CONDUCTION Release Party!

After a long road of trials, tribulations, and personal re-evaluation, I finally published it...

CONDUCTION is here!

CONDUCTION by Tara Tyler

Sci Fi Detective Thriller/Techno Thriller

Book 4 in Pop Travel series

Preview of MAGNETRON, Book 5 included

Amazon Link

In 2085, cutting edge technology is the most valuable currency, and the black tech market offers high pay-offs for diamond-level code. Jared Nertz is an easy-going ex-juicer gone legit working for Pop Travel Technologies, and just when he finishes his long-awaited Conduction project--the process of storing data in the brain--someone immediately steals it and kills his mentor, framing him for the murder. Now it's up to his lawyer/wife Miki and their resourceful friends, Geri and Cooper to prove Jared's innocence by recovering the stolen tech before the criminal killer sells it. But that's only the beginning, as they discover a darker threat when they dig deeper into the case.

Cover Art by my long time writer/artist friend, Carrie Butler

And I've mentioned this before, but I love that I talked my son into posing for it.

I have a couple of reviews lined up, but there's always room for more -- let me know!

Here are a few fun quotes from the book...

Chaos, sweet chaos. -- Cooper

Watching Hasan argue with his droid, Geri wanted to shoot them both. Or herself. -- Geri

“What’s ASAHP?” -- Cooper

“As soon as humanly possible, of course!” -- Hasan

He was secretly very proud of himself. Weren’t all inventions potentially dangerous in the wrong hands? -- Jared

I am also excited to have some special guest hosts helping with my Release Party

 -- Everyone is invited!

L. Diane Wolfe  ~~~  Tyrean Martinson  ~~~  MJ Fifield  ~~   Sherry Ellis

And the party continues in January when I plan to release the ebook...

Alex J. Cavanaugh  ~~~  Christine Rains 

I'm so thankful for this writing community where we can share our ups and downs of the business. The IWSG keeps us connected as a Writerly Family. I don't know what I'd do without you all!

Stay warm, Have a great Christmas, and See you next year!

Keep writing!

via GIPHY

Don't Skip Over November!

November is my month!

It pains me how some folks rush right into Christmas Season the day after Halloween. I don't fault them for it though--I look forward to Christmas, too. I just hold back until after Thanksgiving. I cherish my bday month!

So for today's IWSG post, I'm going to lay a super cute & super short November story on you...

November Wind

Scowling, gray clouds covered the crisp afternoon sky. Heather tugged her burnt-orange scarf tighter against the brisk Fall breeze, chilling her through her plaid coat. She was glad she wore her stylish high boots over her leggings as she walked down the sidewalk helping protect her from the dropping temps. Shivering, she looked forward to meeting her friends for happy hour after a long week of meetings and crunching numbers and quickened her pace.

But the wind was just getting started.

As Heather turned a corner, a gust blew up her skirt and coat, lifting them a little too high, just as a group of guys approached. Heather rolled her eyes and quickly smoothed her ruffled clothes as the wind chuckled a few more spurts of air at her, mussing her hair. The guys chuckled too as they walked  on by. But one of them stopped.

"Need a hand? Sure is windy today."

"Understatement," Heather said under her breath and blushed. "No. I'm fine thanks."

"Okay. Try to keep warm." He grinned at her and left to catch up with his friends.

How embarrassing. Heather kept her head down and arms wrapped tightly around her as she sped to the pub. She sure needed a drink.

Unfortunately, the wind taunted her one last time. It swirled ahead of her, causing a whirlwind of fallen leaves to dance around her feet and more to descend on her from a tree above. As she waved at the  cyclone of leaves, her scarf loosened, and the wind took it. It was whisked away, up into the tree and caught in its branches.

"Screw it." Shaking her head, she huffed and went inside the bar to find her friends.

After a couple of drinks and a warm pretzel and cheese appetizer, Heather warmed up and forgot all about the November Wind teasing her.

Until the door burst open. The wind stole inside, chilling everyone and blowing out candles on the tables. The patrons gasped and shouted in surprise. Heather just laughed. Now, everyone else had a taste of what she'd been through.

Before the doors were shut, in blew Mr. Helpful. As he looked around, he spotted Heather. Their eyes met, and he strode toward her. He was holding her burnt-orange scarf.

She owed a wisp of thanks to the mischievous November Wind.

Hope you enjoyed that! And now, down to business.

I have two shout outs to share. First is...

NEXUS by Tyrean Martinson

Amaya is supposed to bring peace to the galaxy. Which is tough when she’s being held for crimes against the Neutral Zone. Her imprisonment is on her own ship with her own crew. But close quarters create tension.

Honestly, her role as Rayatana is a mess.

She may never get to use her powers for anything good. Not if her teacher continues to keep secrets, and not if her powers keep harming others. Putting her mother in a coma should put her in prison, but she has a mission. She wants to bring peace to her people. She needs to become the Rayatana.

Book Links:

Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Apple ~ Kobo ~  Goodreads ~ Bookbub 

I've read the first book, LIFTOFF and it was fantastic! Now, I'm getting into NEXUS. Great characters and a fun, unique story. Yay! I also told her I'd post my favorite sci-fi beverage -- while writing. It's usually water, which is too boring. So I'd have to make up a fun, spaced-out cocktail. Something blue and glowing!

Secondly,

SHATTERED by C. Lee McKenzie

Courage put Libby Brown into the final selection for the Olympics, but betrayal crushed her spine and her chance at the Gold. Now she has two choices, use her courage to put her life back together, or remain shattered forever.

Links:   Amazon ~ Goodreads

I love Lee's writing style. She masterfully captures teenage hardships, relationships, and how they deal with life.

And a last shout out to anyone braving the undertaking of 

NANOWRIMO! 

Good luck. And May Your Words Flow Freely!

Writers Keep Writing!

School's Out!!
We've all been put out of our misery enduring the online learning rigmarole! I'm curious how many of you had to deal with home schooling? As teachers? With kids at home? I was lucky to have a highschooler and a college kid who could function on their own. Several of my teacher friends had to work both sides of it. And I saw a few tik-toks I could commiserate with about kids not turning in their work and/or cheating... quite funny, but I sure hope we don't have to go through it again in the Fall! There's talk of several alternate solutions--from having 1/2 the kids go every other day to waiting to see if another rash of sickness hits and switching to online temporarily to get over it... I'm glad they're thinking ahead!

And how about working? How many of you are working from home? Going back to work? Or looking for work? I know people in every category, but my area wasn't hit very hard so most people are happy to get back to almost normal. I'm thankful for the medical community and all the volunteering I see to help those who are hurting. Hopefully we'll turn it around soon!

Well, we writers keep writing through it all, right? =D
Now that school's out, I'm excited to continue working on my Pop Travel #4 CONDUCTION and UnPrincess #4 GERTRUDE, the Nerdy Princess. I also have a lot of maintenance to do, on the blog and other stuff. And looking forward to getting out and doing an event or two in the Fall!


And to show you writers don't let grass grow under them, here are not one, but TWO FANTASTIC RELEASES you're sure to ENJOY!

A QUICK BITE
by Patricia Josephine

Vampires.
Werewolves.
Zombies.
These monsters tickle our imagination.
Sink your teeth into a collection of tales about paranormal creatures that go bump in the night. Each story is told in exactly 200 words and designed to give you a quick bite no matter how busy your day is.

Are you hungry?

Amazon for 99 cents

Sounds like a delectable collection of short stories!



AND... another paranormal delight with a bit of Special Effects...

MATEO'S LAW
by Sandra Cox

A modern day, shape-shifting sheriff.
He’s the sheriff of a sparsely populated county in Montana. His blood brother and childhood best friend is Chief of Police on the Blackfoot Reservation, but they no longer speak. His deputy is a Southern transplant with the body of a high-priced call girl, a voice of honey and a mouth of a trucker. And if that’s not enough, he’s got a secret that would stun those that know him best. Other than that, it’s business as usual for Sheriff Mateo Grey.

Order HERE

Sandra is a vegetarian, animal lover and avid gardener. She lives with her husband, their dog and cats in sunny North Carolina. Her stories consist of all things western…and more. She is a category bestselling Amazon author, Eppie finalist and Golden Ankh Award winner.

I'm excited to have more reading and writing time this summer! 

And try new things! And go places!

How about you? What are you excited to do this summer?

Are you ready to venture out? Let's go!

All cooped up and no place to go? Escape into a new release!

I hope everyone isn't too stir crazy!
And it looks like we are slowly being let loose again. Have you been braving the open air? Getting take-out? What have you been up to in your new stay-at-home hiatus? Or has life even changed for you much?

For this month's IWSG, I'm sharing my experience during these weird times.

Here are a few things I'm enjoying about staying home:

• Having my college boy home, even though he spent most of him time in the basement with his games and devices... but we've been
• Playing games, for a while... even invented a new card game!
• Leisure-wear, and minimal make-up (I still have to work, teaching my classes online...)
• Casual drinking to relax from the stress of online teaching and technology overload!
• No dealing with traffic
• Sleeping in
• Spring Break - got lots of words written!

And Things I don't like one bit!

• All the negative results from this stupid pandemic - I feel very bad for anyone who lost someone to it--that's number one. But also having the entire world stand still and cancel everything has been unbelievable - just astounding
• Sitting at my computer for WAY TOO LONG! I had to switch and use my mouse with my left hand, my right shoulder is kaput, and my vision is going blurry! I'm too old for this! (LOL)
• Stressed Out! Mostly from all the technical difficulties, self-teaching myself new methods to online educate and pull it off like it's easy (making videos, conducting live zoom classes, and finding creative ways to discourage cheating... not to mention nagging the kids who decided school was over when we left)

To keep busy (haha), I have been able to read a little, but again my online teaching didn't leave me much time or brain power left for things I was hoping to do...

And lastly, I want to show off one of my long-time writer friend's latest:


THE DRAGON'S HEART
by David Powers King
MG/YA Fantasy

Terrible things happen whenever Princess Celesia falls in love—she blacks out and attacks her suitors, which makes an alliance with a more powerful nation impossible. Believing that she’s cursed, Celesia is given two choices: marry without love, or be responsible for her kingdom’s demise. Instead, she sneaks off in search of a remedy.

She doesn’t make it far when she encounters a dragon who bears a curse of his own—he is a prince, desperate to reclaim his humanity before the dragon takes over. He's heard of a stone that can lift both of their curses, but neither of them can find it alone, and they’re not the only ones after it. An evil alchemist is intent on using it to steal the land’s magic and dominate the realm. Only together, with the help of an even greater magic, can Celesia and the dragon stop this evil, or be bound forever by their curses.

Sounds like a tasty fantasy/fairy tale to curl up with!

Amazon and Goodreads

So how have you been spending your lock-down time?

Do you have a mask? (I'm using a scarf)

And what are you reading/writing?

Welcome to a Murder, Just Because

Yolanda Renee is a great encourager of other writers and full of advice on the details of writing a good Murder Mystery... So glad to have her here today to support her latest release: MURDER, JUST BECAUSE!

Here's a little Q & A to tell you a little more about Yolanda's book, writing, and life...

1.  Tell us about Murder, Just Because. Who is Stowy Jenkins?

Murder, Just Because takes place ten years after The Snowman is caught and imprisoned. The Snowman escapes, and revenge is his goal, especially against Detective Steven Quaid, the man who put him in prison.

Stowy Jenkins is a former resident of West Virginia, a computer graphic designer who lives with his mother. He is charismatic, intelligent, and highly motivated. Stowy Jenkins is evil at its worst.

2.  What does literary success look like to you?

When I think of literary success, I see Margaret Mitchell. She only wrote one book, but it was a fantastic piece of literature, despite political correctness. Her book is a gift to the world. To have her dedication to perfection, even if I only wrote one book, would be ideal.

3.  Tell us about the book you’re working on now.

A Passion for Murder is the sixth book in the Detective Quaid series. I’m returning to the plot where the killer/antagonist is unknown. He/she will be one of the characters, but their identity will not be released until the end. I’m a bit used up when it comes to allowing the antagonist too much reign. My goal is to add more humor and less horror.

4.  What is your favorite season, and why?

Spring! The season of rebirth, love, hope, and magnificent colors. It’s also my birth month, and my name, Renee, means rebirth.

5.  What’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?

The aurora borealis. I used to fall asleep at night watching the northern lights dance across the Alaskan sky. Words could never express the beauty.

Thank you, Tara, for hosting me today on your blog and for highlighting my book, Murder, Just Because. It’s a fun escape from the world around us.

MURDER, JUST BECAUSE Blog Tour
through MC Book Tours.

Rookie detective Steven Quaid’s reputation as an elite investigator skyrocketed when he captured one of the most sadistic serial killers in Alaskan history: Stowy Jenkins, AKA the Snowman. Some said it was beginner's luck. And that was ten years ago.

Now, Jenkins is back. Escaped from prison and on the move, his bloodlust is stronger than ever, and his methods of torture are even more horrifying than before. As his maniacal rampage continues and the number of mutilated bodies mounts, terrified Alaskans increasingly doubt Quaid’s ability to catch the killer again. Not only is his reputation is on the line, this time, Jenkins is out for revenge…

In a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, Jenkins picks off the people in Quaid’s life…slowly, gradually tightening his circle of corpses and drawing ever closer to the most important person in Quaid’s life...his wife. Can Quaid do the impossible again? Can he outmaneuver the killer, or has the detective's luck finally run out?

About the Author...

Author Yolanda Renee

At one time Alaska called to me, and I answered. I learned to sleep under the midnight sun, survive in below zero temperatures, and hike the Mountain Ranges. I’ve traveled from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, and the memories are some of my most valued. The wonders, mysteries and incredible beauty that is Alaska has never left me and thus now influences my writing.

Despite my adventurous spirit, I achieved my educational goals, married, and I have two handsome sons. Writing is now my focus, my newest adventure!

For more on Yolanda and her writing, connect with her here:

Blog    *     Facebook     *     Twitter     *     Pinterest    

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This tour-wide giveaway is for a complete set of the Detective Quaid Mystery series books for one winner, paperback copies of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for five winners, and a Kindle copy of MURDER, JUST BECAUSE for 10 winners.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. If the widget doesn’t show up, just click HERE and you’ll be directed to the widget.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to follow Yolanda on her week-long tour HERE. You never know what you might find out. Do you enjoy watching a character grow from one story to the next?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

No Foolin Around - Serious #Awards & Announcements!

So much is going on!!
First, my IWSG post in conjunction with the culmination of my Beast World campaign.

The writing/blogging community is the best group of people out there! I've said it before, but they are so supportive! Today, I'm handing out some awards to recognize my helpers who gave me their most valuable asset--their TIME!

Based on the number, here are the top awards:

And here are the stats of all my wonderful volunteers and how much they helped!

I made new connections, found volunteers to review the Beast World series, was blessed with a wonderful new piece of art, and received offers to guest post at other blogs. And I re-pubbed the ebooks!

Never be afraid to ask the writing community for help--they come through!

* * * * *

I'm also more than happy to return the favor!

Today I'm very happy to share my time and blog space with one of my awesome writer friends to celebrate the release of her incredible book, which I absolutely adored!

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA
Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia
by Jemi Fraser

Let's take a little more in-depth look into Jemi's life and her book. Her mom is the star, and with the recent restrictions at nursing homes, Jemi had to find a new way to see her--online!

Jemi: Thanks so much for doing this :) Mom is doing great despite the lockdown. Seeing her and chatting, with the help of the staff, makes everything so much easier for us. So thankful for those great people!

TT: Your book was so real. Though dementia is no laughing matter, it was pretty funny at times. Do you ever insert comedy in your fiction?

Jemi: Thanks!! I’m glad our crazy reality comes across. A strong sense of humour really gets us through!

My upcoming romantic-suspense series definitely has humour in it. My characters often have a sarcastic edge to them and that’s so much fun to write! I also think our family’s gallows humour comes through in several of my characters and the situations they get themselves into!

TT: I had to look up gallows humor--thanks for the new word!

I think you and your sister are saints the way you take care of your “mum” through so many trials and still kept working! Do you think you might write a book about her? or your own life someday?

Jemi: Wow - thank you! Definitely not saints, but we do love our mum! I don’t know if my heart is up to another true-to-life book at this point, but you never know. Mom’s had a fascinating life and I’ve thought about a YA historical romance set in the post WWII era based on it. Maybe one day!

TT: A YA historical in that era sounds fantastic!

The way your mother treated people, especially her second husband, reminded me of my grandmother, bossing folks around and doing as she pleased. It made me wonder if I’ll be that way when I’m older (have a lot of that in me now!) Do you ever wonder or worry how you will be later in life?

Jemi: Love it! Mom definitely enjoys being in charge and she believes she is ALWAYS the most qualified person in the room for any task or opinion. I have a wide and strong independent streak in me but I’ve always been quieter and more private than Mom. However, I suspect more of “Mom” will show up in me as I get older! My kids have been warned!

TT: Now for a couple of easy ones...

How do you like living in Canada?

Jemi: I wouldn’t live anywhere else!! Northern Ontario is beautiful and the people are awesome. Our fall leaves are spectacular. Our biggest con is probably how long the snow sticks around. While it is melting, we still have 2 to 3 foot snowbanks. In late March/early April that’s a definite con!

TT: Yes, you kept saying how wonderful the staff of most places was--I had to remind myself you were in Canada. I was jealous until I kept reading about the snow! haha

And lastly, What writing are you working on now?

Jemi: I’m planning to publish my Bloo Moose small-town romantic suspense series in the fall. Book 1 is ready to go, Book 2 is on the spit-and-polish round, Book 3 is in the final revision round. Book 5’s first draft is done, and Book 4 is still wandering around in my head (it’s the stubborn one). Ideas for Books 6-8 are there but need to be fleshed out. I’m hoping to publish at least 3 of them at the same time. Lots of fun ahead!

Holy Bullwinkle! That's a ton of stories! Congrats! I'll be around to read and help.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA,

Recognizing and Coping with the Early Stages of Dementia

by Jemi Fraser

◊ Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir
◊ Publisher: Just Jemi Books
◊ eBooks
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1-9991258-1-3

Dementia and Alzheimer’s touch the lives of millions around the world, but so much is still unknown.

As first-generation Canadians, we didn’t recognize the early warning signs. We didn’t know the differences between regular aging and the early stages of dementia. We’ve made mistakes but we’ve learned a lot.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA will help you:
•Identify those early warning signs
•Use visuals to improve communication
•Choose your words wisely
•Redirect and reassure
•Stay calm and cope with your own emotions
•Consider nursing home options
•Improve caregiver self-care

We’ve learned to dance the early steps of the disease with our love and laughter intact. If you are looking for help recognizing early signposts along with practical ways to cope with early Dementia and Alzheimer’s, this book is for you.

DANCING WITH DEMENTIA buy links:

Amazon.com              Amazon.ca          Apple Books       Barnes & Noble          Kobo

Add DANCING WITH DEMENTIA to your Goodreads shelf

About the Author

Jemi Fraser writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her nonfiction work focuses on the ways that dementia has impacted her family. Her fiction work varies from contemporary romance to suspense and flash fiction. Years as a teacher have taught Jemi that life is short and that happy endings are a must.

She lives in Northern Ontario, Canada where snow is always a topic of conversation and the autumn leaves make everything better.

For more on Jemi and her writing, visit her following sites:

Website          Just Jemi Blog       Dancing With Dementia blog 

Amazon Page        BookBub      Goodreads       Facebook       Twitter

Finally, Enter this giveaway is for a $20 Amazon Gift Card. (open internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour through MC Book Tours.

The #WritingCommunity is Priceless

Happy March & Happy IWSG Day!
I am so thankful for the writing community and all the great friends I've made from all over the world. No matter where we're from, we can chat and laugh and share our dreams without judgment--like we're at a virtual slumber party!

Last week, I posted a self evaluation quiz about phone addiction. I was happy to see responses similar to mine. Basically we use the phone as a tool of communication and information, but we could live without it if we had to. This is probably because older generations have lived without "smart" technology. And we need to pass that revelation on to future generations, so they don't turn into zombies... ha ha

One of the best uses for the internet has been connecting with other writers. The support, advice, and shared commiseration I've received from my online writer friends has been essential to me sticking with my writing. I'm especially grateful for the continued Insecure Writing Support Group "meetings" which keep me blogging at least once a month! Thanks, Alex!

My writer friends have been especially wonderful through this latest turn of events and helping me out with my Taking Back Beast World campaign...

The Disney/Pixar movie Onward, similarly set in my Beast World, comes out Friday. So far, the reviews are not good. I'm not sure how I feel about that... I'm not going to judge it--probably won't see it until it's free on Disney +. But it's rather disappointing. Like they've ruined it for me. It also makes me want to go to Dreamworks and offer my alternative (I'm researching it, soooo hard to get a pinky toe in the door, nevermind a foot!). For now, I'm going to finish out my campaign with the help of my wonderful friends, and hope Beast World gets noticed by more folks looking for an inspirational, relatable, comical, fantasy adventure!

Last week, Jemi Fraser left me a couple of fantastic reviews -- I saved announcing them for this week as that's my campaign topic the week.

Also this week, I'm so honored to be appearing at...

• Alex's infamous blog talking about Turning Books into Movies (3/4)
• C. Lee McKenzie's blog talking about Handling Teenage Troubles (3/5)

Finally, I want to give some back and tell you about a wonderful romance writer I know...

Elizabeth Seckman

She's got a fabulous new release!

ABOUT US
by Elizabeth Seckman

Hayden Matthews is trying to get as far away from love as possible. After wasting eight years in a failed marriage, she's ready for a nice, peaceful life where she can raise her daughter to be strong, independent, and happy. But to make that happen, she must fix her own life first.

Cam Vorelli has pined for Hayden since he was in grade school. Always in the friend-zone, he stood on the sidelines, his heart breaking, as she said I do to the wrong man. A man he knew didn’t deserve her, who could never love her as he did. But what could he say? She was marrying into his family. Cam would never break a holy vow much less be disloyal to his kin.

Until he sees the bruises on Hayden. Abuse is a game changer.

Hayden knows leaving a husband like Tag, with a hot temper, a badge, and a gun will be tricky. She needs someone she can trust. Not looking for a romantic entanglement, she calls Cam, with her soon-to-be ex fearful of his former NFL cousin as a bonus.

Though Cam comes to her rescue with the purest of intentions, he won't deny fate if Hayden starts to feel the same for him...

And it's available NOW for FREE!

Kobo: FREE      Smashwords FREE       Amazon: 99 cents 

About the Author

Elizabeth is a multi-published author of books for people who are believers in happily-ever- after, true love, and stories with a bit of fun and twists with their plots. The mother of four young men, she tackles laundry daily and is the keeper of the kitchen. She lives along the shores of the Ohio River in West Virginia, but dreams daily of the beach.

Facebook/ Blog/ Website

You'll love her style. Take it from me.

Don't be afraid to ask your friends for help. 
We're all ready to be there for each other!

Hope your March is off to a Springy start!

Feedback is life

Welcome, IWSG-ers!

As a writer, we type away, drafting, editing, laughing, sobbing, pouring our hearts an souls into our stories. Then it comes time to push the little bird out of the nest and hope it flies! But before we let strangers see it, we need to know if we're doing it right. We need FEEDBACK!

Constructive Criticism and Honest Praise are essential elements to a writer. Here are some places to seek this valued commodity:

• Critique Partners - you read mine and I'll read yours and we'll give each other honest opinions and advice
• Beta Readers - not necessarily writers, but willing to read and give feedback
• Critique Groups - live meetings where everyone shares their stories seeking feedback
• Reviews - before and after publishing - serious stuff, just don't freak out over one- and two-star drivel. Those just show you've made it!

Whatever route you go, don't be afraid to ask for feedback. We only improve and expand our knowledge by listening to what others have to say (and using it or not as we see fit!)

Now here I offer a review of C. Lee McKenzie's latest release...

NOT GUILTY
by C. Lee McKenzie

A bloody knife. Wrong place, wrong time, and fits the description. Just like that, Devon's future is over.

How can he prove he's not guilty?

Intense emotion and connections grab you from the beginning. One fateful day everything changes for Devon -- the star of the basketball team about to snag a full scholarship to the college of his choice. And it all happens so fast, accused, tried, and convicted of stabbing one of his arch enemies. But he didn't do it, and no one will listen.

At first, it was hard to take all the negative things piled one on top of the other to the point of hopelessness. But then Devon's devastation opened him up to a whole new world. He had to deal with what happened and gained new friends and a new perspective. Plus a few twists neither one of us expected!

AMAZON   B&N   KOBO   SMASHWORDS   GOODREADS 

Books * Website

Check it out!

Perseverance Pays Off!

Let's hear it for S.A. Larsen! She's done it!

She's re-published her corpse-raising mg adventure:

MOTLEY EDUCATION
The Urd Saga, book I

by S. A. Larsen

MG Fantasy

"A deftly crafted ... and entertaining read!"

Midwest Book Reviews - Children's Watch 2017

Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted Terms of Enrollment

Signed: Ebony Charmed

Ebony should be excited about entering sixth grade to further develop her skills. And she would be. If only her lame abilities let her see more than three ghosts.

Struggling to live up to her gifted family, Ebony is horrified when she is branded a Seeker: someone who is neither Sensory nor Luminary. To top it off, her Deadly Creatures and Relics project – transforming a measly stick – seems destined for failure.

But there are doors to other worlds where creatures have been watching her. And when the truth emerges that her project is more than a stick, she knows she must act. Along with her best friend Fleishman and his pet lizard, Ebony finds herself wedged between prophecies and quests. Oh, and saving the entire spirit world from annihilation.

Ebony is not ready to be a hero. But a dark presence has already stolen more than one local kid. And this time, her failure is not an option.

And check out all the awards MOTLEY EDUCATION has received! 
*FIRST PLACE WINNER, CHILDREN'S CATEGORY, 2016 NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL!*
*Bronze Award Winner, 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards for Best Juvenile/YA Fiction*

*Winner - Purple Dragonfly Awards 2017, Honorable Mention; ebook*

*Gold Medal Award Winner - Literary Classics Book Awards 2017, Grade School Fantasy*

*Gold Medal Winner - 2017 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards, Children's Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

Order signed books from The Children’s Book Cellar via message.

About the Author

S.A. Larsen is an award-winning author, childhood apraxia of speech advocate, and Maine-iac ice hockey fan, who has watched more hockey games than she could ever count. She also has a soft spot for the strange and misunderstood, which might explain her love for dipping plain chips in ketchup. 

When she's not chasing her characters around a cemetery or antagonizing them with the wonders of young love, she lives in the land of lobsters and snowy winters with her husband and four children. 

Visit her cyber home at salarsenbooks.com, find her on Twitter @SA_Larsen and Instagram sa.larsen, or on spookymiddlegrade.com, where she does most of her spookiness brewing up all sorts of creepy ideas with a group of #SpookyMG authors. Stop by for a visit . . . if you dare.

I hope you check it out. It's a perfect read for October!

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

How to generate #buzz for your books!

I'm no expert on this subject, but I know if you keep trying, squeaking, honking, waving your arms, and shouting--eventually you'll get noticed! I'm looking for more and better ways to do that, and for this month's IWSG post, I want to share with you what I found...

When you're ready to release your book, Bookbub.com has a great checklist to help you get started. I condensed it and added a few of my own tidbits. The full list is here.

1. Recruit helpers! Other writers, book bloggers, family, friends, anyone willing. These folks can help with a COVER REVEAL and on RELEASE DAY and with a RELEASE TOUR - whether in person or online.
2. Prepare yourself. Have a great SYNOPSIS/BLURB, compelling QUOTES from your book and from reviewers, up-to-date BIO and SOCIAL MEDIA HEADERS, and swell SWAG for GIVEAWAYS
3. Seek Book Buzzers! We all know reviews are imperative, but they can be hard to get! I follow Reedsy, and recently they gave some great advice on CREATING BOOK BUZZ!
• Build relationships with these important book buzzers. And start as soon as possible! Follow, like, watch, comment--which means you need to choose people you connect with, who would be a good fit for your book, and who are active online.
• Here's a list of Review Book Bloggers
• Here's a list of BOOKTUBERS!
• For example, check out the 4 booktubers I subscribed to after watching a slew. They're spunky, insightful, active, and love to read!
• Becca and the Books            Hardback Hoarder
• Jadeyrae Reads                     Tiny Book Dragon
4. Create Extras: take SPECIAL BOOK PICS, tie in items readers can use like COLLECTIONS, KNICK KNACKS, HOBBIES, RECIPES--in WINDY HOLLOW I made up a GAME. Take vids or pics of yourself or make MEMEs for your characters or quotes, and if you can, make a BOOK TRAILER. These are great for PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, and GIVEAWAYS
5. Plan GIVEAWAYS, POSTS, SIGNINGS, LIVE CHATS, and fun CHALLENGES
6. Don't Forget - THANK all your helpers and buzzers & ENJOY EVERY MINUTE!

And I'm very excited to have ELLEN JACOBSON - she's releasing a tasty, cozy mystery... and she's a great example of how an author can generate BUZZ!

Poisoned by the Pier—A Cozy Mystery for Serious Chocolate Addicts 

One of the things the readers of the Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery series often say is, “Boy, Mollie sure does eat a lot of chocolate!” It’s true, she does. She always has a bag of chocolate in her purse and she’s constantly stopping by Penelope’s Sugar Shack bakery for brownies.

I try to live vicariously through Mollie’s chocolate consumption. These days, when you’re a woman of a {ahem} certain age like me, it’s a constant battle between chocolate cravings and trying to keep your tummy from resembling a muffin top. I’ve been trying not to eat as many sugary treats these days and when I get a craving for some M&M’S or a chocolate cupcake, I write it into a scene instead of succumbing to temptation. At least I try to. Sadly, I’m not always successful.

In my latest book, Poisoned by the Pier, Mollie’s husband, Scooter, tries to convince her that they should eat healthier. She’s not buying it. In fact, she thinks the media is trying to cover up the fact that eating multiple chocolate bars on a daily basis is good for you.

I had a lot of fun writing the passage below.

What about you? Do you love chocolate and sugary treats like Mollie and I do? If you want to find out more about how Mollie copes with going on a diet while solving a murder mystery, grab a copy of Poisoned by the Pier. Details below.

Poisoned by the Pier Now Available!

Poisoned by the Pier, the third book in the Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery series, is now available in ebook, paperback, and large print.

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google Play

When Mollie's husband signs the two of them up for an extreme diet, she's not amused. When someone ends up poisoned by a cake, things get even worse.

While she tries to identify the killer, Coconut Cove’s annual boating festival is in full swing. In between getting ready for her first sailing race and cheating on her diet, Mollie and her cat, Mrs. Moto, uncover clues, interview suspects, and do their best to avoid rutabagas.

Can Mollie nab the killer before someone else is poisoned?

If you like quirky characters, adorable cats, and plenty of chocolate, you'll love this cozy mystery. Pick up a copy of Poisoned by the Pier and laugh out loud from the first page to the last. 

New to the Series?

If you're new to the series, you might want to start with Murder at the Marina. Now is the perfect opportunity as the ebook is on sale for 99c/99p for a limited time.

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google Play

About the Author

Ellen Jacobson lives on a sailboat with her husband and an imaginary cat named Simon. When she isn't working on boat projects or seeking out deserted islands, she writes cozy mysteries and sci-fi/fantasy stories.

Connect with Ellen: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub | Blog
Sign up for: her newsletter

I just downloaded the first book, MURDER AT THE MARINA

Perfect read for my Florida vacay! Excited to read the whole series!

One more thing, the WINDY HOLLOW Release Blog Tour marches on...

7/3 - Alex J. Cavanaugh - IWSG Day - Fantasy Movies
7/4 - Tonja Drecker - Independence Day! - Kids in Books

Don't forget to enter the giveaway! (Upgraded)

Last bits & pieces...
My newsletter also came out today - there's a great picture of my visit with Christine Rains!
And thanks, S.A. Larsen! She featured Windy Hollow in her latest newsletter.

Thanks for making it to the end of this loooong post! Stay cool!