Showing posts with label robert chazz chute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label robert chazz chute. Show all posts

Monday, January 21, 2013

Writing a Twist

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! It's the start of a brand new week and I'd like to take this time to talk about excitement and twists when writing a novel. Today, we'll be talking about writing a twist. Tomorrow, who knows? Perhaps I'll go into The Switch and how to do it. We'll see. Get your pens and notebooks ready, it promises to be an interesting few days.

Writing a twist is surprising your reader with something unexpected. There can be little foreshadowing when writing a proper twist in a story. Your readers need to say, "I did not see that coming!" Whether it makes them laugh, gasp, or drop their jaw in horror, the reveal of your twist needs to be the two punch. If you can make it come out at the end of a chapter that's even better! It makes your reader turn the page.

Now, for you readers out there: Have you come across a book that slapped you with the two punch when you least expected it? Did it leave you satisfied?

I read three books like that last year. Two of them were part of the Canopy series by Crystal Lee. When I wrote that just now I realized I mentioned her last week, too. Funny how some authors stick in your head, eh? Anywho, the third was by Robert Chazz Chute titled Bigger Than Jesus. I gave it five stars on Amazon and Goodreads because it was funny, fun, well written, and had twists and turns I never saw coming. The perspective was unusual (2nd person) but I found it kept me engaged in the story and was a perfect choice.

Notice these books stayed with me because of the twists. Others stayed for other reasons but we're talking about twisty novels here. Let's not digress, mkay? Think of only those novels that surprised you with a turn in the plot you didn't see coming and I'll do the same. Yes, this was me catching myself.

In the first chapter of Bigger Than Jesus, I got the first twist. It came at me like a Mike Tyson right hook, was perfectly placed in the storyline, and kept me going on to chapter 2 to see what happened next. It wasn't until the last chapter of Canopy book 1 that Ms. Lee gave me the twist and I was left with my jaw on the floor when I realized the truth and waiting anxiously for book 2. It wasn't just a cliffhanger; it was a shove off the damned cliff and I was left hurtling toward the ground at breakneck speeds. Good thing she writes fast! I now await book 3 because book 2 did the same freaking thing! Arghhhhhhh!

A plot twist must be planned as you think out your novel in order for it to work well. Writing in a plot twist on the fly rarely works. I'm not saying it never works; don't get in a tizzy. I'm saying it rarely works. When it's inserted on the fly, you usually end up needing to go back and change other things for it to work properly in your story line. If that's okay with you, no biggie. If you're one of those that can't change things to make a super awesome plot twist make sense later, don't do it.

Remember, a plot twist isn't the same thing as a character twist. A plot twist changes the whole plot of the book. Character twists only change who done it.

Have you written a most excellent plot twist lately? Read one? Let's hear about it!

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

Jo

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Winners Cover Reveal and FREEBIE

Welcome to the Saturday Blog Party Winner Announcement!

Before we get to the winners, I have two announcements.

First, enjoy a cover reveal for the second book in the Soul Sisters series written by Janiera Eldridge. Janiera does a lot of great things for my blog and my books; so help me thank her by taking a minute to check out her series and see if it's something you may enjoy reading. Clicking on the title will take you to the book's Goodreads page.

Dark Expectations by Janiera Eldridge

Synopsis:
With Ani taking her place as queen, there are some enemies lurking she could never imagine! There's a secret compound in California that wants to know the secrets to making a vampire or werewolf.

When they kidnap Ani during a trip back to California they might actually get what they want. Her sister Dana, her lover Diego and other vampires do everything they can to get her back. If they don't succeed, they face being controlled completely by the human race forever!

Dark Expectations is the exciting sequel to Soul Sisters that's full of adventure, danger and what it means to be queen!


This cover was designed by: Strong Image Editing

Second, the next book in my Mystic series, Lily, releases on Tuesday. In honor of the release, I'm offering the first book, Bronya, for free on Amazon for the next five days. If you haven't read it, go grab one and get to it. Here's a cover image and synopsis for each:

Synopsis:
Bronya Thibodeaux is a senior at Houma High School whose life is about to be changed forever. She's always felt like an outcast, but thinks she may have found a friend when a strange, new girl named Markaza who has blue hair, a number of tattoos, and a strange way of dressing appears. She accepts Bronya for who she is and the two hit it off.

Markaza isn’t around long before she moves away. Bronya goes back to feeling lonely and different. Trouble arises when Bronya's love interest - a girl named Cecilia - is accidentally revealed to the entire student body. Bronya’s life choices make her a pariah in her small town. After getting thrown out of school, not being able to find a job, and being subjected to ridicule and cruel treatment, Bronya chooses to leave her old life behind forever when she receives a compelling invitation from a mysterious company named WSTW.

What Bronya doesn't know, is the mysterious company is owned by Markaza; a mystic who knows the end of the world is coming and is gathering together the only people who can stop the evil that's threatening to take over. Bronya is just the first. But going to New York is only a baby step toward her true journey. As Bronya races against the clock to unlock a power she never knew she had, Markaza races to collect the others: Lily, Shelia, Melody, and Coralie.

Synopsis:
Lily Conyers is a twenty-year-old who had it all going for her until a car crash left her with terrible scars, no modeling job, and an addiction to pain killers. When she meets a strange young woman named Markaza, Lily begins to re-build her life with encouragement from her new friend.

Problems arise when Lily leaves the safety of her apartment for the first time since her accident to venture back into the world she used to know. Her so-called friends shun her and her boyfriend recoils at the sight of her face. She rushes home with thoughts of suicide only to find a letter on her step from a company called WSTW; promising her a new life.

Lily packs her bags, bids Markaza goodbye, and sets off for the city. But going to New York is only the first hurdle Lily must jump. She must learn to use the power inside herself to help defeat an evil that is threatening to destroy the world. Once there, she meets a girl named Bronya and the two help one another re-build what was so negligently broken.

As Lily is boarding the plane bound for New York, Markaza boards another headed to Tennessee so she can collect the next young woman on her list: Shelia.

There's a preview of Lily inside Bronya so grab that booger and get to reading. WOMEN WILL SAVE THE WORLD!

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for!! The winners of the huge giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to you eighteen lucky folks!! The authors from the party and I will be in touch to find out where to send your prizes.

Winner C.E. Hart gets a copy of Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach
Winner C.E. Hart gets one of Sandi Tuttle's mugs with the "If I have wings" artwork
Sandi Tuttle gets the WSTW mug - how apropos...
C.E. Hart and Sandi Tuttle both get printed, signed copies of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book
Tia Silverthorne Bach and Alana M each get a copy of Sex, Death,  & Mind Control (for fun and profit)
C.E. Hart wins $10 Amazon gift card, printed, signed copy of Yassa, and a digital copy of each of the following: The Abigale Chronicles Bundle Pack (books 1-3), Mystic ~ Bronya, Mystic ~ Lily, and The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book.
And these 10 people win a signed Mystic bookmark!!
Entry #150Becky F.
Entry #241Charlene T.
Entry #263Ashley
Entry #165C.E. H.
Entry #121Alana M.
Entry #74Heather B.
Entry #110Heather W.
Entry #115Ellie M.
Entry #18Beth J.
Entry #50Sandi T.

C.E. Hart, you certainly got a lion's share of the prizes!! Congratulations to everyone that won!!

Me or the author will be in touch with everyone on Monday to find out where to send the prizes!!

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

Jo

Friday, October 19, 2012

Blog Party - Day Five

Welcome to day five, the final day of my October blog party! I know you're all sad to see it end, but you can still keep entering to win one of the great prizes until Friday, October 26, at midnight! Sadly, we all turn into pumpkins again at that time.

You all know what's up for grabs today if you read last Friday's post. If you forgot, here's a reminder:

ONE person will win: a $10 Amazon gift card, a digital copy of Mystic~Bronya, Mystic~Lily, The Abigale Chronicles Bundle Pack (books 1-3), The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book, and a printed, signed copy of Yassa in the new size and format. Rafflecopter entry form is at the bottom of the post.

If you missed day one, with my awesome interview with Ms. Tia Bach, go check it out. Day two featured Ms. Sandi Tuttle and was amazing. Day three was all about a blog called Indie Author Anonymous. And day four was quick wit and humor brought to you by Mr. Robert Chazz Chute. Go check out those posts and leave my guests some love as a thank you for their donations to this awesome giveaway!

Today, I decided to do a spotlight of an indie service that is run by an indie author. Many of you know this indie author through his Indie Review Group on Facebook. Many of you have read his novel 50 Shades of Silver Hair and Socks. That's right, it's Phil Torciva and his service for indies over at The eBook Daily Deal.

The setup over at the KDD is they will list your book on their site and do other promotions for you if you have a sale or freebie going on. They don't demand pay but they gently request you purchase the 50 Shades parody from Amazon when you sign up. There's no verification process, and they kinda go on the honor system.

If you pop over to their Contact page, you'll see the easy to follow instructions to get your book listed and ways to follow them. Like: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +.

If you choose not to click my nifty link above, that's fine. But you'll need to follow KDD in some way to enter the giveaway below. I know, I know, I'm sneaky!

So, without futher ado, the rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, my great frikkin blog list! Check them out. These are to die for!!

The Book Designer
On Twitter: @JFbookman

eBook Formatting
Book and Author Events Page
On Twitter: @JoHarris0n
On Facebook: Writer's Block Admin Services

Passionate Ramblings
On Twitter: @_LisaCherry
On Facebook: Lisa Cherry Author

The Hungry Freelancer
On Twitter: @bethythewriter

and

If you happen to be a designer, or just want to know more about Photoshop, check out this awesome page:

TutsPlus

Well, that's all for today, folks! Remember to come back every day and enter again until next Friday, October 26! Winners will be announced in a special Saturday post on the 27th! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Blog Party - Day Four

Welcome to day four of the blog party! I love giving things to my readers and followers. Halloween just around the corner makes it all more personal. I look forward to the knocks and screams of, "Trick-or-Treat!" that will be coming the end of this month. Candy makes us all happy (just like prizes do) and I'm glad to be able to share some 'happy' with you all.

If you missed Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, pop on back to see what great goodies were added to the giveaway and leave my lovely guests a little bit of love!

Today, I'm happy to announce my guest, Mr. Robert Chazz Chute. For the giveaway today, Mr. Chute has offered up two digital copies of Sex, Death, & Mind Control (for fun and profit) from Smashwords. Pull up a chair and get to know more about Chazz. Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter at the end of this post!

Jo: Hello, Chazz! Welcome to the blog party. I’d like to start off by thanking you for your donation to the cause and giving away two copies of your book Sex, Death, and Mind Control to a couple of lucky winners! But we can talk about that after the interview!

Instead of the usual, boring diatribe, let’s have some fun with this interview. I’m gonna start with questions about you and end with questions about your new book, Higher than Jesus.

You have two websites right now All That Chazz and Chazz Writes Do you find it difficult keeping up with both of them?
Chazz: No. I added a Tumblr account recently, too, because there was still time to sleep. Each website serves a different audience. ChazzWrites is for writers; AllThatChazz.com is my author site and the platform for my podcast; The Tumblr  is for another audience (who tend to be very creative and younger). I wouldn’t reach new audiences without spreading myself around. Add three Twitter accounts, Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest and Triberr, and I’m way outside my inner circle. We have to shout outside our echo chambers. The key is time management. Some people find social media overwhelming, but I’m social (at a safe remove, anyway) and, except for ChazzWrites, I keep my posts short. You have to enjoy it for it to work and it must never cut into writing time. Write books first. Blog later.

Jo: What inspired you to do podcasts of Bigger Than Jesus and has it helped traffic or sales?

Chazz: If you’d asked me earlier this year, I would have said narcissism, director Kevin Smith, Joe Rogan and a wild goose chase got me podcasting. However, the podcast has caught on. I love podcasts! SF author Scott Sigler pioneered podcasting his books as a marketing tool and I followed that model. My numbers are trending up as more people discover the program (All That Chazz). Best of all, the podcast reaches people all over the world. I have a big following around Berkley, California for instance, and the original name of the podcast was Self-help for Stoners (named after my first book.) Way to hold up the brand, Berkley!

Jo: Have you taken a ton of flak for the name of the book?

Chazz: I thought I’d have more resistance. I had several rapier-sharp ripostes at the ready. However, most readers have a sense of humor (at least all of my audience does.) I heard some concerns, but even some hard core Christians told me they loved the title. I have a penchant for titles I have to explain (i.e. bad titles.) For the rest of my life I get to say each day to someone, “It’s pronounced Hay-soose,” and “Sex, Death & Mind Control isn’t porn, it’s suspense,” and “No, you don’t have to be a stoner to enjoy it. It’s all suspense!”

Jo: Your ninja monkeys are easily distracted by bananas; have you found that to be a deterrent in sending them on really important missions?

Chazz: Oh, great. You’ve exposed their weakness. If not for Dracula, no one would know how to slay vampires and if Superman had shut up about his origin, we’d never know kryptonite made him pee blood. Now you tipped over the banana cart on my ninja clone army. Way to go. Thanks a lot.

Jo: Oops! Is there a dream you have concerning publishing?

Chazz: Endless adulation would be good, and definitely more orgies. Mainly, I want to get to the point where my publishing success is an objective fact strangers point to. When people I don’t know take the time to tell me, “Hey, loved your book!” besides the dopamine high I get from writing? That’s the big pay off.

Jo: Do you think your journalism degree and background of being a proofreader, editor, and all around ninja monkey trainer give you tools other people could only dream of acquiring?

Chazz: There are lots of ways to acquire those skills. After I attended the Banff Publishing Workshop years ago, I read through The Chicago Manual of Style and it occurred to me that most of what I learned at the Banff School of Fine Arts was hidden in those pages. It is nice to have the context and background that working in traditional publishing gave me, if only to appreciate my independence more. I’m happier than I’ve ever been right now. Add an almond milk latte and I might pass out from sheer elation.

Jo: I see you promote your graphic designer, Kit, pretty often. What’s his secret formula for capturing your heart and soul (and patronage)?

Chazz: My readers at ChazzWrites.com need him, so, yes, I promote him as much as I can. Kit Foster (of KitFosterDesign.com) is a great graphic designer and author who creates all my covers, Quote Art, web art and even the image I use for my business cards. We exchange emails so much we have become friends and we agree on a lot of things. Step one to being declared a genius: hang out with people who agree with you. Actually, Kit is one of those great people who can objectively be declared a success. He’s a genius who’s also really nice. Who can resist a mold breaker like that?

Jo: Okay, enough about you, let’s talk about your books Higher Than Jesus and Bigger Than Jesus. I read the first in the series and I loved it. I found the 2nd person style to be engaging and different and the twists and turns that start from page one to be delightful. Is the second book written that way as well?

Chazz: You bet! The unusual POV is integral to the character and, as you’ll see in Higher Than Jesus when my hit man ends up in group therapy, we delve deeper into Jesus’ history, psychology and pathology. (Hint: hit men do not play well with others, particularly in psychotherapeutic settings. I think that’s my favorite chapter in the book and it’s referenced throughout.) I have a lot of fun exploring the dichotomy of the character. Jesus Diaz does bad things but, like all bad guys, he doesn’t see himself as evil. He’s a pragmatic, funny guy with an obsession for movies through which he idealizes the life he thinks he deserves. In many ways, he’s a sensitive liar who’s clever in a particular skill set. In Higher than Jesus, his pragmatism evolves to become a mission. All my books are twisty stories of Bad versus Evil, so Jesus fits.

Jo: What kind of adventures can we expect to live through Jesus’ eyes in the second book?

Chazz: Jesus has fled New York for Chicago and he accepts a job for the money. Then things get complicated when he has to solve a dispute in an arms deal for his employer. It’s a two dogs, one bone story, plus the object of his affection is his client’s daughter, Willow. I listened carefully to feedback, so expect a little less swearing, a little more sex and more jokes. For me, it’s all about the jokes and surprises that play out as revenge fantasies go awry.

Jo: I loved the surprises. I hate predictable. What kind of promotions are you doing or do you intend to do?

Chazz: I want to do a couple of especially creative things. For Higher Than Jesus, I ran the Six Words or Less Contest so a character got named after a reader. That was a lot of fun, so I’ll do that concurrently as I write the next in the series. Higher Than is also packed with movie references. For instance, all but the last two chapters are named after movie titles (mostly my tribute to film noir.) Once I release the book, anyone who counts the number of movie titles used throughout correctly and tells me that number at AllThatChazz.com will get a bonus ebook for free.

I’ll also be reading Higher Than Jesus on the podcast as soon as I’m done with Bigger Than. It’s a chapter by chapter, week by week sort of thing, so I’m sure quite a few people will want to jump ahead because they don’t want to wait to get past the next cliffhanger. I’m doing some guest posts, too.

My main focus is to have three books up before Christmas. Crack the Indie Author Code is next (my first non-fiction book on Amazon) and This Plague of Days, a dystopian thriller in which we follow the exodus of a boy with Aspergers Syndrome through a North America brought down by the plague we’re all expecting any minute. Mm. Maybe that’s just me. I have a pessimistic worldview but I sublimate the rage and terror with humor.

Jo: I see you have some issues subscriptions with bland Twitter posts. How many did you have to see before your eyeballs began to boil in your skull?

Chazz: We have to provide value to readers if they’re going to take a chance on us. There’s a little too much telling people to buy our books (I know, I’ve done it) and not enough showing them why they should be interested. There’s plenty of room for promotion and I’m not some tweet narc telling everyone how to behave. I do prefer to send people to my blog posts and podcasts instead of only sending them straight to Amazon, though. Too many tweets are generic and sound alike. It’s not spam that bothers me. I don’t label any promotion I don’t want to see “spam.” However, it is ineffective and we have to be funnier, more clever, sexier and attend more orgies to get anyone’s attention.

You can read more of Chazz’s taunting of the Twitterati here: ChazzWrites

Jo: To finish up, when is Higher than Jesus due to release?

Chazz: Mid-October. I’m just finalizing some things now because I want the paperback and the ebook to have launch dates that are close together. That will be more effective, so right now, it’s a soft launch date.

Jo: Where will we be able to procure a copy?

Chazz: I’ve debated publicly about how long to stay exclusive with Amazon. It’s not the advantage it once was. Since I’m launching so many books close together, I’m sticking with an Amazon-only policy for now. I expect that will change, but there are some variables that don’t depend on me, so I can’t say when I’ll make them available across all platforms, including skywriting. Eventually they’ll be everywhere, including the Oval Office. And yes, that’s a clue.

Jo: Oval Office...? Wow! Well, thanks for your time today, Chazz, it’s been fun! May your bananas be ever plentiful!

Chazz: I am bananas.

If you'd like to follow Robert Chazz Chute, you may do so via the links below.

AllThatChazz
ChazzWrites
On Twitter: @rchazzchute
On Facebook: Ex Parte Press

Enter to win below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now on to the great list of blogs for you to check out and follow today!

A great review website along with an author blog:

Stitch Says
Ghostnapped!
On Twitter: @AshleyHowland

Another few review websites:

Books and Beauty
On Twitter: @LazenBeauty

Kayla's Reads and Reviews

Now some indie must-read blogs:

The Bookshelf Muse
On Twitter: @AngelaAckerman AND @WriterThesaurus
On Facebook: Angela Ackerman

Catherine, Caffeinated
On Twitter: @catheryanhoward

Remember, tomorrow comes the super big prize pack! Come on back to enter again tomorrow!

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

Jo

Friday, October 12, 2012

Blog Party Overview and Prize List

The week you've all been waiting for is finally here!! The October Indie Blog Party!

Here's a list of the FAB prizes I have in store for you all:
  • Day One: You'll enjoy the chance at a printed, signed copy of Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach.
  • Day Two: Enter to win coffee mugs! One winner will get an a coffee mug with "If I have wings, why can't I fly?" artwork, and one will get a Women Save the World (WSTW) coffee mug, featuring the Mystic title and all the names from the novels (Bronya, Lily, Shelia, Melody, Coralie, and Markaza). Images of the mugs will be shown on Tuesday.
  • Day Three: Two people will win printed, signed copies of The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book written by me.
  • Day Four: Two people will win digital copies of Sex, Death, and Mind Control by Robert Chazz Chute.
  • Day Five: A huge pile of prizes! A $10 Amazon gift card, a printed, signed copy of Yassa, and a digital copy of each of the following: The Abigale Chronicles Bundle Pack (books 1-3), Mystic ~ Bronya, Mystic ~ Lily, and The Indie Author's Guide to: Building a Great Book. It's a $32 value.
Here's how it will work:

Each day, a prize will be added to the rafflecopter widget with new ways to enter. You'll want to check every day to enter again.

There will be eight winners total, your chance to win something is very good. In total, we're giving away over $100 worth of prizes. You can win more than once!

I will start the entries on Monday, October 15, and run the contest through Friday, October 26. A special Saturday post on October 27 will announce the winners.

Remember to share with your friends (no one likes a prize hog) and come back to see if you won!

Winners will also be notified by e-mail. Good luck to you all!

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

Jo

Friday, October 5, 2012

CR TBR and RR

Good Friday, people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm sharing my CR (currently reading), TBR (to be read), and RR (recently read) list. My goal here is to introduce you to books you may not know exist.

We'll start with my CR list and go in order. You can read the synopsis via the links provided. They will take you to the Amazon page for the books.

First on my list is a print book I won in a giveaway hosted by One More Chapter.


Being read in tandem with Pulled is a digital book I picked up via a free promotion.


Now on to my TBR list.


On to my RR list. My reviews are posted at these links as well (if I wrote one).


I've only listed the books I've read over the last month. If I went back any further, this page would be out of control!

I hope you all enjoy looking through the books and I hope you find some new authors to read.

What are you reading right now?

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

Jo

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Week 13: The Next Big Thing

Welcome to The Next Big Thing Blog Hop! By hopping through the blogs on my page, you’ll have the opportunity to discover some great new authors and read about some great new books coming soon. I encourage you to visit as many as possible.


I was tagged by Mr. Robert Chazz Chute of Chazz Writes.

Without further ado, let’s get going!

My ten questions and answers:

What is the working title of your book?

There are two: Mystic ~ Lily and The Abigale Chronicles – Book Three. This is a doubly special blog post because it's also a cover reveal for The Abigale Chronicles.



Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea for Lily came from the idea for the whole Mystic series. I wanted a strong woman with values that were solid. When she breaks down and betrays those values because of her situation, it gives me an opportunity to show how one can recover from a fall. All my characters in this series are strong women who fight through tough times and make a pact to change the world. I want to speak to people and make them consider a different point of view for once.

As for The Abigale Chronicles, my six-year-old daughter gave me the idea. I write the series for her and she requested (very politely) that there be dragons, fairies, princesses, and knights. So, for the third book in the Abigale series, I gave her exactly what she asked for. She giggled a lot while we read it.

What genre does your book fall under?

Lily falls under the genres paranormal and urban fiction while The Abigale Chronicles are chapter books for young readers.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Wow! What a great question! I would have to say, for Lily, she would be played by either Sara Paxton or Hayden Panettiere (of course, if Hayden, she would need some way to look much taller, perhaps) and Markaza would be played by Hailee Steinfeld because she has that edgy look. Elisabeth Moss for Shelia and Cobie Smulders for Bronya. For Abigale, Emma Furhman and for Emmett, Max Records.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Mystic ~ Lily: The second of six women, one battle to save the world.
The Abigale Chronicles – Book Three: A dragon, a princess, and a knight fight all odds to give the one true gift: kindness to another.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

They will both be self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took me three weeks to write Lily and a week and a half to write Abigale.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There are no other books like these that I’ve found. If you see some, point me that way, please.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My daughter inspired me to write The Abigale Chronicles.
The hate in the world inspired me to write the Mystic books. I feel like I have a voice inside of me struggling to get out and change perception. Tolerance and judgement of others are topics I have strong opinions on.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This installment of The Abigale Chronicles has lots of humor for children. My daughter cracked up when the dragon burped and set things on fire.
Mystic deals with tolerance of people that make life choices that are different. I hope people really pay attention to the unique chance they have to see the world through someone else’s eyes. If you know anyone (or been through it yourself) who’s dealt with being homosexual and hidden, depressed, disfigured, addicted to drugs, anorexic, abused as a child, or anyone who’s made that difficult decision to have an abortion, you’ll “get” this series. It will speak to you.

You can find the first book in the Mystic series here: Mystic ~ Bronya

Now the links for my five fellow bloggers:


I hope you've all enjoyed this blog for The Next Big Thing Blog Hop. Keep going and meet some other wonderful authors!!

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

Jo

Monday, July 30, 2012

Winners and Recaps

Hello all!! Welcome to the recap page for my blog party!! Happy UNbirthday to the following people:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now it's time for a few thank yous from me to the authors who participated. After that, I will do a quick rundown of all the blogs I listed.

Chazz: Thank you for allowing me to promote your book The Dangerous Kind and Other Stories for my blog party.
Lisa: Thank you for your generosity in donating a copy of your book Soul Journey for my blog party.
Randi: Your beautiful gift was much appreciated. I hope many people received your message. Thank you for taking the time to create something so special. I wish your book Awaken From Life much success.
Dorothy: Thank you for allowing me to promote your book God Placed Her in My Path on my blog party.
Dee: Thank you for Kindlegraphing your book How to: Build a Profitable Niche Blog and providing a copy as a giveaway for my party.
Kebba: Thank you for allowing me to promote your book Peace Within on my blog party.
Ashley: Thank you for allowing me to promote Obi the Super Puppy and the Mystery of the Red Mist for my blog party.
Linda: Thank you for Kindlegraphing your book INZARED Queen of the Elephant Riders and providing three copies for my party.
Crystal: Thank you for providing a printed, signed copy of your book Canopy for my giveaway. I hope it does well over the months to come.

On to the blogs!!
A Dead Good Blog
Booketta's Book Blog  On Twitter: @bookettajane
The Hungry Freelancer  On Twitter: @bethythewriter
Have You Heard Book Review  On Twitter: @Kissablysweet1 
Ann Marie Walker  On Twitter: @AnnMarie_Walker
Chazz Writes  On Twitter: @RChazzChute
Family Bugs Blogging  On Twitter: @Family_Bugs
The Misadventures of Chelsea Black  On Twitter: @chelseablack
Rachelle Gardner  On Twitter: @RachelleGardner
Ramblin' with AM  On Twitter: @ RamblinGarden
Libertys Yarn  On Twitter: @LibertysYarn
Imagine! Create! Write!  and Chapter Book Challenge  On Twitter: @moonduster
Ghostnapped!  On Twitter: @AshleyHowland
The Arkside of Thought  On Twitter: @SahmAtaineKing
Passionate Ramblings  On Twitter: @_LisaCherry
Doug Turnbull  On Twitter: @dturnbull2
God Placed Her in My Path
Judith Cassis C.Ht.  On Twitter: @telesuccess
An Average Woman in a Superwoman World  On Twitter: @AverageWomanSJ
Love Your Life!  On Twitter: @RandiGFine
throwing up in an IKEA bag  On Twitter: @jenchatwrites
Writer's Block Admin Services  On Twitter: @JoHarris0n
the art of possibility... discovering new pathways to success  On Twitter: @klaughman
You Are What You Write  On Twitter: @rachelhwrites
Caro Ayre
Danielle. Wife. Author. Mother.  On Twitter: @danielle_lise
Heather's Book Chatter  On Twitter: @woodtop255
Depression Cookies  On Twitter: @Tia_Bach_Author
Helz-Design  On Twitter: @HelzDesign
moonpreneur  On Twitter: @deeankary
Marcie Brock, Book Marketing Maven  On Twitter: @phxazlaura
The Book Designer  On Twitter: @JFbookman
Faith Develops in the Dark
Ellie's Blog  On Twitter: @EllieMendez
UpBeat Spiritual Living   Twitter: @kebbabutton
Darci Cole Wife. Mommy. Writer.   Twitter: @darci_cole
Christian Writers Downunder   Twitter: @CWDownunder
Denise DeSio    Twitter: @TopBee
Peter Faur    Twitter: @PeterFaur
Ghostnapped blog  On Twitter: @AshleyHowland
Bonnie R Paulson  On Twitter: @bonnierpaulson
Diapers, Bookmarks, and Pipe Dreams  On Twitter: @KirkusMacGowan
JD Stockholm  On Twitter: @JD_Stockholm
Beauty and Books  On Twitter: @LazenBeauty
The Book Smugglers  On Twitter: @booksmugglers
L. Leander Books   On Twitter: @lleander11
Illustration Junky    On Twitter: @illustrationbee
Michael R. Hicks   On Twitter: @KreelanWarrior
Melissa Writes    On Twitter: @MissieK
T.L. Bodine   On Twitter: @tlbodine
Crystal Lee ~ Author  On Twitter: @CLeeAuthor
Gavin Mountford's Productive Entrepreneur  On Twitter: @gavinmountford
Diamond Panes    On Twitter: @Latticewindows
Writer, of sorts.   On Twitter: @tdhurst
Jackie Bledsoe Jr   On Twitter: @jbledsoejr


And there's the rundown. Lots of great new folks to follow on twitter as well. I hope you have all enjoyed participating in my blog party! Congratulations to the winners! If your name is there, you will be contacted shortly for shipping info!!

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

Jo

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

A Few of my Favorite Blogs Part 2 of The Blog Party

Today on my blog party I have some exciting news to share!! Tomorrow, I will be hosting a giveaway of the book Soul Journey by a fellow writer and blogger named Lisa Cherry. Check back here to enter the Rafflecopter drawing!

Thursday, I'll be talking about a book written by Ms. Randi Fine titled Awaken From Life: Lessons for Discovering Your Personal Truths (don't miss that). You can read a little about it or buy it here.

A surprise for you all today, I am happy to tell you about a great FREE book by Mr. Robert Chazz Chute titled The Dangerous Kind & Other Stories. Get it at Amazon before tomorrow night! I've read his book titled Bigger Than Jesus and am a huge fan of his work. I am delighted to help him announce his giveaway.


A brief synopsis:
Small-town claustrophobia and the psychological horror of living with other people at its best.This is a real deal with all these stories now in one package: two brothers must decide if murder is the answer to all of their problems; a psycho psychologist directs a serial killer who to kill; a crazy young woman insists she stay on as the psychologist's patient; a divorced dad learns to deal with loss through the power of hypochondria; a starlet meets her high school lover again for one last conversation about dire secrets; and a DJ argues against God only to discover that there are some arguments you definitely don't want to win.

Revamped and reloaded, my novella, The Dangerous Kind is available again, but now it's bundled with six short stories that are the precursors to the (coming!) Poeticule Bay series of novels. Two new stories are in this collection, including The Sum of Me, a story anyone with credit card debt will appreciate. I read The Sum of Me at a writing conference to thunderous applause and it won an honourable mention from a Writer's Digest competition.

Now, on to our regular post! Aren't you all excited? What a great week this will be! Welcome to a few more of my favorite blogs.

Here's a blog by a literary agent that asks thought-provoking questions for authors of all kinds:

Rachelle Gardner  On Twitter: @RachelleGardner

Do you like ramblings? How about ramblings that have a purpose? Follow this blog for great photos and discussion:

Ramblin' with AM  On Twitter: @ RamblinGarden

Get some wonderful marketing advice and some helpful tips about setting up FaceBook or branding your own blog with Liberty:

Libertys Yarn  On Twitter: @LibertysYarn

A couple of blogs for all you children's chapter book lovers:

Imagine! Create! Write!  and
Chapter Book Challenge  On Twitter: @moonduster
Ghostnapped!  On Twitter: @AshleyHowland

If you're interested in poetry, thought-provoking posts, or to see the world through someone else's eyes, check out this guy's blog:

The Arkside of Thought  On Twitter: @SahmAtaineKing

That's all for today, folks! More great blogs and that awesome giveaway tomorrow! Until then, WRITE ON!

Jo