Rescue Me, Somebody Please!

Just kidding. Although, I must say, I've felt this way several times lately.

October has come, and as I sit here staring at my computer, procrastinating as usual, I'm realizing the month's almost gone! Time flys when you're having fun and when your not, well, I think it flys faster. LOL We started out with football games, tennis matches and Homecoming. Now we're winding down. The fundraiser for tennis was a huge success and the team is off today for a trip to Regionals, (Yay Go, Team!)

But, even with all life's distractions and the wonderful memories we've made along the way, I'm happy to report that I managed to stay on track. "Target of Betrayal" is due out the first of November. Yes, I'm doing a happy dance. This is the first story I ever wrote, finished back in 2007. The first draft was a whopping 104,000 words. Yikes! Needless to say, it has gone through one heck of a major overhaul. :)

Now it's time to get ready for NaNoWriMo! This is National Novel Writing Month for those of you trying to make sense out of the abbreviation. The goal? Write 50,000 words in 30 days. It's alot of hard work, but so rewarding. My first attempt was back in 2007. I'd finished one manuscript and was worried I might not be able to do it again. NaNo helped me set goals, priorities and realize writing was definitely something I wanted to do. If you ask my hubby, I've become a bit obsessed over the years. LOL

He just doesn't understand my new battle cry.

 "I get to write something new! Yippee!"

After all this editing, I'm about to burst with all the great possibilities. All I have to do is pick one idea floating around in my head, focus and then smoke up those computer keys. :) One of my goals this year is to challenge myself to write a simple romance. Those of you who know me are shaking your head. I can see you! And hear you! "What no guns? No herione being chased by the bad guys, her time running out?" Did you see the word CHALLENGE above. LOL And I never said there wouldn't be guns! 

Let's Get This Party Started!

Here's a link in case I've enticed you to check it out. :) 

 National Novel Writing Month 

  

Wacky Wednesday Links

My final run through is done and off to the editor on the next book, Target of Betrayal. Whew...I didn't think I'd ever get to the end on this one. It's a great feeling.:) I'm now working on the final edits for the cover and having way too much fun. LOL I promise to share soon!

Until then here are a few of the links I've come across this past week.

Amazon Algorithm Exposed - Very interesting

http://ebooksuccess4free.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/amazon-sales-rank-secret-algorithm-exposed/

Another great resource for saving your sanity during the formatting process. :)
http://www.cjs-easy-as-pie.com/

Kristen Lamb's Blog -
Three Keys to a Successful Author Platform - All This and a Bag of Chips (Love her Blog titles!)

The Writer's Guide to E-Publishing -
What's So Special About Indie by Scott Nicholson - Worth a read. :)

And don't forget about the Northwest Houston Lone Star Writer's Conference coming this October 15, 2011!
It's not too late to register!!!     Northwest Houston RWA

TxDOT vs. Christie Craig

Have you heard about this?! It's just unbelievable! Christie Craig is an amazing writer and this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

I was born in Texas. I've lived here my entire life. And this just really makes my blood boil. Texas is so much better than this. Going after an author because of the title of her book? Really? "Don't Mess With Texas" has taken on an entirely new meaning for me. And it's not a good thing!

Please check out this site for more info and spread the word.

http://wildwickedwacky.blogspot.com/2011/10/txdot-v-christie-craig-write-in.html

Writer or not, this affects us all. There are tax dollars paying for a frivolous law suit. TxDot putting this much effort and money into this over a book title really scares the heck out of me. What else will they do?

I'm off to steam a bit more! And see who else I can contact.  Oh, wait! Rick Perry is running for President! I'm going to see what he thinks about this little lawsuit.  Want to join me? :)


Snail Mail: The Honorable Rick Perry, PO Box 12428, Austin, TX 78711-2428


Website: http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/

Phone No: (512) 463-2000

Twitter: @GovernorPerry (mention @TxDOT and @Christie_Craig)


Please say you will!

Wacky Wednesday Links

Summer break, kids, and back to school really put a kink in my plans to have the next book out by the end of summer.  Two chapters to go and then I'll do one last read through and it's off to the editor. Whew! Better late than never, right? LOL

Taking a few mintues to share some really valuable resources. :)

Google Calendar - A must to keep track of all life's little distractions.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6186026_can-calendar-onto-computer-desktop_.html


 Self Publishing a Book -25 things you need to know:   http://reviews.cnet.com/self-publishing/

 7 Ways to Write a Great Book Review - Now this is a great way to help support your favorite authors. Fan mail and great reviews help us know we are on the right track and doing our job. Entertaining the reader.

How about using Skype to sell your books!  The Savvy Book Marketer 

Want a challenge? Try writing 10,000 words in one day. :) It's doable. Honest!
http://www.murderati.com/blog/2011/8/4/10000-words-in-one-day-no-wayway.html


And a few must-read Ebooks regarding Indie Epublishing to help you find your way.


1. The Indie Journey: Secrets to Writing Success by Scott Nicholson

2. How I Sold 1 Million eBooks in 5 Months! by John Locke

3. How I Sold 200,000 E-Books, A Guide for the Self-Published Author by H.P. Mallory

4. Let’s Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should by David Gaughran


Okay, back to work for me! Enjoy your day and remember to Dream Big! :)

Laughter, You Know You Want It

School is in full swing around here and along with it comes an extremely hectic schedule. I'm talking about the kind of schedule that has you wondering just exactly what day it really is. LOL Time to start working in lots of those laughter moments to decompress and save my sanity. 

Did you know, when we laugh, our entire body relaxes. A good, hearty belly laugh can actually relieve physical tension and stress as well. I've read this relaxed state can even last up to 45 minutes after. No way! Really? Boy, could I use that!

The Physical Benefis:

* Laughter boosts the immune system.
* Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
* Laughter protects the heart.
* Lowers stress hormones
* Decreases pain
* Relaxes your muscles
* Prevents heart disease

Mental Health Benefits:

* Adds joy and zest to life
* Eases anxiety and fear
* Relieves stress
* Improves mood
* Enhances resilience

Social Benefits:

* Strengthens relationships
* Attracts others to us
* Enhances teamwork
* Helps defuse conflict
* Promotes group bonding

Now with all these wonderful benefits, why have I not been using this little trick?  It's not that big a deal that I woke up this morning to a leaky pipe and had to call the plumber. Right?  Did he just give me a $400.00 estimate? Now there's a good belly laugh for you!  Needless to say we still have no water because Hubby is determined to fix this leak all by himself.  I'm laughing, really I am.  I did make some great head way on my edits as I waited for the plumber to show up. That's a good thing.

Come on ya'll, let's get this laughter started!!  I'm off to find me something to laugh about! Lord knows I need it right about now!

From "Faithful Deceptions" by Melissa Ohnoutka

My book is being featured today! :)

From "Faithful Deceptions" by Melissa Ohnoutka

Money dictates the rules of this game and the victim could be anybody— regardless of sex, age or race...

A wicked grin eased over Dustin’s face, his entire body frothy with victory. Once again, success. This was one of those magic moments that made the multitude of tedious planning hours and hard work worthwhile. Moments that lured him back again and again. It had been a long time since he’d actually been the one to pull the trigger. After Rodney and Dwayne’s little screw up with the Senator’s daughter, he had no choice but to kill her himself and had been itching to do the delectable deed again ever since. He loved to smell the fear. To see the moment his victim realized he and he alone controlled their fate.

Dustin waited only long enough for Agent Bryce to lower his head in defeat. Then the second earth shattering explosion rang out beneath the blanket of rain soaked trees. It was done.

Now to plan his most horrifying, unimaginable affliction against another human being.

Patrick Roark, bodyguard his ass, would pay a hefty price for his treacherous betrayal.

And he knew jus the sweet little trick to use too.

Heather McCorkle - The Tour of Secrets

If you've been following Heather's Blog Tour, then you know the drill. :) Scroll down to find out the next secret about Heather.  If you've just stumbled upon this page, then Welcome!  You must check this out!

I am so excited to be apart of Heather McCorkle's Tour of Secrets blog tour for her debut novel The Secret of Spruce Knoll. She's running a fabulous contest to kick off her new release due out on August 15. Heather will also be having a live chat on YA BOUND scheduled for August 30 with a seperate give away as well.

Heather’s official bio:

I am an author of young adult fantasy, in all its many sub-genres. Helping other writers and supporting fabulous authors is my passion. When I’m not writing or surfing my social networking sites, I can be found on the slopes, the hiking trails, or on horseback. As a native Oregonian, I enjoy the outdoors almost as much as the worlds I create on the pages. No need to travel to the Great Northwest though, you can find me here, on my blog four days a week, and Monday night’s on Twitter where I co-moderate the #WritersRoad chat with my good friend TS Tate.

Heather’s debut novel is a young adult urban fantasy. Don't you just love this cover!!

The Blurb:

Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with her aunt. 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. Now, 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.

I can’t wait to read this book!!!  I already know I'm going to have to fight off my two teenage daughters to be first. LOL Isn't that a rule? Mom's get first dibs in everything, right?

Secret Time!



Tell us Heather, do you have an interesting writing quirk?   Like a favorite shirt, or slippers you wear to boost that creative spark?  Maybe it's music or lighting a candle? 


I do have an interesting writing secret. Whenever I'm stuck (I don't want to say the foul words writer's block. It's like Voldemort, if you say it, you may bring it on...) there is one thing that almost always works. I take a shower. No seriously! I have no idea why it works but it does. My very best writing ideas, plot breakthroughs, character developments, all come to me when I'm in the shower. 




Here's what you can win by entering the contest:

1st place:

*$50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble (or the Book Depository if you're over seas).

*Autographed copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll

*Special swag bag

2nd place:

*Swag bag filled with:

*Autographed copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll

* Spoiled by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan

*Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan

*Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

* A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

3rd place:

*Autographed copy of The Secret Of Spruce Knoll

*Swag bag

The Rules: You can just be a follower of Heather's Odyssey and leave a comment on her post saying you'd like to enter to win. But if you want extra points/entries here's how you can get them:

+1 for being a follower of Heather's Odyssey and commenting. (Must follow for the contest.)

+1 for each blog participating in the giveaway that you follow and comment on.

+2 for adding The Secret Of Spruce Knoll to your To-Read shelf on Goodreads or Shelfari.

+3 for tweeting or posting on Facebook about the giveway.

+4 for Blogging about The Secret Of Spruce Knoll giveaway.

+5 for placing a link on the sidebar of your blog about the giveaway.

To enter this great contest click here: HeatherMcCorkle.blogspot.com
The contest ends August 31!

Wishing everyone the best of luck!

Thanks so much Heather! Hope tons of readers discover your wonderful book! :)

Come Sail Away With Me!

You'll Be Very Glad You Did! :)

From Jennifer Bray-Weber's Website

Sail into a world of fearless pirates and spirited women, where clashing swords, superstition, and fickle seas are as plentiful as the rum. Danger lurks in every port. Betrayal is rampant. And there is always the Devil to pay.

Discover the pirate captains who seek fortune and the lasses who steer them into uncharted waters of the heart. Having lost all, these pirates honor a brotherhood creed to take all that they may, including the women who taunt them.

Hoist the sails. Adventure awaits those who chance Romancing The Pirate.

The Blurb:

Lianna Whitney, who was gently bred but must now empty slop buckets and fight off randy seaman in a port tavern, unexpectedly comes into possession of a golden medallion. When the man who left it with her is immediately murdered by soldiers of the Royal Navy, she's afraid to admit she has it. Unsure who to trust, she's caught up in crossfire between a navy officer and a pirate captain, who, realizing she possesses the object he's been paid to find, whisks her away to his ship.


Captain Zane Fox is not interested in the mystical healing powers the medallion is said to hold, even though the legends claim it can bring a dying man back to life. He only plans to procure the medallion, drop the chit off at the next port where she'll be safe, and collect the money he was promised. However, as Zane and Lianna fend off the growing dangers of his occupation and attempt to outrun the Royal Navy, the two are also fighting the attraction they feel for one another. Lianna wants nothing to do with a pirate, opting instead for her new found independence, and he certainly has no use for another anchor - this one around his neck - regardless of how fetching she is. But when they are captured, Zane must choose between recovering the medallion or saving Lianna from the noose. And soon, it becomes clear to him that the medallion is not the only treasure worth risking his life for.

**I don't read many Historical Romance's much less ones with Pirates running about. But I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series Jennifer has planned. You'll love and root for her characters and think about them long after reading that last page!

 Get your copy today!

Amazon      Barnes & Noble      Smashwords

2011 Lone Star Writers Conference

Northwest Houston Romance Writers
Annual Writer's Conference

**Looking for a great conference?
Check out http://www.nwhrwa.com/!

 DATE: 
October 15, 2011

WHERE:
Houston Marriot North at Greenspoint

255 N Sam Houston Parkway East

Houston, Texas 77060


CONFERENCE FEE: $125.00
Registration began August 1, 2011.

Keynote Speaker:

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Alexandra Sokoloff is a screenwriter who has sold original suspense and thriller scripts and adapted novels for numerous Hollywood studios, for producers such as Michael Bay, Laura Ziskin, David Heyman, and Neal Moritz. Her adaptation of Sabine Deitmer's psychological thriller COLD KISSES was filmed in Germany. Alex is the author of the supernatural thrillers THE HARROWING, THE PRICE, THE UNSEEN, and BOOK OF SHADOWS, and a new paranormal romance, THE SHIFTERS. She is also the author of SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS (AND SCREENWRITERS!), a workbook based on her internationally acclaimed blog and workshops. She is a Thriller Award winner and a Bram Stoker and Anthony Award nominee.

Alex has served on the Board of Directors of the WGAw, the screenwriters' union, and the board of Mystery Writers of America, and is the founder of WriterAction.com, an online community and resource center of 2000+ professional screenwriters. In her spare time (!)she performs with Heather Graham's Slush Pile Players, and dances every chance she gets.

Visit her website at: http://www.alexandrasokoloff.com/

And her blog on Screenwriting Tricks for Authors at http://www.screenwritingtricks.com/


WORKSHOP:


SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS (and Screenwriters!)

Are you finally committed to writing that novel but have no idea how to get started? Or are you a published author - but know you need some plotting help to move your books and career up to that next level?

Screenwriting is a compressed and dynamic storytelling form and the techniques of screenwriting are easily adaptable to novel writing. You can jump-start your plot and bring your characters and scenes vibrantly alive on the page - by watching your favorite movies and learning from the storytelling tricks of great filmmakers.

In this workshop, based on award-winning author/screenwriter Alexandra Sokoloff’s internationally acclaimed Screenwriting Tricks For Authors blog and workbook, you'll learn how to use techniques of film writing such as:

- the High Concept Premise
- the Three-Act, Eight-Sequence Structure
- the Storyboard Grid
- the Index Card Method of Plotting
- as well as tricks of film pacing and suspense, character arc and drive, visual storytelling, and building image systems - to structure and color your novel for maximum emotional impact, unbearable suspense and riveting pacing, no matter what genre you're writing in.

You'll start to create your own personalized workbook of genre tricks based on your favorite books and movies and tailored to your own brand of storytelling, and a collage book to build visual image systems. And the emphasis on premise is invaluable for crafting that all-important query and pitch.

In this rapidly changing world of publishing, more and more agents and editors are looking for novels that have the pacing, emotional excitement, and big, unique, "high concept" premises of Hollywood movies (and the potential for that movie or TV sale!).

Whether you're just starting to develop a book or script, or rewriting for maximum impact, this workshop will introduce you to an easy, effective and fun process to help you make your book or script the best it can be.

Throw in an Awesome Agent and Editor line-up and you really don't want to miss this one! ;)
For Registration and more info click here:  www.nwhrwa.com/conference.htm