Friday Five for May 31, 2013

1. A busy week for me. I'm getting ready for a trip to visit my family in Canada. We leave this afternoon! It seems to take forever to get all those little things that need taken care of before you go done. And usually I always forget one thing. I've made lists this time. Hopefully I won't be forgetting anything.

2. I'm excited to have my very own blog-sitter come over here next week. The wonderful Annalisa Crawford will be here to greet you on Monday with the first stop in her THAT SADIE THING blog tour.

3. I'm still struggling with finding my protagonist's voice. She has a catchphrase, though. She says "Oh my god!" a lot. So much can be conveyed in different tones with that one phrase.

4. My husband introduced me to a little game called Tiny Tower. It's so addictive. I'm glad he takes his iPod with him to work so I'm not tempted to play it at home during the day. I called him at work yesterday to ask if pork chops were good for dinner... and to make sure he built a new residence floor for me.

5. Fantastic new release! Milo James Fowler's IMMATERIAL EVIDENCE is now available.

Blurb: The vault door never opened. The bank went into lockdown in less than a minute. Yet the security footage was unmistakable: a hundred silver bars had simply vanished.

Ever since the city’s most dangerous crime boss put a price on his head, private investigator Charlie Madison has lived as an exile in Little Tokyo. But now an old friend and police sergeant has lured Madison back into the city to hunt down an invisible criminal—if he can.

As Madison makes his clandestine return, high-profile people start disappearing. And when federal agents swoop onto the scene to take matters into their own hands, they offer Madison a deal he can't refuse—as long as he agrees to work with them. With Japanese freedom fighters and refurbished killing machines threatening to take the world to the brink of nuclear holocaust, the United World government needs all the help it can get.

Embroiled in an unimaginable mystery, one private eye must rely on his wits to solve a case where the evidence is immaterial, and the odds are stacked high against him at every turn.

You can purchase IMMATERIAL EVIDENCE here!

If you could spare a few seconds, please send out a tweet:

A detective with a price on his head; an invisible criminal with nothing to lose: IMMATERIAL EVIDENCE http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=596

 
Debut novella from Milo James Fowler -- a future noir detective story: IMMATERIAL EVIDENCE http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=596 

Have a great week! 

Wicked Wednesday - the fine line of writing a strong heroine

One of the aspects of paranormal romance novels that I love is the strong female protagonists that kick butt. I like women who know their own minds and can take care of themselves. She doesn't necessarily have to be a supernatural creature or have powers. It's so much fun when a human gets thrown into a paranormal situation.

Yet one of the biggest problems to writing a good, strong heroine is sometimes authors fall on the other side of the line and make her an unlikable bitch. You need your readers to adore your protagonist, to root for her. I've set aside books because I didn't like the heroine. She had too much attitude, lack of heart, or was too detached.

Here are five tips to writing a kick butt woman that readers will love:

1. She may have a strong facade, but she needs to be vulnerable at times. Maybe her family makes her a softie or she's insecure about love. Give her vulnerabilities your readers can relate to.
2. She may be aggressive and ruthless, but don't let her be mean. Let her heart show through.
3. She might know who she is and what she wants, but there's always room to grow. For a story to be successful, the protagonist needs to have some personal growth. Maybe she was wrong about something she was so certain about, or what she wanted was suddenly taken out of the picture and she has to find her way again.
4. She should challenge the hero and possibly save him in the end, but not emasculate him. She should help make him a better person just as he should help her do the same. This will create a stronger bond and make for a better romance.
5. Being strong doesn't necessarily mean being physically strong. Her strength could come from her compassion and her drive never to give up. Let her strength shine through with how she deals with conflict.

What tips do you have for writing strong female characters?

Teaser Tuesday with Heart Sick

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I was in need of something out of my usual genre. And wow, did I find it. HEART SICK is the first book in Chelsea Cain's Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell series. A crime thriller with a female serial killer, and Gretchen is as frightening as they come. The book hooked me immediately with the first short chapter. I was blown away.

Here's your teaser:
Archie doesn't know for sure that it's her until that moment. There is a dull bloom of warmth in his spine, his vision blurs, and then he knows that Gretchen Lowell is the killer. (page 1)

Review for Passing Time

Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre

Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.

A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.

In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.

A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?

 

My review:

Passing Time is a wonderfully written collection of dark and eerie tales. Each story has its own way of gripping your soul. Some are short and intense, and others lure you down a long twisted path. You're left wondering about your own mortality, what you would do for love, and what terrifies you the most. As a writer, I was particularly paralyzed by "The Devil's Song."

My two favorite stories were "Expiration Date" and "The Vegas Screamer." The first takes place in a future where cloning is possible. You never have to lose someone you love. The second frightening tale is about a serial killer that has a chilling collection. Though each story has a strong and unique voice, this one stood out with its Stephen King feel.

I can't wait to read more from Ellie Garratt.

Book Links

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Goodreads

Facebook

Meet Ellie Garratt

A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later this year.

Great stalking places:

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Friday Five for May 24, 2013

1. The blog tour for THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE went wonderfully. Thank you again to all my fine hosts and readers. One more book left in the 13th Floor series. I can't believe I'm almost at the end! I've really loved writing this series. Such fun stories. (Sales tidbit for you: THE ALPHA is still selling more than any of the other books, even the new one. So far, the "werewolf" tag trumps the "vampire" one.)

2. The protagonist in THE GHOST isn't speaking clearly yet. I know where the story is going to go, but I'm pulled between having Chiharo's personality the same as when she died or having some wisdom from all the years she's spent as a ghost. I've been calling her the Wooden Girl. Since she still feels stiff to me. Her love interest has a powerful personality already. He wants to curse a lot too.

3. Yesterday was my son's last day of preschool. We're now officially on summer break. Yikes! I know he'll miss school, but I think I'll miss it even more. I keep telling myself the summer will go fast, and then he'll be going three mornings a week starting mid-August. An extra morning for me to write! Yay! Yet I have to survive the summer break first.

4. Thank you so much to all the teachers out there. You have such a big influence on our lives and our children's lives. Teachers are so under-appreciated. An especially big thank you to my son's teacher. She made his first year of school the best!

5. The long weekend is coming up here in the US. Yay! We have absolutely nothing planned at all. I'm really, really looking for to it. Have a fabulous weekend, folks!

The winners of The Oracle & the Vampire giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway!

It was a fantastic tour and it couldn't have been that way without you.

Now on to the winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations to the winners!

I've already sent you emails.

Join me again in July for another chance to win the entire 13th Floor series!

Wicked Wednesday - the details of a kiss

It's the moment in all stories with a romance that we wait for: the first kiss. It might not be the individual's first kiss or the couple's first kiss, but it's the reader's first one, and it needs to be worthwhile. We can add a little magic into it with the supernatural, maybe some paranormal pheromones, but the kiss itself should be believable.

Here are some facts about kissing that will help add realism to your intimate scenes:

- 66% of people close their eyes when they kiss.
- The lips are 100 times more sensitive than the fingers.
- A substance 200 times more powerful than morphine is produced when kissing giving the feeling of euphoria.
- Two-thirds of kissers tilt their heads to the right.
- In some studies, men are more particular about women they kiss than women they have sex with.
- The majority of people rub noses while kissing.
- Though customs vary around the world, 90% of people kiss.
- 63% of men do not like to kiss women wearing lipstick.
- Nearly half of both men and women do not like nibbles or biting while kissing.
- The number one turn-off is bad breath. Couples are less likely to kiss right after a meal or first thing in the morning.
- Men are more willing to forgive and teach a bad kisser than women. Women are more likely to break off a relationship if they've experienced a bad kiss.

Also, don't underestimate the emotional side of the kiss. It's far more important than the physical.

What's your favorite literary kiss?

The latest 13th Floor series giveaway is still going on. You can be the first to own the entire 13th Floor series! Click here to find the giveaway.

Teaser Tuesday with Twice Tempted

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I've been reading a lot of Jeaniene Frost this year, and she never disappoints. I'm always guaranteed a great paranormal romance with her. Twice Tempted is the second book in the Prince of Darkness series. So far it's full of action and sizzling tension.

Here's your teaser:
Then, each movement slicing like razors across my emotions, he walked to the door. When he reached it, he paused for a moment, his hand hovering over the knob. (page 36)

A reminder: Enter my HUGE giveaway for a chance to win the entire 13th Floor series.

W4WS event for May 2013

Welcome to the May 2013 W4WS event! I'm honored to co-host this event with three talented writers, Mary Pax, C.M. Brown, and Stephen Tremp.  The mission of this group is simple: we have a spotlighted author(s) that we strive to help bring awareness of their book(s) to tens of thousands of new people, increase the sales of their book(s), drive new traffic to their blogs and increase followers, and create verbal and viral buzz.

 
We've made this simple and fast. It's as easy as a tweet or a RT, and sharing a status on Facebook. Go to the writer's blog and copy a tweet or RT from the posts with the tag #W4WS. The W4WS Facebook page will have all the updates and links for you.

 
To join the W4WS event, click here for the linky list. It will only take a minute of your time, and you'll help talented writers take a step closer to their dreams. 

Laura Eno is a Speculative Fiction wordsmith. Her secret lies in blending lies with truth with a pinch of snark and a dash of tears. Her newest book THE JEWEL OF SHAYLAR is now available. You can find Laura on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook. 

Marian Allen has been a writer since she could think, and a cook since middle school. THE FALL OF ONAGROS is the first book in her Sage Trilogy. You can find Marian at her website, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Don't forget to enter my BIG giveaway. You could be the first to own the enter 13th Floor series. 

The Final Book in the 13th Floor Series Cover Reveal and Best & Worst Movie Remakes Blogfest

Title: The Ghost (The 13th Floor series, #6)

Genre: paranormal romance

Release date: July 13th, 2013

Blurb:
Chiharo Black lives with six supernatural tenants in a haunted building's mysterious thirteenth floor. Of course, no one knows she's there except the cats. Being a ghost can be a bit frustrating and lonely, but it isn't as bad as her mother made it out to be.

Until another ghost intrudes on her territory. Jeremy Emerson wants revenge on the vampire that killed him and won't stop until he has it. To top it off, a nightmarish shade sneaks in and leeches the energy from the building's residents before setting its sights on Chiharo and the thirteenth floor. She can't decide which one is more frightening: the one wanting to eat her soul or the one who might win her heart.

Chiharo must convince Jeremy to stand with her against the hellish parasite. If they cannot work together, the greedy fiend will not only drain their energy but everything that supports the thirteenth floor's existence.

Add THE GHOST to read on Goodreads.

Thank you to all my wonderful hosts during my tour this week and to all of you who have followed along. One more book to go. I can't believe it! Don't forget about the BIG giveaway at M Pepper Langlinais' blog. You could be the first to own the entire 13th Floor series.

If you would like to be a part of THE GHOST blog tour in July, please send me an email. I will also be releasing the entire series in The 13th Floor collection in September, and I'll be doing another tour then as well. 

Today is another spectacular blogfest about movies. I also love that it's quick and easy! A tremendous thank you to the fantastic hosts, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Livia Peterson, Al Diaz, and Stephen Tremp.

BEST MOVIE REMAKE: Casino Royale. Daniel Craig is my favorite Bond. Yes, even more so than Sean Connery. He's suave, dark, and dynamic. The Craig 2006 film is a remake of the 1967 film of the same name.

WORST MOVIE REMAKE: Godzilla. How could they do that to the classic 1954 film?! *gasps* And looking up the link, I see they're doing another remake to be released next year. NOOOOOO!

Day Four of The Oracle & The Vampire Blog Tour

It's the final day of the tour!
It was a little short this time around, but only because I wanted to have the cover reveal of my final book in the 13th Floor series tomorrow. Come on back for a big surprise!

I have two incredibly fun posts for you today.

I'm sitting down to chat with the lovely Clare Dugmore
about vampires, supernatural beings, and
paranormal romance.

Then I'm visiting the talented M Pepper Langlinais
with 13 of the creepiest pairings in paranormal romance!
Plus, there's a HUGE giveaway!!!
You could win all five of the published 13th Floor books and an ARC of the final one.
You could be the first to own the entire series.

Today's tidbit: Harriet is the most loved by the other tenants on the 13th floor, and Kiral is the most hated. Yet it's Kiral that readers have asked me the most about. I think Xan might have some competition for hottest shirtless guy.

Day Three of The Oracle & The Vampire Blog Tour and Passing Time promo

Onward to day three of the tour!
Do you have your copy of THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE yet?

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords

Today my guest posts offer up some helpful tips.

I'll be discussing the 5 Ws of marketing with my
awesome CP and editor, Cherie Reich.

Then I'm over at the rockin' Alex J. Cavanaugh's talking
about face-to-face networking for shy writers.

Today's tidbit: Harriet is my favorite character in the 13th Floor series. I felt a lot of pressure while writing the story because I wanted everyone to love her as much as I do. She's one of those characters than named herself. Her cats even named themselves! I do love it when characters are confident about who they are.

Here's another great read for you, and it's FREE until Friday!

Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre

Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.

A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.

In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.

A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth finally be set free in The Letter?

Book Links

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Goodreads

Facebook

Meet Ellie Garratt

A life-long addiction to reading science fiction and horror, meant writing was the logical outlet for Ellie Garratt’s passions. She is a reader, writer, blogger, Trekkie, and would happily die to be an extra in The Walking Dead. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and online. Passing Time is her first eBook collection and contains nine previously published stories. Her science fiction collection Taking Time will be published later this year.

Great stalking places:

Website | Amazon | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

Day Two of The Oracle & The Vampire Blog Tour and Jewel of Shaylar release

It's day two of the blog tour,
and today I have two fantastic hosts that have been with me through the entire series.

I'm continuing my villains' posts with Nick Wilford.
What's more frightening than demons, werewolves, dragons, and gods?
Hop on over to find out.

I couldn't pick on supernatural creature to feature on TF Walsh's blog.
I'll be chatting about vampires and banshees.
What are your favorite myths?

Today's tidbit: I just realized that the way the tour badge is cropped makes it look like Harriet is holding a head instead of cradling Kiral. Heh. The cover image for this book was the hardest to find, because I had to make sure both models were what I imagined my characters to look like. For Kiral, it was easy to find a model I liked. Harriet, well, she was a bit more difficult. The model isn't perfect for her since Harriet has untamed hair and the model's wardrobe isn't right, but I love the intensity of her gaze and the way she's protectively holding Kiral. That in itself represents Harriet perfectly.

And now I'm excited to share with you the newest release from the talented and whimsical Laura Eno!

Blurb:

Archaeologist David Alexander investigates the cave where his father disappeared and hurtles into another world, one filled with magic and bizarre creatures. The mad ravings in his father's journals of icemen and dragons may not be fantasies after all.

Convinced his father may still be alive, David begins a treacherous journey to find him and discover a way home. Along the way, he encounters a few unlikely friends. A Dreean warrior, a beautiful thief and a satyr join him as he searches.

David's arrival into this new world sets off an explosive chain reaction of events. Faced with powerful adversaries and few clues, he may not get the chance to rescue his father before disaster strikes, condemning both of them to death. Or worse. 

Read Excerpt

Purchase at: KindleUS * KindleUK * Nook * Smashwords * Kobo * Trade Paperback

 
Add to your Goodreads 

Author Bio: Laura Eno. Speculative Fiction wordsmith. The secret to her stories? Spread lies, blend in truths, add a pinch of snark and a dash of tears. Escape into her world. She left the porch light on so you could find your way down the rabbit hole.

 

Find Laura at: Blog * Twitter * Facebook

Day One of The Oracle & The Vampire Blog Tour and Pop Travel cover reveal

Yay! Harriet and Kiral's story is here!
Welcome to day one of THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE blog tour!
This is the fifth book in the 13th Floor series.
There's one more book after this. The cover and a big surprise will be revealed this Friday!

You can buy THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE at:
Amazon * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords

I have two awesome stops today to kick off the tour.

Romance between Harriet and Kiral?
This book isn't like the others in the series.
Discover how tangled their relationship is at Kyra Lennon's blog.

Get hooked with a stunning excerpt
at Kerri Cuevas' blog.

Today's tidbit: This book was originally supposed to be Harriet's story. Yet something was lacking. When one of my CPs suggested I include Kiral's point of view, I was worried Harriet's voice would be overshadowed by his, but it turned out to be exactly what the story needed. I didn't think I'd make my deadline with the amount of rewrites, but here we are! Another unique and wonderful tale to add to the series. 

Today is a lucky day! Not only is it the first day of my blog tour, but I'm honored to help with Tara Tyler's cover reveal. It's gorgeous!

POP TRAVEL by Tara Tyler

Release date: July 7, 2013

Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Blurb:

Private Investigator J. L. Cooper always knew pop travel laser teleportation was too good to be true. Finding video proof of a disintegrating traveler is the stomach turning “I told you so.”

Not bothering to upload the video to the nosy, government monitored Qnet, Cooper digs around, bringing the death of his client and threats to his political little brother, who is in jeopardy of turning to dust anyway for disregarding Cooper’s warnings not to pop. Cooper has to do everything himself.

If he survives his first pop, Cooper won’t let anything distract him from getting the job done. Not the android security guards, the constant surveillance, or even Southern Comfort in a purple dress, Geri Harper. Nothing Coop can’t handle.

Author Bio: Math teacher by day, sports mom by night,
When does she have time to write?
Good question, but the Lazy Housewife makes time! Tara Tyler writes sci fi, thriller, and fantasy, with dabs of romance and humor and tips for efficient living. Something for everyone.

Friday Five for May 10, 2013

1. Only three more days until the official release and blog tour of THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE. It's the fifth book in my 13th Floor series. You can be one of the first people to get the book on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, and Smashwords. There's only one more book left in the series, and the big secret will be revealed next Friday with the cover!

2. I've been finishing off my blog tour posts and getting organized this week. I'd like to do a blog make-over, but I'm not sure what I'll do. Something to consider after the tour. Any suggestions?

3. It's Mother's Day this Sunday. An early Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, grandmas, and like-moms out there. I'll be visiting the in-laws this weekend with a grumpy husband and toddler to soothe. Copious amounts of ice cream are in order.

4. The next few weeks are going to be extremely busy. Good thing I have all the blog tour stuff out and ready! Dentist appointments, school events, a sleep study with the university, a birthday party, and a possible monarch butterfly talk at the park. I'm not sure if there's suppose to be a lot of butterflies there at that time or not, but it will be really cool if there is.

5. My son is beginning to tell great stories and battle dragons in the yard with wooden swords. This summer is going to be a grand adventure! Bonus: the boy can get my husband to sing "Call Me Maybe" for him. Hilarious!

Have a marvelous weekend!

Working on a blogging schedule

That's my boy lost in thought. He's a deep thinker just like his mama. Actually, he was wondering why the boys playing basketball didn't pull their pants up all the way, but hey, that's still a deep thought.

I need to stop thinking about organizing my free time and get organized. What little I have left, that is. This means I need to get myself on a regular blogging schedule.

Mondays: this will be my give back day. I'll post reviews, promotions, giveaways, and guest posts. The third Monday of every month is the W4WS event. I believe it's important to give back to our community, and I'm so glad to see so much support and generosity this year.

Tuesdays: Teaser Tuesdays. This is a quick post to write and read. I'm always curious as to what everyone is reading. It's my way of peeking over shoulders and seeing what books you're interested in.

Wednesdays: First Wednesday of every month is the IWSG. The other ones will be my Wicked Wednesdays. Paranormal romance is my genre, and I love to talk about it.

Fridays: Friday Five. An update on my writing and other interesting things in my life.

Of course, for any special news, blogfests, and tours, I'll be changing the schedule. Don't forget my blog tour for THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE starts on Monday. I'll be having a huge giveaway!

Four days a week. That's very reasonable. I'm telling myself to be okay with setting a schedule. It'll be very good for me, and readers like to know what to expect on blogs.

Do you have a blogging schedule? Does it help your time management?

Wicked Wednesday - trends in paranormal romance for spring 2013

I always keep an eye on what's hot and what's not in paranormal romance. I like to see what readers are eating up and discover something new for myself. It helps with my marketing too.

Vampires and werewolves still dominate the market. You might hear that no one wants to see any more, but that's not true. Readers want their alpha wolves and mysterious tall dark strangers of the night. So if you have a vampire story you really want to get out there, don't worry. The market hasn't cooled. People are wanting to see something new with them, though. A little twist on the legend is all it takes.

I keep waiting to see steampunk take a big leap, but it hasn't gained too much popularity since its original jump a few years ago. It has its niche, but it doesn't seem to be growing.

Dystopians are popular with the YA readers. Adult readers prefer contemporary stories.

Sci-fi romance is inching its way forward. I do believe you'll see more and more of it.

Everything is about series now. If you want to make it with a paranormal romance, it needs to be a series. Many of them are on-going with no end in sight.

Trends come and go and come again. It's difficult to say what's going to be the next big thing. Yet I can guarantee paranormal romance is here to stay, and your book might just start off the next huge trend.

Do you pay attention to what's happening in the market of your genre?

Teaser Tuesday with Shades of Earth

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I've been waiting a while to get my hands on this book and it hasn't disappointed me. I'm halfway through, and it's thrown me for so many twists already. I love how Beth Revis consistently manages to surprise me. I highly recommend this YA sci-fi romance series to all readers. It's that amazing!

Here's your teaser:
I try to squelch the jealous rage that's growing in my heart.
I might have the whole world now, but it's not enough if I don't get to share it with her. (page 87)

A to Z Challenge Reflection Post

I survived the 2013 A to Z Challenge!
Congratulations to all the other survivors.
A big thank you to everyone who stopped by during April with your words of support and encouragement.

A special thank you to the A to Z team. You guys are awesome!

The Madlab Post - Nicole Ayers

Tossing It Out - Arlee Bird

Amlokiblogs - Damyanti Biswas
Alex J. Cavanaugh - Alex J. Cavanaugh
Life is Good - Tina Downey
Cruising Altitude 2.0 - DL Hammons
Retro-Zombie - Jeremy Hawkins
The Warrior Muse - Shannon Lawrence
The QQQE - Matthew MacNish

Leave it to Livia - Livia Peterson

No Thought 2 Small - Konstanz Silverbow
Breakthrough Blogs - Stephen Tremp

Spunk on a Stick - L. Diane Wolfe

This is the 2013 A to Z Challenge Reflection post. It's another way to visit more participants and see what everyone thought of the Challenge. Sign up on the linky list and let everyone know what your experiences were last month.

One of my favorite blogs to visit is Heather M. Gardner's. Her theme was Stormy the Weather Gnome's bucket list. It was hilarious! She also recently signed a contract to have her book, MAGUIRE'S CORNER published! Congratulations, Heather. On the final day of the Challenge, Heather bestowed upon me the Zombie Rabbit Award. I get to pass on this magnificent award to my ten favorite blogs from the Challenge. Thank you, Heather, and thank you to the ten bloggers who entertained me during April with your awesome posts.

1) Nick Wilford - wrote an amazing story about an angel with words supplied each day by his readers.

2) M. Pepper Langlinais - had intriguing snippets of her characters Peter and Charles (from her book St. Peter in Chains) traveling the world and looking for a place to settle down.

3) Elise Fallson - an A to Z of "ology" words. People study and collect the strangest things.

4) Lily - follows Spawn's descent into madness with his plans for world domination. Hilarious!

5) Sandy - excellent traveling tips and sharing her adventures.

6) Julie Flanders - her theme was Alaska inspired by her book Polar. I've always wanted to go there!

7) Mark Means - a whole month of obscure comic book characters. Even my geekery was put to the test!

8) Al Diaz - a tour of his magnificent dragon's cave and dwarf cheerleaders.

9) Shannon Lawrence - an A to Z of history's mysteries. Absolutely fascinating. Just up my alley.

10) Mina Lobo - an enthralling A to Z of aphrodisiacs. I learned so much. Made notes!

Friday Five for May 3, 2013

1) I haven't done a Friday Five in so long. I still have a bit of an A to Z hangover. It was a great month, but boy, does that take a lot out of you. My A to Z Challenge Reflections post will be on Monday.

2) I've been working very hard on my revisions for THE ORACLE & THE VAMPIRE. This book has been a roller coaster ride. I didn't think I'd have it done on time, but don't worry! Thanks to my fabulous CPs and beta readers, I will have it ready for the 13th. My blog tour schedule is set. The cover reveal for the final book in the series will be on May 17th. Be prepared for a big surprise!

3) May is going to be a tremendously busy month for me. I have something going on every weekend and way too much during the weeks. I'll be easing back on the blogging except during the tour. Once the tour is over, I need to find a good balance between writing and networking. I'm losing an hour or two a day since my son only naps two or three times a week now. It's time I set a schedule that allows me to do everything I need to do even if it isn't as much as I want to. Not only must I find the balance, I need to allow myself to feel okay about it.

4) My son only has three more weeks of preschool left before his summer break. It was looming over me, wondering what to do with him, but I've planned several activities. At least one a week. Then there are play dates and lounging in his new big pool at home.  Plus we'll be visiting my family in Canada for a week in June. It'll go quickly. I need to get as organized with my writing time as I am for stuff with my kid!

5) I'm still thinking on what I'll do after I finish the 13th Floor series. There are a lot of possibilities. I'm still giving serious consideration to revising an old manuscript and querying it. Yet more and more, it seems self-publishing is what is still best for me.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How To Diagnose Your Character: Using Psychology To Create An In-Depth Character

Blurb:

Think of your favorite character, the one that changed your life and made you look at people and the world differently. What did the author do in order to bring that character to life?

Creating these characters requires that writers master the principles of human behavior. We accomplish this by understanding how people react, change, and make decisions. In essence, we must learn to diagnose our characters just as psychologists diagnose people.

In this book, you will gain the knowledge (e.g. psychological studies, terms, and explanations) and valuable exercises (e.g. people watching, observing our own senses, and functional assessments) that can help create complicated and authentic characters that can withstand the scrutiny of readers and critics alike.

Buy it now on Amazon

This amazing book is currently #1 on Amazon's Writing Skills list.

Some of you may remember Josh Hoyt and his amazing blog about using psychology to create characters. He went on an extended blogging break, but he came back with his book! Congratulations to Josh.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group for May 2013

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself to make each book of my 13th Floor series better than the last. I cracked last month. The fifth book with my favorite character in the series was not good. Nope. It just wasn't working out the way I'd hoped. The previous four books came out very well on the first draft. Why wasn't this one?

I hold myself up to higher than normal standards. Sometimes it's so high, I can't reach what I want. I keep pushing, though. Clawing at the wall, fingers going numb, eyes wonky from staring at the screen.

Then I step back and ask another opinion.

Hm. I don't need to scale that impossible wall. I can take another route. Why didn't I see it before?

So that's what I'm doing. I'm rewriting the fifth book with both Harriet's and Kiral's points of view now. Usually I don't like to do more than one point of view, but it's working for this story. The pressure is easing. A little bit. I still have a deadline I must make!

I'm so lucky to have bright and understanding CPs and betas. They've supported me so much with this series. Thank you.

Have you ever felt you smacked yourself uselessly against a wall and then discovered a path you didn't see before?