ali cross

narley ninja Christa Desir!

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am very privileged to host Christa today because today is a very special day. Pay very close attention to this post. Read every word (I kind of helped highlight it, but still .... you should read every word), then go visit Christa's blog.

This post could totally gone on yesterday's Post of Awesome .... so how about we just extend the Awesome all week long? And because today is special, I'm switching things up a little. Christa is talking about Courtesy which makes sense because .... (now you have to read to find out!)

♥ ♥ ♥

I started writing creatively in high school. I was a theatre major in college so I studied and fell in love with dramatic literature (sort of perfect for YA writing).

I started writing my first YA book a little less than 2 years ago. Since then, I've written 3 others. One of those (TRAINWRECK) landed me a fabulous agent (Sarah LaPolla).

It's sort of funny because it was the book I thought would never be published (although I poured every ounce of my heart into it and it came out of years of volunteering as a rape victim advocate in hospital ERs).

But in spite of my worries over the difficult nature of the book, it has just been contracted by SimonPulse to be published in the fall of 2013. SO EPICALLY AMAZING. I am absolutely over the moon about this news and am about the luckiest writer ever to be working with Anica Mrose Rissi as an editor.

I write difficult books about broken people. This makes people in my real life laugh because I am really generally a very chipper and social person. But for me, I love YA because it is a time of huge growth and development, a time when you are faced daily with decisions about the kind of person you want to be. I like writing about those decisions.

I am daily inundated with so much love and support from the writing community. I can't tell you how much my life has changed because of the blogosphere and the writers I have met at conferences, etc. For me, I try to show gratitude by mirroring that support. I read/critique for a large number of people. I do blog interviews. I give away books. I go ask my book store and library to carry books I don't see on their shelves. I try to promote other writers because we are in a difficult field and I am SO about building each other up instead of tearing each other down. We are all on a journey and I try to help people who feel defeated or like they can't take another step on the path. I do this because so MANY, MANY people have done it for me. There is no way I would be where I am today if it weren't for other writers. I love all of you so much.

-C

If you are interested in Christa's books and writing, you can see blurbs for them here. You can also find Christa on her Blog or on Twitter.

♥ ♥ ♥

These success stories, these dream-come-true stories are what we live for, aren't they? And what a joy it is to be able to celebrate with each other when we get to tell our OWN success stories! I hope to be able to shout from the rooftops for everyone of you hard-working, dedicated ninjas. You're the best!

If you're not a ninja yet, just go to the dojo page and sign up on the linky ~ you'll become a narley ninja too, and will have your day here on the blog! I also cross-post on the ninjas write site, which is kind of a quiet place right now, but after NiNoCon this week, I'm sure it won't be quiet for long!

Share your *high fives* for Christa ~ she's gonna be a black belt!

Don't forget, #ninjachat this afternoon,
2 pm MST, here at the blog!

#ninjachat

too much awesome for one title

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

How do you write a tittle for a post that has so many jobs to do? Awesome pretty much sums up this day for me.

I have lots of writerly insecurities, but today is not about that for me, today is about celebrating the AWESOME. But if you haven't seen it before, check out Alex's blog today for the lowdown.

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is AWESOME.

I've got a lot of AWESOME ANGEL NEWS!

Today marks the official birthday of Christine Fonseca's REQUIEM Series.

Available now in eBook, Christine's fiction debut is DIES IRAE, a novella prequel to LACRIMOSA which comes out in March.

DIES IRAE

See where the story begins

Compass Press, Feb 2012

Mikayel lives by one rule—obey the orders of the angelic Council at all costs. That is, until he and his friends, Azza and Demi, are sent to Earth. Assigned as Watchers while they await their decision of which angelic order to serve, the three assume the bodies of teenagers and experience life as human.

The sensations are overwhelming as the angels experience a host of human emotions—rage, terror, love—and come ever closer to breaking one of the unbreakable rules—never fall in love.

But being human isn’t the only problem facing the three angels. Unbeknownst to the Council, demonic activity is on the rise, threatening to break a tenuous peace that has existed for a millennia; a peace Azza seems bent on destroying.

Caught in a struggle for power with unseen demonic forces and Azza, and fighting against his rising emotional attachment to Demi, Mikayel must now decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for his new found love—a decision that could reignite an ancient war and will threaten the only thing that matters to the angels, the survival of humanity.

I've had the privilege of reading both DIES IRAE and LACRIMOSA and I heartily recommend them both. In fact, if you liked the lyrical nature of my book, BECOME, you will love DIES IRAE; if you didn't like the raw darkness of BECOME, you will love DIES IRAE's more classy approach. Seriously, Christine's writing and storytelling blew me away. I know it could do the same for you! You can find it at Amazon or Goodreads.

Check out Christine's blog for a look at all the celebrations planned for DIES IRAE. She'll be back here on February 17th with a little fun something something. :D

Tonight Christine and I are chatting with @Tiff_Mahaffy over at #YABookChat 9:00 p.m. EST. The topic is, of course, angels & demons! Come join us, there'll be prizes!

And because angels are awesome, I can't let the day pass without giving a shout out to my Indelible pal, S.R. (Shelli) Johannes! Yesterday her middle grade story ON THE BRIGHT SIDE hit eBook stores everywhere!

Check it out on Amazon or Goodreads.

I just realized that I can't let so much awesome go by without doing something MORE about it, so how about we have a little giveaway? Let's celebrate these angel books by giving away two copies of DIES IRAE (novella) and ON THE BRIGHT SIDE (middle grade novel).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you're a writer, don't forget to mark your calendars for this Saturday, February 4th, for NiNoCon! Go to Ninjas Write for all the details!

AND (told ya there was too much awesome for one title!)
two up-and-coming bloggers interviewed me this week ...
writer Trevor Green
&
book reviewer Lauren @EpilogueReviews

NiNoCon Schedule is UP!

2012-01-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Getting excited here, people!

The NiNoCon Schedule is UP!

Also, you can add your email address to Mark's event (the first live event of the day) to receive an email reminder.

Come on over, check out the schedule and join us on Saturday!

On Saturday, Canda at the iWriteNetwork interviewed me. My first time ever!

Listen to internet radio with iWriteNetwork on Blog Talk Radio

motivation? or discouragement?

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have always struggled with my weight, but for most of my life I could hide a few extra pounds pretty well. Not anymore. Losing weight has been a constant struggle. Having fibromyalgia hasn't helped--it's really hard to feel good about exercising when you're already hurting.

Somehow, knowing my sister was also overweight, helped me to feel okay with how I was. "Hey, it's not so bad, Heather's not super fit, either." I know it's stupid, but there you have it.

Well, my sister has betrayed me. She's gone and gotten all "into" exercise. Curves! Yoga! Zumba!

What?

I don't even know her anymore. This is the same sister who commiserated with me about not even having the gumption to go for a walk every day. And now she's going to the gym? Every day?

So I went and ate a chocolate bar. A king sized Symphony bar.

Don't judge. It was really good.

Heather tells me, "When you're my age and you don't have kids home anymore, you can start doing more things for yourself. This is my time now--it'll be your time one day, too!"

Those were really pretty words. And I know she meant well by them. But I know the truth. I have all the time I need to get healthy--I just have to WANT to do it.

I heard Wendy Ulrich say the biggest mistake we make is waiting to be motivated to exercise. She said, motivation follows action. That we should trick the "energy-consuming gremlins in our brain". Act first and we'll find we like it, and then we'll want to act again.

First you have to get up and walk.

Makes sense, right? I mean, that's what Heather did. She started with Curves. A very basic exercise program. She could stop at the gym on the way home. She made it as easy on herself as possible. Now, she's lost some weight, gotten into the habit of regular exercise, and she's discovering her motivation is changing--she's motivated to go work out.

I think this theory applies to virtually everything in life we know is "good for us" but we put off anyway. Guess that's why Nike found so much success with their "Just Do It" campaign. Because that's the real secret to success--it's not having the great body, or the super computer brain; it's putting your feet on the path toward the place you want to go. It's putting action before motivation.

Heather hasn't betrayed me--she's enabled me to see that tough things can be overcome, even when you're OLD! (Yeah you're older than me, Heather! There will always be that!)

Have you ever gotten somewhere worth going by putting action before motivation?

Or do you always wait to be inspired before you act?

narley ninja Julie Baker Hansen!

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's awesome #narleyninja is Julie Baker Hansen! I always smile when I talk to Julie ~ she just radiates fun and happiness--and rocks some seriously positive kick-butt attitude.

Julie's going to talk to us about Warming Up today, or how she get ready to write.

♥ ♥ ♥

T-shirts are acceptable. Sweat pants are a must. Curling up on the couch to write just can’t be done in skinny jeans. Know what I’m saying?

Okay. Second, Diet Coke. Non negotiable.

Third, a clean house. I know. Weird, right? For some reason I can’t get my thoughts organized enough to write when everything else isn’t organized too. This is—quite possibly—a byproduct of some kind of latent obsessive-compulsive disorder I have.

Fourth, looking at pictures of places I reference in my book, and photos I think my characters look like, etc. Picking out the details in photos helps me to convert them into my writing.

One thing I DON’T like? Listening to music. Another weirdo thing, I think. Unless its wordLESS music. I start mouthing the words if I listen to anything with lyrics. A total distraction! I settle for a little Hans Zimmer with a splash of Beethoven if background noise is required!

I graduated with a BA in history [yay!], and music minor [woot, woot!] from Brigham Young University in 2008, where I also got to go on a rock awesome study abroad to London [OH YEAH!]. After getting law school out of the way at the University of Nebraska, I made my way into the big bright world of attorney-ing.

Oh. And you should know. I’m totally a legal ninja.

Yes, it is true. For those young grasshoppas not aware, the legal ninja is a stealthy first cousin to the writing ninja. This is because both are hermits, live off of large amounts of caffeine, and can be found huddled behind a lap top . . . well . . . 90% of our waking hours!

That, and pulling awesome ninja moves . . . like this one [insert legal ninja picture].

Speaking of writing ninjas . . . I love to write! I have a long history of trying (and failing) to write books. Until recently, the only one I ever finished was called Treasure Island (original, I know) that I wrote it in a spiral bound notebook at age 7.

Don’t judge. My mom was proud.

Now that I’m a big girl, I write YA! My first novel, Keepers of the Flame, is an exciting pre dystopian political thriller, in which the United States is on the brink of a second revolutionary war. While an evil dude named Elias threatens to tear the country apart, my main characters (twins) Essie and Ethan join the rebel band of Constitutionalists, to save the country they love!

Put your hand over your heart. You know you’re feeling patriotic right now. Heehee.

Although I haven’t been signed, I’m working with an agent to get another draft of Keepers into tiptop shape! Fingers crossed it all works out.

I also enjoy writing about mermaids. Cause really? Why should we limit ourselves to one genre? I’ll take ALL the frozen yogurt flavors over just one, thank you very much!

♥ ♥ ♥

I love that Julie is writing a patriotic YA novel! Congrats on the agent-interest, Julie. Be sure to let us know how that goes!

I love giving shout-outs to ninja writers! Just go to the dojo page and sign up on the linky ~ you'll become a narley ninja too, and will have your day here on the blog! I also cross-post on the ninjas write site, which is kind of a quite place right now, but after NiNoCon in February, I'm sure it won't be quiet for long!

If you would like to be a contributor to Ninjas Write, please check out this post for information!

How do you set the stage for an excellent writing session?

And ... #ninjachat this afternoon,
2 pm MST, here at my uchi!

become & #YABookChat

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Next week my fabulous friend Christine Fonseca is releasing her novella DIES IRAE (Compass Press 02/01/12). It's an amazing story that sets the stage for her full length novel LACRIMOSA (Compass Press) due to take over the world in March.

I've had the privilege of reading both books and I can tell you that they are so beautiful. Deep, daring, thought-provoking, and oh-so-beautifully written.

On February 1st, Tiff at #YABookChat is hosting both Christine and I as we'll dig in for a talk about angels and demons and the books that have them--namely DIES IRAE and BECOME.

So, I wanted to give you the opportunity to ask questions of Christine and I in advance. If we don't have the opportunity to answer them during the chat, I'll answer the questions I can, here on my blog. Don't be shy--you can ask anything; and I promise to at least seriously consider answering every one. ;)

LemonadeMouth Rap!

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Think you can't express yourself, be your own man (or woman), when you're an author? Think you need to write about, think about, and be all about writing?

As Wayne of Wayne's World would say, "Shah!"

You can't tell me this guy is worried about what other people think:.

That's the awesome Mark Peter Hughes, author of LEMONADE MOUTH, which Disney made into a TV movie that aired this past summer. Mark's one of our awesome presenters at NiNoCon, Saturday, February 4th!

Come to www.ninjaswrite.com, Saturday, February 4th, 11:00 a.m. EST to meet Mark and learn about all the ways he thinks outside the box to be the awesome and successful author that he is.

narley ninja Laura Campbell!

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's awesome #narleyninja is Laura Campbell! I'm excited for this opportunity to hear from Laura because I don't know her terribly well. I need to fix that because this girl is awesome!

Laura's tackling the topic of Forms & Techniques--how we can stay focused and committed to our writing goals.

♥ ♥ ♥

With art, comes discipline. Discipline means putting words down on paper EVERYDAY for a writer. This isn’t the easiest thing for me to do, especially when my moods change day to day, which tend to block my creative flow. In order for me to maintain a successful writing routine I need to find a way around my moods and into my writing. I’ve collected a few techniques for tackling my moods along my journey.

My most successful technique is writing as soon as I wake up. My computer is set up in my room, so I just get out of bed and sit down. This way the TV, food or dirty dishes downstairs do not distract me. The next step is to quiet the list of tasks and errands for that day crowding my mind by writing them down in a list and meditating. I usually listen to Asian Serenity or The Zen Meditation and focus on my breathing.

Another strategy I use is writing a specific amount of words every day, leaving off when I’ve reached that goal. This way my creative flow is on pause, ready to push play the next day without any problems.

Sometimes, I find myself stuck in my story; unsure where the character or plot needs to go. Taking a walk helps force the fresh air into my brain. The exercise gets my blood flowing, which allows me to think out my story. Or, I can just completely relocate my writing area to a bookstore, library, park, etc. The change in scenery will often wake up my creativity.

No matter how I warm up to write, my strategies differ for each obstacle. They continuously evolve to meet new roadblocks I manage to create. And most of all, I try not to be too hard on myself.

~ ♥ ~

Isn't she OMG cute? Love her smile :)

I’m officially a professional writer, now that I’m getting paid as a copywriter at Yellowbook. Creating and writing everyday in a production environment has its challenges, but it’s very satisfying. Before that I taught 7th and 8th grade English for two years. Fill in all the gaps with unemployment for a year and a half, bartending and serving and college (Penn State University and Holy Family University).

My writing tends to be in the realm of Women’s Fiction, mysteries and the macabre. Many of my characters have a little bit of me in them; writing is the cheapest therapy around. I write out all the darkness inside me, so I can smile. My current WIP is about a 27-year-old Aldi cashier, Tricia, who is forced to deal with her past in order to move forward with her future with her boyfriend, John. The idea evolved from a writing prompt about a mysterious letter.

Show Laura some ninja love ...

blog | twitter

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I love hearing what works for other writers, and to have the chance to give a loud huzzah for other writers. I want to shout for you too! Just go to the dojo page and sign up on the linky ~ you'll become a narley ninja too, and will have your day here on the blog! I also cross-post on the ninjas write site, which is kind of a quite place right now, but after NiNoCon in February, I'm sure it won't be quiet for long!

If you would like to be a contributor to Ninjas Write, please check out this post for information!

So tell me, how do you stay committed
to your writing goals?

Don't forget, #ninjachat this afternoon,
2 pm MST, here at the blog!

calling all wannabe query ninjas!

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am going slightly (fine, seriously) insane these days. Please forgive me for not being whatever it is I usually am that makes you come back to my blog--these days I'm lucky to get up in the morning and be semi functional.

BUT, maybe you'll forgive me, if I come offering gifts?

How about an opportunity to have your query critiqued by the query ninja herself, Elana Johnson?!

Elana will be presenting at NiNoCon, talking about how to write a query that kicks butt and gets you noticed by the agent of your dreams. A handful of lucky people will receive a personalized, live critique of their query!

NiNoCon is Saturday, February 4th.

If you'd like your query critiqued, email it to me, under the subject QUERY (if you'd like to remain anonymous should your query be chosen, no problem, but please provide your name in the email to me). I'll let Elana determine how many and which critiques she tackles during the conference. If you can't make the live event, no worries--there will be transcripts! Of course, you'll get the most out of it if you're there and can chat with Elana yourself.

So get to work, people! We're gonna make some query ninjas out of you!

narley ninja writers wanted!

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's post is for all the fabulous writers out there.

I am looking for five special writers to help man the writer's dojo. It's a beuaitulf site--the home of NiNoCon and some other super sekret stuff yet to be announced!

Check it out by clicking the image below, then, if you like what you see and you're interested in applying for a spot in the site's weekly posting schedule, fill out the form at the bottom of this post--I'll choose the five writers best suited to the dojo, with a couple substitute contributors as well.

The official kick-off for The Writer's Dojo will be NinjaNovelCon on February 4th!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

indelibles on fire!

2012-01-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Indelibles Blog Hop!

In celebration of our official launch, we are giving away a KINDLE FIRE! If you’d like to start at the beginning of the INDELIBLES ON FIRE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP, then please start here: http://indeliblewriters.blogspot.com/

If you are already mid-hop, then welcome to your next stop! By following the link at the bottom of this post, you can proceed to the next author (and check out the awesome, individual giveaways we are doing along the way!). If you are entering to win the KINDLE FIRE, don’t forget to make a note of the keyword at the end of every blog post - the words spell out a phrase you will need to enter the contest on the last stop.

Introducing the . . .

We are indie authors
who write middle grade and young adult fiction.
We are dedicated to leaving
a permanent mark on the world with our stories and words.
We are the Indelibles.

In the fashion of the Tenners, the Elevensies, the Apocalypsies, and the Lucky 13s, each week, we’ll explore topics for today’s teens, drawing on pop culture and themes from the books we write. We’ll also be having a blogger chat on January 11th and a writer/author chat on the 18th to answer questions about self and indie publishing. You can check out our blog for details!

And, ta da! It's my turn to introduce myself and my writing to you!

about me:

I’ve always been a dreamer. When I would tell my family what new adventure I wanted to take on, they’d roll their eyes and say something like, “Oh yeah? Well let us know how that works out for you.” Meaning, of course, that no one expected my dreams to amount to much.

I wanted to be a pilot in the Canadian Air Force, a Royal Canadian Mounted Policewoman, and Prime Minister of Canada.

I wanted to be a youth minister, an opera singer, and a ballet dancer.

I wanted to be happy.

The good news is . . . not all dreams stay relegated to dreamland forever.

I was an opera singer (five years with Opera Idaho) and tried ballet for one magical summer when I was thirty years old.

And I’ve discovered new dreams that are coming true even as we speak.

And . . . I’m happy. Thanks to my family, friends and a core set of beliefs that shape my day.

It’s true, I’m a dreamer. But man, where my dreams have taken me!

about BECOME:
Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.

When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend.

Win an eBook of BECOME!
Just leave a comment, my friends! But for extra entries, follow this blog, like my author page on Facebook, or join my mailing list for extra entries! Just tell me what you've done and I'll tally 'em up! Oh, and make sure to leave me your email address in your comment, that would be awesome! This contest, along with the Kindle Fire contest, will run Monday 12:01 a.m. EST through Thursday 12:01 a.m. EST.

And if you'd just like to buy a copy, BECOME is on sale for .99 at Amazon & Smashwords! Additional purchase links are available on the right sidebar.

Your key word is THE, now sally forth to visit the next
awesome Indelible author,

Angela Carlie!

narley ninja Christine Bryant!

2012-01-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

And we are BACK! For those of you who don't know, the narley ninja is a weekly feature I do here on my blog, where I hand over the reins to a member of the ninja writer dojo. Ninjas post on one of the essential training elements in any good dojo; meditation, warm ups/stretch, forms and techniques, kicks and tricks and courtesy. For information on how you can become a narley ninja too, read on! I'll tell you at the end.

But first, I want to introduce my BFF Christine Bryant (aka C.K. Bryant). Christine launched her book BOUND alongside of me in November. It was awesome to share that experience with her. Her book is awesome. Heck, Christine is awesome. Here, she's going to tell us how she stays grounded in her writing by talking about meditation . . .

♥ ♥ ♥

Some authors can listen to music to get into the writing mood, while others can write with the chaos of family and life going on around them. Not me. I can't get into the writing zone unless it's completely void of any outside influences. The best time for me is when my son is in school, which makes it almost impossible to create in the summer, and Christmas and Spring vacations. I try to save the mass of my editing for these times. But what about when I have to write and there's no peace to be had? I close my door to block out what I can, then put in my ear buds and listen to the soothing sounds of the forest or ocean I have loaded on my iPod. It's the only thing that helps me meditate and get into the mood to write. Nothing loud, though. I'm better if it's barely there, barely covering the racket called my life.

What I'm working on:

My debut novel, BOUND was released in November and I'm thrilled to say that it's had some great reviews. My next project is the revamping of a deleted chapter from that book which will be included in an anthology called, IN HIS EYES. It will be released on Valentines Day 2012. I hope it will spark more interest in the series and get fans ready for the sequel, BROKEN, which will be out in early spring of this year. I'm excited about having a second novel out there and hope it gets the same kind of reaction that the first one has.

Christine has always been a writer. Even before she could compose a single word with pen, she scribbled her version of cursive along the open page just to see what it looked like. As a teen, she swiped her dad's old Royal typewriter so her muse could breathe life into what her vivid imagination had created.

She's spent the last twenty-five years married to the man of her dreams and raising their two sons. After helping run the family restaurant for most of their marriage, Christine finally broken away to pursue her dream of being an author.

When she's not with her family or tickling the computer keys, she loves camping, reading, scrapbooking, listening to all kinds of music, and making new friends.

Christine currently living in the middle of sage brush and lava rock with a spectacular view of the Snake River Canyon in South Central Idaho.

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOOGLE+ | GOODREADS

BOUND (#1 in THE CRYSTOR Series)

C.K. Bryant

YA Paranormal Romance

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

AMAZON (Kindle) | AMAZON (Paperback) | BARNES & NOBLE (Nook) | BARNES & NOBLE (Paperback) | SMASHWORDS (ebook)

♥ ♥ ♥

So tell me, how do you stay grounded and prepare yourself for a good writing session?

p.s. there IS #ninjachat this afternoon, 2 pm MST, here at the blog!

Insecure Writer's Support Group ~ Overwhelmed & Over-thinking

2012-01-04T05:00:00.002-07:00

I really don't want to write this post. It's not going to reflect the happy high-spirited approach I think should accompany the first of a new year.

I'm overwhelmed by the work of publishing. I'm afraid I'm not doing enough to promote my book. I'm afraid of being a broken record and talking about it too much.

I'm over-thinking things I'm seeing around the blogosphere. Perceiving hurts and spurns where I'm sure there are none. It's just me being an insecure writer. I hope.

I'm overwhelmed and over-thinking a lot of things and I need to cut it out already.

How about you? Are you an insecure writer?

NiNoCon is coming!

2012-01-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's almost time for the first Ninja Novel Conference! To be honest, I'm pretty much scared out of my gourd, but not about the conference itself, more about the awesome presenters we have lined up. I'm afraid I'll let them down in some way.

But I know they won't let you down! We've got Mike Hughes, the guy who wrote LEMONADE MOUTH which has since become a Disney hit and a whole musical movement, Susan Sipal the hero of Harry Potter for Writers fame, and several more.

We are not out to compete with the awesome Write On Con--I mean, that would be crazy, right? Write On Con is an incredible resource for writers looking to publish the traditional route or who can't attend a writer's conference in person.

NiNoCon is publishing outside the box. Looking beyond the writer's class to what lays beyond. We plan to open your mind to things you may not have considered before, and lay bare to you all the possibilities that are out there for writers in 2012.

I really hope you'll join us! It'll be online, Saturday February 4th at the dojo, Ninjas Write.

I also would love your help in spreading the word. If you'd like to help promote NiNoCon, fill out this form. Helping to promote NiNoCon will enter you to win a couple awesome prizes! Thank you!

indie book fair!

2012-01-02T05:00:00.003-07:00

Welcome to 2012 my ninja friends! I'm excited to kick this year off with a bang, and Susan Kaye Quinn has provided the perfect way! It's Indie Book Fair time!

If you found a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree, feast your eyes on all the fabulous new books we have for you!

These great new books were released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking a chance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out my previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-published or small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get the word out about our books]

Note: Links are given for Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Click on the author’s name for additional purchasing options, including paper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job. $0.99 on Amazon

The Golden Sky by Elisa Hirsch (Memoir)

The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl (an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged woman who still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris (a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son? $2.99 onAmazon

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)

Jason Vanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it just isn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past, attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon

Historical Romance (Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012

A simple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride he does not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fiona takes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings draw near, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.

Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ... $6.99 on Amazon ALSO: Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen

Sherwood. The name immediately conjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybe that sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-com mystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In her usual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplot after another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Rather like the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, flies into Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in the other she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start a new life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hood himself... You'll just have to read it and find out. $2.99 on Amazon

Short Stories and Anthologies

The Initiate (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)

Over a thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic with them. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates every ten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced into becoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay with her boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will her lack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to a painful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. These eight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies, and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author's commentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99 on Amazon

{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th

Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to Goodreads TBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES include award winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K. Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, Lisa Nowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, Cory Putman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein, Cheri Lasota

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal by Lani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction. $0.99 on Amazon

Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction)

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance)

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she Becomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99 on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance)

Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them.
An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to her planet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boy find his soul mate.
Piece of cake! $0.99 on Kindle

The Secret of Spruce Knoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)

Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though. $4.99 on Amazon

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling)

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance)

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon

Untraceable by S. R. Johannes (Thriller)

Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. $2.99 on Amazon

Rival Demons (Book 5 of the Peachville High Demons Series) by Sarra Cannon (Paranormal Romance) Available January 20th

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Order of Shadows, Harper finds herself thrust into the strange and beautiful world of the shadow demons. But crossing through the portal doesn't mean she is safe. The Order of Shadows is determined to bring her home and transfer the Prima line to the Harris family. They send their most vicious hunters after Harper. Hunters who will not stop until they have found their prey. Determined to keep her safe, Jackson takes her deep into an underground world filled with dangers of its own. Here, Harper will begin a journey that will teach her more about herself and her own path than she ever imagined possible. Add to Goodreads TBR

The Legend of Victor Standish: Under a Voodoo Moon by Roland D. Yeomans (Urban Fantasy/Romance)

Can love kill? Yes ... if you love a ghoul who hungers for your flesh only slightly less than she does your heart. Yet to the lonely street orphan Victor Standish, who has risked his life for a meal, to find love (even for one magical French Quarter night) is worth dying in the morning. $2.99 on Amazon All profits go to the Salvation Army.

Getting Sideways (Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series) by Lisa Nowak (Contemporary)

Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy. $3.99 on Amazon

Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper (Sea Monster Memoirs)

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans. $4.99 on Amazon

Here by Denise Grover Swank (SF Romance)

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from. $2.99 on Amazon

The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes (Paranormal Romance)

Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . . . $7.99 on Amazon

Embrace by Cherie Colyer (Paranormal Romance)

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. $6.99 on Amazon

Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos (Paranormal Romance)

Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. But Alora secretly conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia of everything she holds dear. Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. Can Julia bargain with fate? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy. $3.99 on Amazon

How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (Science Fiction)

High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? $2.99 on Amazon

Fireseed One by Catherine Stine (Science Fiction/Thriller)

Fireseed One is a journey into a tricked-out near-future earth where 18 year-old Varik has inherited a vast ocean farm, following the suspicious drowning of his Marine biologist father. When Marisa, a beautiful and devious terrorist, destroys the world's food source, Varik is forced to travel to a lethal hotzone, teeming with dangerous nomads and a strange cult to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. The catch? He must take Marisa along, the only person who seems to know way, way too much key information. $2.99 on Amazon

The Missing by M.A. Leslie (Paranormal)

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town. At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive. Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well. As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING. $0.99 on Amazon

Princess Kandake by Stephanie Jefferson (Fantasy) Available February 1, 2012

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses...Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne. Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release! See Author's Website

Middle Grade

Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs (Fantasy)

Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in the fifth grade, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong! Trouble is brewing in the cosmos and Deglan believes this new dragon holds the answers, but his hopes are crushed when the leader of the exiled dark dragons ambushes them. The fate of the dragons and possibly the whole world falls to Deglan and Meia as they search for the only creature powerful

enough to send the dark dragons back into the abyss. What they encounter along the way makes the adventure worth fighting for. $6.99 Paperback preorder

Have you read any of these books yet?

And guess what? Two readers have already won one of these books. Last week I hosted a giveaway for TALES FROM THE HOLLOW TREE and TRANSCEND ~ and the winners are . . .

Jenne & Arianne!

They each won a copy of each of these books!

young adult anthologies that rock

2011-12-27T05:00:00.001-07:00

I'm coming out of my holiday hibernation to tell you about a couple young adult anthologies you have got to check out! I tell ya, they're perfect for those gift cards burning a whole in your pocket!

The first is TALES FROM THE HOLLOW TREE by Lisa Asanuma and Isabelle Santiago.

From Amazon ~
Ghosts, faeries, sirens, and masters of illusion dance through these pages. There's a fine line between enchantment and desolation.

Tales From the Hollow Tree is a free fiction blog by Isabelle Santiago and Lisa Asanuma, who switch off every Friday and share a free short story. This is a collection of ten Hollow Tree Tales, eight previously published on the blog, and two that are exclusive to this collection.

Buy it Now for just .99!

The next is TRANSCENDENT, a collection of short stories from various young adult authors including my friends Lani Woodland and Wendy Swore.

From Amazon ~
Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories.

Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you.

Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction.

TRANSCENDENT is also on sale for .99!

To celebrate these two books, I've got a giveaway for you! I'm going to give two lucky winners each an ebook of TALES FROM THE HOLLOW TREE and TRANSCENDENT.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

happy holidays!

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, my ninja friends, I'm off for the rest of the year. My man has a couple weeks off, so we're going to (maybe) paint Thing 2's room, and (definitely) put together new loft bed/desk combos for both the boys.

I'm going to do some writing, and lots of chillaxing with my men.

I hope you finish off 2011 with a bang!

When I return, I'll do my annual getting-to-know-me thing I like to do to welcome new readers. There'll be prizes to win! Though this seems terribly vain, if there's something you'd like to know about me, but have been too shy to ask, now's your chance.

See you in the new year!

a #narleyninja winner!

2011-12-22T05:00:00.001-07:00

To celebrate all the #narleyninjas who have participated in my ninja feature the past few months, I have a prize! One of the fifteen ninjas will win a $25.00 Amazon gift card!

And that winner is . . .

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max:

Result:

15Michael Di Gesu!
Thank you, all of you, for joining the dojo!I'll hold a drawing every 15 ninja spotlights.

book review ~ EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton

2011-12-20T05:00:00.001-07:00

Have you seen this book floating around the blogosphere? Seen its stunning cover? Well you won't have to admire it online for long--EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton will be available for your reading pleasure January 24th!

You can read more about the fabulous Brodi and her book, EVERNEATH, but visiting her blog.

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a heartbreaking story. The word that best describes my feelings while reading this book is ACHE. It made me ache. The story is dark and tragic and beautifully done.

I loved that it was different from a lot of young adult paranormal stories I've read. Loved that Ashton wasn't afraid to take you down into the deepest dark reaches of her imagination.

The style reminded me a lot of Melissa Marr's work, particularly Ink Exchange, which was my favorite of the Wicked Lovely series.

I'm excited to read all of Ashton's Everneath series--I feel confident it will not let me down.

View all my reviews

ali contributes her spare change to the doctor

2011-12-19T11:45:00.003-07:00

I've decided that's the best way to look at the last few weeks. I'm helping my doctor (and others) out. I'm contributing to their happy holidays with my donation. Because otherwise--if I focused on the umpteen times I've visited the doctor, or the number of times I've been told "Just wait it out. Get lots of rest. Try not to be stressed."--I might go insane. And that would surely undo all their excellent advice for me to reduce the stress in my life.

See, a few days before Thanksgiving, I got sick. I mean, really, horribly, holy-smokes-I-think-I-might-die kind of sick. Then I got a little better. And then sick again. Then a little better, then sick again. When I finally thought, Whew, I really am better this time! I woke up with pinkeye. Have you ever had pinkeye before? Well, I havent.

Both my eyes were sore and gritty-feeling, pink and puffy, and yuck.

Then they turned into vampire eyes. For two whole days I had blood-red eyes. I'm positive that this is where the vampire myth began.

It took me five full days of pink, gross eyes before I started to think it was over. On Saturday, it seemed I was finally, well and truly, healthy again. Sure, I was a tad tired, but that was to be expected after all the viruses I'd been fighting for the past four weeks.

I welcomed a few dozen of David's family into our home, hung out with them for about an hour and then realized--I really wasn't feeling well. As in, really. David checked my forehead and determined I did feel a little warm. So I took a couple Tylenol and went to lie down for a while.

That "while" turned into two hours of shivering hell

inside my fleece pj's and turned-up-high electric blanket.

When the family had all left, David took me to the doctor (again).

I had a fever of 102+, my pulse was racing and I

thought I was going to be sick.

The doctor thought I might be their first influenza patient of the year .... but nope. Just another regular ol' virus, treated with a little something for the nausea and the stellar recommendation to "reduce stress and get some rest".

Sunday I felt a little better. (And you should be totally proud of me, because instead of getting out my computer and doing all the things I missed doing on Saturday because I was SICK, I didn't. Hence, no post first thing this morning.) Sunday, I thought, Hey, this was just a passing thing! I'm better!

Guess what I discovered when I woke up this morning?

PINKEYE

the sunday experiment

2011-12-16T05:00:00.008-07:00

♥ Breaking News! ♥

my friend and crit partner, Christine Fonseca has a

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT & giveaway on her blog today!

♥ Check it out! ♥

My church advocates the Sabbath day and keeping it holy. That means, no homework, no shopping, no work on Sundays. I say I follow this precept. Except, I don't. Not really, anyway.

Sometimes I write, but I almost always blog, read blogs, work on graphics, plan, stress, and think about work-type stuff. Writing stuff.

So, I'm going to get a jump start on my New Year resolutions (yes, I'm one of those crazies who makes New Year resolutions) and start my very own Sunday Experiment.

On Sundays I will not:

work on graphics
do any blog-related activities
do any writing-related activites (unless I need to jot down some ideas I've had)
and other computery things

Instead, I will:

write in my journal
play games with my boys
read
and other real life things

Don't worry, I'm not fooling myself. I know this is going to be hard for me. We are a very plugged-in family--even on Sundays. But I can feel it in my bones that something needs to change. And I believe I've been given that directive from my church for a very good reason. All work and no play makes ali a very dull girl. And a frustrated one. And a tired one.

Anyone care to join me?

narley ninja michael di gesu!

2011-12-15T05:00:00.001-07:00

I finally have a #narleyninja post for you today! I have to give many thanks to Michael and his patience--I've scheduled and rescheduled this post too many times! But we're here now, and Michael decided to address all the training points of the writing ninja.

♥ ♥ ♥

Meditation: My best ideas come to me while I am either walking Chicago’s lake front or at the gym. Exercise really clears my mind and ideas just flood into my brain.

Warm Up/Stretch: Getting in the mood to write varies. I am not the most regimented person. I am truly an artist, so I need to feel it. Thankfully many things inspire me. It could be the nature around me, a child’s smile, a puppy waggling down the street, or a sentimental song.

Forms and Techniques: Once the idea lodges into my head the words come. I am able to write a first draft of a novel in as little as a few months... The Blinded Gardener was written in six weeks. I am like a dog with a bone, I won’t give it up until its done.

Fun: My reward is the finished work. I really don’t do anything special for myself. But it’s a nice thought. Chocolate comes to mind. I know, how cliche’.

Courtesy: For those of you who know me, I always give back to the community as often as I can. I help any author that asks. No matter what, I am there for our community. I have received so much support in my few years of writing, that giving back is the right thing to do. This community means so much to me. No where else do you feel the true meaning of friendship. People you barely know will give their time to help. How awesome is that! We are all cut from the same fabric.

After fifteen years of modeling in New York, I spent the past six years as an interior designer in Chicago. I decided to take my creative talents and write/illustrate my first y/a novel, Amber and the Whispering Willows. I've been editing for the past year and have started the second in the series. I never knew how wonderful it could be to write a novel ... I'm addicted.

Michael is beyond awesome. One of the most kind and generous people I've met online. Get to know him by visiting his blog and following him on Twitter.

♥ ♥ ♥

Two important bits of #ninjanews ...

There will be #ninjachat today at 2:00 p.m. MST!

But I will need to duck out at 2:40.

Thing 1 has a doctor's appointment.

AND

To show my appreciation to all the ninjas who have participated in #narleyninja so far, I will pick one of you to win a $25.00 Amazon gift card.

I'll announce the winner next week!

launch party of awesomeness

2011-12-14T05:00:00.002-07:00

So I wrote a book. And I "launched" it. Whatever that means, right?

When Kate asked me if I was going to have a launch party (in real life) I said no. Like, "Shuh! Of course I'm not going to have a launch party." Because launch parties happen at bookstores and my book isn't going to be in bookstores.

But then I got to thinking. Doesn't my book deserve a party? I might not have published it traditionally. I might not have the pizazz of a Big 6 publisher behind it, but I did write it and it doesn't suck so . . . shouldn't I celebrate?

The short answer?

Heck yes.

But what's a ninja writer to do?

It wasn't until I was sitting at the karate studio, writing, that it hit me. I'm at the studio. And I'm writing. Haven't I written most of my novels at the karate studio? (Well, maybe not. But sometimes it sure feels that way!) And there was Kari being awesome with her staff. And she directly inspired Desi, my main character.

And it was just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from there to holy-launch-party-of-awesomeness.

I hired a teenage friend of mine who's an excellent videographer/photojournalist. I haven't gotten the pics or video from her yet, so that's all I'm going to say about my party for now. But here's a (not very good) video of Kari doing a staff form at the launch.

I promise to share more when I've got pictures to go along with it!

winner of the christmas gift pack!!

2011-12-13T05:00:00.002-07:00

Along with the YA Scavenger Hunt, I hosted my own giveaway. Thank you to all of you who entered!

The winner of this prize pack will receive:

A personalized, signed copy of my YA paranormal romance BECOME:

And their choice of one of these exclusive BECOME-inspired necklaces created by Gail Zuniga:

So, without further ado, on to the winner . . .

Random Generator chose #166 out of 183 entries . . .

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max:

Result:

166Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Which means the winner is . . .

MALLORY!
I have emailed Mallory at the email she provided.
If the prize goes unclaimed for a week, I'll choose another winner.

Thanks for playing everyone!

Don't forget #ninjachat tonight on the blog, 9 pm MST!

expect happiness

2011-12-12T05:00:00.001-07:00

This will blow your mind (at least, it blew mine). Have you ever considered that sometimes expectations can be a good thing? As in, make you happy?

Most of the time expectations are a source of stress for me.

The house needs to be clean. I should cook fabulous dinners for my family every night. My friends expect me to be the next best-seller. Heck, I expect myself to be the next best seller.

Be fit and thin.

Have perfect children.

No debt.

No forgetfulness.

No . . . . Well, you get the picture.

Yes, expectations can be a bad thing. But.

What if we never expected anything great of ourselves? What if we outlawed expectations?

I'm picturing a world where nothing great ever happens. There are no fabulous inventions. No feats of great skill and wonder. No great books.

Because expectations drive us to be more. To be greater than we are today, to be better.

Here's a silly example from my own life: I love to write in the afternoons. And so I told myself, "I can't write at night." Which created a problem because very often I don't have time to write during the day so at night I feel like a failure because I didn't get my words in. But there's still time to write--if only I could write at night. (!!!)

Where does that leave me? With no words written.

#lame.

But at the writers' retreat I went to in November, it was all writing all the time--including nighttime.

Guess what I discovered? I can too write at night!

I freed myself from the assumption that the fall of night meant no more chances to write and now I'm better off than I was before. Now I'm an any-time-of-the-day writer.

This week I challenge you to expect a little more from yourself and see what you can accomplish! (And make room for a little more happiness!)