Witch Song Series now in #KindleUnlimited

If you're a member of Kindle Unlimited, you can now snag the entire Witch Song Series as part of your monthly subscription. Grab your copy before it's gone!

Witch Song Box Set

Share the good news by retweeting, reposting, and repinning!

Witch Song Reader Guide

1.      Throughout the book, Senna struggles with her identity. What advice would you give to her—to anyone—who feels like an outcast?

2.      After a childhood of feeling powerless, Brusenna finally realizes the ability to stand up for herself was inside her and always had been. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt powerless? What did you to take your power back?

3.      How does Brusenna change from the beginning of the novel to the end? What obstacles did she have to overcome to grow and change? Do you think obstacles are necessary for growth? Or do they destroy an individual?

4.      At the beginning of the book, Brusenna is a reticent person. Is she still shy by the end? What did or did not change?

5.      At the beginning of the book, what was Joshen’s motivation for helping Brusenna? Was it the same motivation as at the end?

6.      Did Sacra (Brusenna’s mother) protectiveness shield or cripple Senna? If the latter, what do you think Sacra should have done differently?

7.      Trust comes up again and again in the story. How do you decide who you can and cannot trust?

8.      Senna is terrified of loosing those she loves. How does this affect her decisions?

9.      Do you agree with how Brusenna dealt with Wardof, Garg, and Espen. What would you have done differently?

10.  Sacrifice is another theme that is repeated in this story. How does Senna decide what she will and will not give up?

11.  The book mentions that the witches sold their songs for money. Do you think this justifies the populace’s hatred and mistrust of them? Why or why not?

12.  Near the end of the book, Grendi claims that no one group should have more power or control over a people than another. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?

13.  Do you see Senna as a weak or strong character? Does the fact that she often cries affect how you see her?

14.  Do you think Sacra was justified in hiding Senna away from the world and its dangers? What would you have done differently?

15.  Senna feels a tremendous amount of guilt when someone dies trying to protect her.

16.  Conversely, was Brusenna justified in spying on her mother to discover the answers to her questions? Explain.

17.  The book hints that Espen used a potion to force Wardof and Garg’s to serve her. Does this excuse their actions? Why or Why not?

18.  What do you make of Pogg’s dislike of men?

19.  Senna often puts herself in danger to protect those she loves (chasing after the whale, using the Ioa potion). Are her actions justified?

20.  What do you think of the Discipline Head’s treatment of Senna? How do you think they should have treated her?

21.  What do you think of Reden’s betrayal of his country and his soldiers? Is his a traitor? Or a hero?

22.  AT the end of the book, the Witches curse Tarten—basically sentencing the entire country and its people to drought. Do you think they were justified in this? What would you have done in their place?

23.  Do you agree with the Witches decision to surrender to Reden? Or should they have fought?

Interview about Witch Song

Interview between journalist JoLynne Lyon and Amber Argyle

JoLynne: Throughout the story, Senna struggles with her identity. What advice would you give to her—to anyone who feels like an outcast?

Amber: Senna finds herself trapped in a situation where she’s persecuted/bullied/belittled because of who she is. If you’re in a similar situation, don’t sit back and take it. Do everything you can to improve your situation—including looking for outside help. If everything fails, avoid the situation if possible. If even that doesn’t work, remember that nothing lasts forever and do what you can to make it bearable. Remember, what makes you different is what makes you beautiful. In the beginning of the book, Senna wants nothing more than to blend in, be like others. It’s only as she matures that she realizes the very things that make her different also make her beautiful, strong, and powerful. And she wouldn’t trade any of those qualities just to blend in.  

JoLynne: What are the qualities Senna values the most in others? In herself?

Amber: Like so many of us, Senna doesn’t see herself very clearly. She’s harder on herself than anyone else. She’s blind to her own strengths, seeing only her faults in glaring florescent lights. So when she looks at others, her view is colored by her own weaknesses—all she can see is their strengths in comparison to her weaknesses, which isn’t fair to herself. Or the other person for that matter. But let’s be honest, we’re often anything but fair to ourselves.

Through the book, Senna’s warped perception begins to change. She discovers her strengths—strengths that were there all along—were just in need of sunlight and water to blossom. Strengths like her ability to love—fiercely, her determination, her courage, her loyalty. And most importantly, she realizes that she’s strong—strong enough to face her biggest fear.

JoLynne: Trust comes up again and again in the story, as your characters decide who is and is not worthy of it. How can young people decide whom to trust?

Amber: It’s really very simple. If a person encourages you to become something more— someone better without asking for anything in return (except friendship), that person is worthy of your trust. Please realize that people who genuinely care about you don’t need anything in return. There is no price, no bad consequences for being with them. Because they’re pulling themselves up with one hand and you with the other.

The reverse is also true. If a person brings you down socially, emotionally, physically or asks a price for their friendship, that person is not to be trusted.

JoLynne: Senna's mother chooses to protect her—so much so that Senna feels unprepared to face her life. How can a mother protect her child without leaving her helpless?

Amber: By teaching that child to protect himself/herself. As a child becomes old enough to face a situation (ie bullying, pornography, peer pressure) we as parents need to provide the tools to deal with that situation. I’m a firm believer that if a child is old enough to ask the question, their mature enough to receive the answer (in an age appropriate discussion). And it doesn’t stop with physical safety. Children need to be taught moral guidelines—things like kindness, integrity, individual worth, etc.

JoLynne: Sacrifice is another theme that is repeated in this story. How does Senna decide what she will and will not give up?

Amber: Senna makes her choices the same way we all do—weighing her past experiences with the expected outcome and seeing which consequence she can live with. Refusing to hide from her problems, she educates herself about overcoming them. She doesn’t feel it is adequate, but she does the best she can with what she has. Though she faces daunting odds, she’s knows the cost of failure is simply too high not to try.

JoLynne: Joshen is a heroic man who falls in love with a powerful woman. What kind of future do you envision for two people who are both remarkably strong and stubborn?

Amber: There will be fights. There will be enormous clashes of will. But if Senna and Joshen truly love each other, they’ll work it out. And no, I won’t elaborate. You’ll have to read the sequel.

JoLynne: Reden is an interesting character who makes his appearance later in the story. Which beliefs and values dictate the choice he makes? Will he appear in other books?

Amber: I don’t give a lot of the backstory on Reden, simply because it isn’t really needed. But he’s actually from the Boor class. His military prowess was such that he worked his way up through ranks that are normally closed to the lower class. He’s intensely loyal to his men. And he’s very decisive and strong willed. He’s fascinated by Senna, in more ways than one. And yes, he’ll be a big part of book two.

JoLynne: Eventually Senna finds other people treating her like a leader, though she would rather blend into the background. How can a young woman come to accept and embrace her own leadership qualities?

Amber: By not letting fear cripple you. If you see something that needs done, don’t sit around waiting for someone else to take care of it. You take care of it. Or delegate. Either way, make sure it gets done.

Thanks for the interview, JoLynne! If you'd like to check out JoLynne's book, you can look her up here: http://mountainlyon.blogspot.com/ 

Old article from when I was League of Utah Writer's President

I found this gem as I was going through my hundreds of files. It's an old newspaper article from before I was published. And the book I referenced? Witch Song. Kinda fun looking back at when I was still a newbie.

Amber Argyle, President, League of Utah Writers, reads through a sample of her writing as Marion Jensen, front, follows along during the group's monthly meeting at the Logan City Library in Logan, Utah, Wednesday, April 23, 2008. (Alan Murray/Herald Journal)

By Devin Felix

Published:

Monday, April 28, 2008 2:57 AM CDT

Putting your writing into the hands of other writers and asking them to criticize it is a harrowing experience, says Cache Valley author Marion Jensen.

“It’s like putting your 3-year-old up there and they say, ‘His nose is way too big. He’s just homely.’ And your first reaction is to say, ‘You, me, in the parking lot. Now,’” he said.

But if you can fight back the urge to beat up your critics, having others analyze your writing is one of the best ways to make it better, Jensen said.

For that reason, he is a member of the Cache Valley chapter of the League of Utah Writers, a group that meets monthly to read, critique and celebrate each other’s writing.

The group meets in the archive room of the Logan Public Library. With its shelves of books, chandeliers and mahogany table, the room seems a fitting place to sit and discuss the arrangement of words and the conveyance of ideas.

“The League is to support writers in all genres and stages of their writing,” said Amber Argyle, the group’s president.

They come from different backgrounds and are in different stages of life. They are hospital employees, university professors, stay-at-home-moms. And they are all writers.

A few have published works already under their belts.

At Wednesday’s meeting, member Janet Kay Jensen spoke with pride of Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys, her new novel about a Mormon man in love with a woman who grew up in a polygamous community. The book is a finalist for several literary awards and has even gotten some coverage in the press in Australia, she said.

Marion Jensen has published two books under the pen name Matthew Buckley, Chickens in the Headlights and Bullies in the Headlights. At Wednesday’s meeting he passed out copies of chapter one from his latest, a children’s book called The Super Trio, in which twin boys from a family of super heroes on the cusp of their 10th birthday wait anxiously for their super powers to surface.

Group members followed along as Argyle read aloud the first chapter of a fantasy novel she began that morning. Then they gave their thoughts, pointing out an ambiguous phrase, complimenting a strong image. Later, group member John Nelson distributes chapter 38 of his book, a thriller set in a world after a pandemic has wiped out much of the globe’s population.

They discuss the challenges of balancing writing with work and family. Tamara Copley used to looked forward to becoming a stay-at-home mom so she could have hours of free time to use for writing, she said.

Now that she has a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old, she spends most of her time “chasing babies,” she said, which makes it tough to find time. But she finds the time because she’s a writer. Now she uses her kids as a test audience for her children’s books.

“I’ve heard it so many times, if you want to be a writer, just write,” Copley said.

The League of Utah Writers has chapters throughout the state. In addition to meetings of individual chapters the group hosts conventions. These meetings, which are attended by writers, publishers and literary agents, are a great way for writers to try to improve their craft and get noticed, Jensen said.

The League also provides opportunities for writers to interact with each other online. If a member has a question, someone on the group’s e-mail list is likely to have the answer.

Writing can be a lonely task, Argyle said. It’s usually just one person alone at a keyboard. Having the input of other writers is crucial.

“We get a sense of reality bouncing our writing off each other,” Jensen said.

Ultimately, the group provides a chance for people who share an addiction to share their addiction.

Calling all book bloggers!

eARCs for Witch Fall will be going out soon. If you'd like one, fill out the form below.

Blog Tour Sign Up Through Xpresso Book Tours

Any book bloggers who'd like to sign up for my blog tour can do so by going to Expresso Book Tours. 

This is a reviews only tour that will run from January 13th to January 18th, 2014. There will also be giveaway opportunities (provided by me) on every stop. Review copies will be available in all ebook formats.

If you've already signed up for a review copy on my blog, you will still receive one, you just won't be a part of the official tour. 

As always, thanks for your continued support! 

*Warning* Whine fest ahead

I don't want to write. 

I can't explain how epic that sentence is for me. How devastating. Writing has always been hard. Like weaving something from nothing hard--but it was also an addiction--a high I craved every day. But for the past year, it has been work--comparable to cleaning the toilet (which I hate). 

Part of this is because of the stage of life that I'm in. My daughter is my little shadow. She's constantly climbing on my lap and asking me questions. I've found that I tend to be the most productive when I can have four hours of uninterrupted time. Getting her to watch a movie for even a couple hours so I can get a few words in is nigh impossible. 

I used to write at night, but honestly, I'm so tired I can't focus on much except what's on TV (which is in the same room). Long story short: I need an office. 

I also need some motivation. I want my desire back, but I don't know where it went. 

I need to get it back if I'm going to get Witch Fall out in October. 

My Manuscripts Listed Chronologically

This post might be more for my sanity than for all my dear readers. I'm having a seriously hard time remember what book I wrote when. So without further ado:

The Priestess Prophecy
Began January 2006
Status: Permanently shelved. I may recycle my magical system though. It was super cool.

Priestess 2
Began late '06
Status: Permanently shelved

Priestess 3
Began '07
Status: Permanently shelved

Witch Song
Began late Summer of '07
Status: Published by Rhemalda Publishing 2011

The Brotherhood
Began '08
Status: Coming Fall of 2012

Winter Queen
Began '08
Status: Coming sometime 2013. First in a trilogy.

*Insert new baby here*
The Forbidden Forest
Began March 2010
Status: First draft is up to 60K. First in an expected trilogy

Witch Born
Began spring 2011, shelved numerous times because I wasn't sure I would write it.
Status: Coming soon.

1 Day Ebook Sale: Witch Song 99 cents

Did you received a Kindle for Christmas (I did!)? My publisher wants to help load it up with your first book. For 24 hours only, Witch Song will go on sale for 99 cents. The sale goes from midnight to midnight on Thursday Dec 29 2011.

We'll be doing a #twitterview (interview on twitter) throughout the day to draw attention to the event.

Please help share any way you'd like (blogging, facebook, retweets, tell your friends), so everyone who wanted a copy and couldn't afford one can has a chance to purchase at this price. I would also love it if you posted your review somewhere.

If you don't have a Kindle, you can read it on a computer or smartphone. Seriously, you can't even buy a soda pop for 99 cents anymore. So go dig some change out of your couch cushions (or a local fountain), cause this won't be happening again (I have bills too).

It will be available at this price on:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

And I don't want anyone else emailing me and begging me for anymore free copies. ;)

Amber

Winner of YA Scavenger Hunt!

You know what's annoying? When you want to see if you've won something, so you click on it. And the post just rambles on and on. We just want to see the results! Stop making us read through all this random garbage and give us the results.

Don't you hate that?

I hate it too.

Especially when the prize is super awesome. Like winning a copy of Witch Song--just before the holidays no less. Just tell me upfront. First line. Save me all this trouble of . . .What?

Oh.

I'm doing it again. Aren't I?

Okay.

Fine.

The winner is . . .

ferretvamp14

Sheesh. You didn't have to get all huffy on me.

YA Scavenger Hunt with Myra McEntire (Hourglass)

Welcome to Amber Argyle's stop in the Dec. 1st, 2011 YA Scavenger Hunt, hosted by the AMAZING Colleen Houck (Tiger's Curse)! I'm the author of Witch Song, a YA high fantasy where witches control nature (seasons, storms, winds) through singing, but all the witches have been captured by an evil witch who plots to use their power to bring mankind to its knees. Only Brusenna, a young, untrained witch stands between the evil witch and the world. (I've hidden the first chapter of book 2 on one of the blogs in the scavenger hunt--go find it!)

On this Hunt, there are tons of prizes. Each blog is giving away a prize, so take a couple hours and go enter them all. At the end, there's BIG grand prize (signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!) for someone who unscrambles all the RED codewords hidden in each post and uses it to fill out this Puzzle Form in order to win said BIG grand prize (puzzle and instructions located at the bottom of this post).

I'm also giving away a signed copy of Witch Song. All you have to do is add Witch Song to your "To Read" list on Goodreads (if you don't have a Goodreads account, you can Tweet or Facebook) and let me know in the comments. How easy is that?

As part of the tour, I'm hosting the beautiful and talented Myra McEntire, author of Hourglass and Timepiece. Myra McEntire knows the words to every R and B hit of the last decade, but since she lives in the country music capital of America where her lyrical talents go sadly unappreciated, she chose to channel her mad word skills into creating sultry Southern timeslip novels.

But if you catch her at a signing, she can probably be convinced to rap with you anyway.

 

Here's a little about Myra's amazing looking book, Hourlgass:  

 

 For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
 
Here's the cover for her second book in the series, Timepiece. Love it!

You can buy her books at IndieBound, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. I've even been told if you buy one you get a pony free (okay, not really).

AND Myra has been awesome enough to read an excerpt of her new book, Timepiece! Click here! (link goes live at 1 Pacific).

Here's the link for the next stop on your hunt: Gregg Olsen.
If you'd like to see my bonus feature (the never before seen 1st chapter of Witch Song 2) visit Cynthia Hand's blog as well! And don't forget to leave a comment here to win a copy of Witch Song.

Puzzle Rules:
As an extra bonus we’ve put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!

Directions: Search for the 37 keywords—one on each Scavenger Hunt website—that are highlighted in RED. When you are finished, go here [link] to the puzzle form, where you will find a list of scrambled keywords. Put your keywords in the same order as the scrambled ones—from #1 - #37—and paste that list into the entry form.

Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed puzzle form before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be included and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered! The contest is international.

~Amber
Facebook II Twitter II Goodreads

Book Piracy is Stealing

This year, an author will spend hundreds of hours writing a book that you will download for free.

I've heard all the arguments. Hannah said, "I don't think that a few bites out of the book sales of mega authors are going to make that much of a difference to their profit."

This mistaken belief goes back to the fable that all authors are rich. I see it all the time. My neighbors frequently ask me when I'm moving into my mansion. The truth is that the average American author makes 9k a year. We are not rich. Most of us barely make enough to supplement our income (and believe me, my wallet has felt the thousands of illegal downloads of Witch Song). A few lucky authors make enough to pay their bills without a second job. Only a handful make enough money to move into the upper class.

But let's say you've downloaded some mega author's novel like JK Rowling or Stephanie Meyer. Stealing from them doesn't count because they're already rich??? Sorry. Stealing is stealing. You can justify it all you want, it won't change the truth. It's kind of like the argument that stealing from Walmart doesn't hurt anyone other than some nameless corporation. The truth is that every customer pays for theft in the increased prices from security measures and profit losses. Some writer's book will fail to make it and that author's contract won't be renewed. 

I'm familiar with Neil Gaiman's argument that book piracy actually helps sales because it's free marketing and the people who downloaded the book wouldn't have bought it anyway.

I disagree. There's generations of people who believe that content should be free because of the erroneous belief that the content didn't cost anything to create. And in once sense they're right. There are virtually no cost of materials in ebooks.

But what about time? After all, it's the only thing we as humans really have to give anyone. As I said before, authors spend hundreds of hours on their book. That's not to mention editors, cover artists, publisher production costs, etc.

Don't we deserve to be paid for those hundreds of hours?

"Downloading the book is no different from borrowing the book from a friend or the library."

Wrong. The library bought the book. You're friend paid for the book. They can lend it out until the binding falls apart and you can't read past the coffee stains. Though most people don't because they take care of their books.

But that doesn't happen with ebooks. No matter how many times you lend the book, it doesn't age. Meaning you can then lend the book out to infinity. And people do. Lending the book thousands of times, of which the author is paid once or not at all.

With Witch Song, we began to send the book out to book review blogs who requested the book. One of the girls coordinating my book tour contacted me to inform me that someone on the tour had pirated the book. She was appalled and wanted to apologize.

Within a week, the book had thousands of downloads from different file sharing sites. I reported this to my publisher, who went through the laborious process of having those files taken down. The very next day, the same people put the book back up.

I felt betrayed and undermined by the very people I thought wanted to help my book succeed.

So what's the solution?

For people to stop stealing. Seriously, if you can't afford a book, borrow one from the library. If they don't have it, request it. Most libraries are happy to buy books their patrons are interested in.

Book sellers like Amazon need to have the files available in numerous formats to everyone who wants to buy it--this includes all English speaking countries--without any ridiculous fees.

Hosting sites need to be held accountable for the websites they host. If they host a child porn site, they should pay a fine. If they host a site that sells pirated books, they should pay a fine. I understand that they don't have the man hours to patrol all their sites, but after a site has been reported, they should investigate it.

Search engines should block these sites from their searches.

Short story: Piracy hurts authors. Pay for your books.

http://www.rachellegardner.com/2011/11/authors-and-book-piracy/

Pics with Tyler Whitesides and Elana Johnson

This is the panel with Tyler Whitesides (Janitors), Elana Johnson (Possession), and me at the Logan Library.

 Director Robert Shupe introducing us. The room was packed. Standing room only.

The local paper was there taking pictures.

Of course, I had to buy Elana and Tyler's books. One for my son, the other for me. Perhaps there's a giveaway in my future???

As you can see, I like to laugh. A lot. ;) Plus Elana is hilarious!

Okay, I'll admit I was super nervous. More nervous than when I spoke to an entire assembly of middle schoolers. More nervous than when I presented at a writer's conference. I just felt so . . . inadequate. Elana has a huge publisher. Her blog has like 2k followers. Tyler's publisher has sent him all over the country for weeks on his book tour. I'm sure he'll break into the NYT Bestseller list. And then there's little old me.

Have you ever felt inadequate?

Appearances & a Question

The next two weeks, I'll have several appearances:
Oct 3rd: Dungeon Crawlers Radio Interview. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dungeoncrawlersradio/2011/10/04/dungeon-crawlers-radio
October 4th: School visits to the Rich Co. Middle and High Schools. Signing and presentation at the Randolph, UT Senior Citizens Center that night.

October 12th: David Farland's author chat phone call (free) 7pm. http://authorsadvisory.blogspot.com/

October 15th: Logan Library panel and signing with fellow authors Elana Johnson (Possession) and Tyler Whitesides (Janitors).

Q4U: I'm considering writing a sequel to Witch Song. What do you guys think?

Pics from my launch party

My very first public reading. Apparently, I read way too fast, even though I slowed way down (I read really, really fast).

Answering questions

We borrowed a lot of antique/vintage bottles to go with the witch theme. My friend, JoLynne brought herbal bouquets--they smelled SO good. My SIL Jenni brought the flowers and burlap to go with our Witch theme.

 Some of the crowd who came to support me.
 More peeps who came to support me!

We had apple cider with dry ice to go with the whole potion theme we had going. All the little kids were enthralled.

We had so much fun! Thanks to the library (especially Emily and Ginny!), Stephanie Jensen, JoLynne Lyon, Jenni Argyle, Derek Smith, Shauna Johnson, Andrea Winkler, and Katie Mackleprang.

My Launch Party is Today!

When I signed my contract, my book release seemed so far away. It didn't feel real. Then little things started adding up. When we finally started working on edits. When my cover was finalized. When it began to appear on book sites like Goodreads and Amazon.

And now Witch Song has actually been released. Sometimes it still doesn't feel real. Like I'm waiting for some line I need to cross that means I'm a real author with a real book that real people can buy.

Today is another one of those moments. My *launch party. A celebration that means all the hard work and worry and frustrations can finally begin to pay off. It feels like a graduation. Something I've held close to myself, nutured, and watched grow. Now, I can open my hands and set it free into the world.

It's a good feeling. :)

*The Launch Party is Monday, Sept 12th from 7-9 at the Hyrum City Library (50 W. Main). There will be a presentation from 7-7:30. There will be treats. YOU CAN BRING YOUR KIDS. I will have a TV set up in another room with a movie playing.

** I just had to tell you all how awesome my launch party was. I had so much support, and the presentation went really really well. It was so much fun!

Random Acts of Publicity

The 3rd Annual Random Acts of Publicity, September 6-8, is a week to celebrate your friend’s book, or your favorite book, by doing a Random Act of Publicity: Blog, Link, Like, Review, or Talk about the book . (BLLuRT it Out!)

The event is hosted by Elana Johnson. Go to Elana's blog and enter to win a free copy of Variant by Robison Wells.

So today, I'm talking about my friend Michelle Argyle's Monarch.

Here's my review from Goodreads: Monarch is an intricate blend of the literary and thriller genres. The pacing is relentless. The scenes gritty and real. The characters as intricate as the plot that twists around them.


If you crave literary books with a plot as strong as the writing, you'll love Michelle Argyle's Monarch.

Here's the BLLuRT's for Michelle's book.

• Michelle's Website
• MONARCH on Amazon
• Michelle on Facebook
• Michelle on Twitter
• My review of MONARCH on Goodreads
• Enter to win MONARCH on Goodreads list (make sure you add it to your "to read" list!)
• Become a fan of Michelle on Goodreads

What's one of your favorite reads for 2011?

Book Tour links for those following along:

Monday, September 5: (The Interview with Jessica's will be moved to another date and time). Instead, you can read a real life recipe from the book (Honeycakes and Golden Curry Soup) as created by Christy Dorrity at Dearest Dreams. http://www.dearestdreams.com/2011/08/tasty-tuesday-golden-curry-soup-and.html

Tuesday, September 6: Cassandra at CA Marshall (Character Interview) http://www.camarshall.com/2011/09/witch-song-desert-island-edition.html

Wednesday, September 7: Amy at Reading Teen (Review) http://ReadingTeen.net/

Thursday, September 8: Christie at The Fiction Enthusiast (In Her Own Words) http://thefictionenthusiast.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 9: Nicole at Books Complete Me (Tens List)
http://www.bookscompleteme.com/2011/09/witch-song-by-amber-argyle-top-ten.html

And another review: http://ayareader.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-witch-song.html

Read the first 5 Chapters of Witch Song +

One chapter is posted on each of the following blogs:

Sunday, August 28- Page Turners Witch Song Chapter 1
Monday, Aust 29: Fire and Ice Witch Song Chapter 2
Tuesday, August 30: Once Upon A Twilight Witch Song Chapter 3
Wednesday, August 31: We Fancy Books Witch Song Chapter 4
Thursday, September 1: Mundie Moms Witch Song Chapter 5 

Thanks to Mundie Moms for setting the tour up.

And the Teen Scene Blog Tour links for the week (links will be updated when they're posted):

Monday, August 29: Katie at Mundie Moms (Guest Post)
Tuesday, August 30: Jodie at Jodie's Book Reviews (Character Interview)
Wednesday, August 31: Precious at Fragments of Life (Review)
Thursday, September 1: Melissa at Mel's Books and Info (Into the Past) http://bookgirl-mel.blogspot.com/2011/09/into-past-with-amber-argyle-author-of.html
Friday, September 2: Lexie at Poisoned Rationality (Character Tens List) http://www.prationality.com/2011/09/pr-special-edition-51-amber-argyle.html
And reviews links:
My Writing Bug
Esther's Ever After

I want to thank all the people who follow my blog. All the bloggers who've been part of one of my three tours (I *heart* Book Lovin' Bitches, The Teen Book Scene, and Mundie Moms!). All the readers who've taken the time to write a review and share a little of Witch Song with the world.

You have a part in Witch Song's success; in the fact that we're going up against books with big marketing budgets and we're holding our own--and in some cases kicking butt.

And if you've gone through all that and you're still here, I commend you. Now I'm going to share some personal stuff. My book's official release date is tomorrow. Reviews are going up EVERYWHERE. This is super awesome. I'm beyond thrilled that people are reading something I spent years writing and then taking their valuable time to write a review. By and large, they're loving it.

But a few people aren't. That's okay. Not every book is for every person. I don't expect everyone to love Witch Song, and I don't want anything other than honest reviews. BUT I've come to the point where I can't read them anymore. I've talked to other authors, and most of them are adamant that you don't read your reviews. I can see why.

The honest truth? I need positivity in my life. I need encouragement and people in my corner rubbing my shoulders and shooting water in my mouth so it can run down the front of my shirt. I need cheerleaders. And part of writing reviews (for some) is about criticising. That's important for many readers in deciding whether or not to buy a book, but it's crippling for writers (kinda like having one too many alpha readers after the fact).

IF you'd like me to read/comment on your review or post a link on my blog, please feel free to send it to me: amberargyle at yahoo dot com But please don't bother if your review is negative. I don't want to hurt any one's feelings here. I'm just trying to preserve a positive aura.

Q4U: If you're an aspiring writer, do you think you'll read your reviews? Do you think reviews should be brutally honest or tactful? Can you really do both?

~Amber

Read Witch Song Chapter 2 For Free

Witch Song Chapter 2 is now up on Fire and Ice. Click here to read it.

If you missed chapter 1, go to Page Turners.

Chapters 3,4 and 5 will be posted over the next three days.

You can also read another interview of me on Just Another Book Addict as part of the Book Lovin' Bitches tour.

And learn about how I how my upbringing affected my writing on Mundie Moms.

Another great review on Katelyn's blog.

I love book blogs! Thanks to all of you!

Amber

Read the first 5 chapters of Witch Song, free

As part of the Mundie Moms Witch Song Blog Tour, you can read the first 5 chapters of Witch Song free. One chapter will be released for five days in a row. Starting today.

Chapter 1 is up at The Page Turners Blog

All Tour Stops:

8/28th- Page Turners, Witch Song Chapter 1

8/29- Fire & Ice, Witch Song Chapter 2

8/30- Once Upon A Twilight, Witch Song Chapter 3

8/31- We Fancy Books, Witch Song Chapter 4

9/1- Mundie Moms, Witch Song Chapter 5