Launch Day and Book Titles vs Blurbs #IWSG

Today is the exciting and official launch of the new edition of Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional.

This special devotional book is a year-long journey with daily inspirational messages and uplifting scripture to help you spend time with God. With 365 days of short Bible-based teachings, it is faith building and thought provoking. It will encourage and refresh with reassuring reminders of God’s love. 

365 days of inspiration and Bible wisdom to lighten your heart.
365 devotions to bring you peace in uncertain times.
365 ways to Cling to God. 

A great companion for individual worship or for group Bible study. The perfect gift book or personal keepsake that will be cherished for years to come. 

Start each morning with Cling to God to brighten your day and draw closer to God. 

Available as Kindle ebook, Paperback, and Hardcover.

I'm super excited about the hardcover.

For a short time only, you can get the ebook for the special launch price of $2.99

If you don't own a kindle, you can pick up the free kindle app and read my book on your phone, tablet, or computer. 

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Titles vs Blurbs. Which is the more difficult to write?

This is the IWSG question of the month, and it's not an easy one to answer. Both the title of the book and the blurb are important. The title is the first thing a potential reader will see after the cover. It defines the book. If done well, it places the book in a clear genre/category and entices the reader to pick it up. Once picked up, the blurb is the next stage of the decision-making process to read the book. No pressure. 

Sometimes the title is the first inspiration I get before the book is even written. Other times, I struggle badly. I had a massive brain-block with an old fantasy story. When the story was picked up by a publisher, it had a terrible name. Blood in the Snow. It sounded like a crime story! Thankfully my publisher suggested we brainstorm a few titles until at last we agreed on Birthright. The original story is no longer in print and when I got the rights back, I rewrote the whole thing and released it as Well of Ash. That title came to me like a strike of inspirational lightning. 

Blurbs are a whole different story. I always struggle with blurbs. I'll admit non-fiction blurbs are a thousand times easier than fiction blurbs, but I still question everything over and over. Is it interesting enough? Have I captured the book without giving too much away? Have I captured it enough to snag the reader's interest? Have I reflected the genre well? Have I included the conflict, the excitement, the essence of what I love about the story? 

My best advice on the topic is take your time. Let the new title or blurb sit for a while before sending it out into the world. Get second opinions. Do your research. But mostly, don't rush. 

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Please visit the blogs of the lovely and generous people helping me with my book launch today for Cling to God: 365-Day Devotional. Tyrean Martinson, Jemi Fraser, and Lynn Simpson. Thanks so much! You're all so wonderful!

How about you? What are your tips for writing titles and blurbs? Are you excited about my new release? What's your reading preference: ebooks, paperbacks or hardcovers?

Wielder's Storm Box Set Release

It's here at last! Wielder's Storm Trilogy is now available as a complete set on Amazon. It's available as an ebook for cheaper than if you'd buy the series separately.

Wielder's Storm Trilogy is an action-packed epic fantasy that will sweep you across the high seas on a thrilling adventure full of exciting twists.

This complete box set contains Wielder’s Prize, Wielder’s Curse and Wielder’s Fire.

Wielder’s Prize
Snatched for what she isn’t. Hunted for what she is.
Despite having an abusive cook as a father, Jasmine wouldn’t change her life on the high seas for anything—until that life is shattered. When she’s snatched from the only home she’s ever known and forced to crew a different ship, she learns a terrible truth. She is an untrained magic wielder who is a threat to everyone if she can’t control her power. But she’s not the only out-of-control wielder on the high seas, and the secret of that wielder could change everything she thought she knew—if she can survive.

Wielder’s Curse
A dark vision. A dangerous curse. A fierce girl caught in between.
Jasmine thought her adventures were over, but terrifying visions continue to haunt her. When a loved one’s life is threatened, she risks everything to hunt down the would-be assassin. What she finds is not what she expected. Too late, she realizes she’s endangered the ship and crew. On the run, she is pursued across the high seas to an unknown land. If she can’t master her power, she won’t be able to protect anyone. If she can’t accept help, then she could turn into something worse than the thing that hunts her.

Wielder’s Fire
Jasmine’s secrets have been laid bare, her magic stripped. All she has left is a fire in her soul to defeat the oncoming storm.
Shipwrecked on a forsaken island, Jasmine has nothing but her anger and determination to keep her warm at night. Without her magic, she must find a way to defeat a powerful enemy that can raze townships and summon sea monsters. When she discovers an ancient magic, she embraces it. But it may not be all it seems, and she could be exchanging one sword to the throat for another.

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo, who love exciting tales with dark secrets and unexpected twists. Lose yourself today in Elle Cardy’s epic fantasy adventure.


And if you've already read the series, please consider leaving a review.

Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub
 
Please head on over to S. A. Larsen  for a spotlight on Wielder's Storm.

Writing Unexpected Genres and New Releases

In two weeks, on August 17th I’ll be releasing the box set of the Wielder’s Storm trilogy in ebook form. I’m super excited about it. You'll be able to get all three books as a set for a discounted price.

I’d hoped to share the new cover today, but alas, I’m still working on the final touches. If you’re eager to see it early, though, the members of my VIP Club will get to see it first. I’ve decided not to put it up for pre-order this time, so keep your eye out on launch day.

To join the IWSG, sign up HERE.

The IWSG Question of the month: Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn't planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?

When I first started writing I had incomplete stories in my head that I needed to put down on the page to discover where they went. Because I loved fantasy, that was what they were. What kind of fantasy? Fantasy was fantasy, wasn’t it? (The answer to the question is a definite no). When I started branching out and reading more widely, I started writing other genres. It was fun and fed my creativity.

Now that I’m published, I’m learning a lot about marketing. For the story I’m currently working on, I first researched categories (genres and sub-genres) to give the book the best chance it could get based on what I’ve already published and my author brand. I even wrote the book description and the tagline before working on the story. Having that framework actually helped my creativity, though I’ll admit the story still wants to head in a direction I hadn’t anticipated, into a sub-genre I hadn’t tried before. That’s ok. I’ve added another category to the list and it probably fits the description better now that I see it.

While stories often have a mind of their own, it’s super helpful to do the research of where they might fit first. It helps with focus and in the long run, it helps with sales.

How about you? Have your stories headed in unexpected directions?

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New Release: Against All Odds 

Book 3 in the Crossroads series
by Jacqui Murray 

Xhosa’s extraordinary prehistoric saga concludes, filled with hardship, courage, survival, and family.

A million years of evolution made Xhosa tough but was it enough? She and her People finally reach their destination—a glorious land of tall grasses, few predators, and an abundance that seems limitless, but an enemy greater than any they have met so far threatens to end their dreams. If Xhosa can’t stop this one, she and her People must again flee.

The Crossroads trilogy is set 850,000 years ago, a time in prehistory when man populated most of Eurasia. He was a violent species, fully capable of addressing the many hardships that threatened his survival except for one: future man, a smarter version of himself, one destined to obliterate all those who came before.

From prehistoric fiction author Jacqui Murray comes the unforgettable saga of a courageous woman who questions assumptions, searches for truth, and does what she must despite daunting opposition. Read the final chapter of her search for freedom, safety, and a new home.

A perfect book for fans of Jean Auel and the Gears!

Available digitally (print soon) at: Kindle US, Kindle UK, Kindle CA, Kindle AU

To connect with Jacqui Murray: Amazon Author Page, Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Website.

Wielder's Curse Unleashed and Inspirations #IWSG

The second book in my high seas epic fantasy adventure series is finally complete and unleashed onto the world! There was a while there I didn't think it was going to happen. And now it has. I'm super excited. Wielder's Curse is now available in ebook and paperback. The discount for the ebook's release will be available for two more days only, so pick up your copy today.

If you haven't read book one, Wielder's Prize, then you can pick it up here: ebook and paperback

Both of my novels are also available for FREE via Kindle Unlimited. 

Her curse isn't the only darkness waiting to break the world.

Months after the victory at Sapphire Cove, Jasmine is haunted by terrifying visions of burning seas and blackened skies. It’s the dark future she thought she’d evaded, but now it’s back to bring her nightmares of the Beast, a mad creature trapped in the void between worlds. It fights to escape its prison, and it wants one thing: to devour the world.

To make matters worse, Finn’s life is threatened by an unknown assailant. At the risk of losing everything, Jasmine must hunt down the would-be assassin, find a way of defeating the Beast, and stop the oncoming storm. And she has to do this while struggling to control her untamed magic, guard her secrets, and avoid becoming a true Abomination and a danger to everyone.

If you have time, I'd deeply appreciate a review on Amazon,  Goodreads and Bookbub. Reviews are proving to be difficult to come by and yet so important.
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Another Adventure on the High Seas

I literally JUST came back from my own high seas adventure. I took a break for a week on a cruise to Papua New Guinea. I put my feet up and relaxed and did a bunch of reading. Now I'm ready to start on the edits for book 3, the conclusion of the Wielder's Storm series.

IWSG Question of the month:
Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?
Absolutely. Because I'm a visual person, I often hunt for images to inspire a story or evoke a feeling or help me describe a place. But once, I caught the quickest of flashes from the movie trailer of The Tempest. It was one second of footage of a character jumping from a drain or something. That glimpse inspired an entire character and an entire fantasy series. I even finished book one. But I haven't yet released it. I need to finish my Wielder's Storm series first. 

How about you? What has inspired your stories?

Cling to God Launch Day!

I can't believe this day is here at last. It was both super fast and painfully slow to get here, but here we are: Cling to God, my debut daily devotional with a devotion for every day of the year, has now been released into the world. So exciting!

To find Cling to God: Amazon Paperback, Amazon Kindle, Amazon Oz Kindle, Nook, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Goodreads.

Below is a glimpse into the current chaos I'm facing in my life:

What do I do when everything gets so overwhelming and chaotic (like having a book launch right in the middle of selling up and moving interstate)? I cling to my God. He brings me a peace the world can't even come close to offering. I find refuge in His love and acceptance.

Also, I couldn't have done this launch without YOUR help. A big thank you to everyone who has offered to help spread the word. I will have a proper roll-call of thanks later, but in the meantime, I wish to thank those who will be posting today on their blogs (Please let me know if I've missed anyone):

Beverly Stowe McClure - I'm there sharing the setbacks

 faced while writing Cling to God. Please visit!

Also please pop in on these generous people:

Cathrina Constantine

Julie Flanders

L. Diane Wolfe

Alex J Cavanaugh

And tomorrow please visit JQ Rose 

There will more people sharing the happy news in the following days and weeks and I'll spread the word on those days too. Also there will be many tweeting and sharing on Facebook. A huge thanks. If you'd like to help too, then yes please do share this post, and below are a few tweets you can copy paste to make it easy for you, or make up your own tweet:

Launch Day for Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith

Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith #NewReleases

For an inspiring read, Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith

To find some calm in the chaos of life: Cling to God: A Daily Devotional http://amzn.to/2efAyD6 @LyndaRYoung #Faith

Dragon of the Stars Available Today!

Available today!

Dragon of the Stars

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

Science Fiction – Space Opera/Adventure/Military

What Are the Kargrandes?

The ship of legends…

The future is set for Lt. Commander Aden Pendar, son of a Hyrathian Duke. Poised to secure his own command and marriage to the queen’s daughter, he’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

But when the Alliance denies Hyrath’s claim on the planet of Kavil and declares war on their world, Aden finds his plans in disarray. Entrenched in battle and told he won’t make captain, Aden’s world begins to collapse. How will he salvage his career and future during Hyrath’s darkest hour?

One chance remains–the Dragon. Lost many years prior, the legendary ship’s unique weapon is Hyrath’s only hope. Can Aden find the Dragon, save his people, and prove he’s capable of commanding his own ship?


Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Kobo - Chapters - Amazon UK - iTunes - Overdrive - Goodreads

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design, graphics, and technical editing. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. He’s the author of Amazon Best-Sellers CassaStar, CassaFire, and CassaStorm.
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/
http://twitter.com/AlexJCavanaugh

SCAVENGER HUNT! Comment to win an autographed copy of Dragon of the Stars, tons of bookmarks & postcards, and a $20.00 iTunes gift card–where is Mini-Alex? Visit Alex for a list of the participants. (Open through April 11 – winner announced April 13 at Alex’s blog.)

SNIP, SNIP REVENGE by Medeia Sharif

In the thick of writing, along with that mysterious non-writing project I'm attempting, I wasn't going to blog until May's Insecure Writer's Support Group post. But for Medeia, I've come out of hiding--and the crazy brain-meltiness that is the mystery project--to bring you her new release:

SNIP, SNIP REVENGE by Medeia Sharif

YA Contemporary, Evernight Teen

Release Date April 25, 2014

Beautiful, confident Tabby Karim has plans for the winter: nab a role in her school’s dramatic production, make the new boy Michael hers, and keep bigoted Heather—with her relentless Ay-rab comments—at bay. When a teacher’s lie and her father’s hastiness rob her of her beautiful hair, her dreams are dashed. The fastest barber in Miami Beach has made her look practically bald. 

With all her pretty hair gone, Tabby doesn’t believe she fits the feminine role she’s auditioning for. Michael is still interested in her, but he’s playing it cool. Heather has taken to bullying her online, which is easier to do with Tabby’s ugly haircut. Tabby spearheads Operation Revenge, which proves satisfying until all of her problems deepen. After messing up, she sets to make things right.

Author Bio

I’m a Kurdish-American author who was born in New York City, and I presently call Miami my home. I received my master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. After becoming a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer dabbling in many genres in college, I found my niche writing for young people. Today I'm a MG and YA writer published through various presses. In addition to being a writer, I'm a middle school English teacher. My memberships include Mensa, ALAN, and SCBWI.

Find Medeia

Blog   |   Twitter   |   Goodreads   |   Instagram   |   Amazon

Reaper by L. S. Murphy

There’s no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.
Maybe … just maybe … that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.

L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. “A Reason to Stay”, a contemporary romance novella, is available as of November 2, 2012. Reaper is her debut young adult novel and was released on January 7th, 2013.

She is a co-rep for the Southern Illinois region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.

Links:
Blog . Twitter . Facebook . Goodreads . Publisher . Amazon

Witch's Nocturne and Looking For Reviewers

Description: After receiving an ancient tribal journal from her grandfather, Jenny is sent on a mission of discovery in an attempt to unravel clues to her family's monster hunting past. The journey becomes more than academic when she is asked to confront a coven of dangerous witches who plan to cast an insidious spell on the plains of West Texas.

Witch's Nocturne is the second of the Moonsongs Books, a series of New Adult, paranormal-horror-action novelettes--with a Texas twist--by author E.J. Wesley.

Witch's Nocturne is available now:
Amazon
Smashwords (ePub & PDF)

Blood Fugue, Moonsongs Book 1, is also available on Amazon
(Free to borrow for Amazon Prime members.)

Note: These stories contain some language and content better suited for mature readers.

~About the Author~

E.J. lives in South Texas. He likes his words and food spicy, and tries to give a little extra 'kick' to the stories he writes. He enjoys reading horror, sci-fi, YA, MG, New Adult--basically anything with words. In true Texas fashion, E.J. is very neighborly, and welcomes you to say 'howdy' at:

Goodreads Twitter Facebook Blog

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For something a little different, over at Happy Tails and Tales Blog there is a review of Make Believe plus a bonus playlist has been created to go with each of the stories in the anthology. Super cool!

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J. Taylor Publishing is looking for reviewers.  There are heaps of benefits, like getting free ebooks, reading awesome stories, and potentially gaining a greater exposure for your blog. If you're interested, then fill in their form and put my name in the Referred By field. To find out more, just click HERE.

J. A. Belfield Interviewed, Author of Blue Moon

Today I'm privileged to have J. A. Belfield here with me. She willingly accepted to be my very first interview victim subject:

Tell us about your exciting new book release, Blue Moon. What’s the story about?
Oh lordy! How to explain without massive spoilers?
Hmm, okay, Blue Moon is the second full length novel in the Holloway Pack series and shows how Jem’s place in the pack has become more established since Darkness & Light. It also shows how her relationships with other pack members have developed. So when a couple of the male pack members find themselves new girlfriends—or the new girlfriends find them—Jem believes she has every right to a say on the matter. And with good reason. ;)


What makes this story stand out from other werewolf stories?
This ain’t just about werewolves howling at the moon and searching for a mate to have steamy romance scenes with. It’s full of a whole lot of magic that drives the story forward and takes the reader on a completely different journey to Darkness & Light even.

How did the creation and inspiration for the story evolve?
Honestly? I wanted magic in my book, so I perused a tome of traditional spells (apparently all tried and tested), found some seriously cool ones, and worked out how I could weave a story around those.

You are also the headline author for the Make Believe anthology. How have you managed to juggle your time, what with all the writing, deadlines, marketing, networking and life in general?
I don’t juggle—if I do, I end up dropping all the balls. ;)
I’m naturally very disorganised, and my head flitters a LOT. So I have to mark every single thing I need to remember outside of my WIP in a calendar and set reminders so I don’t forget. As for the networking around writing? That’s the easy bit. It’s called procrastination. ;)

Sweet or savoury? Depends on my mood? Okay, I’ll go with sweet—simply because it’s far more important to my mental health to have chocolate in the house than it is a pork pie. ;)

Which of the 12 dwarfs would you be? Bwahahahahaha, crikey, I dunno. Probably Dopey. Ha!

Favourite colour? Blue in general. Grey in clothes.

Mountains or the Ocean? Both. That cheating? I do a lot of coastal walks with the fam, so we tend to be on kind of mountainous edges whilst overlooking the sea. But if I abso had to choose, it’d probably be ocean. That stuff can drown out even the roughest of nightmares.

Tea or coffee? COFFEE!!!!!!!!

And lastly, how can we find you? 
Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

J. A. Belfield lives in Solihull, England, with her husband, two children, three cats, and a dog. She writes paranormal romance with a second love for urban fantasy.

Blue Moon Purchase Links:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Books On Board

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Congrats: I'd also like to quickly send out a huge congrats to PK Hrezo for signing with an agent! Woot!

Make Believe: Taneesha at Kaidan's Seduction will be posting up a review of Make Believe as part of the tour. You can check it out HERE

Author Interview: Also, as part of the Make Believe tour, I'm over at J A Belfield's blog being interviewed. I'd love to see you over there! You can find out a little more about me and the inspiration behind my short story, Birthright. Click HERE.

Cover Reveal: Forged by Greed

cover art designed by Jeannie Ruesch

Their choice had been taken away long before they were born.

Two Seattle 16-year-old Shape Shifters, Jatred and Jasmira, are torn between following their hearts and protecting the order of the world.

The ancient Shape Shifter Races—the Winter wolves and the Summer leopards—exist on Earth, living among humans and perfectly fitting into modern life. Their secret societies are organized, each united by their own laws and traditions.

Two Goddesses, Crystal and Amber command their respective Races. One is on a quest to tilt the scale of power to her side. The other will never let it happen, even if it means sacrificing Jatred and Jasmira’s love.

The Amulet commissioned to bring stability into the world remains hidden and concealed with the help of advanced technology. Jatred is the guardian of the Amulet and key to the Goddesses’ conflict.

The forces of nature are disrupted. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions rake the world. The Goddesses go to war and summon all their Shifters to join in the conflict. Jatred and Jasmira fight not only for their star-crossed love but to protect the future of both Races and humankind.

Angela Orlowski-Peart was born and raised in Poland. She describes herself as European born, American by choice. She was just seven-years-old when she decided to learn English to translate her favorite Polish fairytales.

Angela is a Young Adult and Adult fiction writer. She completed her first YA paranormal romance novel, Forged by Greed, which is scheduled for publication on September 20, 2012. This is the first book in The Forged Series. Angela writes in multiple genres, including paranormal, fantasy, urban fiction, sci-fi, and short stories. She is a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Western Washington Chapter, and several authors’ and readers’ networking groups on Linkedin and Goodreads.

Angela loves reading good books almost as much as writing them. She can’t decide which is her favorite season—summer or fall. She speaks with Polish accent, but loves listening to the Southern drawl.
She is passionate about watercolor painting, fashion—especially stilettos, rock climbing, environment, and organic food and gardening. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband, two children, and a very independent and chronically curious cat.

Angela can be found on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin and Goodreads. 

Excerpt:
The wolf stood under the trees, several yards from the fence. His eyes were fixed on the stone statues. He growled and took a few slow steps back. Then he sprang forward and ran full speed toward the gate. His upper lip drew back, showing sharp, long canines. He jumped over the spikes of the fence, his belly inches away from the pointed iron finials. The wolf landed on the other side and left large paw prints on the freshly mowed grass. He lost his balance but regained it momentarily.

He heard her footsteps even before he heard her voice.

“Jatred!” From the house Jasmira ran toward him. Her long curly hair billowed behind her. “J, you made it. You made it.”

The wolf whimpered and trotted forward to meet her. Without slowing down, she threw herself onto him. Her hands grabbed his thick fur. His body was massive, and Jasmira looked like a child hugging an uncommonly large dog. The air around them pulsed and shivered. Jatred shifted into his human form and fell onto his back. Jasmira sprawled on top of him. Holding his face in her hands, she kissed him. His face broke into a broad smile.

Forged by Greed will be released on September 20, 2012. The second book in the series (untitled) is scheduled for publication in summer 2013.

Advantages of Giving It a Go

As some of you know from my previous post titled Inspiration and Serendipity, my parents loved to travel when I was young. Once, they took me to Singapore. This was not the Singapore of today with its high rises and western culture infused into the city. This was when Singapore had few tourists, when the local people rarely saw white children with blue eyes. I experienced a vast range of different foods at a time when the standard fare in Australian restaurants was prawn cocktails and crepe suzettes. I learnt to use chopsticks and ate dishes which included fish, rice, beans, and a whole range of unidentifiable ingredients. Mum taught me to be open-minded with my food.

What does this have to do with my writing?

When I first started writing I'd sit at an empty page and pour out the story without having pre-thought about the characters, the plot, or anything. I was in love with the romance of the journey of discovery. I held on to that method, dismissing all those who outlined, not listening to the possibility that planning could be just as fun and offer a greater advantage in the long run. Instead I'd stubbornly cling to the notion that I knew what was best for me, without even trying other methods.

My mum's voice floated back to me from those days of travel and new experiences. She reminded me that my stubbornness was like saying I didn't like certain foods without even trying them first—and I don't mean trying them with a preconceived idea of hating them, scrunching up the face to nibble a morsel as if it were poison. I mean giving them a proper go.

So I gave outlining a go—a proper go. I spent a month working out my characters, planning their story arcs, creating a world for them and plotting their scenes. I had a brilliant time and I quickly discovered the advantages. I could see the story as a whole before I'd even written it. I could take out scenes without having to pine over lost gems. My work became efficient, my writing became tight, and my story had a cohesive flow it didn't have before.

So, my advice is, don't say no to a possible method before you give it a proper go. You won't truly know whether or not it works for you until you try.

What are some methods you've stubbornly clung to only to discover later that a different system worked better after all?
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New Release: Madeleine Maddocks of Scribble and Edit has released her exciting novella, Ultimate Sacrifice. 

When Lyndsay hears the terrible news about her soldier boyfriend, Ben, she knows she must be strong; but just how strong, she is yet to discover…
The story encompasses young love, tragic circumstances of war, heart-breaking let downs, temptation and youthful determination to surmount and survive all odds; with the reader wondering which direction Lyndsay will ultimately choose to go. 

Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon FR, Amazon de

.

Character Spotlight: Kurt Lancer

Fact File:

Name: Kurt Michael Lancer
Age: 33
D.O.B.: February 2nd
Likes: Bruce Lee, martial arts, Chinese food
Dislikes: Gang culture, social prejudices, benefits fraudsters, religious fanatics, hospitals

Bio:  Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is the main protagonist in Oracle. A homicide detective with the Murder Investigation Team of the London Metropolitan Police, he is charged to solve a series of bizarre murders, linked only by an oak leaf left at the scene of each crime.

Six-foot-four and solidly built, Lancer is conscious of how his appearance and stature intimidates people. He compensates by being soft-spoken, and although he practices martial arts, chooses a ‘soft’ style where size and strength does not give him any advantage.

A recent widower, Lancer is a single parent to eight-year-old Meghan, whose progressive disability worries him daily. He also cares for younger brother Reggie, often having to spring him out of trouble.

Lancer throws himself into his job, working long hours to keep his mind off his troubles at home. However, his two worlds come crashing together when someone starts stalking his home—and Meghan.

And the culprit could be closer than he thinks.

Oracle 

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn't need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they've got one anyway.

Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter's disability.

Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.

One of whom could be his own daughter.

Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer's only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene. 

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

J.C. Martin is a butt-kicking bookworm: when she isn’t reading or writing, she teaches martial arts and self-defence to adults and children.

After working in pharmaceutical research, then in education as a schoolteacher, she decided to put the following to good use: one, her 2nd degree black belt in Wing Chun kung fu; and two, her overwhelming need to write dark mysteries and gripping thrillers with a psychological slant.

Her short stories have won various prizes and have been published in several anthologies. Oracle is her first novel.

Born and raised in Malaysia, J.C. now lives in south London with her husband and three dogs.

Contact: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

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Note:  I've read this book and loved every minute of it. JC has a fantastic writing style that brings her stories and characters alive. To see what Kurt looks like, check him out HERE.

Thank you: Thanks to everyone who offered me their condolences, prayers, and well wishes after the recent passing of one of my family members. My aunt will be dearly missed.

Giveaway: Jamie Gibbs of Mithril Wisdom is hosting a giveaway to celebrate 350 followers. Yay, Jamie!! Pop on over HERE and check it out.

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The Backworlds Book 2 is Out!

The sequel to The Backworlds is now available. Craze and his friends continue their adventures in Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge. See what role chocolate plays in the galaxy this time.

The interstellar portal opens, bringing in a ship that should no longer exist. A battleship spoiling for a fight, yet the war with Earth ended two generations ago. The vessel drops off a Water-breather, a type of Backworlder thought to be extinct. She claims one of Craze’s friends is a traitor who summoned the enemy to Pardeep Station. A betrayal worse than his father’s, if Craze lives to worry about it.

Available for all ereaders from:

Amazon / Amazon UK / B&N / Smashwords
iTunes and Kobo will be available shortly.

If you haven’t read The Backworlds yet, it’s available as a free read from many outlets. See HERE for links.

Inspiring the words M. Pax writes, Mary spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the husband unit and two loving cats. She writes science fiction mostly and has a slight obsession with Jane Austen. Mary blogs at http://www.mpaxauthor.com/blog/
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A big thank you to everyone who left a comment on my guest post at Rachna’s Scriptorium: How to Trust Yourself as a Writer. It’s still up if you haven’t yet visited.

What role do you think chocolate should play in the galaxy?

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