Published and Giveaway!

Remember that post I made way long ago about how I was going on a self-publishing adventure for "My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade"?

Yeah, I barely remember that post myself, but the point is - I've done it.  I'm proud to announce that my not-quite-novella (aka novelette) is published and available on Amazon or Smashwords!

In addition to this super fabulous amazing news, I will be adding good news to it!

You know that Winter Giveaway that's still going on?

Well, each winner within the giveaway (there will be five winners) will receive a free ebook copy of My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade.

 How's that for gifting before the holidays?

Now, if you don't know what Terrance Wade's Summer Vacation is all about, you should read this super awesome blurb:

Terrance’s dad always said, “Never let your mother through that door.”  So when she comes in through the window, Terrance figures it’s okay.

His mom says, “Terrance, your dad doesn’t want me to show you the world. But we’re going – tonight, now."

Terrance, a naive yet astute 7-year-old, doesn’t know he’s being kidnapped by his mother.  Instead, he thinks she’s a secret agent, and he believes they’re on a mission to save the world. 

If that's not enough to get you interested, let me tell you why I personally loved writing Terrance.  He's absolutely silly.  He's one of the silliest kids in the world.  He constantly finds ways to undermine his parents (unknowingly), and he frequently misunderstands things.

It's currently priced at a small sum of $1.50.  It's 15k words, and I firmly stand behind the "99 cents per 10k words" philosophy.  If you don't feel like buying it, but are interested, you should head over to the giveaway and enter!  There's five chances to win (the two hardcover contests close tonight)!

Winter Giveaway on Now!!

Don't miss the Winter Giveaway going on now!

Personal/writing update:

This week is going to be insane for me, but I'm ready for it!  I'm attempting to publish "My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade"as my first self-published piece (novelette/long short story/whatever you want to call it). Working with some awesome people on G+ to get a decently professional cover done.  They've had some amazing feedback.  Also am doing the final edits this week - as well as last minute formatting.

On top of that, Brenda Drake and Company (way too many awesome people to mention them all) are hosting a pitch contest (need to apply to that still)!  I have ten people that I want to submit to, but I need to narrow the list down to three.  I still haven't chosen between Where We Collide (formerly known as Soul Therapy) and RUHE.  Hopefully I'll get some feedback from one of my friends soon which will narrow the choice for me?  Maybe?  (Indecision!)

My other writing goals for December?  Finish Good Criminal Heart the first draft and completely edit Where We Collide.  I wrote the first draft for my NaNo last year and haven't touched it since.  But I love, love, love her story - or rather, fell back in love with it.  So I'm ready to edit it.

Which is why I need to edit it now - in case I do choose it for the Pitch Contest - if it gets chosen, then it needs to be polished.  Or at least, it needs to be in second/third draft form.  :)

Then I move onto The Unanswerable for self-publishing while querying Where We Collide and RUHE.

And I have a tight reading deadline...  These are all self-imposed/due to the fact that I go to the library way too much and bring home way too many books.

I'm reading Dust Lands by Moira Young right now.  On my shelf:  John Dies at the End by David Wong, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Partials by Dan Wells, and Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.  I'm trying to get through all these this month.

Guys, I'm excited.  I haven't had this many deadlines in a really long time - and I feel kind of accomplished - and stressed out!  It's a good stressed, it means I'm actually doing things!

Hope everyone else is doing well out there!  More updates to come!

Winter Giveaway!

Success!  We have four fantastic YA books to giveaway and one fantastic New Adult book to giveaway in two separate giveaways!  Sorry for making you guys fill out the form twice - but one is international, the other is not (and different entries for each).

Below is the rafflecopter for the hardcover book giveaway.  This is for United States only, the international giveaway with ebooks is further down.

The hardcover prizes:

Deadline by Chris Crutcher.  A story of a high school teenager who finds out he is terminally ill.  Instead of undergoing treatment to possibly give him a few more "sick" years, he chooses to forgo it.  With a one year deadline, he finds out what life is really about.

Saying It Out Loud by Joan Abelove.  Based on her own experience of losing her mother when she was coming of age, Mindy has to figure out life for herself.  Her father turned inward, and her life has turned to sorrow.  Very moving and powerful piece of work.

The Rafflecopter for these two hardcover books (US only)  but don't forget the second, international giveaway below!:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don't forget to check out the other giveaway below!
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The ebook giveaway is open Internationally.  These authors have graciously donated one copy of their ebook to join the winter giveaway.

The ebook prizes:

The Between by LJ Cohen.  Lydia Hawthorne is on a good track in her life - that is until she is snatched by the Fae.  She is thrust between two warring sets of Fae, Bright and Shadow.  Lydia is supposed to choose a side, pick one side to win the war.  The fate of Fae lies in her hands, but worse, so does the fate of her family.

The Clockwork Giant by Brooke Johnson.  Petra Wade is a self-taught clockwork engineer who dreams of becoming a member of the Guild.  Emmerich, a Guild recruit, has been hired to make an automation.  Emmerich learns of Petra through a chance encounter and knows she can help him.  In secret, they build the clockwork giant, but a soon learn of a sinister conspiracy from within the Guild.

Balor Reborn by Paul Carroll - New Adult.  Fionn Murray, a university student, has to become the unwilling hero when spirit of tyrant Balor comes back with a vengeance. With his house mate Michael, Fionn must decide to run or face an evil that could consume the world. Based on the old Irish myth of Balor of the Evil Eye, this is the first in the series seeking to revive the magic of Ireland.

The Rafflecopter for these three ebooks (International):

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NaNoWrimo: The Finish Line!

The finish line is just up ahead, and I haven't reached it yet, but I'm about 3,000 words and a good glass of wine away to finishing NaNo - but that doesn't mean the novel is finished.

I might have to stop writing consistently for awhile and start editing every other day, writing every other day once NaNo is over.  Terrance still remains to be finished - and The Unanswerable is no closer to getting done.  At least I will then start making progress on new, and old, books.  Because editing all the time is too hard, and writing all the time makes me want to edit!

However - I do have some awesome, unrelated NaNo news.

To celebrate the whole "Holidays are coming!" thing, I'm going to be doing a big giveaway.  I have quite a few books that have been lying on my shelves - and I feel like they need new homes.  While I love my bookshelf, and I think it's great that I have a nice little library, it makes me sad when books get dusty and never get revisited.

I know it doesn't earn the author any money to give away books myself - but at least I'm spreading the word and the love of the book around.  I wish I could do both, but at least there's love - and giving!


Check back - because the giveaway is coming!

NaNoWriMo: Productive Procrastination

While I am actually standing strong at 29,464 words on day 15, I am still finding small ways to put off writing.  Today's productive procrastination was creating a cover for Where We Collide, which was formerly known as Soul Therapy, my 2011 NaNo project.

Where We Collide is not edited.  It is sitting as a rough draft quietly awaiting the day when I'll come back to edit it.  For some reason, it always motivates me once a book has a cover.  Doesn't really make sense, considering this is a mock cover.  This cover might never exist outside of my computer.  Even so, seeing a mock cover makes me want it.

Even though today was full of procrastination, I just rushed through four chapters worth of outlining for my current NaNo project, Good Criminal Heart.  I even have enough motivation to work on "My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade" tonight.  Why?  I think the finished novel starts to feel tangible.  That makes me feel like it is closer to being finished, even if it's not.

Other than "wanting to finish" your piece, what motivates you?  Have you tried  making mock covers for your pieces? 

How is your NaNo going?  Are you procrastinating?  Are you getting stuff done?  Are you doing a bit of both?

Cheers to motivation, I hope everyone finds some today!  Especially you WriMos out there, we only have half a month left!