Saturday, December 29, 2012

New Year's Resolutions

Since I'll be busy both New Year's eve and New Year's day, I decided to make a post early reflecting on this year and what's to come in 2013.  Without further ado...

2012
oldlinepublishing:

Celestria Hale learns that she is one of the last living Dark magicians. Upon leaving her hometown, she searches for others like herself to find out what has happened to her kind. She meets Alaire, another Dark magician with a dangerously sinister past. Through their travels, Celestria and Alaire come face to face with their enemies. The White magicians plot against them, developing a conspiracy that will overtake the last of them. While struggling for survival, Celestria must also come to terms with her sister’s death.  But is her sister dead? There’s no way out. The battle’s already begun, and only the most powerful force will prevail. Everyone shows a longing hunger in their eyes, but their greed for power is only the beginning of a war raging between darkness and light. With the war approaching to determine the fate of magicians, Celestria fears for her and Alaire’s existence. Destiny may find them, but will it be enough?
The most amazing part about this year was the publication of Cursed With Power.  After spending six years trying to publish one of my books, I am proud to say that this one will always be remembered as my first.  The fans have been amazing, the support has been wonderful, and journey -with it's ups and downs-has been worth all the blood, sweat, and tears I poured into this book.
Another important part of this year was finding myself again, and in that journey I also found someone who has supported me through a lot.  My boyfriend, Eric, has done more than any words could do justice, and I'll gladly share to the world that this man is the one I am happy to say stands beside me through everything.  (And we all know that dating a writer can't be easy, can it?)
And let's not forget that now my hair is dyed blonde, and I absolutely love the change!
stil-inski:



You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices. I hope she likes hers.


1/∞ Favourite Books - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
And then there was this book that impacted me like none other has ever before... The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.  I am in love with this book, and it's honestly like nothing that's ever been written.  John Green has an amazing gift, and if there's one thing that man should be remembered for it's this book alone.
2013
I have no idea what to expect next year, but what I do know for certain is that the world isn't ending and anything could happen at this point.  Next year I just want to give my all, do my very best with everything, and never take life for granted... Because after all, I think in the end that's what it's all about.  Don't take anything for granted and live your life out to the fullest.  If that means late nights editing for me, then hey that's all right. Leal get out of my head already....

Hope everyone has a great beginning to the New Year!  I'll be back after the holiday with more to share.
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Behind the Character: Nicia

the image is not mine; credit to photographer
Nicia is a new character we'll be meeting for the first time in the upcoming sequel, Punished With Destiny.  I've been talking about her a lot, mentioning her here and there, and I decided it was time for me to give her a more proper introduction.
In Italian the name "Nicia" means "victorious people."  As for whether the meaning actually fits our character is something I'll let you decide.  To be honest, I don't remember how I first came across this name.  Somehow I came across it and was immediately drawn toward it because it's rare and sounded unique.
While I can't go into much detail about our new character -since you'll meet her in the book- I will reveal that she has a very significant role.  I have no idea how readers are going to react to her, but if nothing else I hope they see that she brings out a different "side" of Leal.  And who knows, maybe we will also see that Leal brings out the best in her.

Nicia's name may be unique, but I'm also working to make her character unique in ways that separate her from others.  What I suppose inspired her was that in CWP Celestria was the main female character that I worked with the most, and now Nicia is a whole new challenge.  She can be brutally honest, but at the same time she could be the best friend you rely on with your life.  I still have quite a ways to go with her -considering the fact I'm only halfway through the book-but I'm working to make it so that readers are drawn toward her loyalty and mysteriousness.
Are you ready for what's next?  We find out all of Nicia's secrets and more in the upcoming sequel, and until then...
Happy reading!
Coming next: Welcoming the new year
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Friday, December 21, 2012

Announcements: Upcoming sequel and book #3!

Let's start with the upcoming sequel...

Generally when readers finish the first book in a series the question they're left wondering is, "when can I read the next book?"  So I thought it was time I talked about the release date for the upcoming sequel, Punished With Destiny.  We don't have anything official, but I'm hoping that during winter break I can sit down and finish the book -or at least come close to finishing.  (Mind you, this would require for Microsoft Word to be up and running -and as of presently, I'm having some issues with it.)  Either way, here's my unofficial release date for you: spring of 2013.  I know it's very general, but I'm making it my goal to have everything finished before the spring, so Old Line can do what they do best and make everything finalized.  Why the spring, you ask?  Well it'll be six months from when CWP released, so just around the time readers will be finishing the first book they'll have the second one to look forward to.  Feel free to pass on the news :)  (just remember nothing's official yet!)

Now what's this about a third book?!
For those of you who don't know, Cursed With Power is the first book of five in the Magicians series.  Oddly enough that was something I decided right away before I even began writing CWP.  Anyways, I already have a working title for the third book.
*drum roll*
Banished With Magic will be the third book in the Magicians series.  While this title may change when I actually start writing the book, I think it might stay permanently.  Now as for the last two books, the titles are not going to be revealed as of right now.  All the same, I'm looking forward to the adventure and hope you are too.

Coming up next: the story behind Nicia (new character)
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Oh Christmas joy! *a special gift from author to reader*

    
It's the holiday season where joy is in the air, and if we're lucky there might also be some snow.  More so to the point, though, it's also the giving season.  While I'm still working fiercely on Punished With Destiny, I'd also like to give my readers something to entertain them during the wait.  I came up with the idea that I could write a holiday scene with the characters from the Magicians series.  
So here's how you can help me....
  • Tell me what characters you'd like included in the scene --no one is off limits, and I'll even allow requests for characters that will be in the upcoming sequel
  • If you don't remember characters, I'll name a few here: Celestria, Leal, Alaire, Aldemund, Christopher, Fayth, Mervyn, Nicia, Rahela, Esmour, Jacquette, Mrs. Irvine (Leal's mother), Malin, Rostland (all characters in red are from the sequel)
  • Remember, keep in mind that this is the holiday season. Since this scene will most likely not appear in the books (as of presently) anything could help.
You pick the characters, and I'll write the story.
It's simple and easy, and even if you haven't finished reading the book or haven't read it all, it's simple enough that you can choose any character.  Hopefully I'll get your thoughts on this, and if not I might have to reconsider if it'll be worth writing and posting.  Happy holidays everyone!
Coming up next: Behind the character - Nicia
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Thursday, December 6, 2012

7 Years Ago

This time of the year holds a very special place in my heart, and not simply because I enjoy the holidays -which I do.  Seven years ago I began the journey into the writing world.  It all started with the cover you're looking at right now.  I sat down and started writing what would become my first novel, The Magic of Light.
For those of you who haven't heard the story, The Magic of Light followed the lives of Trisha and Keith.  They were "good" magicians, living in a world overrun and terrorized by Dark magicians.  Magicians have always seemed to fascinate me, and I feel like for a long time they've been haunting my mind, waiting for me to tell their stories.  Anyways, back to the story... This book was definitely not ready for publication in any way, but my inner writer was determined to have her voice be heard.  And so fate had it that many -more than I can count-publishers would hear my voice.  The problem of course was that this book was not publishing material. Sure there was promise perhaps, but it wasn't perfect and certainly wasn't ready.
I cannot begin to tell you how many rejection letters I received during the four years I worked so hard to have that book published.  I was determined, and when people criticized the book and told me I needed to do something else it only made me want it more.  Once you step your feet in the water you can't jump out, and for me that's exactly what the publishing industry was.  Now that I had a feel of it, I didn't want to run away just because it was scary.  (And oh was it scary!)
But then how is it that after four years I gave up on Trisha and Keith, and ended up writing a story about a totally different world with Celestria and Alaire?  What happened during those fours years that changed?  Well, for one, I changed a lot and matured during those years.  Even now I'm still maturing and growing into a stronger writer, and if there's anything I learned during the time I spent on The Magic of Light it's that you don't give up on something you love.  You perfect it, make it better, give it your full heart....and then try again.

   

There have definitely been a lot of changes through the years, but I'm really happy that seven years down the road this is where we have ended up.  There is so much more to come in the Magicians series, and Celestria's story was only the beginning.

Here's to many more years of writing! And as always a huge thank you and many hugs to all of you out there who support me :)
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Hello December, Goodbye NaNoWriMo

I honestly had no idea that I would finish NaNoWriMo this year, but somehow I did.  I finished literally a few minutes before I had to leave for work, and let me tell you that once I finished I swore I could never write again. Naturally I did the only logical thing... and started writing the first thing when I woke up this morning.
And now look, it's already December and I haven't changed my calendar!  If anything, NaNo has just proven to me that time flies.  Finals are coming up this month, so today might be my one free day to write before I have to study like crazy.

As most of you know, I intend on having Punished With Destiny released in the spring of 2013, so the fact that I've finished more than half of the book will hopefully help me reach that deadline.  Leal has been a pain at times, but I'm starting to grow fond of the characters.  The first part of the book focuses on Leal's life before he met Celestria, being as he was a part of Destin.  All of the characters in this first part are mainly new to me with the exclusions of Leal, Alaire, and Aldemund.  I suppose that's the most exciting and challenging part of this book so far: having a whole new cast of characters to work with.  At times it can be frustrating, but now that I've become more accustomed to them I can't wait for when I'm in the editing process to add more to them. (Haha imagine that, someone looking forward to editing.)

CWP news
The support for Cursed With Power has been amazing, and let me just say for the record (and the millionth time) that I love each and every one of you who have shown your support.  I certainly hope that the book can be a success because there's so much more to come in the next four books of the series.
Now that it's December, we have another book signing on the way!  On December 8th, I'll be at North Carroll Library to chat with fans, sign copies of the book, and also sell copies for those who haven't made a purchase yet.  Remember a book can be a wonderful gift for someone who loves to read :)  I realize a lot of you who follow this blog don't live in or near Maryland, but I'll ask someone to take pictures and post them here after the event.

Happy December!
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Monday, November 19, 2012

Cursed With Power first Book Signing!

Saturday was one of the best days of my life, and my first book signing was a huge reason behind that.  I woke up at 8am, got dressed, fancied myself up, and waited till around twelve in the afternoon for my boyfriend to arrive to drive me.  The book signing was in Hunt Valley at Greetings and Readings.  I arrived at 1pm exactly, and sat at a table with a fellow local author.  There were seven authors in total all from Old Line Publishing.

Everyone -authors and attendees-were friendly and delightful to be around.  The support was unbelievable, and let me tell you after spending six years trying to publish a book it was the most surreal moment of my life.  All of the rejections, the rough nights, the struggles.... these are the moments where you see that it really is worth it.
While unfortunately a lot of my writing friends live out of state (and nowhere near Maryland), I am so thankful to those who did attend.  My family, friends, and boyfriend stayed and supported me all the while.  It was a great experience for both me and the book, and I am so thrilled for the upcoming events that are already lined up.
 
Plus Michael J. Sullivan (fantasy author of Theft of Swords) and his wife showed up for the signing, which I cannot thank them for enough!  They stayed nearly the entire two hours, talking with my parents and the president of my company.  There aren't enough words to express how grateful I am that Mr. Sullivan showed up to the event.

Anyways, I just wanted to share the events with those of you who weren't able to attend.  There's much more on the way, but for now I have other tasks at hand. Enjoy your nights!

Coming up next: More book events for Cursed With Power
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Happy three months, CWP!



If you reverse time and go back two years, you would have never been able to convince me that this book would end up being published.  I don't think any of us authors actually know what to think once we're sending out our book to publishers; we just wait and hope for the best. I'm actually a day late on the celebration, but I assume no one here will hold against me. If you keep up with my Facebook page, you might have seen the status yesterday.
Time has been flying by, and I mean quite literally I don't know where the time has gone.  A lot has changed since Cursed With Power released, and when you look back on it it's like a story within the story.  Or maybe it's only something I as the author find amazing, but we've certainly come a ways.

The change in covers isn't the only change though.  I could stay here all day and tell you every little aspect that changed, and how each impacted the book.  The most important part of what this month brings us and the months to come is that now CWP is a part of the literary world.  Through Celestria's struggles, the real world struggles, and everything in between it all was worth it in the end.  Now we have four more books to keep on the look-out for.
So I just wanted to take this time to thank you all again.  And next time I'm on here we'll see what happens!  NaNo has clouded my brain so much that I'm not going to pretend what I'll talk about next.
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Birth of the upcoming sequel

  
The upcoming sequel to Cursed With Power has been in progress ever since the publication of CWP in September.  When I talk about the "birth" of it, I'd like to think of this first draft as just that.  There are bound to be much editing left and new additions and etc. left desired, but this is the beginning of something new and exciting.  Those of you who have finished the book have remarked about your interest in reading the next book, and I assure you I am just as eager as you to take the journey.  With NaNoWriMo currently going on, it's a bit of a hectic time now, but I wanted to take this time tonight to talk more about what's to come.
It all starts with Cursed With Power.  Honestly I wouldn't even be writing this upcoming sequel if it wasn't for everyone's support with the first book in the Magicians series.  If you don't know already, it's a five book series, and we're expecting to make it through all five books. *fingers crossed*  All of the support -small and large-has meant everything to this book, the series, and I myself as the author.  I seriously cannot thank you guys enough!

This new book I've been working on also feels like a new chapter of my life.  With college and working and all the new changes, I also like that this book can reflect those changes.  Obviously Punished With Destiny (book #2) is nothing like our lives, but I like that it's new, and I'm hoping that readers will enjoy the new aspects it brings forth from where Celestria's book ended.  My main job now is to write... solely write, and that's the best part about writing.  There's nothing more enjoyable than being able to sit down and write something new.  While it's true I've entered this book into NaNoWriMo, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm in a rush to make sure I finish this by the end of November.  No matter what happens this month, I am happy to be continuing forward with the book nonetheless.
  
And speaking of new chapters, it's good to be smiling with all of the new changes in my life.  So here's to new beginnings because they really do make all of the difference!

Coming up next: More book signings scheduled for Cursed With Power!
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Thursday, November 1, 2012

50k in 30 days

That's right, it's no secret that National Novel Writing Month started today and will be carrying on until November 30th.  I'll be entering this year for my fourth year in running, and let me just say... I am attempting to mentally prepare myself for the exhausting nights.  I've even got my writing face ready...

Just kidding, of course!
But NaNoWriMo isn't the only thing happening this month.  November is actually a very exciting month because there's a lot going on.  Besides Thanksgiving and NaNo, here's some other things happening you might not know about:

  • Cursed With Power fall GIVEAWAY ends today.  Winners will be announced later tonight on both my blog and via Facebook 
  • November 17th -my first book signing in Hunt Valley, MD!  I'll keep a reminder about it on here, and any of you in or near the Maryland area are more than welcome to come.  Those of you who can't, never fear, I'll bring back pictures
  • Thanksgiving and a break from college -yes, with Thanksgiving comes a short break from college which I am looking forward to.  If you're in college, I'm sure you understand the feeling
Okay so maybe it's not all that much just yet, but it's a new month and a new leaf (as some of us like to say), so here's to new opportunities.  I have honestly been looking forward to this month, so I hope we all can enjoy it.
I've been working on the upcoming sequel a lot today (and every single day of my life), so I am headed back to work.  I'll be back later tonight to announce the winners of contest.  
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Hurricane Sandy approaching

I live in Maryland, so unfortunately we are expected to see Hurricane Sandy.  Hopefully we won't lose power, but if we do I have all my writing materials to keep me busy and occupied. 

 
I have no idea what will happen this week, but for those of you who are also expecting to see the hurricane please stay safe.  This is a shorter post than what I usually like to write, but I'm going back to working on my upcoming book.  In the meantime, please enjoy a picture of my cat:
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Writing in Red

Hi everyone!  I know it's been awhile; I tend to say that every time I come here and blog. (For me, it feels like it's been weeks, but in all honesty I have no idea)  It's been a crazy month with college, papers, tests, work, and then writing... But I keep on writing in red!  Lately my red pen has been around...
 
Now I realize all of this pictures revolve around chapter nine, but actually this entire chapter was written in red -which is more fitting than you may think now.  It's been a very emotional chapter to say the least, and now that it's finished I'm moving onto the next chapter.
But wait there's more...
It's no secret that there's a giveaway going on for Cursed With Power.  Make sure if you haven't entered yet to enter as soon as possible because there are only eight days left.  You can enter: here
These lovely bookmarks are just three of the several prizes you can win.  I know the large picture is blurry, but hopefully you can see the other three on the side.  These bookmarks were personalized to include the names of: Alaire (gold), Leal (blue), and Celestria (red).

That's all I have to share for now, but more of the prizes will be arriving in the mail and I'll post pictures as they come in.  Before I go, I will share some pictures I've been taking when I write outside.  This fall weather is beautiful, and better yet, the scenery is inspirational!
 So if you're running into writer's block or just need some inspiration, go outside and you'd be surprised by just how welcoming it can be.  Looking back through this post, I did realize there were many pictures... But we'll just go with it and accept it.  Besides, no harm in posting pictures to add in more fun :)Coming up next: We apologize to our charactersLindsey R. Sablowski


Thursday, October 18, 2012

4th year of NanoWriMo

Believe it or not, four years ago I joined NaNoWriMo and entered into a whole new world of madness I never knew excited.  And let me just say for the record that four years ago I was scared.  Literally.  50k in 30 days?  Madness, complete madness!
However, after that first year Nano actually became a real challenge for me.  Sadly I've never made it to the 50k because the novels I chose to write were ones I fell out of touch with.  This year I can guarantee you that won't happen.  It's kind of hard to give up on a novel your publisher is expecting you to write...


Now I know for a lot of you Nano is the month where you start an entirely new novel, but since my sequel will have over 50k words, I'd like to join in for the month and get it accomplished. (I have roughly 16k right now, but I will be adding another 50k to it.)  
For those of you who will also be entering in this year, you can add me as a friend.  My username on Nano is 2doggys1cat.  (Such an old username; might have to see if I can change it)  Let's see if somehow I can juggle college, work, life, and Nano all in one month!  Yeah right....
I'll be back later on this week.  And remember: don't forget to enter in the Cursed With Power FALL GIVEAWAY here
Coming up next: What do we make our characters suffer through?
Lindsey R. Sablowski


Friday, October 12, 2012

CONTEST: CWP FALL GIVEAWAY

We're celebrating the coming of fall, as well as the fact that Cursed With Power has been out for over a month. (The 6th was the official month marker)  To celebrate, we're having a giveaway for you.  For all of you; each and every one of you have the chance to enter and win!  Enter here
What do you have the chance to win?  Let's take a look:
  • 3 character bookmarks -featuring Alaire, Leal, and Celestria
  • Free Paperback copy of Cursed With Power (AUTOGRAPHED)
  • Free e-book version of Cursed With Power (Winner can choose between Nook and Kindle. Kindle copy can be signed)
  • 5 signed bookmarks
  • Medium sized poster -includes author's signature
So I'm encouraging everyone to join in and enter for a chance to win any of these prizes!  You have the entire month to enter, so spread the word, gain your points, and keep on entering!  I may consider posting some pictures of the prizes later on this week -or next week depending on how crazy everything becomes.

Also, if you didn't hear, Cursed With Power was placed in the Howard County Times newspaper.  You can read about it here online if you're interested: click, click.  We made the front page!  How neat is that?!
"The thing that sets 'Cursed with Power' apart is the realism," says Donaho, who describes her role in this case as proofreading and tweaking. "[The book] has some religious aspects, some romance, and her readers can relate to the universal themes of friendship, love, trust and the death of someone close.
"At her age this is a tremendous accomplishment. ["Cursed with Power"] is the first book in a series, and she makes you want to read the next one."

Happy Friday everyone!
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Contest, and prizes, and winners... OH MY!

We're starting the day off saying "AWWW" to this adorable kitty.  But where was I?
Did you hear contest?  That's right! I will be hosting a Cursed With Power FALL GIVEAWAY contest this month!  Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter, and believe me you won't want to miss out on this.  We're not only celebrating that fall is in the air, but this is also a celebration that CWP has been officially published for a month now (I'm a few days late on noticing).  Everyone has been so supportive... It's time you gain something back from it!
Now I won't reveal what the prizes are just yet, but I should have everything ready by tonight so I can post up the contest before the end of the week.  The contest will be held on Rafflecopter -not that you care; I can just post it into my blog or paste the link-so the more you participate, the more you can win!
This is the first official contest we're having.  If it goes over really well, I promise there will be more for the next contest.  Even so, don't leave disappointed because I'm sure there's a prize in there for everybody that could be of interest.

So what do you say.... Are you ready for this?
Lindsey R. Sablowski

Monday, October 1, 2012

Where will October take you? *includes COVER REVEAL*

For some like J.K. Rowling, October will take her -and perhaps keep her-on the top ten bestselling books.  For others like me and you, eh... we envy what she can accomplish with another book.
But it's October at last!  The last few weeks of September were a bit crazy, and I apologize in advance for the madness.  However, the beginning of a new month is always promising, and while I can't actually think of all that much that's happening this month, there are several on my calendar.
Howard County Times newspaper will be publishing their article on Cursed With Power this Thursday!  I'll have copies for any of you who are interested; if you live outside of Maryland, perhaps I could mail you one if you're dying to have it.
We think we'll go to Boston! Well not physically, but I will be doing a Skype chat with students at Emerson college about being managing the lifestyle of a college student and author.
November is coming closer with each passing day, meaning that before any of us realize it it'll be November 17th -Hunt Valley signing!  (These events are also posted on my author website.)

But more importantly, we have a cover reveal today! I've been talking about the upcoming sequel, but in case you didn't notice, there isn't a cover for it. Unfortunately I've had New Life still floating around. So all the credit goes to Kristia Seabolt for the amazing design of this cover!  It's only a place holder for now, but... well you're not listening now, so I'll just let you look at it:

What do you think?  Remember it's NOT official, but this is what you'll see around here and there for the time being.  
And before I go, did I ever share about the bookmarks?
That's the back with a quote directly from the book!  Anyways, I have some writing to catch up on before Leal starts yelling at me.  Some days his voice can be overwhelming....
I'll be back later on with more.  Who knows, maybe it's time for another character adventure.  Interested?
Lindsey R. Sablowski


Friday, September 28, 2012

The Meanest Character (with Christina Leigh Pritchard)

 Hi everyone today we have Christina Leigh Pritchard, author of the C I N series, with us talking about the meanest character she's ever written.  Please give her a warm welcome, and now I'll let her take it away:


First off, hello everyone and thank you, Lindsey, for having me on your blog today! I also want to give a
special shout out to L.M. Preston, author of The Pact: Retribution (available September 28th!) for putting
this mini blog tour together. It’s been wonderful learning about new books and authors!

“Who is the meanest character you’ve ever written?”

I want to say that Frank is the meanest character I’ve ever written (from the C I N Series) but I’m going
to have to go with Officer Lindsey instead. She’s a tyrannical leader in a futuristic novel (The War in the
Wall) I wrote back in the 1990’s (unreleased—but think of the Hunger Games x20!)

Officer Lindsey is fat and bitter. She’s complex but means well in her twisted way—lining up the parents
of her kidnapped children—and forcing them to watch as their parents are executed. This, of course, is
only the beginning. Officer Lindsey is so cruel, sometimes, while writing her scenes, I couldn’t stomach
what was being typed. I cried a lot and took lots of walks on the beach to clear my head!

(Now you see why I have never released this one! It’s the most violent and graphic book I’ve ever
written—and it was during my young teen years. Hormones? LOL!)

To learn more about the C I N Series and future books visit the blog dedicated to the series or check out
the debut novel C I N on Amazon.

Thanks for stopping by, Christina!  How interesting that her meanest character was named "Officer Lindsey;" can't say the two of us are alike haha.  Be sure to check out her book!   

Thursday, September 27, 2012

What Do You Love About Writing (with Bryna Butler)


Hey everyone!  Today we have YA Paranormal author, Bryna Butler, as a guest on the blog.  Please give a warm welcome and be sure to check out her books like Of Sun & Moon.


Thanks for having me on the blog today, Lindsey. I’d also like to give a special shout-out to L.M. Preston, author of The Pack-Retribution. L.M. is the genius behind this week’s whirlwind book tour.

I’m so excited to be on the blog today to talk about what I love about writing. Though I’ve never been a professional educator, I was once told that I must love teaching because I’m good at it. I strongly disagreed. To the dismay of my family of teachers, I don’t love teaching. What I love is the story. It just so happens that a good story can give a lesson staying power beyond any pop quiz or term paper.

Early in my career, I worked as a journalist. I think that a journalist’s heart still beats inside me. I feel it pump when I meet someone new or come across a fact I’ve never heard before. Curiosity is a beautiful thing for it leads to the story.

The job of fiction writing is even more exciting as it allows, no encourages, authors to take a fact and grow it, shape it, mold it, into something extraordinary and new. In my Midnight Guardian paranormal series, I mesh the very real, rural Midwestern U.S. with the fantasy world of Atlantis in a story woven with elements of suspense, romance, drama, and even comedy.
Cover for 'Midnight Child (Midnight Guardian Series, Book 3)'

What I love about writing? The story.

Thanks again to Lindsey for inviting me to the blog today. Tomorrow, be sure to check out her guest post on my blog, www.brynabutler.com

For more ways to connect with Bryna: 
Author Blog/Website: www.brynabutler.com
Currently Available Books in eBook & Paperback:
               Of Sun & Moon (Book 1, Midnight Guardian series)
               Whispering Evil (Book 2, Midnight Guardian series)
               Midnight Child (Book 3, Midnight Guardian series)
               Coming this Fall – Shadows Rising (Book 4, Midnight Guardian series)
Get to Know Bryna: Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube


Monday, September 24, 2012

The Pack Retribution: Emma Michaels hosts


Hello everyone!
My name is Emma Michaels and I am the author of the ‘A Sense of Truth’ series and Owlet (coming out October 13th!). Here are a few of my favorite things!
1.       That feeling when you’re writing and you are so immersed in the story that you feel like you’re flying. It is a moment of complete freedom and one of the best feelings in the world to me.
2.       Spending time with my fiancé and pup!
3.       Chinese Food. I think with my stomach and would love to have my pro bono work be here or my reading but I just can’t help it. I LOVE Chinese food. I can be in a TERRIBLE mood and if you put Chinese food in front of me I will be delighted.
4.       Connecting with readers and other authors!
5.       Learning. I love growth. I never want to stop growing and in my opinion some of the most important growth comes from emotions and knowledge. I try to take every opportunity I can to grow whether it is a trip to a museum or stopping to speak to someone telling a story. If something catches my interest you can be sure to find me looking it up online, reading about it and trying to find interactive ways to learn even more. While school and I never got along very well, education is a very big deal to me, no matter where it comes from.
6.       Plotting out new story ideas!
7.       Reading. This one is almost an extension of the answer above but not quiet. I love reading. It is my escape and I truly believe in the saying “Those who do not read live only one life, those who do, can live infinitely more.”
8.       My pro-bono work with authors and my art
9.       Walks in the wilderness!
10.   Last but not least trying new things!
Thank you for having me on your blog, to everyone reading and to LM Preston for hosting this wonderful tour! Stop by her Facebook page on September 9th for a chance to join in the party for The Pack – Retribution!  It is going to be a blast!
To find out more about Emma, you can find her and her books online:

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Pack Retribution Blog Tour with amazing hosts!


So this week is going to be a little crazy because we have the Pack Retribution blog tour going on for Lm Preston.  The great thing Lm has done with this tour is allowed us fellow authors to connect with one another and share with our followers about our work and hers.  So hopefully throughout this week you'll learn a little about each of us.
Want to meet your hosts?

Lm Preston
L.M. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.

KaSonndra Leigh
 "Author of the Lost Immortals Saga and the Path Seekers Series. I’m also a mother, blogger, reader, gardener, home renovator, and a slayer of undead Egyptian mummies in Tomb Raider. I believe in karma, coffee, and seriously wish that the producers of Xena would bring my favorite show ever back."

Nicole Olea
"The obscure ramblings of a writer mom not on the edge...usually."

Nicole Langan
 President of Tribute Books, book blogger and marketing extraordinaire! 

Nadege Richards
 Born in New York and raised in Pennsylvania, Nadege has traveled to five other states and two countries, but aspires to travel the world some day. Her name is of French origin, though she's never been to France. Forever a lover of art and all things pertaining to Literature, she hopes to obtain knowledge from her writing career, rather than popularity or fame. She wrote her first story about aliens and goats in the 8th grade and has had a passion for story-telling ever since. Her friends and family are her biggest inspiration, and the occasional cup of coffee. She enjoys being part of the Indie community and sharing her stories with the world.
Bryna Butler
 Indie author Bryna Butler pens an engrossing and refreshingly original take on the paranormal in her debut Midnight Guardian series. Butler's young adult paranormal novels feature strong female leads and are woven from elements of horror, suspense, comedy, and mystery, all in a modern, small town setting.
Butler is inspired by authors like Rachel Caine, Charlaine Harris, Lauren Kate, Joss Whedon, Neil Gaiman, Stephenie Meyer, and MaryJanice Davidson. Her work contains no profanity or explicit scenes, making it appropriate for pre-teen as well as teen reader

 C Lee McKenzie 
Our wonderful friend, C Lee McKenzie, won't be able to make it, but she has wonderful books you should check out!

And....
Christina Pritchard

That's everybody!  I'm looking forward to it, and I just wanted to let you guys know that this is what will be going on with the blog for this week.  Now and then I may still be able to squeeze in other posts, but I would like you to offer a warm welcome to these amazingly talented ladies!  Hope you enjoy it!  There's some great prizes you can win as well.
Lindsey R. Sablowski