Calling All Book Bloggers (And a Contest)



Bookmarks



Witch Song ARCs are going to print! Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! I'm so excited!

My publisher is starting to go through the list of those who have signed up for an ARC. So if you're a blogger and you want to get your hands on a copy, make sure to fill out this form. It's not your last chance to get an ARC, but it's probably your best one.

Also, they've indicated their willingness to send out lots and lots of eBooks, so I've included an option for "prefer a hardcopy but will accept an eBook."

I've decided on the method of my ARC tour. One book will circulate through ten bloggers--all of which will receive two bookmarks (one to giveaway, one to keep). The last blogger will be one who's willing to host a giveaway.

If you indicated that you'd like to do an interview, please shot me an email with your questions (I'll be going through the list and sending out email reminders as we get closer).

I'd love you forever if you spotlight Witch Song on your blog, whether by a "Waiting on Wednesday" or type of meme or simply announcing your interest in the book. Let me know and I'll come comment. I'll also post links to your blog on my own.

Big Announcement:



Back of Bookmark



Any blogger who reviews Witch Song will receive two signed bookmarks (if you want them that is). One you may do with what you like, the other I ask that you give away in a contest on your blog. The top picture is the front of my bookmark, the bottom is the back. Aren't they pretty??? My friend, Michelle Argyle, designed them for me. Her prices are super reasonable too. Thanks Michelle!

Also: to anyone who shares this post or the form via Facebook, Twitter, Blog, etc, you'll be entered to win a prize pack including Alyson Noel's Dark Flame in hardcover and Radiance in softcover and three bookmarks--Cinders by Michelle Davidson Argyle, a signed bookmark of Elana Johnson's Possession and a signed bookmark of Lisa Mangum's The Hourglass Door (see pic below).

ps Don't forget to leave me your links!

pps This is going to be so much fun!

ppps You don't need to refill out the form. The contest is for FBing, Tweeting, or Blogging about the contest or the form. :)

Internet Bullying

There's some serious internet bullying going on here. Please, please, please stop it. I know Jacqueline Howett made a mistake. A big one. But she's outnumbered hundreds to one, and many of the comments are nastier than she ever was.

I'm not defending her. But I'm not defending any of the other nastiness either. If you have a mean comment, I'd encourage you to go delete it.

We're better than this. We're writers. We're readers. We're human beings. We have more in common than we have differences. Focus on those commonalities. Have you ever made a huge mistake? Ever done something you were ashamed of that had EVERYONE talking about you? Do you remember how awful that felt?

If so, think of how she must feel. Don't perpetuate this travesty. Do what you can to make it better. Not by going after the nasty commenters but by stopping the gossip. And then hope that the next time you make a huge mistake, people will be as forgiving of you as you were of Ms. Howett. 

Amber

*edit: I'm not saying you can't discuss the situation publically. What I am saying is that you do so professionally and with the understanding that this is a person we're talking about. There's definitely a mob feel to some of the conversations going around. A "let's get her" mentality. That is SO WRONG.

List of Famous Author Rejections

The full article is on Online College.org

May 17th, 2010


Whether you're a struggling writer, or just studying to be one, you probably know that there's a lot of rejection in your future. But don't be dismayed, rejection happens even to the best. Here are 50 well-respected writers who were told no several times, but didn't give up.

1.Dr. Seuss: Here you'll find a list of all the books that Dr. Seuss' publisher rejected.

2.William Golding: William Golding's Lord of the Flies was rejected 20 times before becoming published.

3.James Joyce: James Joyce's Ulysses was judged obscene and rejected by several publishers.

4.Isaac Asimov: Several of Asimov's stories were rejected, never sold, or eventually lost.

5.John le Carre: John le Carre's first novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, was passed along because le Carre "hasn't got any future."

There are 50 authors listed. All of them are FAMOUS. Click here to read the rest of the article.

I'm in good company at least. :)

Randomness:

• Don't forget to sign up to review Witch Song.
• There's some serious internet bullying going on here. Please, please, please stop it. I know she made a mistake. A big one. But she's outnumbered hundreds to one, and many of the comments are nastier than she ever was.  Take the higher road. Be the better person.
• My muse has evidently decided that it's too cold to come out and play. *insert chocolate here*
• Where do you find new book releases?
• I've decided I need an agent. Someone please shoot me.

That is all.

What's the Title of Your Life?

Let's pretend you're writing a book about your life in 2010. What would the title be?

Scattered Soccer Mom
Party Girl
Drowning in Deadlines
Unkempt
I think mine would be: We All Fall Down (playing on the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosies")

Remember when you were a child playing Ring Around the Rosies? You hand, sweaty and grimy from the sandbox, holding tight to someone else. The sun hot on your back. The sharp smell of the dandelion chain, sticky, around your neck. Spinning faster and faster, your hands squeezing tighter and your stomach singing inside you. Knowing your going to fall. Thrilled by the prospect.

And finally falling, your squeals and giggles weaving around in time to the spinning in your head. The feel of the grass, cool beneath your hands.

For the past year, I feel like I've been spinning. Faster and faster, my hands grimy with the work that tries to bury me, my stories singing inside me. Knowing I'm going to be published, thrilled by the prospect. And yet terrified at the same time.

Because falling is frightening. Even when it's fun.

So what would the title of your year be?

How Hard Is It To Be Published

I've decided to begin a new business venture. I'm going to be offering haircuts for $100 dollars. The extra money will be great. And I've got loads of talent. Seriously, I've been cutting things since kindergarten--paper, string, even my own meat at the dinner table. 

Also, the cost of set up is minimal. Heck, I already have chicken shears, which should work just fine. I mean really, if they can cut meat, they can cut hair . . . am I right or am I right. *chuckles and slaps knee*

Appointments will be anywhere from once a week or once a month, depending on my schedule--or how much money I need at the time.

Anyway, who's up for a haircut?!?

But really, why is it that when I started writing I thought it would be easier (as in, not so freakin' hard) to be published? When I started writing full time, I had a degree in English and a short story publication to my name. Yet it took me over five years, at least five writer's conferences, numerous workshops, six finished manuscripts--with three more in the works, and literally HUNDREDS of rejections before I finally had my debut coming out (I had a few close calls before that, but that's a REALLY long story).

I'm still nowhere near the writer that I want to be.

Often, we (me included) look at authors who have "made it," but we don't see the hours they spent in the classroom, reading books on the craft, drafting, brainstorming, writing, editing, driving to some conference or another, reading rejection after rejection. We fail to see their journey, instead only seeing their destination.

I will give one example: Stephen King. His father abandoned his family when Stephen was two. Shortly after, his mother moved home to care for her parents. He grew up poor. As a child, Stephen watched his friend die after being struck by a train. He started writing in high school, got a few things published in his school paper, a few fanzines. He had a daughter. He had a column in his college paper, worked at an industrial laundry, and finally received his degree in English. Unable to get a teaching job, he sold a few short stories to some magazines.

He married. He actually threw Carrie in the trash. His wife rescued it and urged him to finish. It was the first novel he published. Shortly after, his mother died and he began a decades long fall into alcoholism.

Does this give you an idea of the countless hours King spent perfecting his craft before any measurable success came his way? Of the pain that became his motivation? Of the struggle that made him strong? 

You HAVE to watch this video. It gave me all sorts of chills.

As in everything, greatness can only be achieved when pared with hard work and a dash of luck.

Winner of The Lost Saint

Without further ado, the winner the signed hardcover of Bree Despain's The Lost Saint is . . .

Lexie !!!!

*throws confetti*
*hugs book and kisses it goodbye*
*cries a lot little*

So, Lexie, how does it feel to be a winner???

Win Signed Hardcover of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

*This contest is now closed.









It seriously pains me to give this away. A signed hardcover of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain. Two signed bookmarks. Two bottles of nail polish.

Winner receives the blue book, bookmark, and nail polish AND the purple bookmark and nail polish.

Guidelines:

• To enter, simply Click on one of the Goodreads lists and vote for WITCH SONG. Each time you vote, you get 1 point (Sometimes the link takes you directly to WITCH SONG. Sometimes you have to scroll up or click previous. The easiest way to find it is to pay attention to the number (ie if it's 200 out of 275, look for 200) If WITCH SONG is added to your "To Read" list, you can click on the "Add Books to This List" tab as well).
•  Obviously, I'm not asking you to vote for the book on lists that imply you've read it (unless you have). That wouldn't be very honest. So just stick to the ones that feature debut authors, beautiful covers, books of 2011, New Authors, etc.
• There isn't a limit on how many lists you can vote on, epecially the lists where Witch Song is beyond 100. Nor is there a limit on how many points you can accrue. The more points you have, the greater your chances of winnning.
• You can also earn points by sharing this contest on your blog, facebook page, twitter (click the cute little button links on the bottom of this post to make it really easy).
• You MUST add up your own points.

More free stuff:
1. Have you registered to win WITCH SONG on Goodreads yet???
2. If you're a book reviewer, have you filled out the form for a free copy of WITCH SONG for review? **filling out this form DOES NOT guarantee you a free copy.**
3. Have you filled out the form to receive a free, signed bookmark of Witch Song?

Review of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain

Click here to Enter to win a signed hardcover of The Lost Saint.

Review from Goodreads
A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with the werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger - in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her - not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.
 
Did ya'll know Bree wrote The Lost Saint in 4 weeks? Seriously an amazing feet. Especially since she has young kids. So I admit I was a little worried about how this would turn out. Especially since sequels are so often a disappointment. But I LOVED it. Even better than the first.
 
Bree is a master at weaving themes into her books. And she does it without the reader feeling they've been preached to. For instance, the title. There are so many "lost saints" in the book. So many characters who have lost their way. And seriously, I love that Bree "go's there." Meaning she breaks a YA taboo by bringing God into the book. Not overbearingly so, but he's there (all the angel books that have no reference to God whatsoever drive me crazy). She has a lot of subtle references to the Bible--Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, etc. Grace has decided to "wait" until she's married. And her boyfriend respects that about her. She has morals. How refreshing.
 
In many ways, Grace is a much stronger character, but in growing stronger, she also grows weaker (you'll have to read it to find out why). Let's just say Bree did a great job of blending internal and external conflict.
 
I love the mystery of the book. Who's the bad guy? What do they want? By trying to solve the mystery, Grace only seems to put herself closer to danger--a danger she can't see. 
 
And the love triangle (I love me a good love triangle)! Tal and Daniel, oh my. I can't decide which one I like more. Both are hot. Both are damaged but trying to redeem themselves.
 
Eh, why pick. I'll just take two to go please.
 
Read any good love triangles lately?
 
Enter to win a signed hardcover of The Lost Saint.

Goodreads Giveaway of Witch Song

My publisher is giving away 5 copies of WITCH SONG on Goodreads. Have you all signed up yet? I hope so! If anyone wins those books, it should be my blog followers. But don't just sign up for my book. My publisher is offering 30 free books in all. Make sure to add each to you "to read" list. :)

Witch Song by Amber Argyle
As the last echoes of witch song fade, Espen grows stronger as winter and summer come within the space of a day. Now she’s coming for the one she missed—a shy, untrained girl of fifteen named Brusenna.

Blood of Adoria by JS Chancellor 
A rescue is underway. A war is brewing. Hope and despair rest in equal measure on the horizon. Who will prove stronger: those who embody light or those who enlist the darkness?

“Beyond Birkie Fever” by Walter Rhein is the story of how America's magnificent cross-country ski marathon can expand your horizons and be the gateway to experiences beyond anything you'd ever hoped to imagine!

Monarch by Michelle Davidson Argyle
Nick must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he’ll have the chance to start his life over again.

King's Envoy by Cas Peace
In Albia, the fourth realm, the precious Artesan gift is dying. Although born to the craft, Taran is struggling to achieve his potential. Against his friends’ advice, he embarks on a foolhardy plan to acquire the teaching he craves. Alone, he crosses into Andaryon, the fifth realm, but instead of finding a mentor, he stumbles upon a treacherous plot.

Legends Reborn by Doug Brown 
Since the dawn of time, the Light of Epertase has determined when the throne was to be passed from elder to heir. For more than a thousand years, the Light’s decision had never been challenged…Until now.

And while your entering all these contests, don't forget to enter to win a signed, hardcover of The Lost Saint by Bree Despain.

Thanks to all those who've entered so far. Witch Song is ranked among the top five of six different lists. Which is absolutely AMAZING. I cannot tell you how important this is to a books success. The visibility increases peoples chances of actually hearing about my book. Thank you SO much.

Okay, I'm off to shovel a foot of snow off my driveway. Tell me what you have going on with your blog this week. I'll come visit! :)