Author Central and You

Hello, and happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we're going to be talking about Amazon's Author Central, and how you can make the most of your profile there. If you're ready, grab a pen and notebook, and let's get going!

Everyone knows Amazon is the big pie in the sky every author wants to stand on top of, wiggle their feet into the a la mode, and be covered in the gooey goodness. Why? Because that's the pinnacle of awesome. Readers are reading your books, you're enriching lives with your words, and (hopefully) you're providing hours of entertainment and deep thought. But you have to be seen in order for people to find your work, right?

One of the tools you should be using to accomplish visibility is Author Central. It's not difficult to set up a profile there, and there are some cool features you may not know about available to you. Let's start by setting up an account if you don't already have one.

Go here to the Author Central login page. I'm going to pretend to create a dummy account for the purpose of this tutorial, so you can see what steps to take. Okay, you should be at a screen that looks like this:

If you have an account, log in. If not, click join now.

Now you'll be on a screen like this:

That's where you sign in with your current Amazon customer account (even if you don't have an Author Central page). Like I said, I'm pretending to create a dummy account, so I'll go to "I'm a new customer."

Enter your e-mail address and click continue. You'll go here:

Fill it out and proceed. This is where I back up and login to my own account so I can show you all the goodies there.

Here's your welcome page:

If you just signed up, you won't have any information here. You'll need to fill out your profile and upload an author photo. Click Author Page at the top, and you'll end up here:

You know what to do. Now, click on the books tab, and you'll go to a page that looks like this (yours may or may not have books on it yet):

How do you add books? By clicking this button:

And searching for your title in this box:

I did a search for Fractured Glass. As you can see, it says already added. Yours won't say that, so click the button "This is my book."

It takes Amazon about 24 hours to link your book with your profile. But, once they do, your page will look like mine above and be ready for editing. Because I'm using Fractured Glass as an example, I'll navigate to that book's edit page by clicking on the title:

As you can see, the wide array of choices is staggering. You can also see, by looking in the top right corner, I'm editing the Kindle version of the book (not the paperback).

This is important to know, because you have the freedom to edit each edition's sections separately. I'm going to add an award to the Kindle edition's page, because I'm a dork and only put it on the paperback. So, I click edit on the product description:

And I paste in what I copied from the paperback edition description in this popup:

Then, I click preview:

Of course, I have to remember to click Save Changes if it looks good:

Amazon gives me a pat on the head and tells me it'll take 3-5 days for my changes to show up (most of the time it's just 24 hours or so, but err on the side of caution).

There are six sections available to edit here:

• Review (this is for editorial reviews, because Amazon doesn't allow those guys to publish reviews)
• Product Description
• From the Author
• From the Inside Flap
• From the Back Cover
• About the Author

Go tinker with them all! It's fun!

Because this post is getting really long, I'll go into some of the fun things available to play with on your profile page tomorrow. Hopefully, you'll have it all filled out and ready to rock!

What do you think? Did you sign up? Already had? Learn something new?

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

Jo

Book Review - Cinder

It's Wednesday, and it's time for another book review! I got to meet Marissa Meyer at Utopia in June, and she signed my copy of Cinder. It was awesome. She's very sweet, and if you ever get the chance to meet her, do it. See my interview with her here. Today's review will go in the Time for Books 2015 Review Team pool. So far, the reviewers participating have read and reviewed 310 books! Wow. Check them out here.

Without dallying any more, I give you the book up for review today.

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Length (print):
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~  Paperback $5.88

Blurb:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. I love this cover. It screams cyborg and all things sci-fi. Color and imagery are spot on, and need I even talk about that gorgeous font? Hello, harmony! And all women love shoes; am I right? It just fits the genre and storyline perfectly. Well done, book cover designer! Also, if you haven't read Cinder, the interior is set in a sans-serif font (not something you see often) that ties the whole idea together even further. Simply beautiful.***

Let's get on to the review!

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Marissa Meyer on my blog a little while back, and my discussion with her prompted me to pick up a copy of Cinder. I snagged the paperback at a local bookstore, dove in, and was hooked from page one. When I got to meet Marissa at Utopia Con in Nashville in June, it was all I could do not to gush at her over the awesome world she wove. But, enough of that, let's get on to the review, shall we?

From a Reader's Perspective:
Okay, I have to admit, I'm usually a gal who can spoil a book by thinking about it too much while I'm reading. Endings never twist and turn on me, and I have a keen eye for hints dropped in the prose that tell about what's coming. This book wasn't one I could predict. I found myself making guesses, reading on, and being like: Dang, I thought I had it! I love books that captivate me this way. Keeps me turning the pages. Pacing in the book was bang on, and I breezed through it in about a week, never wanting to put it down.

I love the world Ms. Meyer built. I could picture New Beijing in my mind quite well, even though the author didn't bog me down with a ton of description. My imagination was beautifully engaged.

Cinder is a wonderfully complex character with flaws I could identify with. She never felt like she fit in, and she had few friends she really spoke to. Not believing herself worthy or deserving of anything, she reminded me of what I loved about Cinderella most: humbleness. I felt hate for her step-mother and the Lunar queen, and I wanted Cinder to win all the things by the end of the novel.

I so need book two now.

From an Editor's Perspective:
Tiny errors you'd find in any book. Nothing major.

Rating:
1 star for a beautifully complex main character
1 star for pacing
1 star for not bogging me down with fluff
1 star for keeping me guessing (still, even after the end)
1 star for editing
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars. Recommended for those who love a world built around a flawed, charming character. 

Have you read it? What did you think?

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

Cook Your Novel Low and Slow

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! If you remember my post from yesterday, where I gave you some tips and tricks on how to speed up the pace of your novel, you'll know what's coming today. If you missed that one, be sure and check it out here. We're talking about how to slow down the pace today. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Sometimes, a novel needs to slow down a bit to let the reader catch their breath. Unless you're Dean Koontz, or your idea is similar to Intensity, where the reader is on the edge of their seat the whole time. Ha! Readers need a break in the action or they get overwhelmed.

Here's how you can slow things up a bit:

• Have your character make a mistake. Success constantly moves a story forward, and it increases the pace. If you want to slow down a bit, introduce a misstep they have to reverse and correct before proceeding.

• Distract the character. This move can also distract the reader, so use with care. You can engage the reader's emotions rather than starting a mundane task though. Maybe John and Marsha are arguing, and the intensity of the scene is up there. She's getting ready to go on a date with him, so she stops yelling and turns to apply her makeup (which is difficult with the tears in her eyes). You get the point.

• Change the structure. Longer sentences take more time to read and digest. Be wordy, use description, and use words like flugelbinder (kidding - that's not a word). On a serious note, pay attention to the length of paragraphs or placement of soft sounding words.

• Insert inner-monologue or memories. These are an excellent device to halt the flow of the story by bringing the reader back in time or into the character's head. It stilts flow, and that's good when trying to slow things down.

• Insert action scene followup. Your character just committed his or her first murder. Give them a moment to reflect on what they've done and think about the consequences. Not all action scenes need this, but use it when you need to cook something to a tender state.

• Use more description. I'm terrible at this (just ask my editor), but it has it's place in a novel. Sometimes, talking about the scenery or what the little dog's fur color pattern looks like is just what a scene needs to add a little molasses.

I hope you found these tips helpful. Are there any I missed?

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

Jo

Pick Up the Pace

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, we're talking about ways to increase the pace in your novel. I assume you've used the tools in my previous post on measuring pace and scene writing, so now I'm going to give you ways to speed it all up. Tomorrow, I'll tell you how to slow things down. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

You hear folks talk about how a novel dragged on and on, right? To keep your readers interested, you have to have the right combo of a fast pace and a let's-look-at-each-and-every-flower-and-tree pace. Those novels that dragged had more of the second kind. *grin*

Let's fix that.

• Word usage. This is the most basic way to increase a novel's pace. Shorter words and sentences make reading and processing easier. Seek out places you can cut a sentence to six words or fewer. Oftentimes, you can remove introductory words: Then, However, Often, etc... Independent clauses can come out if they aren't helping the sentence. MS Word has a checker that will seek out wordy sentences for you. You can highlight the section and tell the program to look at it. Easy peasy.

• Dialogue with few to no action tags. If you refrain from giving description of the characters' movements or expressions during dialogue, it'll help. Stick with invisible tags (tags readers see but don't actually have to process): Said, Asked, Answered. Don't go down the rabbit hole, and keep the back and forth going.

• Action! This is where you can leave off the telling and show. You aren't trying to increase tension, just give the character some kind of goal and get him or her there. If it's a battle scene, you want to do a little telling and describe a few things, but don't go into paragraph after paragraph of description. Action happens quickly, and you, the writer, can just sit back and watch as the beauty unfolds.

• Suspense. Yeah, that's right, keep the reader turning the pages to find out what the heck is going on. You'd think dragging something out would slow things down, but it actually engages the reader's brain and makes them read faster so they can find a solution to their twanging nerves.

• Scene cut/breaks. This is where there's no transition to a new scene. You can end the previous scene on a cliffhanger or not, but your story makes a leap into something totally different. Keep in mind, you can also create a scene cut by cutting out some of the tale where the prose is dragging.

• Summary paragraphs. Your character just spent three months getting to know the people around them? Awesome. Readers will be fine with a summary now and then if nothing significant happens during those three months. Cut the scene and summarize.

You can use some or all of these techniques. Either way, you're guaranteed to pick up the pacing of your story if you follow the suggestions above.

Which one(s) did you know about, and which are new?

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

Jo

A Revolutionary Idea - Utopia 2016 T-shirts

Happy Thursday, everyone! Heads up, there won't be a post on this blog tomorrow. I'd explain, but it's summer, and summer things are happening. *grin* Just go with it. Today, I have some amazing news to share with you all. If you're ready, grab your seat and let's get going.

The always amazing Chelsea Starling and Victoria Faye have come up with an amazing idea. They're creating a series of t-shirts that will be sold in the months leading up to Utopia Con 2016. All proceeds will go to support the conference. Here's a picture of the first one:

There will be tank tops added later, but each shirt will have a unique design related to the theme of the conference: Revolution.

Get yours here! Right now. Go. Seriously, don't wait.

What do you think? Awesome idea? Did you get yours?

Look forward to my very first radio show next week! To get going, I'll be talking a few times. Then, we'll be bringing on the authors, readers, and industry pros you want to hear from. Our themes?

Revolution

Revelation

Resolution

Yeah, baby! It's going to be epic.

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

Jo

Book Review - Lex Talionis

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I'm back with a book review. I also read Cinder over the last month, and I'll be writing a review for that one next week. This one and the other will go in the 2015 Review Team pool. Wow, those ladies and gentlemen are doing a ton of reading 292 reviews? Wow. Check out the reviews here. As always, I'll start with information about the book and go from there. Ready? Let's gooooo!

Title: Lex Talionis
Author: S. A. Huchton
Genre: New Adult Thriller/Suspense
Length (print): 308 pages
Buy Link: Amazon Kindle $2.99  ~  Paperback $11.99

Blurb:
Alexandria Ross was only sure about one thing: her best friend Miranda. So when the seemingly random act of violence that steals Randi's life is revealed as cold-blooded murder, Andria doesn't get mad...

She gets even.

Driven with purpose, she changes the course of her life to set the scales of justice back in balance. Psychological warfare is her specialty, and the secrets of her enemies are her weapons.

The players take their positions on the board…

But little do they know that the game is rigged.

Alexandria controls every move.

Lex Talionis: let the punishment fit the crime.

Now that you know all about it, let's move on to the review.

***Will not appear in review elsewhere. What really got me interested in this book from day one was the cover. Then, when I read the tag line, I was hooked. I didn't even need a blurb at that point. I was totally sold. Props to the author.***

Now, I snagged a copy of Lex Talionis on Amazon, but I also picked up a copy of the paperback when I happened to be at the same book conference as Ms. Huchton. It was the bound and glued version I consumed in a day. That's right, it captivated me so hard I just couldn't put it down. But you're probably reading this review to learn what was good, bad, and ugly. Let's get to that.

From a Reader's Perspective:

I'd love to have a totally amazing friend like Lexi. She's fierce but loyal, and believes a woman deserves more and can do anything she puts her mind to if she uses the resources bestowed by nature. I loved her resolve to right wrongs. There were no holds barred. Yes. This is the thing all women should embrace. I eagerly consumed words as I waited for her to exact the revenge due.

I found the first round a bit lacking in emotional punch. When the time came, she didn't feel quite as much as I thought she might. While she was a private, reserved person who didn't show her emotions outwardly to everyone, I did feel the first situation could've had a bit more electrical charge.

However, I moved past it and put it to the emotional control factor of Lexi.

Who had done whatever had been done kept me guessing, and at the reveal I was stunned. I totally punched the air. Yeah, lame or whatever, but I was happy at the ending, and my fistpump shows how invested in the outcome I was. There was also never a time when I felt the pace dragged on.

From an Editor's Perspective:

There were little things here and there, but nothing to write home about. As in most books, a nominal number of errors slip through the cracks.

 

Rating:

1 star for making me care about the outcome

.5 star for a smart, self-controlled MC

-.5 star for the lack of punch in that pivotal scene

1 star for pacing and plot awesomeness

1 star for the overall theme and keeping me guessing

1 star for editing

Overall: 4.5/5 stars. I round up when clicking stars, so you'll see a 5. Recommended if you love books with a sassy female MC.

 

What do you think? Did you read it? Plan to?

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

Jo

A Daily Cup of Jo - Podcasts and More

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have some major announcements to make. As you all may know, I'm the blogger/tuber coordinator for Utopia Con 2016 (eek!). I've decided to change/shake some things up after a chat I had with the one and only Janet Wallace this morning.

I'm very proud to announce the coming of my podcast and radio show: A Daily Cup of Jo.

Not only will you get to hear some amazing authors, but I'll be talking with editors, photographers, and more of the folks rocking the literary world.

You'll see a couple of changes happening on the blog by way of appearance, but I'll still be here every weekday to bring you posts about writing, blogging, and reading.

Here's the channel link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/adailycupofjo

You can give it a follow now, or wait until the first episode goes live and subscribe on iTunes.

I plan to keep all interviews and discussions short (under half an hour), so you don't glaze over while listening.

Wait! It gets better! There will be official Utopia interviews going on! That's right, those shows will have imagery and space all their own. This is going to be epic, y'all.

Watch for an announcement post on the official #Utopia2016 bloggers this week. EEP!

What do you think? Did you check it out at all?

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

Jo

Stealing Characters

Happy, happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Wow. I'm totally late again. But at least I got something written and posted today, right? So, we're gonna talk about this lovely thing I like to call imagination. Basically, I'm going to tell you where you can steal characters and it be on the up and up, and how anyone that tells you otherwise is full of mahoney. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Where do characters come from, anyway? You can say they're all figments of the author's imagination. You can say they're everyone and no one at all. Heck, you can even say they're people the author knew/know.

And you know what? You'd be right on every count.

There's no such thing as an original character.

Are you ready to rip my face off yet? Good. Now, let me explain.

Your characters will all have an inherent piece of you. Yes, all of them. When you have to write anger, you draw on your own experiences with anger. In this way, it's impossible to write what you don't know. If you happen to come upon a feeling you've never had, chances are you'd have to ask someone else what it's like. Therefore, your character takes on a few basic traits of that person.

Writing that woman you watched in the airport who was oozing emotion through the phone at what you could only guess was a man? She's totally unique and not you, right?

Sorry. No.

Because what you've seen of her brings you to certain conclusions of your own about who she is. You draw upon experiences you've had in the past to fill in the rest of the proverbial sketch of her life.

But what about that character that came from nowhere? You just sat down, chose a name, created an identity, and drew them from thin air, right?

Let's think about that for a moment.

While that character in the book may have purple hair, pointy ears, and a forked tongue, you have to create a personality from somewhere. If you don't use your resources: yourself, a friend, a stranger you spoke to, a family member, a character you once read about that stuck with you in personality, an old classmate you hated/loved, etc..., you're setting yourself up for failure and flat characters.

There's no such thing as an original character. Even if the man or woman in your book has one small piece of you, it's not 100% unique. They must have some part of someone to be real.

But characters aren't real, Jo!

Aren't they? Don't they talk to you when you're writing them, telling you how to write their story so the world sings along? Don't they force your hand sometimes?

I don't know a writer anywhere who says, "My characters do exactly what I tell them, and my story doesn't suffer for it." Yeah, that's not the way it works.

We create these people, and they go with us everywhere. I'm almost convinced those crazy people who walk around mumbling things to themselves aren't crazy at all; they're retired authors talking to the characters that refuse to leave.

They're in your head. You formed them. You breathed life into them. They're all going to have a piece of you, no matter how miniscule.

Guess what that means? If you're a lot like author ABC over there, and the two of you have had similar experiences/pasts, your characters might just act and sound alike.

Nothing wrong with that.

So, the next time friend A asks you if they're in your book, smile at them and nod your head. Chances are, there are enough pieces there to make it the truth.

But never, ever be afraid to steal bits and pieces of those folks you meet on the street or watch on the sly. They'll inject your characters with new traits.

What do you think? Have you written a character who acts/sounds like someone you know (accidentally)?

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

Jo

UtopYA 2015 Deets and Utopia 2016 Announcements

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow, I've been in a funk since returning from the con Sunday, and I haven't really had the ability to get on here and blog. But, no worries, it's all happening right now!

Before I get started, I have to announce that tickets for the 2016 con--forever more known as Utopia--are on sale NOW for VERY low prices! $80 is the basic one. This year, we'll also have fan tickets that will allow fans into the exhibitor halls to meet the authors. So many changes! Very exciting. Get your tickets or exhibitor space here.

When I set out for Nashville I was raring to go, promising myself I'd blog while I was at the con. That didn't happen. I, somehow, forgot how overwhelmingly busy the conference is. Minus five pounds by the time I got home should give you a good idea. Anyway, let me get to the details of awesome!

I left early Wednesday morning so I'd have the chance to see and talk to a couple of people I knew were already there before things went nuts. I had a lunch date with Regan Claire, and I was hoping to run into Carlyle Labuschagne, Katie John, and Carol and Adam Kunz. I got to see Carlyle and Katie, and low and behold, Ginny Gallagher showed up, too, but Carol and Adam were nowhere to be found. This is the lovely Katie:

Anyway, I squealed and hugged new friends and old ones, and barely had time to breathe. I did manage to get a couple of shots outside the hotel this year:

Regan, Ginny, my niece, and I, all went to Hattie B's for hot chicken and snagged some cupcakes from Gigi's. It was soooo crowded, but we had great food and a wonderful time. Pics!

As we were returning to the hotel, I find we're right behind Bella Roccaforte. I brought back cupcakes, and I handed them out in the HUGE line in the lobby of people waiting to check in. Surprise! It was the birthday of one of my fans (Terri Barber)! Need I say that she got the first pick?

Well, the Fractured Glass ladies (Kelly Risser, Casey L. Bond, Tia Silverthorne Bach, and N. L. Greene) arrived not a moment later. Once everyone got checked in and we hauled all our stuff up to our rooms, I asked the dreaded question: Should we wait an hour to load in to the exhibitor space, or should we eat first? They were starving, so the answer was:

"GIVE US FOOD! NOW!"

Rachael Brownell, Ginny Gallagher, a fellow IBGW editor named Karen Robinson, and Lindsay Lewis came along, and we ate amazing food and had a drink or two at Margaritaville. Pictures? Okay then:

Because we didn't get everything out of the car and into the room until almost six, and because the hotel shuttle was slow, we didn't get back until tenish. Setting up/load in time was up at eleven.

Well, the dynamite five had a book to plan, and I didn't want to be up all hours, so we decided to meet in the room I was sharing with Tia so we could get to business and just set up the next morning.

You guys are going to DIE over the book idea. If it's half as good as we see it in our heads, well... Anyway...

Up suuuuper early the next day (Thursday), I went in search of a cup of coffee to wake me up and a trolly to carry all our junk to the exhibitor room after my shower while Tia was in the bathroom doing the same. I scored one. Whew! We had a bunch of boxes and stuff, and it was all soooo heavy.

After six, we were in the space putting our stuff up (this took about an hour). Then it was off to a very speedy breakfast and on to the keynote speech for the day given by Denise Grover Swank. As she talked about the losses in her life and how they'd brought her to where she is today, I cried. It was so moving. We got out right before the exhibitor hall opened, so I boogied back downstairs (elevators took a LONG time). Here's a shot of Crystal Bryant, me, and Janet Wallace, as well as Denise and the IBGW booth:

 

 

We gave away allll those books you see on the center of the table in the first shot, and I snagged a copy of Lex Talionis by S. A. Huchton (read it already, review to come).

I attended two talks that day: When Marketing Globally, How to Act Locally by Stormy Smith and Slaying the Demons (Dealing with PTSD as a Writer) by Chelsea Starling (this second talk ran wayyyy over, and I didn't get out until right before lunch). See our pic!

Lunch was crammed down between talking with people and chewing. Then, it was back to the exhibitor hall.

I moderated a panel that day about being a book blogger/tuber. We gave away a book, and everyone who attended said they loved it so much. I was sweating, so it thrilled me to hear that bit of info. On the panel were (from left) the lovely Maria Pease, Chris Canon, and Tammy Blackwell. It was fun! Here's a pic Christina Marie took from the audience:

Then it was back to the exhibitor hall until four. Everyone didn't clear out until almost five, but we managed to escape eventually. I headed back to my room to freshen up and change clothes for the keynote speaker dinner at seven.

As always, I was a little early (6:30ish), and I ran into one of the women I'd been dying to meet but hadn't gotten the chance: Regina Wamba. She's an amazing photographer, and she does cover shoots for many of the attending authors as well as headshots and promo pics. I finally got to drink some water, which was amazing, by the way, and ten minutes later Denise Grover Swank came in. I spoke with her for a little bit, and then Liz Long, Janet Wallace, Kim Holden, Lindsey Miller (the backbone of the con), the winners of the dinner (Myra Lang and Meg Farrell) showed up along with Lauren Miller. This is Lauren:

We were shown to our tables. Oh man, I got to sit with her! Denise was at another table, and Kim was at yet another table.

You guys, Lauren is SO down to Earth. She's such a real person. And, we got to eat amazing food! Yes, I took photos:

Jamie Anderson (also one of the vertebre of the con), showed up, and he and I talked about his upcoming release (news to come later). I saw a photo of this somewhere. I can't find it now. Gah! 

Anyway, after the dinner (which ended around nine), I headed downstairs to find Tia. After stopping in the lobby and chatting with folks milling about, I located her and we headed to bed. Earlier than most, but later than I would've liked (like I said, I love my sleep). I tossed and turned all night, and woke up early the next day (around fiveish). Fun! No, not really. I'm crabby when I can't sleep.

So, it was off to the races once again. After locating coffee and having breakfast, we headed upstairs to listen to Lauren give her keynote speech. Wow did it resonate. I'm so elated to have gotten to meet her. I skipped the shaking of hands and rushed down the stairs (see previous note about the elevators) to get back to the exhibitor hall.

There I was all day until lunch (which I again inhaled between conversations) and my panel right afterward. This one I was sitting on, and it was moderated by Rick and Amy Miles. It was a good debate there for a minute, because it was called: How to Make Your Blog Tours Run Like Clockwork. You all know me.

Moving on.

After that, I hoofed it back to the table because we had to start breaking down soon. An hour later saw us unloading in the room, separating stuff so we could set up the next morning, and getting ready for the Afterlight ARV-3 short film premiere that night. I have a bunch of pictures and videos that I'll be sharing Monday. For a little teaser, here's the author and the crew:

Man, I do loooove me some zombies.

Once the film was done, we headed back downstairs to get food. We were dead on our feet. I inhaled dinner once it made it to the table (slowwwwwwww) and we skipped karaoke in favor of our beds. It was late, and with two women and two teens in our room needing to get changed/ready for bed, we finally crawled into bed around eleven.

Up again at five on Saturday, we had to shower, eat, set up for the day (again), and be upstairs for the last keynote speech by eight-thirty. I had a bit of a rough start that day because I was so tired, but I got through it and pushed on. All day was spent at my table, with an hour for lunch where I sat and talked with S. M. Boyce. Here's my table, and B. Kristin McMichaels's beautiful little girl!

Once again, breaking down and stuff happened around four thirty (people were difficult to clear from the signing hall), then it was back to the room to get ready for the awards and the cocktail hour that began at six. Dinner was pizza, courtesy of Casey L. Bond, that she had sent to the room. It was crazy. CRAZY with seven females getting changed, doing makeup and hair, and trying to eat. I got one piece of pizza.

Then, downstairs for the awards where we had a lip sync battle, and Casey L. Bond won an award for Sin for best serial series! Pics!

Once the main event was done, I cleaned all the crap off my face, changed into jeans and a tank top, and went to the after party. I danced with B. J. Sheldon and all the other ladies, but we only stayed about an hour. Again, I was so tired!

I can list the drinks I had over the four days on one hand. Okay, so I'm lame, but water was always, ALWAYS needed, and I don't like to have cocktails when I'm dying of thirst. *grin*

Up again super early on Sunday to head to the closing ceremonies and pack everything up so we could check out of the room and head to the Parthenon.

Big announcements happened that morning, and Janet Wallace revealed the theme for year five: Revolution! She also announced that utopYA will be changed to utopia and will expand to include middle grade and adult paranormal and contemporary. Wowzers!

It was my nieces first (and maybe only) visit to Nashville, and I wanted her to see all the things. Besides, I wanted that extra hour with Tia, who I only get to see once a year. Here are some photos!

After that, I dropped Tia and Jackie back at the hotel and started the drive home. It wasn't too bad (just about three or four hours), but I was exhausted and traffic sucked because TDOT decided to put some cones in the road. Yeah, no construction, just cones.

Finally, I made it home! Today was the first day I've felt anywhere close to being a human, so it is what it is. I've been busy today rounding up the bloggers for next year, so expect me to be back to my regularly scheduled program on Monday.

Still on the fence about doing written author interviews for 2016, but we'll see.

Did you enjoy them last year?

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

Jo

Evanescent - Carlyle Labuschagne

A darker offering from award winning YA author 

Carlyle Labuschagne 

In a recent TV interview Carlyle was given the opportunity to answer some tough questions about why she felt she needed to go darker in this novel and what will the reader take away from that. Then  she gets emotional on the mention of her recent UtopYAcon nominations where the awards will be celebrated in Nashville June 20 2015

Title: Evanescent

Author: Carlyle Labuschagne

Series: The Broken Series #2

Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Release Date: 19th May 2015

ISBN: 978-0-9922446-4-4  

Back Blurb:

Her fall has just begun. Only his touch can save her from the shift that could destroy it all. 

Within my blood runs a thing our kind calls the Shadowing Disease. It shadows over, and bends everything to its will. 

When the first blood-shift came, it tore through flesh and blood, threatening to bend me, break bone, shatter my mind and entrap my heart with its honeyed, seductive poison. It came with vicious intent, moving my thoughts and altering me forever. 

The shift has caused a rift within me. No one was safe when it entrapped me in its claws of foul lust. But I have the only antidote against the evil that becomes me - his touch alone has the power to release the spurs of sweet darkness that clung on for deal life. 

I knew what I had to do; the desperation pulled my mind with the deep determination of a hungry predator. 

By the time the revelation raised me from the dark dungeon of my bounds - it might have been too late.

PURCHASE THE NOVEL

AMAZON

BARNES$NOBLE

KOBO

SMASHWORDS

CREATE SPACE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carlyle is an South African award winning author, with a flair for mixing genres and adding loads of drama to every story she creates. For now she is happy to take over the world and convert non Sci-fi believers.

Her goal as an author is to touch people's lives, and help others love their differences and one another by delivering strong messages of faith, love and hope within every outrageous world she writes about.

"I love to swim, fight for the trees, and am a food lover who is driven by my passion for life. I dream that one day my stories will change the lives of countless teenagers and have them obsess over the world literacy can offer them instead of worrying about fitting in. Never sacrifice who you are, it’s in the dark times that the light comes to life."

Carlyle used writing as a healing tool and that is why she started her very own writers support event - SAIR bookfestival.

 "To be a helping hand for those who strive to become full times writers, editors, bloggers, readers and cover artists - it’s a crazy world out there you don’t have to go it alone!"

AUTHOR LINKS

Blog
Facebook Page
LinkedIn
Twitter
Website
Google +
Fire Quill Publishing

Pretty cool, huh? Carlyle rocks!

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

Jo

New Release - M

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I can't even begin to tell you all how stinking excited I am for the news I'm sharing today. Ready? Grab a cup of coffee and let's get going!

M has officially been released! You can grab a copy on Kindle for just $3.99. Want more info? Keep reading! *grin*

Title: M
Author: Jo Michaels
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal/Urban Fiction/Sci-Fi
Length: 318 pages
Buy Links: Amazon Kindle $3.99  ~  Paperback $16.99

Blurb:
In 2026, it finally arrives, the drug promising to make life easier for the masses. One dose of M and anyone can gain an ability. There are no promises made as to what the power could manifest as, but people are crawling over one another to take a chance.

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

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

Enter the year 2042.

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

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

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

How far is too far?

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

 TEASER IMAGE!

What are you waiting for? Go check it out! Free to sample.

What do you think? Sound interesting?

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

Jo 

Time Traveling to UtopYA 2014

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Oh my gosh! I leave for utopYA Con tomorrow, and I'm so very excited I can hardly stand myself. I'm sure everyone in my house can't wait to get rid of me, because I can't shut up. *grin* Today, I'm gonna tell you all about my adventure at the con last year, and I'm sharing pictures! Yeah, I know you're all excited. So many authors I can't wait to meet. No way can I name them all, but they know who they are!

Just in case you missed it, be sure and come to the Millennium Maxwell House on Saturday for the ARMI signing. There are a ton of amazing authors there. Best part? Entry is FREE if you bring a gently used children's book, or just FIVE DOLLARS if you don't. Get your ticket here.

Okay, let's get to the FUN stuff!

Last year, utopYA was a three day con. When I arrived on Thursday (a day early), I grabbed my bestie from her hotel and we skedaddled to a place for lunch I found on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives called Arnold's Country Kitchen at 605 8th Ave S. That link will take you to their menu/hours page on their website.

I still remember the taste of the food it was so good. I don't remember what Tia ate (roast beef, maybe?), but I had the country fried steak, fried green tomatoes, turnip greens, and mashed potatoes. For dessert, I had banana pudding. Oh my, it was to DIE for. There's a reason the line is out the door. Luckily, we got there early (around 11:30), before the huge crowd showed up.

We sat at a long table with a bunch of other people. It was true country eating, country style! If you like really great food, you want to check out Arnold's.

Anyway, after that, we headed for the hotel where we ran into a lovely group of women and had a frosty beverage with them in the hotel restaurant, Praline's. Why did we accept the invite? Because it's hot as Hades in Nashville in June. That's why!

Upon our exit, we managed to run into these lovely ladies. It was so fun getting to know them, and I was stoked to recognize so many people right off the bat.

It wasn't long before we ran into many, many other people.

Then, we got to set up our table for the weekend (that was exciting), and we headed to dinner and the planning meeting for Fractured Glass. There were many margaritas had out by the pool, and many great ideas being thrown around out there.

Once we'd gotten everything out, we all headed to bed. There were still a ton of people outside by the pool, hanging out and talking. It was a madhouse. But, since I like my sleep, I went for the pillows.

We hit the floor running the next day. It was off to the breakfast buffet then on to the keynote speaker, Sylvia Day. She was so inspiring and woman empowering! I loved every minute of it.

Friday was full of meeting people, shaking hands, attending panels, and BOOKS! Oh, so many books! That evening, we went to Maxwell's (the hotel bar) and sang karaoke. It was so much fun. Casey L. Bond, Tia, N. L. Green, and I sang Baby Got Back, and Casey got to wear my hat.

There was no messing around. Right after singing, we headed for our beds.

Saturday, again, we hit the floor running. Gennifer Albin was the keynote speaker for that day, and she knocked it out of the park, too. It. Was. Awesome. Later, I got to snag a photo with her and B. J. Sheldon.

There was more meeting of readers and awesomeness going on that day, and that night was the third annual utopYA awards ceremony. It, also, was awesome. So many talented authors were up for awards. I loved being part of the whole thing.

When we got to the dance party after the awards, B. J. and I had an 80s dance off. She's challenging me again this year. But, Tia and I hit the bed pretty early. I do love my sleep. haha!

Sunday, it was off to the races with us both. I dropped Tia at her in law's, and I headed home to my husband (who I missed so dang much). I couldn't shut up about the con for weeks afterward. There were so many ideas bouncing around in my writer brain! To say I'd been inspired would be an understatement. It was amazing.

So, I'm looking forward to all the happenings this year. Just one more day until I'm off to the races!

My post tomorrow will have pictures and stuff from my trip to the con. Look forward to it!

I only regret not taking more pictures last year! This year, I shall remedy that. *grins*

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

Jo