@GeorgiaLeCarre's Favourite Books & Genres #AmReading #Romance #BookClub

What makes you happiest?

I know I should say when my dog puts his head on my lap, but the truth is when my bank account looks healthy and all my bills are paid, and I can get on with the delicious business of enjoying my dog putting his head on my lap.

What’s your greatest character strength?

I haven’t truly tested it, so don’t quote me if it ever proves otherwise, but I think I’m a forgiving person.

What’s your weakest character trait?

Bone-lazy tendencies.

Why do you write?

Because it is miles easier than working in slaughter house or a chicken farm.

Have you always enjoyed writing?

No, I never thought of being an author.  I consumed a lot of other people’s words and one day I guess, it just spilled out onto some paper.

What motivates you to write?

I have a story to tell.

What are you most proud of in your personal life?

Strangely I am most proud of the time I shelled an old brown coconut.  I was twelve years old and I sat on a little wooden stool with a large knife and hacked away until all of the husk was gone.  By the time I finished I was sweating, my hands were raw, but I never forgot the feeling that I did not give up.  I finished the job.

What books did you love growing up?

Children’s adventure stories and then romance, of course.  Ah, the books I devoured!

Who is your favorite author?

Cormac McCarthy

What book genre of books do you adore?

There is no set genre that I particularly gravitate towards.  My reading taste is varied and I like it like that.

What book should everybody read at least once?

There is no book that is perfect for everybody.  We each find the book that is perfect for our own journeys.

Beyond the seductive power of immense wealth lies… Dark Secrets

Devastatingly handsome billionaire, Blake Law Barrington was Lana Blooms first and only love. From the moment they touched his power was overwhelming. Their arrangement quickly developed into a passionate romance that captivated her heart and took her on an incredible sexual journey she never wanted to end.

The future together looked bright until Lana made a terrible mistake. So, she did the only thing she could… she ran.

Away from her incredible life, away from the man of her dreams, but she should have known a man such as Blake Law Barrington was impossible to escape. Now, he’s back in her life and determined that she should taste the bitterness of his pain.

Shocked at how rough the sex has become and humiliated that she is actually participating so willingly in her punishment, she despairs if she will ever feel the warmth of his touch–the solidity of his trust again? And even if she can win his trust, loyalties are yet to be decided, and secrets to be revealed–secrets that will test them both to their limits.

Will Lana be able to tear down the walls that surround Blake’s heart, and break him free of the brutal power of immense wealth?

Can Blake hold on to Lana’s heart when she discovers the enormity of the dark secrets that inhabit the Barrington family?

Lana has always believed that love conquers all. She is about to test that belief…

Buy @ Amazon

Genre – Erotic Romance

Rating – PG-18

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Connect with Georgia Le Carre on Facebook & Twitter

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#Excerpt from "Conspiracy of Silence" by Gledé Browne Kabongo @gkabongo #Suspense #Fiction

Two years later, Nina found herself taking an hour-long to a state-of-the-art corrections facility, one of the most secure in the nation and the only one to sit on a major highway. She arrived at one of the eight modules used to house prisoners and went through the usual security checkpoints. She was ushered into the visitors’ room. She took a seat and nervously awaited his arrival.

She was jolted from her thoughts when he walked into the visiting area. A slight man to begin with, he had aged, his head now completely grey. His face was gaunt, his cheeks sunken from massive weight loss. She bit down hard on her lips to stop the tears from forming. As she expected, he was less than pleased to see her.

“What are you doing here?”

She didn’t respond.

“If you’re looking for forgiveness, you’re in the wrong place. But the prison chapel isn’t too far from here.”

She finally found her voice. “Forgiveness for what?”

“Sending you own father to prison is unforgivable.”

“Then why did you do it?”

Sadness crept into his face, but it was quickly replaced by the familiar stubbornness and lack of empathy that had defined their relationship.

“I was a good daughter. You didn’t deserve me.”

Nina opened her pocketbook and took out her wallet. She removed a photo and pushed it across the table toward him. He glanced at it then looked back at her. He wanted to ask her something but was too proud.

“Grace and Faith Kasai. A year old today,” she explained.

“Why did you come to see me? You’ve destroyed what was left of my life.”

“No dad. You did that all on your own. All I wanted was a stinking apology, some acknowledgement that I wasn’t some piece of property you could use and dispose of when you felt like it. You weren’t sorry at all. I was living in a hell you sent me to. This was the only way I knew to get out. You had to answer to someone you couldn’t bully or buy off or manipulate.”

“I gave you everything.”

“You gave me the best of what money could buy. What I needed from you was priceless.”

Maybe she was right Phillip thought. There were some things his money couldn’t buy, like Constance Buckwell’s silence. The security he thought it would bring him failed to materialize and he had to take care of her himself by slipping something in her drink when they had dinner. That induced the heart attack that killed her. That should have been the end of his troubles combined with the diary he stole but it was all for naught. Now, he could honestly say it wasn’t worth it. None of it was.

“Congratulations on the twins Nina. I know you’ll make an outstanding mother. You’re excellent at everything you do. I have no doubt that will extend to motherhood.”

With that, Phillip Copeland signaled to be taken back to his cell.

As Nina made her way back to her car, she realized how lucky she was. A big, happy contented smile spread across her face. She had a life beyond anything she could have imagined. And this time, she knew she deserved it.

#1 Amazon Bestseller in the suspense and women’s psychological fiction categories.

Boston executive Nina Kasai has been living a lie since her days as a student at Stanford University. But she’s about to learn that some secrets are too big to stay buried.

Years ago, Nina fled from her life of wealth and privilege and vowed never to look back. The horrifying truth has been locked away in her hidden diary, and in the mind of a disturbed woman who will never tell, ever. However, the perfect life she’s since created is about to come crashing down when Phillip Copeland –a ghost from her past with political ambition and secrets of his own, makes Nina an offer she can’t refuse: her silence in exchange for his.

Soon, it all goes horribly wrong when a  shocking double-cross sends Nina reeling,  and devastating loss threatens to push her over the edge. To make matters worse, her diary, the only link to her secret past has been stolen.

To reclaim her life and bring this twisted game to its stunning conclusion, Nina must confront the past she’s been running from, and find the courage to make a life-altering decision that leaves multiple casualties in its wake.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre – Psychological Suspense

Rating – R

More details about the author

Connect with Gledé Browne Kabongo on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://www.gledebrownekabongo.com

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Inside the Mind of #Author Olga Soaje (Twelve Houses) #Contemporary #Women #Fiction

Now this is a tricky part, since every person is unique as their handprints and ideas to which they excel . But I would dare say the mind of an writer works all day round, very much like a painter sees the world in shades of colors and forms. Writers see the world around them in stories, characters, ideas and emotions.

I would dare say that we can we occasionally eavesdrop at restaurants and several places, just because human interactions are information, material and the kind of things that make our journeys in novels worthwhile.

When I’m personally working on something I always carry a notebook with me, because when least expected and this has happened even in the supermarket I get an idea or a paragraph would just come to be unwilling to wait until I’m at the keyboard.

The mind of an Author is ever churning in order to make the reader feel and be transported to places of amusement, emotion and inspiration.

Can anything good follow the best thing that ever happened to you?

Amelia Weiss loved her husband of thirty-five years very much, but now he’s left her a widow. Without him, she is unable to work in her sculpture studio without crying. She no longer has a bridge to her estranged daughter. And she can’t seem to keep her mind in the present.

But when her daughter reaches out asking for her help and her agent threatens a lawsuit if Amelia doesn’t deliver for an upcoming exhibit, she’s forced to make a choice. Will she reengage with her life and the people in it—allowing room for things to be different than they were before? Or, will she remain stuck in the past, choosing her memories over real-life relationships?

Thrust fully into the present, Amelia stumbles into a surprising journey of self-discovery.

Buy @ Amazon

Genre – Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Olga Soaje on Facebook

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Author Spotlight on @MorganRichter #ChickLit #MustRead #BookClub

Can you tell us about your main character?

Charlotte’s an unsuccessful actress in Los Angeles. She’s pushing thirty, and she’s well aware that, in the eyes of the entertainment industry, her expiration date for stardom is fast approaching. She’s smart, introspective, self-aware and plagued with self-doubts. She’s someone who probably would’ve been far better off picking a career path other than “aspiring movie star”, because that self-awareness and those self-doubts are really going to get in her way as she goes through the book.

How do you feel about self-publishing?

I’m a fan. I’ve self-published my own books through my company, Luft Books. I’ve also published books by an excellent Australian sci-fi author, A.K. Adler; in the near future, I hope to add more authors to the Luft Books roster. There’s still some stigma attached to self-publishing, but it fades more every year as more and more authors become self-publishing success stories. My books are good: They’re professionally written, they’re professionally edited, they’ve won awards, and they’re well-received by readers. I like the control over the final product that self-publishing gives me; I trust my own judgment enough to know that anything I publish will be my best effort.

Do you have any advice for writers?

Write all you can. Always strive to improve, no matter what your level of skill and experience. The more you write, the better you’ll get. I’m a better writer now than I was five years ago; five years from now, I hope and expect to have improved even more.

What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out?

There are three excellent books I recommend to all writers: Gotham Writers’ Workshop’s Writing Fiction, Renni Browne & Dave King’s Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, and Stephen King’s On Writing. Read all three and internalize the lessons, and it’ll give you a fantastic crash course in the art of writing fiction.

How do you work through self-doubts and fear?

On any given day, I’m a mess of self-doubt and fear, particularly when it comes to my writing. I’m forty; I’ve been trying to have a professional writing career since I was twenty-one. And… I’m still not sure I’m where I should be. I know I’m a good writer; I also know my weak spots, and sometimes they seem to outweigh my strengths. Right now, I’m in the middle of a very messy rewrite, in which my first-draft prose is leaden, convoluted, and utterly devoid of wit or intelligence. I’ve had more than one moment where I’ve considered junking it and starting a new project. And yet… I know I’ll keep working on it. I’ll finish it. It’s just a matter of always trying to move forward.

How did you develop your writing?

Practice. I wrote short stories in grade school, building up to writing a mediocre unfinished fantasy novel in high school (pretty much everyone wrote a mediocre fantasy novel in high school, right?). I wrote screenplays throughout film school and for a few years after graduation. I switched to novels about fifteen years ago, though I still write the occasional feature script. You know how the thesis of Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers is that anyone can become an expert in any field after ten thousand hours of practice? I have put in my ten thousand hours of writing, easily. Over the years, my style has become more streamlined, my prose leaner, my dialogue snappier.

What is your least favorite quality about yourself?

I’m terribly lazy. I’m unfocused. I feel awfully sorry for myself a lot. I can sit down at my laptop, all ready to write, and then allow myself to become derailed by pretty much any little thing. If I get a lukewarm review of one of my books on Amazon, well, obviously I have to stop writing for the day and nurse my wounds. I am a world-class procrastinator. My redeeming trait is that I always eventually get things done. My laziness is only exceeded by my fear of failure.

What else do you do to make money, other than write? It’s rare today for writers to be full time,

I ghostwrite novels. I kind of love ghostwriting, actually. It gives me a chance to write in a style and a voice I normally wouldn’t use, on subjects I normally wouldn’t consider. It is, dare I say it, almost fun. Even so, ghostwriting and my book royalties don’t pay the bills; I am very, very fortunate right now in that I’m sharing a place with my sister, who absorbs far more than her fair share of our living expenses.

What scares you the most?

Death. Failure. Disgrace. Death again. The idea that there’s nothing beyond this mortal life. The usual, in other words. I don’t believe in supernatural occurrences, though I wish I did; it would be comforting to be able to point to evidence that there’s more to this world than what we can see.

How do you promote this book?

May I be honest? I’m terrible at promotion. Near-criminally incompetent, in fact. Talking about myself makes me feel painfully awkward, and my first instinct is to downplay my writing (“Yeah, I have another book out. You can find it at Amazon, I guess, if you want”). I have to fight to overcome this. It’s an uphill battle.

What’s your favorite meal?

Like any self-respecting Angeleno transplanted to the Big Apple, I spend a lot of time grousing about how you can’t find good Mexican food in New York City (note: this is a lie; there’s plenty of decent Mexican food here). Right now, I could really use a carne asada taco platter and a margarita the size of my head.

When struggling actress Charlotte Dent is cast as a leggy killer robot in a big, brainless summer blockbuster, the subsequent hiccup of fame sends a shock wave through her life. The perks of entry-level celebrity are balanced by the drawbacks: destructive filmmakers, online ridicule, entitled costars, and an awkward, unsatisfying relationship with the film’s fragile leading man. Self-aware to a fault, Charlotte fights to carve out a unique identity in an industry determined to categorize her as just another starlet, disposable and replaceable. But unless she can find a way to turn her small burst of good fortune into a durable career, she’s destined to sink back into obscurity.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - General Fiction, Chick Lit

Rating - PG

More details about the author

Connect with Morgan Richter on Facebook & Twitter

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10 Tips for Better Writing from #Fantasy #Author @JoshVanBrakle #WriteTip #AmWriting

Writing is a craft, one you can hone with time and effort. There are lots of suggestions out there for how to improve your writing. As a published author, here are ten I try to remember:

1. Read aloud

When you edit (you do edit, right?), read aloud. It will slow you down and help you spot mistakes. If you stumble over a passage, rewrite it. Odds are your readers will stumble over it too.

2. Write every day

I know how hard it is to find time to write. I work a day job in addition to writing The Dragoon Saga. But if you really want to write, then write something every day. Even if it’s only one page, one paragraph, or one sentence, it’s progress.

3. Research

Study whatever you’re writing about. Study setting, time period, architecture, fashion, and food. The more believable you can make the details, the more they’ll fade into the background and let readers become engrossed in your story.

4. Read about writing

There are some great resources for writers. I recommend William Zinsser’s On Writing Well, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, and of course, Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Read them and return to them often.

5. Find a mentor

You can read about writing, but to really excel, it helps to have a mentor, an experienced author who can help you identify where you’re weak and give you suggestions on how to improve. Look for local art organizations and libraries that may sponsor writing workshops and plan to attend them.

6. Obsess over details

Everything matters in a book, so this is one time to sweat the small stuff. When you edit, remember that there’s no word that isn’t worth slaving over and getting exactly how you want it.

7. Carry a notepad

Ideas come at the worst times. Mine favor when I’m falling asleep, taking a shower, and driving. If you don’t capture ideas when they come, you’ll forget them by the time you can write them down. Always carry a notepad or some other tool to record your inspirations. Most will be junk, but the few gems you find will vastly improve your writing.

8. Write about your characters

What do your characters like to eat? Where do they hang out? Who are their friends? What do they own? Have a character sheet for each character, and record these details. You probably won’t use this text in a story, but referring to it will help keep you focused on who your characters really are.

9. Read awesome books

Before you can write, you need to read. Whatever genre you want to write in, read great books in it. In fact, read great books in every genre. Whether we like to admit it or not, we learn to write through imitation.

10. Let yourself fail

You will write a lot of junk before you write anything that someone wants to pay money for. Be willing to experiment and fall on your face. Ditch your pride. We learn a lot more from failure than we do from success.

From fantasy author Josh VanBrakle comes an epic new trilogy of friendship, betrayal, and explosive magic. Lefthanded teenager Iren Saitosan must uncover a forgotten history, confront monsters inspired by Japanese mythology, and master a serpentine dragon imprisoned inside a katana to stop a revenge one thousand years in the making.

Lodian culture declares lefthanded people dangerous and devil-spawned, and for Iren, the kingdom’s only known Left, that’s meant a life of social isolation. To pass the time and get a little attention, he plays pranks on the residents of Haldessa Castle. It’s harmless fun, until one of his stunts nearly kills Lodia’s charismatic heir to the throne. Now to avoid execution for his crime, Iren must join a covert team and assassinate a bandit lord. It’s a suicide mission, and Iren’s chances aren’t helped when he learns that his new katana contains a dragon’s spirit, one with a magic so powerful it can sink continents and transform Iren into a raging beast.

Adding to his problems, someone on Iren’s team is plotting treason. When a former ally launches a brutal plan to avenge the Lefts, Iren finds himself trapped between competing loyalties. He needs to figure out who – and how – to trust, and the fates of two nations depend on his choice.

“A fast-paced adventure…led by a compelling cast of characters. Josh VanBrakle keeps the mysteries going.” - ForeWord Reviews

Buy @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – YA epic fantasy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Josh VanBrakle on Twitter

Website www.joshvanbrakle.com

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HEAVYWEIGHT #Excerpt by @MBMulhall #LGBT #YA #GoodReads

Pushing off the car, I duck my head as I walk by.

He grabs my hand. “Thanks again. Really.”

I give him a small smile. “No problem.” I expect him to let go, but he continues to hold on, looking as if he wants to say something but can’t find the words. I raise my eyebrows, silently questioning.

“Umm, you should call… if you want to hang out sometime… over the weekend or something when you’re not working.”

“Okay.” I’m quick to agree.

He smiles again. “Good.” He’s dropped my hand, but I can’t leave yet. It’s his turn to raise an eyebrow.

“I, uhh, can’t call without a phone number.” Gah! I’m asking a guy for his number! I mean… he’s a friend but maybe more? No. No, this is just a friend thing. We’ll hang with his sister and Clay. One big, happy group.

“Oh! Right. Hold on….” He opens his car door and bends to grab something from inside. Mmm, nice ass. I’m quick to look elsewhere before he emerges.

He grabs my hand and pulls it toward him. I try to ignore the little electrical-type shocks his touch is giving me. Clamping a pen in his teeth, he tugs on it, leaving the cap behind, imprisoned by his pearly whites. Turning my hand so it’s palm side up, he starts to write. It tickles a bit as the cool ink sweeps over my skin, seeping into my pores, creating a temporary numerical tattoo. When he finishes, he spits the cap into his hand before putting it back on the pen. I inspect the bleeding edges of the number he’s inscribed on my skin. I recite it back to him to make sure I can read it.

“That’s it,” he says with a grin. “Put it in your phone before that shower. Otherwise I’ll be mad you made me waste my ink.” Rolling my eyes, I promise to do as he says. He leans against his car as he watches me travel up the walk in front of my house. Once on the porch, I turn and give a little wave. He nods before rounding the car to get in. As I enter the house, I wonder why he waited for me to get to the door before leaving. Could he have been checking me out as I walked away? Nahhh….

Secrets. Their weight can be crushing, but their release can change everything—and not necessarily for the better. Ian is no stranger to secrets. Being a gay teen in a backwater southern town, Ian must keep his orientation under wraps, especially since he spends a lot of time with his hands all over members of the same sex, pinning their sweaty, hard bodies to the wrestling mat.

When he’s trying not to stare at teammates in the locker room, he’s busy hiding another secret—that he starves himself so he doesn’t get bumped to the next weight class.

Enter Julian Yang, an Adonis with mesmerizing looks and punk rocker style. Befriending the flirtatious artist not only raises suspicion among his classmates, but leaves Ian terrified he’ll give in to the desires he’s fought to ignore.

As secrets come to light, Ian’s world crumbles. Disowned, defriended, and deserted by nearly everyone, Ian’s one-way ticket out of town is revoked, leaving him trapped in a world he hates—and one that hates him back.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - LGBT, YA

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

 Connect with MB Mulhall on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://keystrokesandwordcounts.wordpress.com/

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The Witch Narratives Reincarnation: Land of Enchantment #Trilogy by @MagicProse #Bargain #Fantasy

Rise of the Black Rose, Book 3, is now available!

The Witch Narratives Reincarnation is a First Place Winner of a 2013 BOOKS INTO MOVIES AWARDS. The book, also, won a an international award for BEST FANTASY and was a BEST FANTASY New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards Finalist. A touching novel about loyalty, friendship, and the depth of love, about the unlikely friendship between a devout Catholic and a reluctant witch.

The Land of Enchantment Trilogy shines with the little-known world of Native American and Hispanic magic, which gives this series a compelling twist, and a refreshing breath of originality.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but humanity will never break me," -- so claims the witch, Salia, but she was born with a soft, all too human heart that even being an outcast won't harden. She is a sister, granddaughter and daughter of witches. And she is a half-breed. But the last thing Salia ever wanted was to be a witch.

There is a portrait in the house at the bottom of Witch Hill. Salia looks out of the picture with haunted eyes. She is pale because her mother pinches her arm, but it is Salia's Native-American grandmother who dominates the picture. She is 110 years old but appears to be a teenager, holding out in her hand an ordinary-looking rock, a rare shape-shifting stone, allowing her to bathe like in the fountain of youth. All lust after the magical rock for different reasons – to be beautiful or thin, powerful, or to live forever. Salia just wants the rock to become someone else. She longs to be ordinary like her only friend, Marcelina.

A FEW INTERESTING FACTS - Did you know that?
>>>About 80% of the magic in The Land of Enchantment series is practiced by Southwest witches.
>>>Witches in the Southwest flash into fireballs and soar across the sky, as recorded by witnesses in witch trials.

>>>La Llorona is a legendary witch called "the weeping ghost", who is known throughout the Americas by tens of millions. She has been seen by many as she haunts the rivers, lakes and drainage ditches.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - Fantasy

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Belinda Vasquez Garcia on Facebook & Twitter

Website http://belindavasquezgarcia.com/

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Nothing In Particular by Kate LeDonne @originlbookgirl #Excerpt #Fiction #BYNR

Mandy rolls her eyes with a bored sigh and begins to stomp over. The twittering dimwits disperse as if someone has set their gigantic, permed, blonde hair on fire. “Sorry you had to deal with a crowd of the brainless today. Just remember, we only have the rest of this year and next year — then we are off to college where we will be among intelligent life!” she replies with a manic grin. Together we trudge out to the parking lot, climb into her silver hatchback, and throw in a mixed tape.

My mood improves on the drive home with a little blast of Public Image Limited. I adore John Lydon, a.k.a. Johnny Rotten. His venom toward the inanely stupid gives me more pleasure than a vibrator ever could. Mr. Rotten screams, bellows and wails that talking to these people is a waste of time, and they need to crawl back in their own dustbin. Screw Mrs. Starling. Screw them all.

I climb out of the 1985 Ford Escort that is plastered with Oingo Boingo, PiL and Skinny Puppy bumper stickers and a random sticker that states, “The religious right is WRONG”.

“So what do you feel like doing this weekend?” Mandy asks, leaning over from the driver’s seat.

“Hmmm — I dunno. I have a lot of housework to do. I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll see then, OK?” I mutter, knowing that a dreary weekend of chores surely lies ahead.

“When is your mom going to start acting like a mom?” She yells out the driver’s side window in exasperation as she pulls out of the driveway.

“Five past never!” I holler back.

I walk through the blue-and-white checked kitchen and start heading up to my room when I am summoned.

“Kiiiieeeerrraaa! Get in here!” screeches Mom from the living room.

Oh crap. I just got here. What could possibly be a problem already?

“Kiera!!” Her voice pierces my thoughts like a hundred tiny daggers.

“I’m coming! Geez, give me a sec…” I reply, rolling my eyes and wishing I had a magic wand to transport myself far away, or into a different life.

“I need you to get dinner going right now. Your father has had a rough day and I haven’t had time to do a thing. You know how he gets…” she slurs. As usual, she is sprawled in her La-Z-Boy with a half empty scotch and soda in her hand and some soap opera on TV.

“Got it. Is the food already in the fridge or do I need to go to the store?” I say, already guessing the answer as I run upstairs to my room to drop my things inside.

“Don’t get smart with me, young lady! Take my car, and get the meat and salad,” she snaps, her finger stabbing in the direction of the key rack hanging on the kitchen wall.

Fasten your seatbelts for a white-knuckled ride on the looney wagon and trip down memory lane with a band of misfit teenagers. Kiera Graves and her small posse of true blue friends plot ways to escape their cowtown; and play a game of keep away with her Machiavellian family to help her survive high school and make it to college.

Courage under fire, the closest bonds of friendship and blossoming romance keep this tale of coming of age and survival buzzing with excitement, heart, and warmth.

Buy Now @ Amazon

Genre - General Fiction

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

 Connect with Kate LeDonne on Twitter

Website http://kateledonne.com/

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@NRNadarajah on Writing Deadlines vs. Sanity #WriteTip #BookMarketing #Fantasy

Allow me to tell you about a little something I learned when I was just a wee little lad. Several times a week, my dad would sit me down and ask me: “so, what’ve you got planned for the day?” It was a simple question, and one I should’ve had an answer for each time he asked. But that was usually never the case. I hardly ever had an answer for him, and when I did, it was a fleeting thought about something that I might’ve wanted to do a day or two down the road.

“You need to make a schedule,” he’d then tell me. “Make a schedule and organize your thoughts. Create a checklist or something like that. You’ll be more productive that way.”

Did I listen to him? I’d like to tell you that I did.

So, how have I managed to write two YA fantasy novels, as well as two other picture eBooks for adults, while sticking to my deadlines without driving myself barking mad?

You’ve guessed it. I finally started listening to what my old man had to say. Here’s how I’ve incorporated his advice into furthering my productivity and finding success along the way.

Every Sunday, I’d take about five to ten minutes out of my time and sit down to make a checklist. Trust me on this. Make a list and write down everything you’d like to accomplish that week. And then when you feel like you’ve listed out and scheduled your entire week, add a few more items you’d like to accomplish.

There are seven days in a week, which equates to 168 hours. That’s a whole lot of hours just waiting to be used up (or wasted. That decisions up to you). 168 hours. There’s so much we can do in that time. There’s so much we can accomplish, and yet, the majority of us find that we’re only ever able to complete a fraction of what we intended to finish. The reason, I find, is because for the most part, we end up wasting our time trying to figure out what to do next, or how to kill that time which is given to us.

This is where the checklist we created comes into play. Take it as a challenge to accomplish each and every item on that list. Because you’ve already written down the things you’d like to get done by week’s end, there is little or no time wasted trying to get yourself organized. What’s more is that you’ve written down more than you can accomplish. Try your hardest to get all of it done. Chances are you won’t. But by reaching for the stars, you know how the rest of this cliché goes.

So how does making this checklist and trying to complete the items on that list help you meet your deadlines and remain sane while doing it?

Creating that list and hoping to check off the items as you finish them isn’t enough to get the job done. Sometimes, it is. However, along the way, we tend to bite our nails, repeatedly bang our heads on the table, grit and bare our teeth at our laptops hoping for some miracle to happen, take naps to calm our mounting frustration, etcetera, etcetera, and another etcetera, why? Because we tend to look at the project as a whole.

Don’t do that. It can be rather overwhelming considering the amount of work that needs to be done to complete whatever it is that you’re trying to complete.

Instead, take a deep breath. Relax. And while you’re making that checklist to start the new week, remind yourself to take this one day at a time, one step at a time. And while you’re at it, remind yourself why you’re doing this.

No one’s forcing you to be a writer.

This is your passion. Your choice.

You’re pushing yourself beyond your mental endurance because you want to see your book, your creation, come to life.

So why stress over that deadline and hurt yourself while trying to meet it.

You’ve got the tools. You’ve got the want and the will. And now, you’ve that magical little checklist to guide your way. So start cracking and start checking off those items as you breeze right through them.

If you’re a writer, you’re reading this, and you’re trying to meet a deadline, always keep one thing in mind. We’ve already embarked upon a quest that makes us partly insane. So tell me, fellow writer, what’ve you got to lose?

Haunted by memories of his massacred settlement, sixteen-year-old Weaver seeks cover in a hidden refuge among the remains of a ruined city. In the midst of building a new life, Weaver discovers that he has the amazing power to cast his dreams into reality. Convinced it’s just an anomaly, Weaver ignores it. That is until he learns of a mysterious man who shares the ability, and uses his power to bring nightmares into existence and wage war on the world. The peaceful life Weaver hoped for begins to unravel as waves of chaos begin to break loose about him. In a race against time, Weaver must learn to accept his role as a dream caster and master his new power, before his new home is destroyed and humanity is pushed to the brink of extinction.

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Genre – Fantasy

Rating – PG

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Connect with Najeev Raj Nadarajah on Facebook & Twitter

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Man from the Sky by Danny Wynn #BookClub #Adventure #GoodReads

At this point, though, his life was what it was. The cards had all been dealt, and the hands almost all been played. There wasn’t a lot he could do about things anymore. Except maybe a crazy escapade like this. This silly gesture, this shout into the void. Even if it was meaningless, it had meaning for him. The truth was, he was enjoying himself.

- from Man from the Sky

How far would you go to add excitement to a life you felt was boring and meaningless?

For seventy-three-year-old Jaime, the answer takes him by surprise. Accustomed to a lonely life high up in the mountains on the western coast of Mallorca, his dull routine is suddenly shattered when a man parachutes from a plane and lands nearby. The plane crashes; the man lives.

It’s a drug smuggling operation gone bad. But Stefan, the man from the sky, has escaped with eight kilos of cocaine in a gym bag. Jaime brings Stefan home and is soon entangled in Stefan’s attempts to sell the cocaine and start a new life.

As they dodge Parisian drug dealers and corrupt Mallorcan police, Jaime’s search for excitement and Stefan’s resolve to find stability lead them both down dangerous paths.

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Genre - Literary Fiction, Adventure

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author

Connect with Danny Wynn on Facebook

Website http://www.dannywynn.net/

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