12 Days of Review Requests - Day Seven

Happy Sunday, everyone! Ready to do more book pitching? Welcome back to the 12 Days of Review Requests event! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous days and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

***Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
***Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
***Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99
In Dreams - Heather Mullins - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Indelible - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
They Called It Moosicide: A Denali Hawthorne Alaska Mystery - Lisa Hall Deckert - Amazon Kindle $2.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Rabbit Ate My Homework - Rachel Elizabeth Cole - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Sir Lyle's Dig - Sheldon Lefkowitz - Amazon Kindle $6.99
Warrior Lore: Scandinavian Ballads - Ian Cumpstey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Damsel Not - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.95
Tempted - Brenda Tetreault - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Christmas Come Early - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Crime of Seduction - Nadine LaForet - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Be Careful, It's My Heart - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Roots Entwine - Victoria Bastedo - Amazon Kindle $5.99
The Sextape: A Dedication to the Ladies - Peprah Boasiako - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Living on the Knife's Edge - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Nissa: a contemporary fairy tale - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Unknown Sun - Cheryl Mackey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Refuge - Violet Haze - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Angels Dawn - Komali DaSilva - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Recalculating Route - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Desprite Measures-The Caledonian Sprite - Deborah Jay - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Watcher's Keep - Timothy Bond - Amazon Kindle $7.99
Fearsome Creatures - David B. Ross - Amazon Kindle $1.99
Aftermath - Sandy Goldsworthy - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Kindling Flames-Gathering Tinder - Julie Wetzel - Amazon Kindle FREE
When Love Comes - J. H. Croix - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sugar Baby Lies - C. S. Janey - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Dawn of Steam: First Light - Jeffrey Cook - Amazon Kindle $2.99

Congratulations to Kristina! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

Congratulations also to Jennifer! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put the LINK to your book in the Rafflecopter form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

AUTHOR ONLY entries will be removed from Rafflecopter before a winner is chosen. If you want a shot at winning the prizes, put BOTH in the box asking how you're entering.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!
Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


EEP! Today, you have the chance to win stuff donated by Susan Burdorf and Aspen Drake!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy pitching!

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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day Six

Happy Saturday, everyone! What a crazy week it's been. Are you all having fun yet? Welcome back to the 12 Days of Review Requests event! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous days and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

***Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99
In Dreams - Heather Mullins - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Indelible - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
They Called It Moosicide: A Denali Hawthorne Alaska Mystery - Lisa Hall Deckert - Amazon Kindle $2.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Rabbit Ate My Homework - Rachel Elizabeth Cole - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Sir Lyle's Dig - Sheldon Lefkowitz - Amazon Kindle $6.99
Warrior Lore: Scandinavian Ballads - Ian Cumpstey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Damsel Not - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.95
Tempted - Brenda Tetreault - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Christmas Come Early - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Crime of Seduction - Nadine LaForet - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Be Careful, It's My Heart - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Roots Entwine - Victoria Bastedo - Amazon Kindle $5.99
The Sextape: A Dedication to the Ladies - Peprah Boasiako - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Living on the Knife's Edge - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Nissa: a contemporary fairy tale - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Unknown Sun - Cheryl Mackey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Refuge - Violet Haze - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Angels Dawn - Komali DaSilva - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Recalculating Route - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Desprite Measures-The Caledonian Sprite - Deborah Jay - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Watcher's Keep - Timothy Bond - Amazon Kindle $7.99
Fearsome Creatures - David B. Ross - Amazon Kindle $1.99

Congratulations to R. M.! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

Congratulations also to S. Lee! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put the LINK to your book in the Rafflecopter form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

AUTHOR ONLY entries will be removed from Rafflecopter before a winner is chosen. If you want a shot at winning the prizes, put BOTH in the box asking how you're entering.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.
If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from Friday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Up for grabs today are prizes from Tia Silverthorne Bach and IBGW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let's get back into the pitching! Throw me a fast ball. I'm totally ready.

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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day Five

Happy Friday! Welcome back to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

Today, I invite you all to join the Facebook party for the upcoming release of Fractured Glass. We're giving away a $100.00 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky person and lots of books, swag, and other goodies the day of the event. Join in the fun here. Feel free to invite your friends.

Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

***Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
***8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99
In Dreams - Heather Mullins - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Indelible - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
They Called It Moosicide: A Denali Hawthorne Alaska Mystery - Lisa Hall Deckert - Amazon Kindle $2.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Rabbit Ate My Homework - Rachel Elizabeth Cole - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Sir Lyle's Dig - Sheldon Lefkowitz - Amazon Kindle $6.99
Warrior Lore: Scandinavian Ballads - Ian Cumpstey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99
Damsel Not - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.95
Tempted - Brenda Tetreault - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Christmas Come Early - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Crime of Seduction - Nadine LaForet - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Be Careful, It's My Heart - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Roots Entwine - Victoria Bastedo - Amazon Kindle $5.99
The Sextape: A Dedication to the Ladies - Peprah Boasiako - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Living on the Knife's Edge - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Nissa: a contemporary fairy tale - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Unknown Sun - Cheryl Mackey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Refuge - Violet Haze - Amazon Kindle $0.99

Congratulations to Bethany! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

If you pitched and your book isn't in the list, you didn't put the link in the Rafflecopter form. Ergo, it wasn't added.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put the LINK to your book in the Rafflecopter form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

AUTHOR ONLY entries will be removed from Rafflecopter before a winner is chosen. If you want a shot at winning the prizes, put BOTH in the box asking how you're entering.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, prizes from the fabulous Elizabeth Sharp and myself!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!


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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day Four

Happy Thursday, everyone! Welcome back to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

 Before we get to the pitch list today, I'm gonna give you all a look at my 5 and 4 star reads from last year:

5 STARS
The Bestiarum Vocabulum
Chasing Shadows
Crewel
Falling for Autumn
happenstance
Iron Pendulum
Sanctuary
Sir Edric's Temple
Tbinkerknese 101
Unhinged

Not only were these phenomenal reads, they were also eligible for my giveaways during the year (these are random) for receiving 5 stars.

4 STARS
The Druid's Doorway
The Fly House
Illusions Begin
Magic Unfolds
Keepers of Arden
The Last Keeper's Daughter
Masked Encounters
Reap
Resist
Surrender to You
The Memory Witch
The Five Elements

Please, by all means, check them out. You won't be sorry! Let's get on to the pitch list, shall we?

Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

***Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99In Dreams - Heather Mullins - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Indelible - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
They Called It Moosicide: A Denali Hawthorne Alaska Mystery - Lisa Hall Deckert - Amazon Kindle $2.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Rabbit Ate My Homework - Rachel Elizabeth Cole - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Sir Lyle's Dig - Sheldon Lefkowitz - Amazon Kindle $6.99
Warrior Lore: Scandinavian Ballads - Ian Cumpstey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99Damsel Not - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.95
Tempted - Brenda Tetreault - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Christmas Come Early - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Crime of Seduction - Nadine LaForet - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Be Careful, It's My Heart - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Roots Entwine - Victoria Bastedo - Amazon Kindle $5.99
The Sextape: A Dedication to the Ladies - Peprah Boasiako - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Living on the Knife's Edge - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $0.99

Congratulations to Stormy! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook. 

PITCH your book in the comments. Put the LINK to your book in the Rafflecopter form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

AUTHOR ONLY entries will be removed from Rafflecopter before a winner is chosen. If you want a shot at winning the prizes, put BOTH in the box asking how you're entering.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, you have the chance to win prizes donated by Mindy Ruiz and Starla Huchton!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! I'm looking forward to more pitches today. Hope you're all having fun!

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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day Three

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD7 (yeah, we got upgraded!). Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

I'm going to take a moment to remind everyone of my RULES (this is the last warning):

1. There's a place on each Rafflecopter entry form where you need to put the link to your book on Amazon. Do it. I export them as excel documents and go to the links from there.
2. Your pitch goes in the comments. Moderation will be turned off during this event. No ugly captchas, either. If you aren't nice, I reserve the right to delete your stuff. DO NOT put your link in with your pitch. I'll remove the entire thing.
3. **NO affiliate links and do not shorten your links.** I understand the need to make a buck, but really? I'll remove them.
4. I announce one review winner per day. You may pitch more than one book to me.
5. DO NOT review my books. Please. Feel free to read and love them, but if I'm reviewing yours, don't review mine. I'm not a swapper *grin*
6. Comments will be closed at 8am for the previous day's post. This is when a new post will go up. If you can't comment, you're on the wrong post.
7. BE NICE. Don't goad, harass, or annoy the other authors pitching their books (or myself).
8. DO feel free to buy some of the books and read/review them. We're all in this together. It's a party, guys!

Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99In Dreams - Heather Mullins - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Indelible - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
They Called It Moosicide: A Denali Hawthorne Alaska Mystery - Lisa Hall Deckert - Amazon Kindle $2.99
At One's Beast - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $2.99
To Get Me to You - Kait Nolan - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Rabbit Ate My Homework - Rachel Elizabeth Cole - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Unseen - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Sticks and Stones - Shawn McGuire - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Sir Lyle's Dig - Sheldon Lefkowitz - Amazon Kindle $6.99
Warrior Lore: Scandinavian Ballads - Ian Cumpstey - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Good Luck With That Thing You're Doing: One Woman's Adventures in Dating, Plumbing and Other Full Contact Sports - Karen Yankosky - Amazon Kindle $2.99
The Heart Thief - S. Lee Benedict - Amazon Kindle $4.99


Congratulations to Sherry! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

Today, I'm giving you my 2014 Review Video as a bonus! Great music *grin*

PITCH your book in the comments. Put the LINK to your book in the Rafflecopter form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

AUTHOR ONLY entries will be removed from Rafflecopter before a winner is chosen. If you want a shot at winning the prizes, put BOTH in the box asking how you're entering.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Your prizes for today are from the fabulous N. L. Greene and me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Throw me a pitch!

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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day Two

Happy Tuesday and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! If you missed the opening post, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

I had a little snafu with Rafflecotper (wouldn't export the excel) so if you put a link to a sample yesterday, please send to me via PM either on Facebook or Goodreads. SORRY!

 Books marked with an astrisks and in BOLD are winners.
(That doesn't mean your book wasn't chosen, only that it wasn't chosen today)

Bound by Duty - Stormy Smith - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Shadows on Snow (A Flipped Fairy Tale) - Starla Hutchon - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Dry Stories - Kate Baggot - Amazon Kindle $3.56
From the Wreckage - Michelle G. Miller - Amazon Kindle FREE
An Unlikely Goddess - Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The House at Zaronza - Vanessa Couchman - Amazon Kindle $2.99
8 Weeks - Bethany Lopez - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Click. Date. Repeat. - K. J. Farnham - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Kinetic: Book One of the Kinetic Trilogy - C. M. Zimmer - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Six Months to Get a Life - Ben Adams - Grab a sample on Drive here!
Family Planning (Choices Book 3) - Beth Carpenter - Amazon Kindle $0.99
***The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge - Christine Nolfi - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Release Club 1 - Misty Provencher - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Moonlight - David Rose - Amazon Kindle $1.69
View from the Sixth Floor: An Oswald Tale - Elizabeth Horton-Newton - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Facade: A Vampire Love Story - R. M. Webb - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The ABCs of Dinkology: Life - A. E. Stueve - Amazon Paperback $8.91
Of Mice and Money - Winifred Morris - Amazon Kindle $0.99
The Cure - Stephanie Erickson - Amazon Kindle $2.51
Siren - Jennifer Melzer - Amazon Kindle (Pre-order) $3.99 Grab a sample on Drive!
Ataxia and the Ravine of Lost Dreams - Rachel Barnard - Amazon Kindle $0.99
Queen of Someday - Sherry Ficklin - Amazon Kindle $5.99
Fragile Creatures - Kristina Circelli - Amazon Kindle $2.99
Pariah - Casey L. Bond - Amazon Kindle $3.99
Destiny Finds Her - Miranda Lynn - Amazon Kindle $2.99

Congratulations to Christine Nolfi! Your book has been tweeted, shared on Pinterest, added to my Goodreads TBR for the event, and shared on Facebook.

PITCH your book in the comments. Put your LINK in the Rafflecopter entry form. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

Please specify if you're entering as an author, a reader, or both. Author only entries will be removed before a winner is chosen.

IF you have a pre-order, please upload a SAMPLE to Google Drive and give people with the link permission to view. Put that link in the Rafflecopter form.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

Now it's time to announce the winners from yesterday's giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today, we have a prize pack from Kristie Cook and a book from me! Be sure to thank Kristie for her donation to this event!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I look forward to your pitches today!

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

Jo

12 Days of Review Requests - Day One

Happy Monday, and welcome to the 12 Days of Review Requests fun here on the Jo Michaels blog! We're gonna kick off this event in style. If you missed the opening post from yesterday, be SURE and check it out here. It has the Rafflecopter entry form for the Kindle HD6. Each day, I'll post links to all the books pitched the previous day and a short recap of what I'm looking for you to put in the comments. Then, I'll have the Rafflecopter winner from the previous day, and the entry form for the current one along with the prizes. Let's get going!

BOOKS PITCHED WILL GO HERE.

For your comment (in the comments below NOT in the rafflecopter), pitch your book. Tell me why you think I'll like it, why I should check it out, and a little about the story. DO NOT give me a synopsis. I can get that from Amazon. Make it personal or make it funny. I care not. I'll be grabbing a sample of every book pitched and go from there.

I strongly encourage you to check out the works of your fellow Indie authors. Chat in the comments, talk each other up, make friends!

Book reviewers! You're welcome to play along, too! Meet and greet authors. Get new books to read and review. It only works if we all work together.

If you haven't joined my 2015 Review Team, do that here. 

**Kindly remember, there's no guarantee your book will be reviewed by me. You will get a purchase if your sample interests me, and I'll try my best to read it. But if I find I can't give it more than 2 stars, I won't write the review. I've had a few I couldn't finish and it led to me not giving a review.**

RAFFLECOPTER FROM PREVIOUS DAY WILL APPEAR HERE WITH WINNERS

Now, up for grabs on day one is a HUGE prize pack of books from author Liz C. Long, and Toni Lesatz. Be sure and thank these generous ladies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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

Jo

Kindle Scout - The Contract

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I know I missed my post yesterday. Don't judge. *sticks out tongue* But, I promise to more than make up for it today. How? Well, I'm gonna break down the Kindle Scout contract for you all. I have no pony in this show, so this is literally going to be a breakdown of legalese (I provided links to sources). Well informed is always the way to be! Okay, grab a cup of coffee because this post is gonna be long. Let's get going!

*****DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY! AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ANYTHING YOU'RE SIGNING, CONSULT A LICENSED LAWYER*****

This is a layman interpretation of the contract.

First off, you can find the agreement here.

Go read it before you begin.

Now, this contract (because that's what it is and why you have to be 18+) has two parts: Submission and Publishing Terms. I'll break it down by section. Items in bold are ones to pay close attention to (I'll explain at the end). Remember, everything in the Publishing Terms section goes into effect the day your work is selected. Any time referenced is measured by that date.

Let's start with Submission.

1 - ELIGIBILITY - ACCOUNT

• 1.1 - This is all about saying you're 18 or up, have all copyrights, and are able to enter into a legally binding contract.
• 1.2 - You have an Amazon account and are yourself (not using someone else's ID).

2 - SUBMISSION AND REVIEW - Your materials will be referred to as "Submission Materials" this term includes: Manuscript, Cover Art, Your Name, Bio, and anything else you submit. It can't have been for sale previously. They can reject you for no reason.
3 - EXCLUSIVITY PERIOD - They own all of the above for no less than 45 days. If you're selected, the second part of the contract becomes effective immediately (no signing required) upon notification.
4 - YOUR SUBMISSION - Your work is theirs to do with as they please concerning sharing (not changes). You may offer excerpts for free on blogs and such, but can't sell any part of your work. If you want your work removed after (and weren't chosen), you must submit the request in writing.

Now, on to Publishing Terms.

5 - RIGHTS - All of the company and their affiliates have rights to your work that you can't break out of (that's what irrevocable means). They may shorten the work, edit the work, or add your work to a collection of other works at their choosing. This does not (according to section 7, allow them to perform edits without your permission).
6 - REVERSION - (broken down into 6 sections)

• 6.1 - These terms auto-renew every five years (from selection date) that you don't make at least 25k (that's at least 5k per year). You can request your rights back in writing if you don't make that amount.
• 6.2 - You may request, in writing, to get your rights back under the following circumstances:
• 6.2.1 - Your work was not made available for sale within six months.
• 6.2.2 - If you don't make at least $500 in the second 12 months of the first two years.
• 6.2.3 - If the audio version hasn't been made available within 2 years.
• 6.2.4 - If the work isn't available in a specific language (outlined in the contract), you can have the rights to the work in that language back (remember, this must be done in writing).
• 6.3 - Any reversion (getting your book back) will depend on who else has rights (they get to keep those rights if the agreement was made before you get your book back). All shares those entities were entitled to stay in place. If you get your book back via one of the stipulations above, you get to keep your advance ($1500 is paid to you when you're selected).

7 -  PUBLICATION - You have 30 days to make revisions. If you don't turn in revisions, they have the right to use the original submission. They won't make material changes without your permission.
8 - ADVANCE, PRICING, ROYALTIES, PAYMENT

• 8.1 - Your $1500 advance is paid within 30 days of the date they get your final work and payee info, and is considered a royalty payout. This means the first $1500 your book makes goes back to the publisher.
• 8.2 - They set the price of the work, and own all customer data.
• 8.3 - They'll pay you royalties as follows (Net Revenue means how much they actually make from each sale and does not include promotional copies, samples, or excerpts, and subtracts delivery costs, returns, and taxes):

EBook = 50% of net revenue

Audio = 25% of net revenue

Translated EBook = 20% of net revenue

• 8.4 - 75% of net revenue on sub-licensed translated versions (less above subtractions and fees), 50% of all other sub-licensed sales.
• 8.5 - You'll get a monthly sales report. Payouts are 60 days past the end of the month. If it's a third-party sale, you get the payout 60 days after they receive payment.
• 8.6 - They can withhold payment of royalties, offset against future royalties, or require you to pay them back money (as described below). This does not limit the ways in which they're allowed to withhold payment.
• 8.6.1 - If there are returns after a payment is made, they can withhold payment in the future or require you to pay them back.
• 8.6.2 - If a third party claims you violated rights by claiming part of your work, they have the right to not pay you anything further and can make you repay them.
• 8.7 - You're responsible for your taxes. They'll pay theirs and will provide you with any documentation you may need to pay yours.

9 - COPYRIGHT, RIGHTS PROTECTION - You appoint them as your attorney-in-fact to file copyright claims with the government. They have the right to take someone to court, and you agree to help them (at their expense).
10 - PROMOTION - They get to determine how to promote your work. You may use 10% of the work to promote yourself on blogs or websites, but can't use their name unless it's on the cover.
11 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES - You agree that the work is original and you have the right to sign it all over. You agree there is no libel (harmful statements about anyone), and your work doesn't break any kind of laws. You've never sold the work before, and anything you say is true, is. Your work won't bring harm to the user.
12 - YOUR INDEMNITIES - You agree not to sue them for any perceived loss. They can sue you for not upholding the agreement.
13 - NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE OR SELL - TERMINATION BY THEM - They don't have to sell your work and have the right to stop doing so at any time without telling you. They can cancel the contract with written (e-mail is fine) notification if you breach your contract per item 11 or if you fail to uphold your end of the agreement.
14 - LIMITATION OF LIABILITY - They aren't responsible for losses, damages, or theft, in any way (verbatim: WE SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM). All they're responsible for are your payments.
15 - EXECUTION OF FURTHER AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS - They may need physically signed documents from you. If you don't provide them within 30 days per their instructions, you give them the right to sign for you and it's all legally binding.
16 - DISPUTES - You agree not to go to court if you have any kind of dispute. You'll use binding arbitration instead (definition: a neutral third party makes the final decision - reference here). You must follow directions listed in this section to make a claim. You agree not to join a class-action (more than one person) suit. You may take them to court over infringement claims, and they may do the same to you.
17 - APPLICABLE LAW - This is all legal according to this law: Federal Arbitration Act (Wiki link).
18 - GENERAL PROVISIONS

• 18.1 - All notices must be given in writing. Effective date is sent date or postmarked date (this includes a provision for e-mails).
• 18.2 - This agreement comes before any other agreements made.
• 18.3 - No modifications may be made unless done in writing and agreed to by everyone.
• 18.4 - This agreement doesn't mean you're partners or are in a joint venture. You can't transfer it, and neither can they. It's enforceable by your successors or assignees.
• 18.5 - If either party doesn't enforce part of the agreement, it doesn't mean they can't at a later date. If any ruling in court says any part of the agreement can't be enforced, it doesn't have any effect on the rest of the agreement. You won't assume things because they're the ones that wrote the agreement.
• 18.6 - The following sections will survive the termination of the agreement (those are the ones in bold): Sections 4, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18.

So, now you can make a decision.

Again, if you have any questions, I urge you to print out the agreement and take it to an attorney for further clarification. It's pretty straightforward, in my opinion.

I love contracts. I think they exist to protect both parties. If you're working with someone who doesn't require one, you need to be asking why.

What do you think? Remember, PLAY NICE!

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

Jo

Being Indie

Happy Friday, everyone! Today, I'm gonna talk about something a very dear friend of mine brought up yesterday. I'm hoping it'll give everyone something to think about over the weekend. It's all about being an Indie author and why it doesn't make us crap or mean we're not awesome. So, sit back, relax, and let's get going.

Now, this conversation happened on Facebook, and many authors chimed in to say why they love being Indie (self) published.

I'm gonna start with a paraphrase of the original situation (kindly keep in mind the original poster was only seventeen when she published her first book):

She was sitting and talking with some of her college friends, and they were discussing being traditionally published. Someone mentioned that if you aren't with a big six house, you must not be a good writer (validation and all that). Because of this, my friend began to doubt her Indie ways and wonder if she was selling herself short.

Again, that's a short version of the situation with the same outcome and setting.

So, she asked: "Why do you self-publish? Am I selling myself short?"

Overwhelmingly, the responses were more about the community as a whole, maintaining control over one's work from soup to nuts, and keeping more of the profits from sales. There were also some most excellent points made. Some of the authors shared horror stories from friends who signed with publishers, some folks talked about the lack of publicity by presses both large and small, and others pointed out the aspects of film and big actors in crappy movies.

Everything kinda clicked together, and an epiphany hit me right between the eyes.

Know what I realized?

Indie isn't just about self-publishing.

There. I said it.

Allow me to explain. *grin*

Indie is a badge we wear on our chests with pride. When someone comes at one of us, for some reason or another, we go a little bananas. We're fiercely loyal to the title, love our brethren, and dare anyone to challenge our dreams. Because we're living those dreams. Each and every day, we get out of bed to do something we love. We set our own deadlines, work with editors we choose, and hire cover artists we know will do our work proud.

We have an amazing community around us that's a little like a family. People who get that we're a little strange, introverted, and hermit-like.

And they're okay with it.

As a matter of fact, they embrace us for our differences.

But wait! There's more!

As Indies, we get to know our book bloggers. They aren't just blurry faces in a sea of reviewers. They're a lot like us. Every single one of them has a passion that can't be squelched. Their passion is reading. Books. Literature. And we have the unique market insight to what those people are looking for. It's right there at our fingertips. All we have to do is nurture the connection and envelop them in the fold. They become part of the family and are celebrated.

Only Indies can put out a call to arms and have masses of others knocking over little old ladies with purses to rush to our aid (politely, of course).

Sometimes, an Indie will behave badly and get into a situation that's public and disgraceful.

But the community will punish that author so others don't have to. There's really no need for the public to go crazy and berate the person acting up. We do it for you. In that way, we're a lot like family.

Your mother doesn't hold her tongue when you screw up. Guess what? Neither do your peers. We're not afraid to tell you how wrong you are or how ashamed we are of your behavior. But it's done with the understanding that you're shaming the name we've worked so hard to build up.

Bad review? Someone will listen to you rant or give you a shoulder to cry on.

Writer's block? There are masses willing to talk you out of that corner of fear.

Struggling with a storyline? Ask. Someone will have a great piece of advice.

Got a huge deal? Your peers are gonna celebrate and pop champagne in your honor. Why? Because you'll always be an Indie.

So, yeah, Indie isn't just about self-publishing. It's about community, support, and family.

It's a way of life that lodges itself in your heart and refuses to let you go. Even when you push us away, we're there if you need us later.

Indie is in your blood.

You have been assimilated.

So, the next time someone asks you why you're Indie, the simple answer is:

"Because it's the only way to go."

What's your favorite thing about being Indie?

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

Jo

Join UtopYAns for Time Warp Tuesday

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Well, it's the middle of the week and I thought I'd give you all something to look forward to in the upcoming chaos that's bound to ensue on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Without any ado whatsoever, let's get going!

Many attendees (past and future), of UtopYA will be getting together to talk about the theme for 2015: Write Your Own Future.

Even if this will be your first year attending the con, you're invited to join us all as we talk about what we're looking forward to next year, what we gained from past UtopYAs, and our massive share of photos, videos, and quotes we've gathered.

Your posts should go live Tuesday, November 25, 2014.

Hashtags for the blast will be: #utopYA2015 and #WriteYourOwnFuture

Include this little link in your post: http://utopYA2015.eventbrite.com and tell folks tickets will go on sale Black Friday November 28, 2014.

Many hugs go out to Janet Wallace, the super mavin of the con, without whom this amazing event would never have seen the light of day, for the idea.

She shared some prompts you're more than welcome to use:

• who did you befriend or who befriended you?
• what have you achieved?
• what was the most fun?
• what was the most outrageous?
• what makes utopYA different/special?
• what would you say to someone who wants to write a book, but has doubts and fears?
• what would you say to someone who has written a bunch of books but hasn't had the success they thought they'd get and is thinking of giving up?

So, help us make a massive effort to let people know why this event is special, what it means to you, why you come back, or why you're attending for the first time.

Are you going to UtopYA in 2015?

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

Jo

Author Interview - Kelly Risser

It's time for another Unofficial UtopYA author interview! Yay! I know you're all super excited to meet this next author and hear all about the awesomeness that's Kelly Risser. I first met Kelly when she sent me a sample of her work as an offer to be included in an anthology I was putting together. Holy mackerel, Batman! It grew to more than I ever could've imagined. We sat around the pool, sipping cocktails, chatting, and brainstorming. Behold, Fractured Glass was born! Pre-orders will be available in just two weeks (eek!), so keep your eyes open for that!

If you don't have tickets to the con yet, you're too late. Enough jabbering! Let's go talk with Kelly!

Jo: Welcome to the blog, Kelly! I’m so excited to have you here I can barely stand myself. I did a ton of research on you, and I think I’ve come up with some deep questions my readers will go bananas over. Ready?

Kelly: Hi, Jo! *waves with mitten hands from Wisconsin* Wish I was hanging out in the warmer southern region of the US with you right now. I’ve loved reading your interviews of other UtopYA Con authors. I’m absolutely ready for your questions. Hit me!!

Jo: Brrrrrr. Mittens! *grin* Okay, let’s start with something light and fun before we get into the heavy stuff. Your fans and friends know about your “KellyMark” cards, but I’m dying to actually see one. Do you happen to have a little photo to share, and could you tell us about the process of making one of those cards?

Kelly: I don’t have any. Sadly, I think I made my last KellyMark in high school, and since I gave them to others, I don’t have copies. I can, however, share two other creative pieces from my youth. I made this Gizmo puppet from a paper lunch bag when I was in fourth grade, and I wrote and illustrated this children’s story, Tellevisella, when I was a junior in high school. It won a contest, and I was supposed to go to UW-Whitewater for a writing workshop, but the event was cancelled due to a snow storm. I was majorly bummed, but hey—that’s life in Wisconsin for you.

Jo: That stinks! But the art is just lovely. I adore Gizzy! How cute. You’re signed with Clean Teen Publishing (congratulations), and I’d like to know how you found them and what your application process felt like.

Kelly: I started to query for an agent and/or publisher in June, 2013. At first, I really wasn’t sure which route I wanted to go. The writer in me dreamed of signing with one of the big five houses and seeing my book EVERYWHERE, but the artist in me didn’t want to lose control of my story. I wanted say in the cover, the edits, how it was promoted—you name it. I found Clean Teen Publishing when I did a Google search on teen publishing companies. Can you believe it? It was total dumb luck! Once I researched their rating system and saw their current book listing, I knew that I wanted to sign with them. I queried them in January, 2014 and was signed with them by the end of the month. It’s been a thrill ride ever since! I love my publisher and fellow CTP authors. It’s like one big, crazy family!

Jo: That's awesome. I'm glad you got in with them, because they're the ones who hooked you up with UtopYA! I read the review over on Kirkus for your book. What prompted you to submit to them, and was it worth it? Did you like the review you got?

Kelly: Actually, Clean Teen submitted an ARC of my book to the review houses. Submitting does not mean that your book will be picked to review, so I was super thrilled when Kirkus Reviews chose to review mine. I had also been warned that Kirkus is a tough review house, so I was very pleased with the review of Never Forgotten. It is very complimentary. The only negative seemed to be that the reviewer didn’t care for the fantasy element, and that’s okay with me. Not everyone loves fantasy, but I do, which is why I write it.

Jo: Amen. Write what you want! I read that review, and hated that they didn't want mermaids. How’d that recent signing at the Library in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, go? Tell us a bit about the folks you met.

Kelly: We had a small turnout, but the YA librarian was absolutely fantastic, and now the Cedarburg Public Library has both of my books! A fun fact: Cedarburg is where Meara is living with her mom at the beginning of Never Forgotten. Meara finishes her junior year of high school there, and then they move to Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. I chose it because I love Cedarburg. It’s a gorgeous little city with fun shops, great restaurants, and a winery. They have a strawberry festival in June and a harvest festival in September. Imagine the streets filled with colorful tents housing food vendors as well as beautiful crafts and baubles for sale. Both festivals are a blast to attend. Okay, sorry, that was a bit of a tangent, and I promise you I don’t work for the tourism department! I met some very nice people at the book signing, as well as four fabulous YA authors who are also from Wisconsin. We had a blast hanging out and getting to know each other.

Jo: I LOVE strawberry festivals! Yum! They're my favorite fruit. *grin* Sounds like a cool town to visit. Maybe in the summer? haha *shivers* Tell me how you felt when you found out Never Forgotten was chosen to be one of the Amazon Editors’ Favorite Books of the Year. What did you do to celebrate?

Kelly: Can I tell you that I almost died when I read this question? I was like…What? WHAT? and I had to go and check it out. Then I was super elated, until…*sigh*…I realized that it was a poor advertising choice on Amazon’s part and the 2014 Editors’ Pick seal was appearing on many, many book pages and did not mean the books had been chosen. They must’ve quickly realized their mistake, because the ad changed by mid-afternoon, making it clear that it was promoting the Amazon picks, not the book on the page. If I ever did get picked, I would scream from the rooftops. I can share that Never Forgotten did recently get picked as an Award-Winning Finalist in the “Fiction: Science Fiction” category of the 2014 USA Best Book Awards.

Jo: Well, it was there when I looked it up. Sorry to scare the crap out of you. *shamefaced* Excited about your USA BBA finalist! Congratulations! So, I think you might be one of the craftiest people I know. You also make bookmarks. Care to share a picture of one with us? What’s the process for those like?

Kelly: I find crafting to be very relaxing, and I come from several generations of handy women. My grandmother was the queen of sewing and baking. She made me an Easter dress every year with a matching bonnet and dress coat. She also made me custom Halloween costumes, my favorite being Batgirl. I have photographs of the beautiful cakes she made me, and I carry on the tradition of homemade cakes with my own kids and my nieces and nephews. My mom is also a great sewer and crafter.

The bookmarks are surprisingly easy to make, although they take a little time to put together. I usually do the assembly while watching TV with my husband. The charms I make ahead of time with tiny printouts of my book covers. They are placed in a silver frame and coated with resin. Then, I use velvet ribbon, ribbon crimps, eye pins, beads and charms to assemble the rest. I like that each one is a little unique because it’s homemade, and it’s fun to tell fans that I make them myself.


Jo: Those are flipping gorgeous! I know what you mean about coming from a long line of crafters. I have to stay OUT of Hobby Lobby. #brokegirlproblems *grin* Now for the time travel question of the interview. Since UtopYA Con 2015 is time travel themed, I’ve been asking all the authors I interview about disruption of the timeline. *grin* These questions tell me more about the authors than any others, I think. So, that being said… If you could go back and mentor your younger self, what would you endeavor to communicate that you think might have an impact on the way you are now? What do you think it would change?

Kelly: I was very insecure and shy when I was younger. I know that would surprise people who have known me my whole life, but I had tons of self-doubt. I worried constantly about what people thought of me. If I could go back, I’d tell myself that it doesn’t matter what everyone thinks of you, only what you think of you. I have wonderful friends who I have known since grade school and a very supportive family. I’d also tell myself to be thankful for what you have – you have more than most. Those words of advice would hopefully just help the younger me get to the state I am at now…hopefully a little sooner!:)

Jo: That's a wonderful message! Let's put it on t-shirts! Rapid fire question time! Syrup or honey?

Kelly: Honey

Jo: Oh, yeah! Fave fantasy novel of all time?

Kelly: You’re making me pick ONE? Not fair! I will tell you the most memorable to me, because I truly can’t pick one favorite. I love so many. The one that I remember making an impression on me for its haunting imagery is called Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy. It was published by Avon Camelot in 1983. A few years ago, I bought myself a copy from a used book website since I no longer had my own childhood copy. It is the story of a troubled girl living with her great-aunts in a stuffy old house, and she finds this magical world with dolls that come to life. It’s really a lovely, poignant book.

Jo: I did an author interview last year with someone who MET Sylvia Cassedy. If I can find it, I'll certainly link it for you. She was star struck! Now, high or low?

Kelly: High if I can overcome my fears. I love the panoramic view, but I also have slight aeroacrophobia. If I get too close to the edge of a high space, even if there is glass in between, I feel lightheaded and dizzy. The first time I remember experiencing this was in the St. Louis Arch. It hasn’t stopped me, though, from going into tall buildings with observation decks or, my favorite, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. But, don’t expect me to go mountain climbing with you. It’s not going to happen!

Jo: I've been in that arch. Yikes! If you can get over the claustrophobia, it's pretty cool. *grin* Talk to me about your section of our upcoming release Fractured Glass. I have to say, I love the lighthearted feeling in your part. Adorable creatures. Please share with my readers: What’s your genre? How long did it take you to write it? What’s your favorite aspect of the novel?

Kelly: My genre is magic, which I love. I have long been a fan of Walt Disney. To me, he was the king of magic—making dreams come true, and he inspired so many others to follow that same path. It doesn’t get much better than that. That said, I’m thrilled you loved my section. I really had fun writing it. I have to tell you, I freaked out a smidge when we decided each section would be written in two weeks. I thought, how am I going to do that with a full time job, plus my second job known as “Mom”? But you know what? It flowed so perfectly from my head to the page! I wrote 20,000 in one week, and that is the fastest that I have ever written anything! I loved bringing my part of the story to life, and these characters were a blast to write. This novel is so unique, and that is what makes it special. We brought five genres and five different voices into a story, but it flows and just works. I can’t wait to hear what our readers think!

Jo: I can't believe we pulled it off either. I was so behind when my section came up. haha! I think I took three weeks. *frowns* But we got 'er done! We're breaking new ground! So excited. I know you’re an advocate for anti-bullying. Why? What happened in your life (one moment) that made the biggest impression on you? Feel free to share links to your story.

Kelly: All of the moments I shared made an impression on me, but let me start by saying, I don’t live in a glass house. I know I did things as a child that hurt others, sometimes even my friends, and I’m sorry for that. We learn as we grow. Hopefully, we learn to be kinder to others as we learn to be less hard on ourselves. I also don’t hold grudges. While I remember certain moments, I don’t have hard feelings towards those individuals. So, with that said, let me share a story that was not in my anti-bullying blog post, which you can find here on Clean Teen Publishing’s blog if you want to read it:

I was a chunky kid. Not obese, but I naturally have larger bones and a body with a tendency to hold onto a few pounds. Eighth grade was my toughest year. It’s an awkward time for most of us, but I was pudgy and self-conscious about it. I was also teased by classmates. One boy in particular was rather persistent about it. I held my own against him, but it hurt. Over the summer, I vowed that I would not be teased for my weight. I counted every calorie that went into my mouth. I obsessed over the scale and every pound that I dropped. By the time I started ninth grade, I lost over twenty pounds. I dropped from a size 12 to a size 5. I was, for the first time in my life, skinny. The boy that teased me the year before spent that year apologizing to me. His words were sincere, and he became a friend of mine. That experience sticks out because I think, we all can be mean, we all can be bullies, but it takes courage to apologize and admit you were wrong.

We are not always going to be nice to each other, but we need to try. As a human race, the more we seek to understand or at least empathize with others, the better off we will be as a whole. Hatred gets us nowhere.

Jo: Agreed. Kindness will pull us through. *huge smile* Well, we’re out of time for today. Is there anything I didn’t ask that you wish I had? Any little juicy tid-bits you’d like to share?

Kelly: Current Impressions, the second book in the Never Forgotten series, leaves the reader hanging just a little. I love those kinds of endings, but I know they can be frustrating to others. I have many readers anxiously awaiting book three, Always Remembered. I’m happy to share that I’m working on revisions, and it will be out in 2015, although I don’t have a date or even a release month yet. Thank you all for your patience…it’s coming!

Jo: How exciting! I have a copy of Never Forgotten, and it's on my UtopYA TBR. *grin* It was awesome having you on the blog, Kelly! I can’t wait to see you in June at UtopYA. Hugs!

Now, it’s time to reveal the featured book of the week!

Title: Never Forgotten
Author: Kelly Risser
Genre: YA Fantasy
Length (print): 314 pages
Price: FREE
Buy links:
Amazon Kindle  ~  Barnes and Noble Nook  ~  Smashwords  ~  iTunes


Synopsis:
How can one day go so very wrong? One minute Meara Quinn is making plans for how she will spend the summer before her senior year and the next she's finding out that her mother's cancer has returned and they are moving away from the only home she's ever known.

Now every day is a struggle as Meara tries to cope with her mother's illness, being forced to move to another country to live with grandparents—whom she thought disowned her mother—and having weird visions of a father who was absent her entire life. Top it all off with one whopping secret that everyone seems bent on keeping from her, and Meara has the perfect ingredients for a major melt down.

The only things keeping her from coming unglued are some new friends and Evan—the son of her mother's childhood friend—who seems to know Meara almost better than she knows herself.

Together with Evan and her friends, Meara embarks on a journey to unlock the secrets that will not only tell Meara who she is, but what she is.

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

Twitter: @Kar2b
Facebook: Author Kelly Risser
Pinterest: kar2b
Website: Kelly Risser
Blog: Kelly Risser Blog
Goodreads: Kelly Risser
LinkedIN: Krisser

If you have any questions for Kelly, pop them into the comments below. She’ll be around to answer what you ask.

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

Jo