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

Wacky Wednesday Links

Good morning! 

Someone please tell me why summer is flying by.  I know it's hot and we need rain, but I'd still like to make some more summer memories with the kids. LOL I'm not a fan of those early school mornings.

Let's switch subjects.  Maybe if I don't think about it time will stand still for at least a few minutes.  :) 

On to a  few interesting links I found.

Kristen Lamb's Blog - Highly recommend this blog.  There is always great information on just about anything you can think of. 

Today it's Cover Art:
http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/creating-cover-art-down-dirty-tips/

I love creating covers.  Maybe a little too much. LOL  I should be writing, right? :)  The best advice I can offer is to study covers from your favorite books.  What's the background look like?  How big is the font?  Where is everything placed? 

The most important thing to remember is to use legal photos.  You can find free ones, but it's tricky and then there is always a slim chance they aren't as free as you thought.  Do your research first!  Before you design the best cover in the world and then find out you can't use it.  It will save your sanity!

Still fighting with Smashwords over formatting?

Smashwords Formatting For the Lazy Part 1


And for inspiration!

Forbes.com top 10 highest paid authors for 2010:

James Patterson,
Stephenie Meyer,
Stephen King,
Danielle Steel,
Ken Follett,
Dean Koontz,
Janet Evanovitch,
John Grisham,
Nicholas Sparks,
and JK Rowling.

Know what they all have in common? They write alot of books! :)

Now I for one like that fact.  Why?  It's obtainable.  All I need to do is sit down and write.

Self-Sabotage, It's a Fine Art

Writer or not, it doesn’t matter. We’ve all got this one really cool thing we love to do. Maybe it’s photography, painting, crafting, scrapbooking, coin collecting, etc. Or a sport like baseball, tennis or, yes I’m going to include it even though every ounce of my being is screaming not to, golf. (We’ll get back to this one)

Whatever it is makes us happy, gives us a sense of self-worth or belonging. It’s something we can share with others who love the same thing. So we make friends along the way. But the downside is it takes you away from your family, your job, your responsibilities. So, we end up feeling guilty about wanting to spend time on it. That makes us unhappy. And if we’re honest about it, everyone around us suffers right along with us.

There is a solution. One I’m still working to perfect. The main thing is to find a routine that works and keeps everyone happy. Organization plays a huge part and scheduling is a must.  This is the toughest part for me, but slowly I'm managing to put everything down on a calendar and then stick to it.

Here's the biggest myth I learned about my own self-sabotaging.

I’ll just take care of everything else first. – This only made me tired and frustrated. At the end of the day, I had a clean house, organized closets and drawers, happy hubby and kids due to the meals I scheduled for the entire week, and a weedless garden.

The only thing missing—my sanity. I wasn’t spending any time doing what I love and my attitude stunk. Not to mention the mounting self-doubt. I started thinking maybe I should just quit writing all together. I’ll be honest. The mere idea of quitting had me depressed, not wanting to spend time with anyone or do anything at all.

Let’s face it. There will always be something that needs tending to, something to fold, a call to return, a bill to pay, a kid to run here or there. It’s a never ending cycle. Life has a pesky way of getting in the way, doesn’t it?

So what’s the answer to this one?

I won’t pretend like I’ve found a magical secret. But I have learned it’s okay to let things slide occasionally and have a life outside my family. I can share part of my day with good friends and still be able to spend quality time with the most special people in my life too.  Heck and even get a few of those unending chores done along the way.

How do I do it? It means I’m getting up a little bit earlier and going to bed a little bit later. For right now, it’s working. It's not easy since I love my sleep.  But this is allowing me to be more productive with my writing and it feels so good.  I’m keeping up with most of the daily chores and even asking the kids and hubby to pitch in and help out a little more. This doesn't mean I'm a failure. Heck no! After all. We are a team. :)

No more excuses or blaming others.

No more self-sabotage! (Repeat this every time you try to make an excuse and go do something else. I think my record is 67 times in one day so far. LOL But it works like a charm!)

Onward and Upward!

Who’s with Me? :)

(Oh, yeah.  The golf thing. LOL  Still trying to get hubby to work on that one.  It's his one thing he loves to do.  Need I say more?)

The Writing Must Go On!

Ever had one of those days?  Well, I'm having one of those weeks! LOL

I missed a great RWA Conference in New York City.  The entire state of Texas is suffering from a severe drought.  And our Internet trouble is the Worst it's ever been!

We need a new desktop computer to replace the dinosaur we've been using.  I've known that for some time now and have managed to work around the minor inconveniences that pop up.  These are bad enough.  But when the Internet won't cooperate and keeps knocking you off every five minutes, things get pretty ugly around here pretty fast.  Grrrr.... I need to know what's going on out there in the world.  The suspense is killing me!

One thing I've learned from this little irritating experience is that I must not let these disturbances distract me.  The writing/editing must continue.  So off I go to one of my secret writing spots (kids are out for summer vacation- can you say major distraction!) with my laptop, I-pod, paper, pens and pencils, notebooks for jotting down quick thoughts, and a nice cold Dr. Pepper.  I'm not hard to please.  Just need a few certain things before I can sit down and have what I consider to be a productive day.

And even though the Internet is giving me fits, I still managed to find two interesting links to share. :)  Take that you nasty Gremlins! LOL


Great video on How to write that dreaded synopsis:

http://whodareswinspublishing.com/Video_Audio_Clips.html

Myth Buster:

http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/self-publishing-myth-1-you-will-never-make-any-money/

Whatever you've got planned today, I Hope it's a Terrific Thursday!

Book of the Day - Faithful Deceptions

This is really cool!

My first book “Faithful Deceptions” is being highlighted this week on Marketing Tips for Authors . Those who leave a comment will be entered into a drawing to win a free Kindle copy of the book. This is a great blog to follow.  I find endless amounts of helpful information each time I visit.

Faithful Deceptions is also The Book of the Day over at:  E-Readers News Today.

I highly recommend both these sites for promoting your books.  :)

Shattered Souls of Innocence Live TODAY!

I'm so excited to announce the release of my Short Story Prequel, "Shattered Souls of Innocence."  This is more of a Suspense/Thriller and links my two novels together.  A Bonus for those who've read "Faithful Deceptions" and a Teaser for "Target of Betrayal" due out this summer.  You can find this story on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks for reading!
Hope you enjoy!

Wacky Wednesday Links

Talk about Wacky! This picture says it all! LOL


We Love to Travel!

 These links are a bit all over the place.  Story of my life these days. LOL  Hope you find something you like and can use. :)

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that My Short Story Prequel -Shattered Souls of Innocence is due to release real soon! I must warn you though.  It's a teaser for the novel Target of Betrayal. What does that mean exactly?  Well, if I've done my job right, you'll be itching to read this next book.  LOL

Now to the links!

Niche-Marketing - Be Creative when thinking about who your readers are.

http://www.alanrinzler.com/blog/2010/07/26/boost-your-book-sales-with-the-magic-of-niche-marketing/

How about a Video Blog (Thanks to Marie for sharing this link!)
This is Not for me, but I love watching them. :)

http://desktopvideo.about.com/od/videoblogging/ht/howtovlog

Tip Sheets -Best Kept Publicity Secret?

Self Publishing Coach.com

So you are wondering about true sales numbers?  Great post by Victorine Lieske.

http://victorinewrites.blogspot.com/2011/03/sales-growth-over-time.html

How to Publish an Ebook for Multiple Platforms

The Savvy Book Marketer


How to Get Your Book Mentioned in a Newspaper - Lots of great suggestions here!

This was very interesting!  Marketing Methods that DON'T work.

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/06/book-marketing-methods-that-dont-work.html