Birthday present

I can't believe another year has gone by, but Saturday is my birthday and this year, you'll get the present. I've decided to make Natural Selection free on Smashwords until December 2. To use it, go to the site and add it to your cart. During checkout use the coupon code GT63L and it will be free. And don't forget the 99 cent sale is still going on through today, so check it out too.

99 cent Black Friday Weekend sale!

 Tired of the malls and the stores? Looking for gifts without breaking the bank?

How about 20 Young Adult books each priced at 99 cents now through Monday on Amazon? 

Buy some books for yourself.

Gift books to others.

Books are still the biggest entertainment bang for the buck, and there's SO many great titles to choose from. 

 Like romance, adventure, humor, or contemporary? How about Sci-fi, fantasy, or mythology? We've got you covered! 

  

 

Facebook and a bit

So first of all, I am still alive. If you didn't see it before, I had a baby five weeks premature. With all of his care, I can't make any guarantees about how often I will be around, but I will make an effort to keep you informed. Better Nature is being written, though slowly. I am trying very  hard to work as quickly as I can, but I am limited to nap time now. Once Better Nature comes out, there may be a gap before the next one is ready.

I know many of you have probably heard that Facebook is trying to monetize the services they offer and are only sending page updates to 9% of subscribers. This can make it hard to follow when there are things going on that you need to know about. There are some solutions,, if you are eager to keep up to date on releases, giveaways and other significant news.

1) Check my author's page on your own. I try to update regularly, though a lot of it is banter and my attempt at humor, I do share writing milestones, occasional quotes and relevant news.

2) Go to my author's page and hover over the like button until a drop down box shows up. Click "show in news feed" and all my posts will show up for you.

3) Friend me. I accept all requests to my account.

4) Subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the simple form in the side bar.

If anyone has any ideas, please feel free to share with me. I know this is a pain, but I think it is only a start. Indie publishing is new and as people realize there is money to be made, I fear more and more will begin to cost. I'm sorry for the gap in my posts and hope that I can be around much more frequently.

AWOL Author

Just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I might not be around for a bit. I am expecting, and will be induced on Tuesday. I don't know how long my recovery will be or how long I will be absent, but since I haven't been stellar at updating, anyway, maybe you won't miss me as much?

Update: I had my son last night at 6:10. He is beautiful, but he will need some extra tlc since he came early. All the issues of my pregnancy are gone, and the delivery was pretty smooth.

Spring Into Books Winner

Congratulations to Kelly Tanner. You've won the book prize pack. If you didn't win, stick around. I had fun doing this and you just might see something like this again.

Flash Foto Friday: My Point of View

Welcome to Flash Foto Friday hosted by Blog It Forward, Taking Time for Mommy, And the Little Ones Too, Put a Little Umbrella in Your Drink and My Mommy's World

This week the topic is My Point of View.

Click the picture to grab the button and link up your post!

Use the hashtag #flashfotofriday for your tweets.

Today I thought I'd try something new and join in a fun blog hop dedicated to photography. I am quite a shutter bug, though I do best with stills, and I have quite a few shots I love to share. My point of view has a story to go with it, as authors tend to do.

My husband and I bought our house back in 2005, and quickly began calling this horrendous evergreen next to the garage "the ugly tree" because it fit. The thing looked like a bonsai tree that someone let get a little out of hand. One day while playing with the settings on my Nikon D60 I snapped this photo and it changed my point of view on the ugly tree. There is a beauty in the twisted curl of it's gnarly branches....

Spring Into Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Spring Into Books Giveaway Hop, hosted by eReadingonthecheap.com & Beck Valley Books.I have always been a reader, as well as a writer, so this was a theme I could really get behind.

I have a prize pack of books that I read around the time I started writing Natural Selection, so they definitely had an influence on my writing. I am offering Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers Volume One, Amanda Hocking's Switched, Book One of the Trylle Trilogy and LJ Smith's Dark Visions. I am also adding both of my own books to sweeten the pot, as well as some swag. All these books are new paperbacks, and are Young Adult paranormal.

If you want to enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. But don't do that and skedaddle. If you scroll past the entry form, you'll find links to many more great giveaways that you're not going to want to miss. All the prizes in this giveaway have a value exceeding $10 and I know I will be entering to win some of them.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now that you're all signed up, here's some more great giveaways!

Free ebook

Have you read Dark Corners (by Liz Schulte) yet? If not, it is one of the best books i have read, full of twists and turns. When I got to the end I was right on who was the culprit only because I suspected everyone. I am a fantasy lover (obviously) and don't read much outside the genre, but I can't say enough good things about the book. Seriously, why are you listening to me about it. You should go check it out on Amazon since it's free today and tomorrow. :)

If you haven't left yet, let me entice you a little more.

Ella Reynolds knew from the first moment she walked into the old house someone or something was watching her. Waiting. Her husband's violent murder sent her spiraling into a world of grief and isolation, but Ella isn't alone. Who or what is responsible for her husband's death is still with her. Darkness has engulfed the past year of Ella's life. Everyday reality slips a little more between her fingers as she struggles to break free from her memories. She must look deeper into her past as well as the present to discover truth of her husband's homicide. A string of uncanny events takes place and practical explanations run thin as Ella follows the terrifying road to closure. As the past and present come to a head, Ella must decipher who or what the murderer is before it takes her as well.

Still not convinced? Ok, I got more. Check out Chapter One on Liz's blog. Also check out the trailer. This is such a good book I wouldn't want you to miss out on it. So go to Amazon today and get it. And tell your friends about. This is a book to share. :)

Lots of Love Giveaway Winner

This has been one of the most wonderfully overwhelming giveaways for me. I am speechless at the wonderful response and the out pouring of support. Without all of you , none of this would be possible. Thank you so much, whether you are a long time follower or just someone clicking through. You noticed me, and that makes a difference. :)

Now for the winner. I wish I could give a prize to everyone, but I think I might get disowned if I try. Sadly only one of you can win, and that person is Nikki Marie. Thank you to everyone for participating and come back again. More prizes and other good stuff will be coming in the next couple months, I promise.

Supernaturally Yours

Welcome to the third stop on this tour of hot supes. Now that Cait Lavender has told you all about weres, let's talk about (or perhaps I should say drool over) vampires.

It is unclear where vampires originated, since they appear early on in many different parts of the world. But most early cultures feature some sort of undead that must gorge on blood to survive. Early appearances of vampires vary from culture to culture, from the animalistic to completely human. In the middle ages, no one was certain how one became a vampire. My favorite method was if a bird flew over a grave that person would become a vampire. Though vampires have appeared in myth and lore since times unknown, the word vampire didn't exist until the eighteenth century.After several reputable cases were reported, vampire fever swept the nation. This led Bram Stoker to create the most commonly accepted interpretation of vampires to date.

• A vampire cannot survive in the sunlight
• Vampires can turn into a wolf or a bat.
• When a vampire sucks blood from the living, they in turn become a vampire.
• A vampire may not enter a home unless invited
• To kill a vampire, you must drive a wooden stake through his heart.

Since then vampires have continued to evolve. They have been featured in countless books. And of course, they have appeared in movies as well as on television. The minute most people hear the word vampire, they picture one of these vampires, whether it is Bela Lugosi in the classic 1931 film, Dracula, or Robert Pattinson sparkling in the sunlight. But when I think of vampires, here is who comes to my mind, in no particular order.

Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) ~ True Blood

Once a fierce viking, Eric didn't lose anything by becoming a vampire. He is cocky, and his moral compass doesn't always point to true north, but who cares. He could just stand on screen doing nothing and I'd still tune in.

Aiden (Sam Witwer) ~ Being Human

Aiden is a tortured soul who just wants to be free from vampire society. He is trying to come to grips with the monster within, with the help of his roommates, Josh and Sally.

Spike (James Marsters) ~ Spike

Spike first appears as a blood thirsty villian who loves himself almost as much as he loves Druisilla, but throughout the series he changes. First with the chip the Inititive plants in his head, then later because he gets his soul back, he grows to be a vamp Buffy can't help but notice. Sadly she never ended up with him. What was she thinking?

Damon Salvatore (Ian Sommerhold) ~ The Vampire Diaries

Ah, Damon. If Elena doesn't want him, can i have him? As the elder Salvatore brother, he tries to pretend he doesn't care about anything, but we can see the softy within. Damon makes no apologies for being a predator, though he reels it in for his own protection when he needs to. I just don't understand who could choose emo Stephen over the far superior Damon.

Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin) ~ Moonlight

The short lived series was doomed by the writer's strike of 2008, but it was amazing while it lasted. Mick was another tortured soul, desperate to not be a monster any longer. Perhaps one day he would have come to accept himself, but we will never know.

Jerry Danridge (Colin Ferrell) ~ Fright Night

Jerry was minding his own business, creating an army of party girls for his own pleasure when his nosey neighbor just has to play the hero. As the pushy kid gets closer and closer, this vamp gets a little nasty. Is it wrong that I find that sexy?

Dracula (Gerard Butler) ~ Dracula

When creating this list I had no idea they had made this version and it was a tragic oversight. Long before he bulked up to lead the Spartans to their death, Gerard had girls swooning as the charismatic count.

David (Keiffer Sutherland) ~ The Lost Boys

My first vampire crush, David is delightfully evil. He is the head of a vampire biker gang who just wants to help others live an eternal life of freedom with him. If you don't like all the damn vampires, just stay out of Santa Carla.

Lestat de Lioncourt (Stuart Townsend) ~ Queen of the Damned

By far my favorite imagining of Lestat. He's a vampire. And a rock star. 'Nuff said?

Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman) ~ Underworld

A werewolf hunted for a rare immortal gene, he is infected with the Lycan virus. After he is mortally wounded with a silver bullet, the woman who loves him has no choice but to bite him, turning him into a powerful hybrid. So he fits the list. Kinda....

So now that you know all about vamps, continue the supernatural journey with Sarah Ross's post about angels.