Friday, February 27, 2015

Celebrate, The Great Time Lock Disaster & Freebies


This week I'm celebrating:
1) My husband cleaned the bathroom.
2) My husband cleaned the bathroom.
3) My husband. Cleaned. The bathroom!

(I have to celebrate now 'coz goodness knows if it will ever happen again...)


My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:



 Celebrate the Small ThingsTo be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)



The Great Time Lock Disaster

AMAZON
There's nothing’s more dangerous than a wizard-in-training. And Pete Riley, has just proven it. He's worked a bad time spell--a very bad time spell.

No YouTube, no smoothies, no Manga. Not ever again. Not unless Pete figures out how to reverse his spell and free Weasel and him from Victorian England. 

He has until the next full moon. Only a few days.


Tick. Tock.



Here’s how the story starts, and it only gets worse:

One minute the clock was tick-tocking on the mantel and the next it was a smoldering mess.

“No,” Harriet shouted. Then she braced one hand on her desk and covered her eyes with the other.

Pete froze, not blinking, not breathing, but waiting to see if Harriet would point one of her long, bony fingers at him and turn him into a turnip or something slimy.

SEQUEL TO ALLIGATORS OVERHEAD

To celebrate the launch of The Great Time Lock Disaster I'm giving 20 eBooks away. Hope you'll jump in to the copter and go for a ride!



Usually, C. Lee takes on modern issues that today's teens face in their daily lives. Her first young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge, which dealt with cutting and suicide was published in 2009. Her second, titled The Princess of Las Pulgas, dealing with a family who loses everything and must rebuild their lives came out in 2010. Double Negative (2014) was her third young adult novel. Researching it turned her into a literacy advocate. Her fourth YA, Sudden Secrets came out in December 2014. 



When she really want to have FUN, she writes middle grade books. Alligators Overhead and The Great Time Lock Disaster are now available.


Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
  • Free short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Giveaways for books and swag
  • Free services for authors


Here are Foxy's suggestions for Feb 27, 2015:

Free Urban Fantasy Novella - Give Me Your Teeth by Jeff Chapman will be FREE TODAY ONLY! I’ve read it, and it’s a great, exciting, and fun novella! This isn't your mother's Tooth Fairy. This one has teeth, lots of them, and she's not afraid to use them to defend the innocent. Get your free copy now on Amazon!

My review:
Ten year old Jimmy just lost another tooth, and that’s not all he loses that night. He loses the illusion that the Tooth Fairy is tiny, cute, and sweet. But did he really see what he thinks or did he imagine it?

Jeff Chapman does an excellent job making Jimmy realistic with the typical problems of a kid, like being laughed at when he admits he saw the tooth fairy. He has worse problems, too, in the shape of two older boys who are bullying him. Chapman weaves the disparate threads of the story together to create a tapestry of creepiness that will stay with you long after you finish the short story. I loved his main character and how he gave an old fairy tale a new twist. (I never trusted fairies anyway!) This is a scary-but-not-too-scary story with a great ending. I loved it!

Free Urban Fantasy eBook – Win 1 of 5 copies of The Curse Merchant by J.P. Sloan on Mythical Books blog. (ends Mar 3)




Free Fantasy and Paranormal Novels – Win one of a big selection of Fantasy and Paranormal books on Mythical Books blog. (ends Mar 13)

$50 Amazon or Barnes&Noble Gift Card – Win a $50 gift card for either Amazon or Barnes&Noble to celebrate the release of Heart-Shaped Stone by Arby Corry on the Romance Novel Giveaways blog. (ends Mar 12)


For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com



Friday, February 20, 2015

Celebrate: Savvy Friends & Freebies


This week I'm celebrating:
1) I had a question about the Amazon CreateSpace/Kindle publishing process, so I posted on Facebook -- and a bunch of amazing people explained things I didn't even know enough to ask about. The writing community ROCKS!
2) Egyptian banks aren't accepted by Paypal or any banks in the west, so I can't pay for things or receive payment. (So annoying.)  BUT I've found I have more publishing options open to me than ever before -- even without Paypal.
3) I can now make choices about my publishing future that used to be impossible for me.  Short stories, "free reads," novellas -- even novels -- are a possibility now. I'm feeling empowered!

Have you ever received advice that helped you more than you imagined it could?

My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:



 Celebrate the Small ThingsTo be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)



Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
  • Free short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Giveaways for books and swag
  • Free services for authors


Here are Foxy's suggestions for Feb 20, 2015:

Free Thriller NovellaClaudia Must Die by T.B. Markinson will FREE from Feb 20 – 23 on Amazon US and Amazon UK. I’ve read it and it was so good! Go get your free copy now! (ends Feb 23)



Free SciFi/Fantasy Short Story – Celebrate's own Tyrean Martinson (of Everyday Writer, Tyrean Martinson) has a Permanent Free Read short story for anyone interested! "Seedling" is a flash fiction story -- Dunnie has a secret: a power inside him that's gone wrong in the past. When it's time to introduce himself to a new teacher, what will he say? And, will his classmates ever accept the truth? 
Available FREE on:     Amazon-Kindle       B&N/Nook      Smashwords


Free YA Fantasy Novel & Swag – Win Sword by Amy Bai via rafflecopter on My Book Addiction blog. (ends Feb 25)




For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com

Friday, February 13, 2015

Celebrate: Valentines & Freebies

This week I'm celebrating:
1) I'm caught up on critiques for my CPs. Yay! Plus, I got a bunch of very helpful feedback and did some revising. Revising always makes me feel good because I know the book's improving!
2) I had lunch with a friend at a new restaurant this week.  The food wasn't very good -- she had chicken curry and I had Mexican chicken, which bore zero resemblance to anything Mexican; it tasted like it was in a Chinese sweet and sour sauce.  We won't go back, but it's always fun to spend time with friends!
3) Valentine's Day is on Saturday.  Hubby usually gets me something nice, like chocolate or a little gift.  Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Are you going to give or receive something for Valentine's Day?  Do you have any special plans to celebrate it?

My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:



 Celebrate the Small ThingsTo be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)



Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
  • Free short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Giveaways for books and swag
  • Free services for authors


Here are Foxy's suggestions for , 2015:

Free "Feel-good" Short Story – Celebrate’s own Julia Thorley (of Life, Yoga and Other Adventures) offers a Permanently Free Read of her light-hearted short story “Briefs Encounter” at Ether Books.
"Briefs Encounter" blurb:  Jenna had only popped out to the shop. She had NOT expected the trip to end with her displaying her underwear to the passing public. (*Readable only on a mobile device -- smartphone, iPad, or tablet)

Free Literary/Mainstream Novel – Win Radiance of Tomorrow by Ishmael Beah (the bestselling author of A Long Way Gone). Read instructions on the post at The Africa Book Club blog. (Must be blog subscriber, answer a question, and send email to the address given) (ends Feb 28)


Free Classic Historical Romance Novel – Win A Room With a View by E.M. Forster. Just leave a comment on the post at Charlotte Luxhoej blog. (ends Feb 20)



For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com


Friday, February 6, 2015

Celebrate: Idols & Freebies


What I'm celebrating this week:
1)  My CPs got seven chapter critiques and one got a whole ms critique from me this week!  I'm not a shameful slug anymore -- Yay!
2)  I made it through my Ch 8 and have gone back to do Ch 7.  Writing things out of order (for the first time) was a little harder than I expected. There were details I wasn't sure about that linked the scenes together (separate POV characters, same location), but overall it worked. I'm glad I took the plunge, but won't use this non-linear technique often -- too confusing.
3)  I found a new Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child book this week!  (Yes, my face may have resembled the delighted baby's in the picture above). They're the ones I'd most like to emulate. I'm not nearly as good as they are, but I keep trying.

No matter who you idolize, it's wonderful to find someone who inspires you toward your goals.

Who's your idol?


My kind and wonderful co-hosts of Celebrate the Small Things are:
L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge
Katie @ TheCyborgMom

Celebrate The Small Things Sign-Up Linky:



Grab the Linky html-code here:



 Celebrate the Small ThingsTo be part of this blog hop, all you have to do is put your name on the linky list on Lexa's Blog, and then post every Friday about something you're grateful  for that week.  It can be about writing or family or school or general life.  This is the funnest and easiest blog hop ever! (Originated by VikLit)



Foxy's Friday Freebies!

Foxy has been nosing around the net
When she finds great FREE STUFF, she'll feature it on Fridays Freebies posts -
  • Free short stories, novellas, and novels
  • Giveaways for books and swag
  • Free services for authors


Here are Foxy's suggestions for Feb 6, 2015:


Free Humorous Mystery Novel – Win your choice of 1 of 3 humorous mystery novels (Nine Days to Evil, Fit to be Dead, or Dang Near Dead) by Nancy G. West. Go to Carol Kilgore’s Contest Page and enter. (ends Feb 28)

Free Online Reads - Celebrate's own Jamie Dement (of Caring For A Veteran) has kindly offered the links to her online publications HERE.


Free NA Contemporary eBook - Win an ecopy of End Note by Sonya Loveday via Rafflecopter on My Book Addiction. (ends Feb 28)





Free $25 Amazon Gift Card - Win a free $25 Amazon card to celebrate the release of A Groovy Kind of Love (women's fiction) by Karen Wojcik Berner via Rafflecopter on Juniper Grove Book Solutions. (ends Mar 2)


For Foxy's other Freebies, go to the Freebie page.

If anyone has a FREE short story (for download or online at a free ezine), novella, novel, special giveaway, or author service, please let Foxy know so she can plug you here!  Write to: laura.6eg(at)gmail.com


Wednesday, February 4, 2015

IWSG: Nerves Never Go Away


Whether you're querying agents or submitting short stories, whether you're releasing your first book or your fifteenth, whether you're going to a book signing or just sending your ms to a CP for a critique -- you can't help that fearful anticipation -- 
Will they like it?  What if they don't?

Sometimes things just don't go your way.  Rejections, bad reviews, negative critiques.  These things happen.

I still get nervous every time I get a crit from a CP or a review on my book.  I'm afraid to read it.  But I do, and even if it's bad -- I survive.  Yes, at the beginning, negative feedback was cause to scarf down a pint of ice cream and crawl into bed for a day or two.  But the more I got, the more I realized life goes on.  I learned.  I did better the next time.

Don't let nerves or negativity get to you. 
This is a marathon, not a sprint.


This is a post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group, the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. It exists so the community of blogging writers can share and support each other, blog-hopping to cheerlead and commiserate. To find out more, visit: Insecure Writer's Support Group. Plus, check out the IWSG Website for lots of helpful info and links.
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