What Gwen said

Winner of Jodi Meadows book!

2012-02-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Yeah....you guys forgot to remind me to pick a winner LAST WEEK.

Random.org and I got together this morning and picked.....K.D. Aziz.
(the 6th comment on the blogger post)

K.D. please send me and email at gwen at gwenhayes dot com and tell me if you want a Kindle or Nook copy of Incarnate.

Withdrawing my books from Smashwords

2012-02-08T20:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

I don't sell a lot of books from Smashwords, but I do sell a few, so I wanted to give you a heads up that you will no longer be able to purchase my self-pubbed titles there anymore.

I *do* sell books from my site free of DRM and free of geo-restrictions. I sell them in a zip file with a PDF, epub, and Mobi. If you normally purchase from Smashwords in a different format from those three, please email me. I have the ability to convert to other ebook formats, and can most likely get you what you need. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I am unwilling to distribute from that company anymore. I will work hard to make sure my readers can get my self-published titles in the format best for them. I understand the frustration with DRM and geo-restrictions and do not impose those on any works that I have control over.

Thanks for your understanding,
Gwen

Free ebook giveaway: INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows

2012-01-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

You guys have to read this book! To that end, I'm giving away an ecopy (Kindle or Nook) of Incarnate to a random commenter. You have until next Tuesday to enter--just say something nice to the author, Jodi Meadows, below. A debut book is a big deal and this is her princess week, after all.

As my blog feeds to Facebook and Goodreads also, I'll draw the winner from the combined comments.

You don't have to have a Kindle or Nook to read an ebook--you can use smartphone app or your computer monitor...so don't let that stop you from entering!

Here is the blurb:

NEWSOUL

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Kitsap area readers--signed copies at BN

2012-01-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

I was so disappointed to have my book signing cancelled because of snow last week, but I was able to go sign stock for my readers yesterday. So, if you want a signed copy of Dreaming Awake and will be near the Kitsap Mall this weekend, drop by the Barnes&Noble and get your Under on.

Snowpocalypse cancels tomorrow's signing at Kitsap Mall B&N

2012-01-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

As soon as I can get a reschedule, I'll post here...but tomorrow's event is cancelled. My drive is treacherous enough, but I don't want my readers endangering themselves for a signature. Stay off the roads, peeps!

Signing at B&N at Kitsap Mall

2012-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the sky for all the snowfall we're expecting and hoping it doesn't interfere with my author event at the Kitsap Mall Barnes&Noble next week.

The event takes place at 6:30 on January 18th. I'm told there will be refreshments :) and I actually will be *gulp* speaking. Yes, you read that correctly. It might be worth the price of admission (free) just to see if I manage to do this without fainting.

For more details, visit the B&N page here.

Winner of Sarah Ockler book!

2012-01-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

You guys forgot to remind me to draw a name.

Thank you for all the book recs. My Kindle overfloweth.

Using random.org # generator, the winner is Piggy87 from Goodreads! Congratulations...please email me your contact info at gwen at gwenhayes dot com.

Recap: Win free books and a party

2012-01-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

I want to remind anyone in the area that my book signing at Odyssey Books is tomorrow from 3-7...and I have a special guest YA author, Lisa Mantchev, attending too! And brownies! And stuff!

Also...if you are looking for contests to win a copy of Dreaming Awake:
Romance at Random
Dark Faerie Tales

Sarah Ockler Giveaway to celebrate my new release!

2012-01-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about being a writer is Release Day...my second full length novel, Dreaming Awake, releases today. It's the sequel to Falling Under and I know some of you have been waiting for this one...I hope you enjoy it.

Another favorite thing about being a writer is being a reader. I love the reading community a lot and it always makes me happy when I can recommend a new book or author to someone and they love it as much as I do. One author who always delivers for me is Sarah Ockler. I devoured her first two books, Twenty Boy Summer and Fixing Delilah. When I found out she also has a new release today, I thought I'd celebrate by doing a giveaway of one her newest, Bittersweet.

To be chosen as the winner, you need only to reply to this blog post (my blog is fed to Goodreads, Blogger, and Facebook, so I will count all responses as valid on those platforms) with a reading recommendation for me. Who knocked your socks off recently? It doesn't have to be YA...I'm open to trying new genres too. I'll count all responses received by noon on Friday. (Pacific Time)

Dreaming Awake Launch w/Special Guest Lisa Mantchev

2011-12-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

So...what are you guys doing on January 7th from 3-7pm Pacific?
You should totally come to my party!
There will be food, of course. But best yet, there will be a special guest!

A few months ago, I was totally stoked to find another local YA author in my hometown of Port Angeles, WA. Lisa Mantchev is the author of the YA fantasy series, the Theatre Illuminata: EYES LIKE STARS, PERCHANCE TO DREAM and SO SILVER BRIGHT.

We went to breakfast and she became an instant friend. We've got some things cooked up for the spring...but for now we want to eat brownies and sign your books! Come hang out with us.

We'll be signing at Odyssey Bookshop,114 West Front Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362 from 3-7pm.

Did you get an eReader for Christmas?

2011-12-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing lots of you opened eReaders this weekend! All of my stories are available digitally--in fact, some are only digital reads. If you need a helpful primer to get you started eReading, Jane Litte at Dear Author posted this wonderful post, I Received an eBook Reader, Now What? You should give it a whirl.

Also, one of my favorite resources for ebook deals is Books on the Knob. There are lots and lots of free books out there!

Have fun with your new toy. I've loved reading on my Kindle.

German Falling Under cover

2011-12-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

Isn't it beautiful? I accidentally googled myself and found it on Amazon. They renamed it Shadow Heart, which I love. Also, I love the English translation of the German blurb. It sounds oddly like when I tried to describe my book in a radio interview.

Here is the translation:

Every night the 17-year-old Theia visited in her dreams, a bleak land. But despite the eerie half-world is scary, Theia may not want to miss these dreams. Because every time she met an attractive boy, who they kidnapped in charming gardens filled with black roses. When her then one morning the new kid Haden Black encounters, Theia falls from the clouds: Haden looks exactly like her nightly cavalier! She tries to find out more about him, but Haden, who is in their nocturnal rendezvous is the perfect gentleman, strangely repellent. After a while Theia finds in her bed in the morning little black rose petals and begins to doubt that the meetings are only their imagination sprang. In what world does she Haden night after night - and why?

Thanksgiving Sale-25% off

2011-11-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic year it has been for me. I have so much to be grateful for. As I prepare my menu for Thanksgiving (no cans allowed this year--wish me luck) I am reminded of all the blessings in my life. And in those blessings, I count *you* my readers.

I'd like to thank you for your support by offering a 25% off code for all the things you can purchase directly from me. This includes several of my eBooks and signed print copies of Falling Under. (Dreaming Awake, too, if you are willing to wait for January 3rd).

I put links to all the available titles on my store page. You may "add to cart" the titles you want, and in the "view cart" you are able to edit your choices and apply to the 25% off code which is Thankful. This offer is only available when you purchase directly from this site using the shopping cart. The code expires on November 25th, so don't delay too long.

And thank you again. Your emails, tweets, and Facebook messages have kept me going when the writing gets difficult. Your reviews encourage me to keep working hard. Your support every time you purchase a story reminds me how lucky I am and that I have a responsibility to provide you with my best.

Book signing-Westin Hotel in Bellevue, WA

2011-10-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

I hope you can join me at the bookfair on Saturday. I'll be signing with about 100 other authors. More details can be found here. It's too early for Dreaming Awake to be available, but I'll have plenty of copies of Falling Under.

If you have a book already, I've been informed that you are allowed to bring 3 of your own books in to be signed. You will want to stop at the door and get stickers so they don't charge you.

The signing is from 4:30-6:00pm, so come and say hello! (I'll have some bookmarks with me to sign if you aren't able to purchase a book.)

Trick or Treat: Free copy of Butterface

2011-10-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

It's trick or treat time! Or just treat time.

Some great YA authors are participating in a fun party for our readers. Simply go to http://www.gemmahalliday.com/trick_or_treat.html for the details and then go searching for the treat bags on each author's sites.

I'm giving away digital copies of Butterface now through October 31st, so don't delay!

Winners of Dreaming Awake ARC

2011-10-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for all your comments! It was really interesting to see what people thought of the different characters from Falling Under.

Using Random.org the winners are:

Redrockp
and
Sarah P

If the two of you will email me at gwen at gwenhayes dot com with your snail mail addresses, I'll get those out next week. If I don't hear back by Sunday from the winners, I'll pick another name. Deal?

And thanks again everyone who commented. I did cull the names from other places where my blog feed goes, too. So if you commented on Goodreads or Facebook, I did count you. You guys are all the best. I love my readers!

Want an ARC of DREAMING AWAKE?

2011-10-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have TWO copies to give away! I will randomly choose two names from the blog comments tomorrow at this time. All you have to do is tell me who your favorite character in Falling Under is.

This drawing is open to US readers only.

(These copies are not the finished copies you will find in the store. Hence, the generic cover. They also have not finished going through the editing process....and if you get one of these I ask you to please NOT post any spoilers.)

*contest ended, names drawn*

Changes to my website

2011-09-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

So my website looks different. Probably not quite as pretty, either. I LOVED my web design from Kim Killion at Hot Damn Designs...but I wasn't technically inclined enough to keep it pretty and updated at the same time. I hope y'all will have an easier time finding what you need at the new digs. I'm still playing around with details. Lemme know if something is amiss.

No spending for a week and other adventures

2011-09-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Interior of replica of cabin at Walden Pond
photo credit Tom Stohlman

The experiment we have dubbed "unSunday" has been a terrific success so far. The last two Sundays, I have stayed off my computer and the Internet in order to add back some balance in my everyday life. Rather than feeling restricted from something, it's been quite freeing. I encourage you to try examine you day to day life and see if there is something that maybe you are overdoing and try to take one day off from it. It could be TV, computer etc...or maybe you work too much or want to take a day off from sugar or (God forbid) coffee. We are using the Twitter hashtag #unSunday if you are interested in participating.

In my quest for balance, I've been doing some other things to find a happy medium. One thing that always makes me feel better is decluttering. I think my husband is going to start nailing his possessions down, though, because the trips to the Goodwill are beginning to get out of hand. My goal is to give away 20 things every Saturday and throw away (or recycle) 20 things every Sunday. You'd think it would be hard to find 20 things that belong in the garbage just lying around your house, but it really isn't difficult. My make-up drawer was a treasure trove. I've also found silly, broken things in odd places. Why was I saving a water bottle cap in the basket next to my computer?

And then there is money balance. Dude. All that stuff I'm decluttering? I'm probably still paying for half of it in credit card debt. Yuck. I've whittled it down over the last year or two, but I can do better. And that means no more financing things I don't really need or want to begin with. I've seen some extremists (well, extremist to ME) opt out of consumerism for a year as a way to be frugal. I'm not ready for that just yet--but we've talked about taking a week every month in which we mindfully do not buy or spend any money. It will take some planning--groceries and gas spring to mind. And it will take some willpower--I'm looking at you Kindle one-click. But I think we can do it. I plan on keeping a list of things that I want to spend money on during that week and then really think about my choices when the week is over.

What do you think?

Would you and your mom have been friends if you'd gone to the same high school?

2011-09-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Get your legwarmers on.....

Some of the most fun I've ever had writing was the novella about the totally tubular adventures of Carrington Morris. Poor Carri travels back in time to 1986 and the first person to befriend her? MOM!

I loved reliving the fashion, music, styles, and culture of the '80s. I was reminded of how much we didn't know about things like AIDS--and how much we didn't ever expect to change--cell phones, anyone? I was also encouraged by how some things are still the same (or in the case of jeggings, have cycled back into favor).

I think teens will enjoy this book--duh, it is YA--but I also imagine that anyone who grew up in the '80s is going to get a kick out of. And please, can you imagine going to high school with you MOM?????

Forced to navigate a world with New Coke, an MTV that plays actual music videos, and a mother who takes her to keggers and tries to set her up with the future mayor, Carri worries that she will screw up her future like she's seen in the movies. While trying to figure out how to get home, she befriends three nerds (who else would understand the time-space continuum?) and one of those nerds, Nate, might have the key to her time travel...and her heart.

When her mother's tragic past catches up with Carri's present, Carri really learns what she's made of and what kind of person she wants to be.

Kindle | Smashwords | All Romance ebooks |

Book signing: Bellevue, WA October 29th

2011-09-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Save the date y'all!
I'll be at the beautiful Westin Hotel with some OMG awesome authors for a book fair from 4:30-6:00.
More details here.

Taking Sundays Off from the Internet

2011-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

I'm going to try something new! So nobody email me on Sunday because it will show up on my phone and I'll be compelled to look at it.

I realized that I am ALWAYS on the internet and my computer. I mean, yeah, it's my job...but still. Balance, I need some. So, starting this week...no tweeting, email, writing, blogging, facebooking, youtubing on Sunday. Not on my supersmartphone either. I would go gadget free completely, but I plan on using my Kindle for sure (just not to tweet, facebook, blog, youtube, or check email.)

Wish me luck!
(If there is a betting pool, somebody put my $10 on the third Sunday in October, okay?)

Coming soonish-Are you ready for 80's time travel?

2011-08-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

When sixteen-year-old Carrington Morris attends an 80s themed dance at her high school, she inadvertently travels back in time to 1986 and quickly latches on to the only person she "knows"--her 16-year-old mother, Heather.

Forced to navigate a world with New Coke, an MTV that plays actual music videos, and a mother who takes her to keggers and tries to set her up with the future mayor, Carri worries that she will screw up her future like she's seen in the movies so she befriends three nerds (who else would understand the time-space continuum?) One of those nerds, Nate, might have the key to her time travel...and her heart

When her mother's tragic past catches up to Carri's present, she'll need to walk a mile in Heather's jelly shoes if she's going to save both of their futures.

Email issues--bad Gwen

2011-08-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

I just found a folder of emails from this spring that I was supposed to answer. Sorry people! I'm trying to get back to you--reader email is important to me, I swear. I'm just sometimes ditzy. I know you're all surprised. :)

Teen Event in Dupont, WA August 26th

2011-08-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 26, 2011
After Hours Teen Party
DuPont 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Ages 12-18.

Event audience: Teen/Young Adult

Eat pizza and cupcakes, play video games, go on a photo scavenger hunt, and listen to local YA authors speak at the DuPont’s Library’s first ever after hours party for teens! Authors include:

Kimberly Derting, "The Body Finder"
Gwen Hayes, "Falling Under"
Tom Llewellyn, "The Titlting House"
Megan Bostic, "Never Eighteen"
Danny Marks, "Velveteen"

This event is sponsored by Friends of the Library.
Please register here
Directions

Hope to see you!