wildly, deepening Rena’s suspicions and pushing her limit of control. With more than her chance for freedom at stake, she must decide if she’s willing to kill to protect what’s precious to her. For once, the Overlord isn’t holding all the power, but can Rena live with being reduced to what she’s trying so hard to escape?

Yes, she only has one book out right now, but another one is coming VERY soon!

What are you waiting for? Go check it out.

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

Jo

UtopYA Sched App - Signing in and Profile Updates - Official utopYA 2015 Post

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm here to talk to all you utopYAns about the Sched App. I'll walk you through signing in and updating your profile. This month is all about that app, and the official utopYA bloggers are gonna show you how you can use it to your advantage. If you still need tickets to the con, you can get them here.

Here's the lineup:
Today: How to sign up/sign in and update your profile
A Book Vacation: Adding events and panels to your schedule
Paisley Reader: How to integrate the schedule app with your calendar on your phone
Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous: How to buy or adjust tickets bought and add friends to your list

First of all, you need to find the app. Click here. You'll get a screen that looks like this:

As you can see, in the top, right hand corner, there's a place that says sign up or log in.

Before you go all click-crazy, let me give you a little tip. If you have a ticket, you got an e-mail about this app and were auto-added. Be sure and use that e-mail address to log in. Even better, if you can locate the e-mail, click through from there.

Let's continue.

Once you log in, you'll see a screen like this:

Shana will go into how to add stuff there next week. We don't want that screen, we want to click on this button and choose settings:

Now scroll down and you'll see this:

Fill it out!

Once you're done and you've added your pic and details, click save.

Boom! You're done!

As we move through the weeks of April, you'll learn all there is to know about this nifty little app, including how to sync it to your calendar so you can get reminders for panels or activities you want to take part in.

What do you think? An awesome way to save paper, huh?

Have you used the app? Tell me about your experiences.

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

Jo

Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous - utopYA Con Friday Night Event and Saturday Signing

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow, what a busy couple of days it's been, huh? I totally missed my post yesterday. BOO! But today's will make up for it, I promise. *grin* As always, on Friday, you get some amazing information about utopYA Con 2015. This week it's from Book Junkie: Not so Anonymous. Our dear Ashley has a BIG giveaway of Saturday signing space! I know you're all excited, so let's get going!

From Book Junkie:

Alright, ladies and gentleman! Every time I get to put together one of my official posts, with more information about the conference (which is only EIGHTY-THREE DAYS from now!) I get more and more excited about this year's events! And today, I get to share with you some REALLY exciting information!

First up is an awesome, exclusive opportunity for 225 utopYA attendees...

See the rest here!

Yeah, you know you want to read more of THAT! What are you waiting for? Oh, right! You wanna know how to win.

Well, you have to collect all four parts of the entry phrase then enter them in the Rafflecopter form. But you have to visit all the bloggers' official posts to get the pieces.

Here they are (in order):
Jo Michaels Blog - C. J. Redwine interview
A Book Vacation - Victoria Faye Whit & Ware interview
Paisley Reader - How to create a Google pre-order form
Book Junkie - Special Friday night event and Saturday signing

Now, what are you waiting for? Getcher booty movin'!

Did you enter to win?

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

Jo

utopYA 2015 Experience - Write Your own Future

Have you got a story in your heart simply bursting to be told? Or characters in your head who never stop whispering their secrets? Maybe you're a devoted reader who wants to tell the world about your favorite books. No matter your goals, UtopYA will envelop you with open arms as well as inspire you beyond belief! The book conference brings female writers of contemporary and supernatural YA and NA fiction together with their fans. Book lovers from far and wide, including authors and readers as far away as the UK, Scotland, and South Africa. This year’s expected attendance of 700-1,000 will be its highest ever.

Those who are interested in a thriving book community will enjoy panels and camaraderie. Readers will not only meet some of their favorite authors (and even do karaoke with them!), but they'll attend educational panels to learn about honing their craft. Whether it's writing or editing a book, designing covers, developing marketing strategies, blogging - they've got a panel for that and more!

Keynote speakers Denise Grover Swank, Lauren Miller and Kim Holden will kick off each day followed by educational panels, games, screenings and more. These panels contain expert advice to aspiring authors and book bloggers, plus open discussion for audience participation. Over 100 exhibitors will showcase their work and meet readers; a B&N and indie bookstore are also on site. In addition to the cosplay karaoke on Friday night, the highly anticipated UtopYA Awards will take place Saturday evening, where nominees are honored thanks to their peers and fans. We'll get dressed up and dance the night away as we fangirl over our favorite book boyfriends ;)

In addition, there is a book signing on Saturday that is open to the public - all UtopYA asks is a book donation or $5 to their charity, Book 'Em. In return, you'll meet bestselling authors, plus a chance to discover plenty of new ones! More than a few women have called this event a life-changing experience! The event is already at 75% capacity, so get your tickets here or hurry over for more information at www.utopyacon.com

Want to know who will be there? Here’s a PARTIAL list of authors, experts, models, and vendors who are ready to meet YOU:

Denise Grover Swank • Kim Holden • Lauren Miller • Marissa Meyer • Myra McEntire • Tammara Webber • Rebecca Donovan • Amy A. Bartol • Jessica Sorensen • Ella James • Cameo Renae • Elizabeth Kirke • Amanda Jones • T.A. Kunz • Chelsea Fine • Whit & Ware • Mae I Design • Indie-Visible • Teal Haviland • Kristie Cook • Clean Teen Publishing • CHBB • Timid Monster • Tia Bach and Indie Books Gone Wild • The Paisley Reader • Delphina Henley • Shana Benedict • Book Junkie Not So Anonymous • Michele Madow • Courtney Stevens • C.J. Redwine • #NALitChat • Chanda Hahn • RK Ryals • A.M. Hargrove • B.J. Sheldon • Cambria Hebert • Tessi Conquest • Nathan Weller • Kendra Malcolm • Madison Daniel • Mindy Ruiz • Bryna Butler • Curiosity Quills • P.K. Hrezo • Rysa Walker • Mary Ting • Bella Roccaforte • Raine Thomas • The Rebel Writers • Michele G. Miller • Raye Wagner • Heather Hildenbrand • S.M. Boyce • Rebecca Yarros • Rachel Harris • Tammy Blackwell • Plot Ninja • Helene Dunbar • Lila Felix • Lizzy Ford • A.G. Henley • Toni Lesatz • Nikki Jefford • Katie McGarry • Stormy Smith • Amy Miles • Rick Miles • Jon Miller • Misty Provencher • Kallie Ross • Stacie Wilson • Morgan Wylie and so many more.

Check the web site for full list of authors, exhibitors, panelists and more!

Now if that didn't get you all abuzz, I don't know what will! Get your tickets!

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

Jo

Author Interview - Inger Iversen

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! My guest today will knock your socks off. She's the one and only Inger Iversen! I'm super thrilled to have this lovely utopYAn for a visit. You can meet Inger at the con, but you have to get your tickets. It's not too late! UtopYA has been expanded to a four day con this year, with a full Saturday signing. Dates are June 17-21, 2015. Get your tickets here. You don't wanna be the only one left out of the party, do you? Anyway, grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Inger! I’m so excited to have you here and have so much to ask you! Here’s hoping we don’t get too lengthy! You ready?

Inger: I am super ready!

Jo: Awesome. Let’s get this party started! So, I know you must have music on while you’re writing (kudos to you for being able to do that, first of all), and I have to know: What does it do for your creativity? How do you think it’s shaped your books?

Inger: When I first started writing I noticed there would be times when my creativity would lag or I just wasn’t in the mood to write a scene that really needed to be written. When I was writing Few Are Angels there was a scene between Kale and Ella that needed them to connect on a more emotional level, but I was just NOT in the mood to write a romantic scene (totally PG-13). So, I put up the laptop and threw on some headphones. I listened to Lili Hayden’s Come Here. It is super romantic and BOOM the emotions and creativity I needed was there in spades! And from then on out I used music as a muse.


Jo: Great track! I can see music as a mood setter/muse. That's a great story, and hopefully it'll help someone if they're stuck. Thanks for sharing! I know you do a lot with audiobooks. Would you mind sharing a little? What avenue did you use, what are some of the struggles you’ve faced with narrators, and do you market the audiobooks differently than the e-books or paperbacks?

Inger: This is a great question and it seems a lot of authors are now curious about it! I used ACX or Audiobook Creation Exchange. ACX is an Amazon platform used to create Audiobooks for iTunes, Amazon and Audible. The first step is making sure you have the audio rights and then you add your information to the site. On ACX you are trying to snag a producer to narrative your novel into audio. That being said, there are a few struggles I faced while working to get my novel turned into an audiobook. Here were my main two issues.

1. Cost. You can pay two ways: PFH (you pay a set amount per finished hour) or royalty share (split your earnings). All of the narrators that I fell in love with had high PFH. One told me her starting rate was $375 and my book was 8 hours long. That would have cost me $3,000!! So, it took me a while to find a narrator that I was happy with that would agree to share royalties with me.

2. Time. It takes about 60 to 90 days with some narrators and it seemed all the narrators I hired needed between 60 and 70, that wasn’t too bad. However, if took the narrators of Few Are Angels nearly seven months due to issues with her equipment.

Jo: Wow. That's amazing information. $375 PFH? Holy... *recovers* Talk about an investment, huh? So, you do a TON of author events each year. Where will you be over the next twelve months? How have those events helped you in your career? Is there one you love more than the others? Why?

Inger: I do seem to attend a lot of events! I really enjoy them. I honestly think that attending events helped my career. They are helpful even if you don’t sell out of books. As an author it is important to interact with your fans as well as other authors. Doing so helps you feel good about the indie community and helps keep you motivated to read and write more. And YES UtopYa is and will always be my favorite event. UtopYa is the first event I ever attended and I learned so much. I met authors who have become my best friends online and offline. The event changed my career for the better after I attended a few of the classes, too. Meeting Cameo Renae, Christy Foster, and Dan and Rachel from Timid Monster was amazing. All because of this event I had a trailer created and made lifelong friendships.

Jo: I agree 100%. I so wish I'd seen you last year, but there were so many people there, it was hard to meet everyone you wanted to. I'm hunting you down this year. *grin* You’re a voracious reader in addition to being a writer. Do you write in the same genres you read in? Which author do you feel has impacted your career in the biggest way? Why?

Inger: I don’t get to read nearly as much as I used to and that’s a shame. Oddly enough, I write New Adult Romances, but I don’t read New Adult stuff that often. I read a lot of contemporary romance and I hold true to my paranormal romance. I will never in this lifetime or the next tired of reading about vampires!

Jo: I know the feeling. Paranormal, eh? Great genre! Time for rapid fire questions! Cats or dogs?

Inger: Cats!

Jo: Pink or Blue?

Inger: Blue!

Jo: JFK or Reagan?

Inger: JFK


Jo: Now I’m gonna ask the time travel question! Because utopYA 2015’s theme is time travel, I’ve been asking folks random questions focused on that. Here we go: If you could go backward in time and talk to your younger self (without them knowing who you are), what would you say, and what impact do you think it would have on the way your life is now?

Inger: Wow, great question. I would tell myself to stop second-guessing my choices and never live with regrets of things you cannot change. I’ve spent a good portion on my life regretting time not spent with family I’ve lost or second-guessing every choice I make.

Jo: Thanks for the compliment! Wonderful advice for many. I heard you were looking for an author assistant/publicist not too long ago. Did you ever find one? What all do you need them to do? Basically, I’m trying to show folks what all an Indie author has to do besides write and why we need assistants haha!

Inger: No, I never found one. I don’t know if people understand the amount of work that goes into writing, publishing, and then promoting a book all while working fulltime or raising kids. I think a good assistant would be an active leader on the author’s street team, willing to post in groups, help host release parties. It doesn’t seem like much, but authors could produce more books if they weren’t constantly online gathering new readers. I know we have to be online promoting ourselves, but it is a lot of work to juggle. A little help never hurt anyone!

Jo: I don't think readers know, and I wonder if they'll ever care. Most don't seem to realize we aren't J. K. Rowling and don't make billions off our books to support our writing full time. haha! I noticed a little disclaimer on your Goodreads page concerning librarians and changes to your novels. I gotta know what prompted that and if the note has done any good.

Inger: Ugh! I don’t understand Goodreads. I can’t become a librarian because I am an author, but I constantly have to change incorrect information on there about my books. Luckily, I have Stephanie who is a librarian who updates and adds my books to the site. I haven’t checked Goodreads lately, but last time I checked my release date was right and the synopsis wasn’t wrong. I’ve had that happen twice now.

Jo: Oh my. Well, I'm hoping they worked out the kinks in the system. Librarians rock! *grin* What are you working on right now, and when can we expect to see it hit the market?

Inger: Right now I am writing the last book in the Few Are Angels series and that is due out June 17th. After I finish that I start working on a short for Hot Ink Press. The story for HIP is a short that follows Teal and Trent’s from my newest release, Inevitable. I am also working with Dan from Timid Monster and Regina Wamba from Mae I Design on a little project for Incarcerated! I can’t wait to see what we all come up with.

Jo: EEP! So it's a utopYA release, eh? That's so exciting! I can't wait to see what you all come up with either. How cool! Is there anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had?

Inger: Hmm… I think I want to send a shout out to my awesome readers. Thanks for being so supportive. You guys rock. :D

Jo: Fans are lifeblood! Great exit, Inger! That’s all the space we have for today. Thanks for visiting with me! You rock! I can’t wait to meet you at utopYA in June!

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

Title: Incarcerated
Author: Inger Iversen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length (print): 342 pages
Buy links: Amazon Kindle 2.99

Synopsis: One of the few white kids in a rural Kentucky town, Logan Whyte always kept to his own kind out of self-preservation. He never considered himself racist, but that didn’t stop him from falling in with the wrong crowd—who celebrated hate as much as he fought it—or from ending up in prison for eight years on an armed robbery charge.

A successful, educated black woman, Katie Andreassen was tired of being accused of betraying her own race. Her lonely isolation, coupled with her grief over losing her mother, inspire her to create a new pen pal program at Capshaw State Penitentiary, where her father is a warden.

The program brings the unlikely pair together, but Logan and Katie soon find themselves forced to overcome past fears and prejudices. Their friendship doesn’t come easily … threatened by a crooked lawyer with a grudge and a best friend who betrays her promise to help.

When faced with a world that forces them apart, Logan and Katie must show everyone else what they have discovered: that love is, in fact, colorblind.

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

Pinterest: kris10inger
Blog: ingeriversen.com
Google +: Inger Iversen
Facebook: Inger Iversen
Twitter: @KRIS10INGER
Goodreads: Inger Iversen
Website: IngerIversen.com
Amazon Author Page: Inger Iversen

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

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

Jo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Phrase part one: Learn how to

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Workshop Website
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Website
Amazon author page
Tumblr Blog

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

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


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

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

Jo

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

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

From Book Junkie:

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

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

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

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

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

What's the prize? Well...

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

Denise Grover Swank, Kim Holden, and Lauren Miller

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

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

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

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

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

Jo