What's a Boggart? and #Fantasy Creatures

Source

Sorry, HP fans, I'm not referring to the shape-shifting non-being that takes on the form of its observer's worst fear... 

Isn't it amazing how authors can characterize the same fantasy creatures in many different ways? Every enchanted world has it's own magical beasts, properties, and setting. Some creatures retain traits from one story to the next, but some are vastly different. Like the disgusting goblins from The Hobbit compared to the crafty, banker goblins in Harry Potter to my own nerdy goblins in Beast World. Authors have the prerogative to put their own unique spin on the creatures and settings in their worlds.

And today, for an IWSG treat, I'm hosting a special guest who's going to tell us about the boggarts in her new MG Fantasy series...

Elaine Kaye

Picture Book and Middle Grade Author

What is a Boggart?

Boggarts are the worst of fairies. They're squat, disfigured household fairies. Dirty and smelly, they wear wrinkled clothes that need to be washed. They have tempers, and enjoy playing nasty tricks on humans. Because of that, they are not welcomed into human homes. If they do get in to your house, they won’t leave willingly. They love to break things, rearrange furniture, and make the phone ring at odd hours in the night.

To get rid of a boggart that has caused you stress in your home, bang pots and sing loudly. Sort of like how you’re supposed to scare bears away from campsites with a lot of loud, obnoxious noise.

In BAD FAIRY, boggarts are a threat to the good fairies. They live just outside Pinecone Grove, in the forest. Thistle Greenbud and her family’s house is beneath a fern bush with blackberry vines around it to keep away critters and boggarts.

After a tornado devastates Pinecone Grove, the threat of boggarts increases as they come looking for things to break. But since the tornado already broke many things, the boggarts are even nastier than usual.

BAD FAIRY by Elaine Kaye

A Bad Fairy Adventure (Book One)

Age Range: 8-12

Thistle Greenbud is not a bad fairy. She simply doesn't like rules. It's just her luck that her homework is to create a new rule for the fairy handbook. But first, she has more important things to do. Like figure out how to get back at Dusty and Moss for playing tricks on her.

 

Before she can carry out her plan, though, disaster strikes and she finds herself working alongside the very fairies she wanted revenge on. Can they work together and trust each other, or will things go from bad to worse?

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup Disaster. Bad Fairy is her middle grade debut and the first of A Bad Fairy Adventure series.

 

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher’s assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home. She is a grandmother of three boys.

Amazon / Goodreads / BookBub / Instagram / Facebook Twitter / LinkedIn / Blog

PLUS THERE'S A GIVEAWAY!

1 lucky winner will receive 3 Signed Paperback Picture Books:

Pea Soup Disaster, Doctor Mom, The Missing Alphabet

Hurry! Giveaway Ends: June 30, 2020

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a FANTASTIC week! And a safe & happy Fourth of July!

Do you have what agents are looking for?

Time for another IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) session. This month, I'm spilling my guts about how to snag an agent. Uh, no. I haven't snagged one yet myself, but I did snag an editor/publisher. Similar, yet more difficult. Agents are a different breed.

Soon I will be asking myself if I have what agents are looking for when I venture out with my latest WIP. I feel like I have to start over. Maybe that's why this one is taking me so long, not looking forward to the tsunami of rejections ahead of me. But nothing is guaranteed in life, right? Change comes whether we like it or not, we just have to deal with it.

So, I wanted to offer a couple of ways to peek at what agents are thinking...

First, is the very insightful: #MSWishList - where agents spout off story ideas they'd love to see written and offered to them. Trouble is, you have to have what they're looking for right then because sooner than you can write your first draft, they'll come up with a new twist, and yours will be so last month! The best approach is to see if anyone is seeking something you've already written or started.

Second, enter Twitter pitch contests. Like:
#PitMad - where writers tweet a 280-character pitch for their completed, polished, unpublished manuscripts. Agents and editors make requests by liking/favoriting the tweeted pitch. Every unagented writer is welcome to pitch. All genres/categories are welcomed. Upcoming dates are:

June 6, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
September 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EDT)
December 5, 2019 (8AM – 8PM EST)

and
#PitchWars, schedule is as follows:

6/24 Mentor Applications Open
7/8 Mentor Applications Close
8/12 Mentors Announced
9/11-25 Mentor Wishlists Posted
9/25-27 Submissions Open
11/3 Mentees Announced
2/5-10 Agent Showcase

and the IWSG has a pitch event as well! Missed it this year, but the next #IWSGPit contest will be in January 2020 (Date - TBA, 8:00 am - 8:00 pm EST)

Last - Research. Always do a search for agents in your genre. Almost all of them have a list of what they are seeking on their websites, though some don't update them as often as they should. And many do interviews where they talk about the industry as well as what they're looking for, like on Writer's Digest.

So good luck to us all. Expect the worst and you won't feel as bad from the rejections. But hang in there, your perfect match agent will find you! And we will all do the silly celebration dance for you!


via GIPHY

Happy April! And yay for Spring!

What's a Publisher?

Hello, lovely writers!
I have the honor to be a humble host for the IWSG this month. My fellow Co-Hosts are:

Toi Thomas

T. Powell Coltrin   

M.J. Fifield

And of course, our fearless leader, Alex J. Cavanaugh! We're all here to listen and learn and know we aren't alone!

The question of inspiration this month is...

What publishing path are you considering/did you take, and why? 
My publishing journey continues... I've been with the small press Curiosity Quills for several years. It started out great! They paid lots of attention to the authors, they edit with us, they create covers, and they get us set up on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, etc. Plus they have a contest and set up some reviews to get us started. Then, like baby birds, we kicked out of the nest to fend for ourselves... Fly, be free! All in all, it's been good. No matter what, I think most writers have to promote themselves and get out and sell, unless they're picked up by the big publishers. Even then, it's readers and word of mouth that determine how well the book will do... Success breeds more success.

I've stuck my toe in the self-publishing pool with my UnPrincess Novellas. That is all DIY, but there are many formatting programs to help with getting your book published pretty easily. You just have to take care of the editing, cover, and again, promotion!

Writing a book is a distinguished accomplishment. Publishing it is a matter of perseverance and finding the right fit. Promoting it is where the REAL WORK begins! Ugh!

I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's thoughts on Publishing!



In other news...
You may have heard the latest IWSG Anthology Contest is underway. Well, today they are announcing the judges! To find out who they are, hop over to the IWSG site.

In conjunction with the beginnings of the new IWSG Anthology Contest, we have combined all the previous IWSG Anthologies into one IWSG Anthologies website!


And it just so happens, that my Shout Out of the Week is one of the admins:

Cherie Reich

She's been writing forever and is very good at it. Multi-talented, she can do all aspects of publishing, and has written a ton of great stories! I'm excited to be working with her at the IWSG Anthology site.

Cherie Reich owns more books than she can ever read and thinks up more ideas than she can ever write, but that doesn’t stop this bookworm from trying to complete her goals, even if it means curbing her TV obsession. A library assistant living in Virginia, she writes speculative fiction.

Give me an I! Give me a W! Give me an S! Give me a G!

Go IWSG!!!!

Hey, it's September and that means:

Football Season and Fall! Yay!

What's a Street Team??

First, I want to thank you all for the positive comments and vibes from my last "woe-is-me" post. On the financial front, we are moving on up--actually, downsizing to save mucho money and afford the latest college addition. Plus I'm ready to go back to work at my own pace. Things are working out, as they usually do! I also found some fabulous writing prompts that inspired some new stories! (Like the new IWSG Anthology Contest - Check it out!)

And I came up with a new outlook on life...

Life is like a favorite t-shirt--It starts out bright and clean but eventually gets worn out and stained. It also gets more comfortable and refreshed with every wash!

Next, I wanted to talk about "Street Teams" - What the heck are they? Have you heard of them? Do you have one? Does it work?

Well, I researched it and here's what I found:

• Street Teams have been around forever--they started out as marketing for new artists - Probably because they're cheap, relatively easy, and effective (article 1)
• A Street Team is a group of people actively going out and talking to your potential audience to help sell your product. They create BUZZ - How awesome is that?!

Authors could always use some help with marketing. It's a hard job to do on your own. So here are some thoughts and advice I compiled for creating and managing a Street Team: (article 2)

• RECRUIT! Doesn't hurt to ask. So ask. You have fans. You have followers. Create a form and offer it to them. Many will be happy to give your new book a shout out or tweet at the very least! Hopefully, you'll get some regular reviewers. Mentioning it on Goodreads is also a good place to recruit (article 3)
• PREP - Put together a rap sheet that includes expectations, volunteer duties, and room for suggestions. Let your Street Team pick and choose the best way they can help. Your Street Team will mostly be called upon to help with new releases, but can also be there for between-release-events as needed.
• INCENTIVES - your Street Team deserves a little something for their hard work. Give them a special name, too. And maybe offer a bonus trinket for recruiting more members to join in the fun!
• A SPECIAL PLACE - You need a way to communicate with your Street Team. Now, you can do a group email or even a group message, but for a broader method of notification and fast feedback, a Facebook Page might be more efficient. (article 4)

I know many people (like me) don't like to solicit help. But a Street Team is a voluntary group who shares your passion and love for your work. They want to promote and help you succeed. Then they are guaranteed that more of your books will be published!

I hope this was helpful. I'm going to start recruiting a Street Team soon for my next release: WINDY HOLLOW - which has a release date - January 19, 2019! Let me know if you'd like to read and review an ARC.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on Street Teams - Do you have one?

Thirdly, here are the results of my latest survey - interesting info on WRITERS CAREER GOALS:

Of those who have an agent, no one was sure if she was helping them, yet...

Do you have tips for making a living from writing?

• Diversify - be a speaker as well as a writer.
• Know how to market yourself well!
• Write a lot of books!
• No. Though I've found when I pursue something, it eludes me. When I stop chasing it, it comes to me. Like a cat.
• Not really. It's a personal thing with me.
• Nope
• Nope, just learning, watching and listening while taking notes and practicing.
• I wish I knew how to make money from writing!

Finally, the best for last. My SHOUT OUT OF THE WEEK:

ELIZABETH SECKMAN!

I'm so lucky to know this sweet woman in person! Liz and I live close enough to do book events together, at least one a year, sometimes more. We both raised boys, so we have lots to commiserate and relate with each other about--and we both have loads of advice, stories, and some recipes to share on our joint venture website: The Really Real Housewives of America. She's supportive, loves her family, and always sees the bright side!

Originally from Ohio, Elizabeth was moved to West Virginia and so was dubbed "Grit" as a child. She grew up in a tiny town with no red lights and no fast food where everyone knows everybody--oh the gossip! Thankfully she escaped to Marshall University then began a family of her own. (I'd say writing is her escape!) Liz is a daydreamer, a football mom, and an author of Women's Fiction & Romance.

"I have boys, books, and a dirty house. It's all good."

facebook ~ twitter ~ pinterest

By the way, since I'm in the process of moving, my posts will be a little scattered. But you know how life goes!

Got any advice or more info on Street Teams? Or how to make a living as a writer? Do tell!

#WritersLife Survey 17 - Are we A-Mused? and Raffle!

All writers need inspiration. Some have invisible helpers and some have real life ones. Muses come in many shapes and forms... No matter where we get it, we all need encouragement and ideas to get through some tough writing situations sometimes.

I have several muses... First there's Murray. He's like a Fairy-God-Brother - a guy's guy through and through even though he wears a pink robe and flies around with delicate gossamer wings. He's a total slob and very cynical, but also a riot. He helps me most with my Pop Travel series.

Then there's my teenage ogress, Oafeelia. Full of attitude, sometimes an airhead, and loves to gossip, but great for giving me tips on teens for Beast World.

Lastly, there Grumpy Cat. He's my favorite. I love to torture him. He just stares at me, like, "Why aren't you writing?" He cracks me up, but I don't think he likes when I laugh at how cute he is!


What about you? Do you have a muse or two?



SPECIAL NOTE! This month, anyone who takes the survey can be entered into a raffle for a $10 gift card or an UnPrincess Novella in honor of the latest release: PRINCESS B!

Twelve-year-old Bria Randall is the “man” of the house, now that her older brother Kendrick went missing. Though caring for little sis Shae is a tough job, she does what needs done. When Princess B finds a stuffed dragon keychain, he gives her some magical help to stand up to the evils that threaten and comforts them as Kendrick once did. But some things Princess B must face alone. She’ll do anything for a happy ending.

 Print Copy and on Amazon

Thanks for playing! Results coming May 2

In the Nick of Time!

Are you cold? Wow! Frigid temps all over the US this winter. But being inside is conducive to writing, right?

Welcome to the 1st Insecure Writers Support Group of 2018!

I've been writing in spurts and my newest work is coming along nicely. But I have two insecurities this month. First, I'm stepping away from my two series and writing a new story. That is scary! I don't know if my publisher will want it. I'm going to try to get an agent for it, but we all know how that goes... So this is fun and exciting, but also nerve-wracking...

Second, I have been venturing into touchy subjects. The new novel I'm writing is a YA Christian Urban Fantasy? And my latest UnPrincess Novella is about a little black girl from an inner city who finds a dragon protector that gives her confidence to defend herself against real life monsters. I certainly don't want to offend anyone, and I worry that others will say I don't have a right to tell this story... I'd love to hear your thoughts about this!

So those are my insecurities this month. Thanks for listening and commenting - you guys are so supportive!

And now onto the biggest news I've been dying to share!

Several months ago, I started a new job, but I really wanted to enter the IWSG anthology contest. I barely finished my entry, appropriately about TIME, and it was chosen! It was such a whirlwind of writing, I almost forgot what my story was about. Then I couldn't find it! Because I wrote it on Google Docs to be able to work on it anywhere. Now, I'm ready to edit. I can't thank Diane and the folks at Dancing Lemur Press enough for publishing it. Looking forward to working with them!

Lastly, The Really Real Housewives of America is back up and running. Being practical and always looking for the easiest way to do things, Elizabeth and I have cut back to posting once a week. Less is more in so many ways! And we are always looking for guests to share their stories, tips, or easy, tasty recipes - just stop by or give one of us a shout.

Hope your January is running smoothly and you are staying well!

Status Check #writerslife #survey

I'm taking another survey - Here are a few questions for you!

1. Are you doing NaNoWriMo next month?
2. Are you entering a story for the IWSG Anthology Contest?
3. How long is your TBR list?
4. What makes you buy a book by a new, unknown author?
5. What book format do you prefer the most? Print - Ebook - Audio
6. What phase of writing are you in right now? (give as many details as you like!)
• New Story Draft
• Edits
• Polishing
• Querying
• Marketing

Here are my answers:

1. I'm not doing Nano, though I would like to.
2. I'm trying very hard to find time to enter the IWSG Anthology Contest - story is shouting at me, just need time to write it!
3. My TBR list is long, many books started and no time to read them!
4. Cover catches my eye and the blurb is different than other stories - unpredictable and full of voice!
5. I am starting to lean toward ebook for convenience, but print will always be my first love!
6. I have one in Edits/Polishing and one in Draft, and of course there's always Marketing!

And I leave you with a fun pic of Julie Flanders and me at Operation Pumpkin's Bookfest. The first night was a nightmare, but the next day blew it away making the whole event a huge success!

Hope you all are having a fantastic October!

Last question - are you dressing up for Halloween? If so, what?

How much is too much?

Here's my IWSG concern this month:
How often do you share good news about your books? And how often is too often?

I get so excited when I hit a milestone, but I always feel a little guilty sharing my news. It feels like bragging and self-promotion. Oh, no. Tara's talking about her books again... Then I think, my books are like my kids! I'm very proud of them and want to share my joy. Not to mention, writing is what I do with my free time - my life these days, after kids and family stuff.

And thus I share my insecurities with you all. Thanks to our mighty manager Alex C and his host of hosts! Does anyone else feel this way? What do you do about it?

On to the News:

• It's that time of year again! Many bloggers are participating in the A to Z challenge. And while I'm taking a break here, I'm joining our group effort at the Really Real Housewives! And it happens to be my week (C & D days). Stop by for some domestic advice and fun!

• My Quarterly Newsletter is out. I'm excited to be getting out to events again - yay for Spring!

And I was very excited to receive my small order of Jolissa novellas in PRINT! I'll be selling them at my events AND I'm giving one away along with 4 ebooks and a $10 gift card - sign up below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reasons to do an #Anthology and a crazy #Giveaway

This past week went much better than the one before. But as I start my new job, things are about to get super busy again. Bring it!

I hope you had a pleasant Easter. Look what I'm sharing from my basket!

So why do an anthology? Here are just a few reasons:

• Flex your creative muscles
• Try a new genre
• Gives you a break from editing or drafting
• Write a short story that's been nagging you to be written
• Take a favorite minor character on a tangent into his own story
• Looks great on the resume
• Might break your writer's block
• Validation
• Many authors = more exposure!

I'm so psyched to be a part of this project! It's very exciting to be working with many of my blogging buddies! Next month I will give you all a glimpse of the wide range of stories by these wonderful, talented writers as we inch our way to the release (May 31). So happy Randi Lee organized this!

You can keep up with the latest developments on Facebook here.


And in other news...

Good luck if you're getting ready for the A to Z challenge! I can't believe it starts Friday!

Make sure to visit the Really Real Housewives for some quick A to Z Around the House tips!

So here's the crazy giveaway - In my self-publishing adventure saga, I did a promotional giveaway on Amazon. I offered 2 Jolissa ebooks. Being a naive noob, I made the odds be 2 random people out of 100 entrants (surely it would take days to reach 100 entrants, right?) Well, the contest was OVER IN 4 HOURS!! That's CrAZy! The best part was I added the caveat that they needed to watch the 1st chapter of Jolissa on Youtube - I went from 50 views to almost 200! SA-WEET! Not to mention, one of my obscure amazon rankings went way up! I will definitely do this again but up my odds for winning to 5 out of 1000. Lesson learned and a pretty cool, inexpensive marketing tool!!

Lastly, since I didn't do a big release party, I'm also going to host a GIVEAWAY for JOLISSA - An Anti-Princess Story here on the blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Monday, y'all!

Cramming a Ton of Awesome into Today!

Another exciting Monday...

But seriously, it IS!
The super splendicular Christine Rains is hosting me at her place today AND she's also the specialissimo guest over at the Really Real Housewives this week!

AND I'm super excited to announce the winners of our MEME BLOG HOP!

First, a HUGE SPECIAL THANKS to my co-hostesses, C. Lee McKenzie and Christine Rains. We had a very hard time picking our faves, so there are lots of winners:

2 Grand Prize Winners of $20 Gift Cards

M Pepper Langlinais

and

Yvonne Ventresca

J. Lenni's

We also chose J Lenni Dorner (Broken Branch Falls by Tara Tyler & Double Negative by C. Lee McKenzie) and Juneta Key (Sudden Secrets by C. Lee McKenzie & Of Blood and Sorrow by Christine Rains) as 2nd runners up, winning two ebooks each!

Juneta's

And here's the rest of our winners, each receiving an ebook:
Michelle Wallace - Jolissa by Tara Tyler
Tamara Narayan - Pop Travel by Tara Tyler
Jess Haight/Fairday Morrow - (still deciding)


Thanks to all who played with us! I wish we could give stuff to everyone. But the fun continues all month, maybe longer, as I will be tweeting ALL the entrants' fun and encouraging meme's for everyone to see and enjoy.


And LBNL...

Today is also the first day of WRiTE CLUB 2016!

It's an awesome contest helping writers refine their craft in a blind competition. 

Stop by and VOTE for your favorites!

Have a wonderful week!

#Writing is Life

There is SO MUCH going on this week! Meme Blog Hop, Release Day, and IWSG!

First I want to thank all the participants in advance for joining our MEME BLOG HOP!

Here are a few I came up with...

(All you need to make a meme is a picture and a few words of lightness or encouragement - put them together in Paint or I used Powerpoint. There's also a meme app.)

Stop by my most awesome co-hostesses - Christine Rains, C. Lee McKenzie - and those on the list below for some further wonderful wittiness!


I also hope these memes are encouraging for IWSG day! Here's my contribution...

Some say "Life's not a sprint, it's a marathon."
I say, "Life's a never-ending obstacle course!"

Does anyone else feel pressure to show others that writing isn't just a hobby? Lately I've been submitting short stories, hoping to prove my writing is "worth" something and help pay bills... But these bits and pieces take time away from my novels, which I feel I need to continue to put out there, too!

I'm also scheduling more appearances to drum up business - marketing is an incredible time drain. I've got so many different projects going on at the same time, it's hard to prioritize and can get very stressful (and makes me grouchy) Sometimes I just feel lost.

I guess the key is to concentrate on one thing at a time. I hate to break it to you, but science has proven that multi-tasking is FICTION. Our brains can only truly concentrate on one thing at a time. Though it may seem like multi-tasking, it's just doing successive things quickly.

Another way I help myself is to make deadlines. I like deadlines, they're just more concrete goals. I prioritize my stuff and set soft dates to try and get them done by.
>>Try to work on WIP 1 hour a day (finish the dang thing so I can start editing!)
>>Blog posts have their own deadlines, so I do them. And try to visit!
>>Submissions have deadlines too - but if I don't finish those, there are plenty more, so I'm working on building up a file of ready-to-submit stories.

How do you keep your head above water??


And lastly -

JOLISSA IS AVAILABLE TODAY!!

JOLISSA - An Anti-Princess Story,

with ongoing video storybook

A trouble-making maiden, a clumsy out-of-work squire, a loyal puppy, and a talking goat go on a quest - What could go wrong?

I didn't plan a big launch day or tour or anything, but I want to say a huge THANKS to Susan Gourley-Kelley and MJ Fifield for volunteering to help spread the word! We'll see how this self-publishing goes. And the next story in my Unconventional Princesses series (of course it's a series), TWO PRINCESSES, is somewhere on my extensive TO DO LIST...

Have a positive and productive week!

The road not taken, for a reason

It's THE UNDEAD ROAD!
Today I'm happy to welcome my friend and space knight, David P. King. I hope you enjoy this little interview I was able to talk him into...

Q: How did The Undead Road come to fruition?
A: I’ve always wanted to write my own zombie story, but it wasn’t until I saw the first episode of The Walking Dead when it finally clicked. This book is also semi-autobiographical, meaning it’s based on how my twisted mind thought about things and perceived the world when I was 15.

My boys LOVE the walking dead, and I have no idea why... but you will totally relate to them!
Q: What are your thoughts on the new trends in publishing?
A: It’s a complicated shift from what I expected when I first set out to publish in the 90s. Self-publishing makes it easier for authors to get their work out without a gatekeeper holding them back. When I couldn’t get traditional publishers to sign this book, “self-publish” was shouted at me from all angles. I figured if my traditional efforts didn’t pan out, why not self-publish?

It's a whole new world - and seems even more competitive than ever!
Q: Do your undead characters resemble anyone you know?
A: A friend of mine won a Zombify Me! contest a while ago. She’s a zombie in the book! Look for Ilima Todd within the pages. And if you’re not nice to me, you’ll get undead soon enough.

That's awesome Ilima is an immortalized zombie! Ha!
Q: Can you share a short section of The Undead that you particularly enjoyed writing (nothing gross please!)?
A:
       Her oncoming baseball bat made me stumble back. My voice caught in my throat as the dog joined in with a bark. This girl was quick! I reached for my .45, but before I could grab the handle, she had me pinned, ready to splatter my brains.
       I closed my eyes, expecting her blow. Nothing happened. I blinked my eyes open. The girl was standing right over me, and she smiled a smile that I would never forget.
      “Now we’re even.”

Ooo - great sneak peek! Wicked smile =)
Q: And finally, how's it going? I hope all is well on the home front! Any good news to share (besides your latest book!)?
A: Truth be told, I’m currently unemployed. I was laid off before the holidays. While I am seeking new work, my writing is the only source of income I have (not much, but better than $0). I’m still writing and looking forward to the writing conference scene this year, and hoping upon hope that I will find a new job to support my family. Please share this book with all you know!

That last question was asked a while ago. I feel bad for nosing in expecting innocent happy stuff. But I'm also glad he shared his struggles because now we can help him by spreading the news about his awesome books. And hopefully it will just be a temporary setback or lead him to something better!

It was so nice to have David over here - it's been too long. And now, here are some details about his fabulous book. The cover is sensational and the story is to die for - poor choice of words? Regardless - check it out!

The Undead Road, My Zombie Summer: Part One
by David Powers King
Publisher: Dashboard Books / CreateSpace
Ebook Release: January 2st, 2016
Paperback: January 26th, 2016
Cover by Steven Novak
Edited by Reece Hanzon

Nothing brings the family together like a zombie apocalypse …

Fifteen-year-old Jeremy Barnes would rather watch a zombie movie than shoot a real one, but he has no choice if his family wants to survive the end of the world. Their plan? Drive across the infected United States to a cabin in the Colorado Rockies without a scratch, but their trip takes a complicated detour in the middle of Nebraska when they find Kaylynn, a girl who can handle a baseball bat better than Jeremy can hold a .45 Berretta. And when they stumble into a sanctuary, Jeremy soon learns that Kaylynn is stronger than she looks—a deadly secret lies inside her.

After the radio picks up a distress call from Kansas City about a possible cure, Jeremy’s parents go with a team to investigate. They never return. The only way to find their parents is for Jeremy and his sister Jewel to rely on a dangerous girl who might just turn on them at any moment.

Don't wait! Get yours TODAY!

Amazon -- Amazon.CA -- Amazon.UK -- Amazon.AU -- CreateSpace -- Kindle Store

AND HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN HELP SOME MORE!

ENTER THIS EASY CONTEST!

Visit davidpowersking.com and leave and comment and/or tweet about The Undead Road (at least once) for a chance to win a free ebook. One out of every 10 comments and tweets is a winner!

"Nothing brings the family together like a #zombie #apocalypse..." amzn.to/1RT8xly #99c #kindle! @DavidPowersKing

About the Author:
David Powers King was born in beautiful downtown Burbank, California where his love for film inspired him to be a writer. He is the co-author of the YA fantasy novel WOVEN, published by Scholastic. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, David also has a soft spot for zombies and the paranormal. He currently lives deep in the mountain West with his wife and three children.

Blog -- Facebook -- Twitter -- Goodreads -- Newsletter

And don't forget to join Christine Rains, C Lee McKenzie and I for our uplifting MEME BLOGHOP, February 29 - March 4 ...

Long Road to Ruin

As we enter the final days before Christmas (12 to be exact!) I offer you this game to take a break from all the madness. I found it at J. Lenni Dorner's blog. I had fun doing it and thought you all might too, tho I shortened it for those of us who have less time for games!

It's worth a few minutes and easy, I promise! If you like, post it on your blog to share and pass around. I haven't played a good game of tag in a while. This is how to play:

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you got this from.

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
These Days by Foo Fighters

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Been Caught Stealing by Jane's Addiction

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Let's Get it Started by the Black Eye Peas

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Hammerhead by the Offspring

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Burn by Ellie Goulding

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Mysterious Ways by U2

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
The Walker by Fitz & the Tantrums

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Paradise by Cold Play

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Not Your Fault by AWOLNATION

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
No More Love by God Lives Underwater

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
The Fixer by Pearl Jam

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Problem by Arianna Grande

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Welcome to Paradise by Green Day

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
Price Tag by Jessie J

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Long Road to Ruin by Foo Fighters

I had a few minutes and got a few laughs at the answers - and now I pass it on to anyone who has time and inclination. Make sure you let me know if you do it!

This is also my week to post at the REALLY REAL HOUSEWIVES - Reasons for loving the Season (Mon), Party picks (Wed), and What to do with the kids for two weeks (Fri)

And lastly, I'm excited to say I won 2nd place in a speculative fiction Christmas short story contest. My story was published at Geekdom House with a really cool picture. Here's the link if you'd like to be uplifted by A SUPER CHRISTMAS! Joy to you!

The END, but it's not over! The LIST goes on!

The Month of Mondays celebrating my release of SIMULATION has come to an end.

Thanks so much to all my fabulous, wonderful helpers:

C. Lee McKenzie, Christine Rains, Shah Warton, SK Anthony, Elsie Elmore, Elizabeth Seckman, Julie Flanders, Heather M Gardner, Katie Teller, Rena Rockford, TB Markinson, MJ Fifield, Patricia Lynne, Tyrean Martinson, Tonja Drecker, Yolanda Renee, Sharon Bayliss

I'm giving them each a writer pin of their choice!
And here's the winner of the $20 GC

SHAH WARTON!

I also appreciate the tons of support from all the bloggers, reviewers, and commenters!
It's been a terrific tour!

SIMULATION
Amazon ~~ Kindle

Goodreads

But you know the work's not over! A writer's job never ends. And to help me stay organized, I'm sharing my next projects in a prioritized LIST.

It's the List Blog Hop. Bish Denham came up with this fun hop to celebrate eight years of blogging. I'm always making lists, so sharing one is easy!

1. Submit and query CRADLE ROCK - it's out there!! Yippee!
2. Finish rough draft of DISPOSAL, next Pop Travel novel - halfway there?
3. Start typing DISPOSAL for NANO!! unofficially participating!
4. Get moving on JOLISSA, chapter 2 (and tweak chapter 1)
5. Outline WHEN THE WIND BLOWS - Broken Branch Falls book 3
6. VISIT BLOG FRIENDS in between all the above!!

I'll start with my blog helpers and this blog hop!!

One more exciting shout out - check out this enchanting cover for Rena Rockford (aka, Dr Faerie Godmother) and her fantastical new YA urban fantasy!

Allyson fights acne, not trolls. As an inhaler-carrying member of the asthma society, she just wants to meet the father who turned her mother into a paranoid, move-across-the-nation freak. Now she’s trying to fit in at yet another school, but for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, Beth. When Allyson accidentally spits fire at kidnappers in the mall, she realizes why her father isn’t in the picture: she’s half dragon. Her acne? Emerging scales. Her asthma? The side effects of her dragon’s fire breath. Instead of freaking out, unflappable Beth reveals her own troll heritage and explains how things work with the supernatural creatures hiding within the modern world of smartphones and skyscrapers.

When trolls kidnap a unicorn, Beth gets blamed. Allyson is determined to prove Beth’s innocence and keep her friend off the unicorn chopping block. When they start looking for the kidnappers, they get a call from the last person they expect: Allyson’s father. He tries to warn them off, but he’s been put under a spell by the kidnappers to keep the victims from escaping. Nothing short of death can stop him. Now Allyson must choose between killing the father she’s always dreamed of, or letting her best friend die for a crime she didn’t commit. 

You can find Rena at her blog, follow her on Twitter, GoodReads, or find her on Facebook. Her debut novel, Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon comes out November 23rd, 2015.

Have a great week everyone!

PS - Here are Rafflecopter WINNERS!

a Rafflecopter giveaway