R&M Fab Book Reviews
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
The Island Book Blast!!! Looks GOOD!
Book Info-
Title-The Island
By- Jen Minkman
Publication Date-June 1, 2013
*Novella* (80 pages)
Genre- YA Dystopian
Blurb-
‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.
Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.
If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.
Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.
I have never seen one.’
Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?
Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?
Monday, July 29, 2013
EXCLUSIVE Burn Out Teaser AND Giveaway!!! ENDS Aug 8th!!
Burn out
It has been far too long since I have made a blog post! There
are a ton of things going on that I can’t wait to share with everyone.
Like…BURN OUT!!!
That’s right! It is with the editor RIGHT NOW! Release is August
10th, in honor of my mother’s birthday.
It’s already a special day, but I wanted to release on a day
that I would never forget.
Not sure if she would have ever read this book…but hey, it’s the
thought that counts, right?
I wanted to do something for YOU this time. YOU, the reader.
YOU, the people who have supported me since BEFORE Knotted Roots was released.
So I thought…hmmm…what about a giveaway?
So here’s what I was thinking: A PROOF copy of Burn Out! That’s
right! A Paperback, SIGNED, PROOF copy of Burn Out before ANYONE else!
I only get FIVE of these copies. FIVE! And I want YOU to have
it.
So, it’s VERY easy to enter to win. Want to know???
Add Burn Out to your TBR List on Goodreads.
Then share the GR link on ANY social platform that you want. I’m
not a fan of Rafflecopters, so just come back here and tell me you shared (I’m
taking you at your word LOL) and tell me your Goodreads name.
It’s THAT Easy!
Now…look below…there’s an EXCLUSIVE teaser for YOU from Burn
Out! (Unedited Version)
**Warning** Burn Out is intended for 18+ due to mature language
and sexual situations. It is NOT intended for young audiences.
There, the warning’s done! Moving on!
Ever
heard that crap about being mesmerized by crystal blue eyes, or being able to
fall into their depths? Or some other poetic mumbo jumbo like that? Well,
before that moment I would have laughed if someone had said that…but in that
moment, I literally felt like I was falling. Sure, my ass was now hanging off
the bench from being startled, but this was more of a figurative fall.
He stared
back at me, unblinking. Only moments before I would have just called him
hot…but once our eyes locked it went much deeper than that. He was flat out
gorgeous. Like, I wanted to drop my fucking panties right there and ride him
home.
With my
thoughts running amok, my cheeks decided to betray my inner musings. The heat
spread from one side to the other quickly, giving my face a nice rosy glow. He
chuckled and I almost came apart again. Did this man have any idea what that
one small sound could do to a girl? I bet he did. There was no way that he
couldn’t know. Guys like him knew they were walking fuck-me advertisements.
“Careful.
It’s a little too soon to fall for me.” He smiled, dimples and all, and I
nearly lost it again. Dimples! I was in serious trouble already and I hadn’t
been out of the loony bin for an hour yet.
“Not
likely,” I replied. I righted myself and leaned back casually. “Are you
planning on being here long?”
With a
quick scan of my face, he returned his focus to the book in his hands. “Not
sure. Ask me again in an hour.”
Argh!
Infuriating and sexy as hell. Great combo. My head was telling me to just walk
away, but my traitorous body was trying to convince me to inch closer to him.
With a quick scoot, I was mere inches from him, our legs almost touching.
“Whatcha
reading?” I tried to get a look at the book, but he closed it before I could
figure out what it was.
“Homer.”
“Simpson?”
A slow
grin broke out on his face. “As in The Odyssey. Greek epic poem…ring any
bells?”
“No. The
only Homer I know is married to a woman with a giant blue beehive.”
With a
shake of his head, he opened his book once again. “Sheltered?”
His
attitude was really starting to piss me off. “No. Unless you consider ten years
in the wacky shack as sheltered.” I had expected my words to have some sort of impact.
Nothing. He didn’t even flinch.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Book Blast: I'm Not Crazy, I'm on Lupron! With Stacey Rourke!
According to CDC, infertility effects 11% of women in the US. Author Stacey Rourke shares her own journey in her new book:
Basal body temperatures. Hormone injections. Invasive procedures - that leave no room for modesty. Tips on “effective positions” from well-meaning grandparents.
When the natural way fails to work these are all added to the so called “fun” process of making a baby. Walk this rocky path to motherhood with author Stacey Rourke as she openly and honestly shares every good, bad, and awkward step of her three-year long journey. Using humor to break through the perils of infertility, she gives the lowdown on all the strange, embarrassing, and heartbreaking aspects. Stacey guides us through an unforgettable path that ends with a kid on each hip and hope for all those suffering with infertility.
BONUS MATERIAL: “Morsels of Hope”
Success Stories from Infertility Survivors
Buy I'm Not Crazy, I'm on Lupron: A Journey Through Infertility at Amazon and B&N
If you are facing your own struggles, Stacey wants you to know you aren't alone.
Chat with Stacey Rourke
Wednesday, July 3 at 11:00 am eastern
Twitter: #Infertility
Enter the giveaway
For more information about infertility visit these sites:
Resolve: The National Infertility Association - www.resolve.org
International Council on Infertility Information – www.inciid.org
American Fertility Assoc. - www.theafa.org
Disclosure: A GWR Publicity event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author who is responsible for the delivery of prizes. YOUR BLOG NAME received no compensation for this post.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Summer Kindle Giveaway!!
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Beach (My secret word)
Welcome to my post for the Summer Kindle Giveaway! So, I
literally tortured myself for days about what I should post. We were given free
reign...which for me, could end badly.
At first I thought, why not do an excerpt from Hidden Falls,
which is coming soooo very soon! But then I thought about it...why not show
something else?
So, that’s what I decided to do. I wanted to share the blurb for
Burn Out with everyone! The cover for this book will be revealed in early July,
but for now, I wanted to share it with ya’ll. So...here goes!
If you like what you see, leave me a comment! Heck, even if you
don’t, leave me a comment. I love comments! Oops, off topic again. Let’s get to
it!
Burn Out~ Coming August 2013
Pyromaniac. Murderer. Burn out.
Ten years ago Delia’s life went up in smoke. Literally.
After a decade of hiding, she is forced back into the world.
With only her wits to guide her, she must now figure out how to
live in a town that knows her only as a murderer.
Her family is gone. The people all fear her. She has nothing
holding her in Sunny Shores...until she meets Liam.
He’s heard the stories. He knows he should stay away from her,
but he’s drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
Life seems to be looking up for them...until her past comes back
like a bitch slap to the face.
Thanks for stopping by!
Here...enjoy some of the music that has been a part of writing Burn Out! Hope
you enjoy!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, June 14, 2013
YouTube: Finding fun videos on writing!
Videos on Writing: FUN! (And educational!)
For class this week, we were given the assignment of
finding videos on YouTube that focused on writing or writers. I hit the gold
mine, let me tell you!
While I already knew about UtopYaCon, I had never heard
of another conference called WriteOnCon. This conference has educational videos
(that I’m guessing were presented at the conference) all over YouTube. Easy
access!
There are many, many
different types of videos on there. There are some from writers
on...well...writing. Then there are others that focus on the publishing aspect
of writing. There were dozens on there! More than I could actually watch in one
sitting. (P.S.~ I’ll be watching more sporadically now that I know they’re
there)
So, let’s begin with the first one that I came across.
It’s entitled Romance in YA by Lisa
Schroeder.
This video was so much fun! This successful author
gives sage advice on all things YA Romance. While the advice she gives should
be common knowledge, there are many times that it’s not. Hey, we’re all human.
We will all make mistakes during our journey through the writing world. Since
my first book was a Young Adult Romance, I was thrilled when I came across this
video.
I learned a lot
just from her advice. Plus, there are cupcakes. Yes, those sweet, delicious
treats that are so irresistible...sorry, started drooling. She gives great
advice, which I will post here, just in case you don’t want to watch the video.
C= Connection
of some kind
U= Unattractive
is okay!
P= Perfect
is not okay!
C= Their interests complement
each other
A= They admire
desirable traits in the other.
K= Keep
it believable & real
E= Encompass
a wide range of emotions
She goes into more details as she produces each of
these lessons, so if it sounds like something that might interest you, by all
means, please watch the video. Personally, I found it very enjoyable. And
informative. And...it made me want a cupcake...
Okay, I was only supposed to pick one video, but I wanted to put another one up as well. This one is
by Beth Revis, a NYT Bestselling author.
This is the one that really touched me. It’s about failure... and the
lack thereof when it comes to writing. Watch it. Learn it. Embrace it.
If you are having your doubts about writing, are worried
about never making it “big,” or are just scared to death of putting yourself
out there, this is the video for you. It’s a pick-me-up and will give you that
boost that you need to keep going. I hope you enjoy!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Elizabeth Kirke, author of the More than Magic series
Elizabeth
Kirke, author of More than Magic:
Semester Aboard and Snow Bound.
Her
page on Facebook can be found here: More than Magic on Facebook
While
still being a fairly new author (her first book was released almost a year
ago), Elizabeth Kirke has gained immense popularity with her More than Magic series. Her Facebook
page is maintained by her personally, which is refreshing. This allows her to engage her readers and “Likers”
on a daily basis.
The
above post is very recent (posted today) and shows just how interested this
author is in engaging her readers and followers. She is openly letting people know that she
loves to chat with people and is interested in hearing their thoughts and
opinions. This is something that is an
emerging trend with Indie authors. While
a lot of them have Admins for their pages, they are still engaged in
conversation with people while they’re online.
From personal experience, I can tell you that this author is very personable. This was one of the reasons that I have
followed her page so closely since reading her first book.
(I apologize if the images are small. I have yet to figure out how to adjust their size without flowing over the sides of the blog)
As
far as consistency goes, she updates her page on a regular basis. Whether it’s a post about her books or just a
fun picture, she’s present and accounted for on a daily basis. This is yet
another endearing quality to her page.
When a page has no activity, people tend to forget about its existence
and move on. This is, unfortunately, due
to the times. In order to keep your
readers engaged and interacting, you have to be willing to update on a regular
basis. This author does that, and then
some.
This
author also makes a point of making sure that her readers are kept up-to-date
with what is happening in the More than
Magic world. There are contests
posted, competitions that her books/characters are involved in, and polls that
readers can vote on concerning her series and upcoming books. These posts are straight forward in nature
and give her readers all of the information that they would need to stay
informed.
In
my opinion, I have found that this Facebook page has accomplished exactly what
the author intended it to do. It is
informative, fun, engaging, and personable.
The consistency of updates keeps the readers coming back, and possibly
bookmarking her page.
While
this assignment was meant to focus on an author’s Facebook page alone, I felt
the need to include other information as well.
Her blog, which is shared numerous times on her page, is also updated
frequently. This allows the author to
expand her reach in both forums. Blogs
and Facebook pages are integral parts of utilizing social media and this author
has succeeded in accomplishing her marketing goals.
I
think the only thing that could be improved on would be the inclusion of the
author’s bio on the page. The Facebook
page is titled after her book series, which could limit the author’s reach if
she was to expand outside of this particular series. Creating a second page would be an option,
but her reach would not be as large as it would be with one, single page.
(Please keep in mind that this is part of an assignment for school. I do not make it a habit to critique the Facebook pages of other authors. If you have any questions about this post, please don't hesitate to email me at ruthikight@gmail.com. Thank you!)
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
UtopYa or Bust!
The
end of June can’t get here soon enough!
Why, you may ask? UtopYa!!! Yes, that is correct. I am flipping out because it is almost
here! I have barely had time to think
about it lately, but when I do...OMG I begin flipping out all over again.
I’m
nervous, let’s put that out there first.
This is a first for me, and as a new author, it’s downright scary! To be surrounded by authors that I admire is
daunting! I have an intense fear that I’m
going to either A) forget how to speak, or B) say something incredibly
stupid. I have been known to do both.
Verbal vomit seems to be my specialty.
But
it’s not only that. It’s also the fact
that after talking to some of these people for MONTHS, now I’m going to meet
them face to face. *Insert Drum Roll Please* It’s intense! What if they don’t like me? What if I’m not
what they expected? Heck, what if I don’t like them! *GASP* That’s rare, so we’ll
move on. But I still have these insecurities.
A
lot of them are left over from high school *shudders* and they’re hard to
shake. It’s easy to forget that these
are professionals who are grown. I’ve
been having nightmares, to be honest.
Anyone else feel that pressure to be who they expect you to be? I know I
do! Then there’s the weirdest part of all: the “fans”.
I
don’t really like that word, but for this purpose, let’s just roll with
it. These are the people that have read
and enjoyed my book. Will I live up to
their expectations? That has me shaking in my boots yet again!
But
then I remember what my mother used to tell me:
You can’t please everyone you meet.
And
with those words, I relax a little bit.
Sure, there are going to be some people that might not like me. It happens.
I would never expect everyone to like me. And I’m coming to grips with the fact that
sometimes, no matter what you do in life, you won’t live up to
expectations.
And that’s OKAY. It’s more than okay. It’s expected.
So
I say this: to everyone else who has felt this way recently, you’re not
alone. We’re all scared, but more than
that...we’re EXCITED! We’re finally getting to meet those we look up to, those
we have enjoyed, and those that we have built dear friendships with since
joining the book world.
Let’s show
Nashville just what we’re made of!
I
can’t wait to meet all of the amazing women who will be at UtopYa, including
authors, bloggers, and dear friends who I am so honored to have in my life! Let’s
have a weekend to remember! <3
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