Myrtle Beach Write In

8 Amazingly talented authors + 3 days + one hotel room + a LOT of coffee = over 71,000 words

That's not a joke, that's the cumulative total for an epic weekend of writing in Myrtle Beach. Over 10,000 of those were mine. Yes I'm proud. And yes, I'm exhausted. While there was far more talking and goofing off than there should have been, I am happy with the results. So let me tell you about the weekend, outside of the word count.

I arrived after 10 hours spent traveling, though only three of them were actually spent in the air. I met up with the amazing Jordan Deen in Charlotte, passing the time until our flight left chatting. Once in Myrtle Beach, we grabbed a cab to the hotel where Dawn Pendleton and Andrea Heltsley were waiting for us. We grabbed dinner and walked down Ocean Boulevard to an arcade where none of us acted out age and all of us had a great time. People probably thought we were all drunk, but we were just high on each other (to steal Dawn's phrase).

On Friday we took a walk on the beach before heading back to our room to get some words down. We were joined that evening by Amy Miles and Bella Rocco, just in time for dinner and some grocery shopping. Finally on Saturday morning, the last two joined us, Kristina Circelli and Sarra Cannon, bringing the total number of authors to eight.

Saturday the plan was to spend the whole day writing, and I was ready for it. However, I had forgotten to take into account my inability to keep my mouth shut whenever there was a person in the vicinity to listen to my inane babble. Those poor authors... I was able to get some words, but not as many as I'd hoped. After a brisk walk in the cold, I realized I was ok with the original plan of staying in and headed back while some of the others explored I Love Sugar.

Sunday I was determined to make up for lost time, so I hit the floor running. While some of the others headed to Medeival Times for knights and hijinx, I stayed in the room, pounding out as many words as I could. It worked for me, since i had the highest word counts I'd had all week that day.

Monday morning everyone left, leaving me with a day before my flight home. Dawn, Andrea and I headed to the aquarium, then the alligator farm. before spending a quiet evening relaxing in the hotel.

All in all it was an amazing weekend and I came out of it charged with some great ideas for the weeks and months ahead. Cannot wait for the next time we can all get together...

A Zebra Like Me Release Day

Today is A Zebra Like Me's Book Birthday!

Maybelle Dawson longs for normalcy and belonging. Often misunderstood, she struggles with a rare disorder, labeling her a Medical Zebra.

Maybelle’s happiness and well-being threaten to slip through her fingers as she battles to take control of her life. She faces a never-ending battle on her journey to find love, courage and friendship in a world lacking acceptance.

With the guidance of her guardian angel, Maybelle finds her way out of emotional and physical isolation to discover lasting love and amazing friendships.

A Zebra Like Me is the story of one teenager’s battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder affecting one in five thousand people.

About the Author

Amy Maurer Jones has been happily married to her own version of Edward Cullen for sixteen years. She lives in the small town of Tabor City, North Carolina (close to the North and South Carolina shore) with her husband Kelly and their two beautiful children, Olivia and Keaton.

Amy loves reading and writing Young Adult because she finds young people inspiring. She appreciates how teens are able to look at the world with a fresh perspective and willingly open their minds to the endless possibilities that life has to offer. She particularly enjoys writing strong heroines who face problems head on, learn, grow and mature into the type of people who do the right thing.

When Amy isn't reading and writing, she teaches high school theater arts and dance. To say that Amy has a flare for all things creative would be an understatement, just don't ask her to assemble anything that requires instructions or sadly, you will be out of luck!

Favorite quote:

"You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost." ~ Martha Graham
Links:Website
Facebook
Amazon
Twitter

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author's Note

A Zebra Like Me 

is a work of fiction but Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and the message in this story are very real. I have EDS and I’ve learned to live with this disease. Sadly, much of my battle has been seeking compassion and finding acceptance from those who don’t understand it. My mission in publishing this book is two-fold.

1 – Awareness – I aim to educate people about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I’m a teacher and through my teaching I’ve learned the best lessons are learned in unexpected ways. I hope my readers will gain a better understanding of this disease through the fictional world I created for Maybelle. There are people like her all over the world. Some EDS patients’ symptoms are less severe than Maybelle’s, some are worse. You may know someone with EDS and not even realize it.

2 – Self Empowerment

– I want other people with EDS to know they are not alone. There are support groups and resources online that can help you learn how to cope with this disease. Don’t give up on a normal life. Learn how to avoid injuries and the external hazards that trigger your issues. Find hobbies that are safe, fun, and relieve stress. Surround yourself with positive people and avoid or tune out the people who can’t or won’t support you. Take care of yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally.


Need Help? The Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation is just a click away.

www.ednf.org

Fast Facts about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

“Individuals with EDS have a defect in their connective tissue, the tissue that provides support to many body parts such as the skin, muscles and ligaments.”

“The fragile skin and unstable joints found in EDS are the result of faulty collagen. Collagen is a protein, which acts as a “glue” in the body, adding strength and elasticity to connective tissue.”

“There are six major types of EDS, each classified according to their manifestations of signs and symptoms.”

“Clinical manifestations of EDS are most often join

Long time no see!

Bet you guys thought I'd forgotten about you. I'm an absentee blogger and should be ashamed of myself. Blogger, thy name is procrastination. Sadly, I can find more excuses to put something off than just sit down and do it. If only the technology existed to take the great blog ideas directly from my brain and put them on the screen, I'd be the best blogger ever. And I set up all these great series I was planning to do...

So why am I suddenly popping back into your lives after all this time you ask? Two reasons. #1 is I have vowed that I will be better about my blog this year. True I've made that promise before, but this time I really mean it. #2 is that I will have new stuff for you to read. I'm not sure of the date just yet, but in a little over two months, I should have the first book of my New Adult Dark Refelctions series out. Now I can't release details yet, but those of you who follow me on Facebook might have heard that it deals with bullying and body image. It was supposed to be contemporary, not because i was trying but because that was the story I wanted to tell. But as I got writing, all of a sudden the paranormal reared it's head and there was no going back. I blame The Conjuring (When I release further details, I will explain that and link to it from here. But for now you'll just have to wonder.) which while fantastic, really got an idea stirring in my head.

This blog is one of my goals for the year, but it's not the only one. Here's some others:

Create and maintain a Pintrest profile
I'm already well on my way with this one, though I still need to get some special boards together. My aim is to have boards you can look at to learn more about each character including the clothes they wear, what their environments look like and some of their favorite things.

Publish at least five titles this year
I'm well on my way to this one, with five titles already complete and another one in progress. Actually, technically I have four in progress. What are the titles? The three Dark Reflections books, the first Otherworldly novel, a spin off of the Forces of Nature series (I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot of work in their universe), and a secret project I am really looking forward to. So it's going to be a busy year for me, hopefully.

Be more present on social media
I think this has been a goal before, too... We'll see how it goes.

Start vlogging.
I can't even tell you how many times I've recorded the first one of these but still haven't uploaded anything. Starting next week that ends. I will try to get something for you guys before Wednesday. Throughout the year I will try to bring you interesting content, including behind the scenes at conventions, author interviews and YouTube exclusive contests. So cross your fingers and don't forget to subscribe!

There's more, but these are the ones you guys will be most interested in. Also look for the character interviews to be back, as well as some guest posts and other fun stuff. :)

Wild One Release Day Blitz

The Wild One by Magan Vernon

January 2014

Part 3 in the FOREVER WILD series

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20320598-the-wild-one

BOOK SUMMARY:
The Wild One is the third book in the Forever Wild Serial. (This is a six part series with one
book releasing every 3 weeks)

Wes never considered himself a lucky man - until one wild night in Vegas that ended with a
marriage to Valerie Wilder. She doesn’t consider herself as lucky, and gives him thirty days to
sign the divorce papers, forgetting their marriage every existed. There’s just one problem.

He’s fallen hard for Valerie.

Wes loves everything about the girl he married by mistake, except the fact that he doesn’t feel
worthy of her - especially when hedge funder Max Green keeps coming back in the picture. Wes
can’t compete with the rich and powerful man who also wants Valerie as his own, but he doesn’t
want to lose her. To prove his love for Valerie and save their marriage, Wes is going to fight
hard for the woman he loves, putting his wild side behind him to be the man she needs. Before
it’s too late.


BUY LINKS:

The Wild One (book #3) is just .99 cents!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aeGQfO
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1eNKtcm

Wild Hearts (book #2) is just .99 cents!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1cLtO6D
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1exZW4u

And, some good news: ONE WILD NIGHT (book #1) is now FREE!
One Wild Night buy links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bIeb4F
B&N: http://bit.ly/1dPSDoF

Author Information

Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the
insurance capital of the world. When not writing she spends her time fighting over fake
boyfriends via social media. You can find her online at www.maganvernon.com.

Website: http://www.thepunchingbagfightsback.blogspot.com

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Magan-Vernon/215620155165079

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaganVernon

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5237606.Magan_Vernon

Soul of Asmina Release Day

The third book in the Land of Kaldalangra series has arrived!

Cover by Once Upon a Time covers

Sabina de Nespa has known a life of freedom and peace, thanks to the actions of her heroic parents. As a child of royalty, she has kept her intentions pure and her heart guarded, always aware that the crown of the realm may one day rest upon her brow.

When two strangers stumble across her path, she finds her peace shattered as dangerous family secrets begin to emerge, along with a malignant force that threatens to destroy her entire world. These men have the ability to help her rise to brilliant heights, or cause a devastating plunge into darkness.

It is now up to Sabina to continue her parents’ legacy of honor, courage, and strength through adversity. With the fate of Kaldalangra upon her shoulders, she has vowed to follow the path of righteousness, or die trying.

Read an excerpt

Buy it:

Paperback     Kindle      Nook

~ * ~ * ~

Do you want to know how the story began? Then be sure to get your copy of the first two books in the Land of Kaldalangra series, The Lady of Steinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame. As a bonus, each of these e-books is available for Nook and Kindle users for only 99 cents until January 1st, 2014!

Also, be sure to check out the give-away currently being hosted by Strong Novels, a free Kindle of Nook copy of all 3 books in the Kaldalangra series! But don't delay, the contest ends with 2013, and entries will close on January 1st.

~ * ~ * ~

Rhea Aralia lived an uneventful life in Virginia, until the fateful night of her kidnapping. Taken to a strange realm of destruction, despair, and mysterious people with dark secrets, the young woman must learn a new way of life to survive.With the help of her new companions, Rhea discovers the courage to defy the tyrant King Verikhan and his heir, the cleverness to deceive the court, and the power within herself to transform this world of darkness into one of beauty and hope.

Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?


Kindle    Nook

Nyssa has taken her place as Queen of the realm, with her secret love, Sebast, now openly at her side. She rules with a fair hand, striving for justice and prosperity for all of her people.
Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.
The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their world is better than ever before.
But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.
Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny

Kindle
Nook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Discover the land of Kaldalangra

In 2012, it all began...

~ * ~ * ~

The man gave a hollow laugh that echoed off the walls of the basement.

Rhea grabbed an old volume off the shelf and threw it at him, using the precious seconds of confusion to force her feet to move and run down the next aisle. She could see the main aisle, could see freedom streaming through the door and took a precious second to inhale for a scream of help. A large hand clamped across her mouth, an arm lifted her from the ground and took that precious freedom.

“It is not worth it to struggle, little one. You have no chance of winning.”

Rhea caught a finger between her teeth and bit down hard, wildly kicking her feet out to try to contact any body part of her assailant. She growled, “It’s always worth trying,” and then cried out in pain as he grabbed her by the back of her neck like a kitten. He forced her on her knees into a stillness born of agony
as the second man approached.

“I thought she was going to be an easy one, eh, so much for a painless job."

The man holding her laughed, “I suspect it will be well worth it, my brother. They do not come this feisty all the time!” His grip hardened on her neck as he dragged her onto her feet. “Now, are you going to come quietly girl, or will you be taking the hard way out?”

Rhea spat at him and tried to twist out of his grip. She felt a quick, hard blow to her head and the world began to move like slow molasses around her. She fought a quick wave of nausea and tried to coerce her feet to move, to will the stars to stop creating a tunnel in front of her face. She saw the mirror in
front of her slide to the side, and felt herself being forced into the space it once occupied. She had the momentary thought of, that’s crazy, the mirror doesn’t do that, as the darkness consumed her.

~ * ~ * ~

Journey into the land of Kaldalangra during this holiday season.

Kristi Strong is holding a limited time give-away, with a free Kindle or Nook version for all three of her books in the Land of Kaldalangra series. 1 lucky contestant will receive a free Kindle or Nook version of The Lady of Steinbrekka, Heart of Kylassame, and her newest release, Soul of Asimina.

Can't wait? Then pick up your copy of The Lady of Steinbrekka and Heart of Kylassame, for Kindle or Nook, for only 99 cents during the month of December!

Rhea Aralia lived an uneventful life in Virginia, until the fateful night of her kidnapping. Taken to a strange realm of destruction, despair, and mysterious people with dark secrets, the young woman must learn a new way of life to survive.

With the help of her new companions, Rhea discovers the courage to defy the tyrant King Verikhan and his heir, the cleverness to deceive the court, and the power within herself to transform this world of darkness into one of beauty and hope.

Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?

Kindle    Nook

It has been two years since the reign of the tyrannical King Verikhan has ended, and the realm of Kaldalangra flourishes.

Nyssa has taken her place as Queen of the realm, with her secret love, Sebast, now openly at her side. She rules with a fair hand, striving for justice and prosperity for all of her people.
Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.
The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their world is better than ever before.
But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.

Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny.

Kindle

Nook

Sabina de Nespa has known a life of freedom and peace, thanks to the actions of her heroic parents. As a child of royalty, she has kept her intentions pure and her heart guarded, always aware that the crown of the realm may one day rest upon her brow.


When two strangers stumble across her path, she finds her peace shattered as dangerous family secrets begin to emerge, along with a malignant force that threatens to destroy her entire world. These men have the ability to help her rise to brilliant heights, or cause a devastating plunge into darkness.


It is now up to Sabina to continue her parents’ legacy of honor, courage, and strength through adversity. With the fate of Kaldalangra upon her shoulders, she has vowed to follow the path of righteousness, or die trying.

Coming soon!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Soul of Asimina Cover Reveal

Her parents were heroes of the realm, and when Sabina de Nespa found herself in a position to thwart grave evil, she had never been more determined to do what is right, or more terrified.

Cover by Once Upon a Time Covers

Coming this winter!

Soul of Asimina is the third book in the Land of Kaldalangra series, written by Kristi Strong.

Sabina de Nespa was content living in the shadow of her heroic parents, traveling the realm and aiding the less fortunate. As the child of royalty, she kept her intentions pure and her heart guarded, always aware that the crown may one day rest upon her brow.

When two strangers fall into her world, life as she knows it spirals out of control, and shakes her to the core. One brings with him an enemy that destroyed entire cultures in his old world, and the second is filled with hidden intentions and dangerous secrets.

It has been two years since the reign of the tyrannical King Verikhan has ended, and the realm of Kaldalangra flourishes.

When a decade old evil threatens to destroy the peace of Kaldalangra, it is up to Sabina to take the step into her parents’ footsteps, or let everything for which they worked crumble into dust.







Rhea Aralia lived an uneventful life in Virginia, until the fateful night of her kidnapping. Taken to a strange realm of destruction, despair, and mysterious people with dark secrets, the young woman must learn a new way of life to survive.

With the help of her new companions, Rhea discovers the courage to defy the tyrant King Verikhan and his heir, the cleverness to deceive the court, and the power within herself to transform this world of darkness into one of beauty and hope.

Will Rhea triumph over those who seek her destruction, or will she be forever lost in the darkness known as Kaldalangra?

Kindle

Nook

Paperback

Goodreads 

Nyssa has taken her place as Queen of the realm, with her secret love, Sebast, now openly at her side. She rules with a fair hand, striving for justice and prosperity for all of her people.

Rowan and Rhea travel the realm, spreading peace and healing wherever they go. In Kylassame, they have formed a strong bond with friends and spread deep roots in the community.

The people of Kaldalangra are joyful, and life in their

world is better than ever before.

But a string of tragedies has the ability to bring Rhea to her knees, and with her, the entire realm. While Rowan struggles to recover the village of Kylassame from a devastating crime, Rhea’s faith in her own strength weakens, with dire consequences.


Re-enter the world of Kaldalangra, and join the adventure as Rhea and Rowan endeavor to continue upon their chosen destiny.

Paperback

Kindle

Nook

Goodreads 

~ * ~ * ~

About the Author

 Fixing broken computers, wrangling a very spirited little toddler, and creating a world with a tyrant king, are all parts of the average day for Kristi Strong. While she has called Virginia her home for two decades, her head has rested in two countries, three states, and under far too many roofs to count. She was more than happy to give up her nomadic lifestyle and settle down with her husband, daughter, and their small zoo (consisting of a dog, cat, and chinchilla).                                                                                               Attending James Madison University gave Kristi the rare opportunity to work as part of an archaeological team on a variety of dig sites in Virginia. She now uses her extensive studies in human cultures (aka, Anthropology degree), to create her own world in her fantasy novels, beginning with her debut novel, The Lady of Steinbrekka, continuing with her second novel, Heart of Kylassame, as well as her upcoming novel Soul of Asimina.

Psycho Inside Me Cover Reveal

Bonnie R. Paulson's Psycho Inside Me releases November 30, 2013. This YA thriller romance is fast, fun, and more than a little dangerous. See why...

Psycho Inside Me

I killed my first victim at thirteen years old – my age, not his. He was going to rape me, him and a couple of his friends. And so, I killed him. And then… I killed again. And again.

At seventeen, I’m killing four to six times a year – maybe more. Don’t stress out. I only go after the pedophiles and rapists. There are more out there than I could cover in a lifetime.

Saying I did this on my own would be selfish. Enforcing justice holds a glory all its own.  But now, my lifelong friend and backup, Deegan, has been arrested. I have to decide if I want to give myself up and take his place or leave him with all the damning evidence. I don’t want to stop killing. But if I let him take the fall, I can’t kill anymore. And I need to keep doing that.

But the worst part of it all? I love him.

My cover was created by the ultra talented Redbird Designs. She's amazing...

Bonnie R. Paulson likes it dark and twisty. For more on her Science flavored with Romaction, sign up for her newsletter.

Find Bonnie at:
Facebook
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Heart Stopper Cover Reveal

Title: Heart Stopper
Author: Gemma Blaze
Genre: Romance/Horror
Cover Designer: White Rabbit Designs

Short Blurb:
Have you ever met a man and had the sensation that your heart just stopped? My fantasy became a horror of reality.
This book contains sexual content and subject matter that may be unsuitable for readers under the age of 18.

Add to Goodreads

About the Author:

For years Gemma Blaze went undercover for her librarian job, putting up her hair, covering her tattoos and putting on glasses to become the sweet and approachable type. As her patrons became more and more interested in her suggestions, and more comfortable revealing their true bookish desires, Gemma realized the stories sitting on her hard drive had an audience and the rest is publishing history. When she's not writing or librarianing, Gemma hangs out with her son in their quaint East Coast city where she shops for Halloween costumes all year round.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7201032.Gemma_Blaze

https://www.facebook.com/gemmablazeauthor

Free ebook

I am so excited!

Curse of the Beast is Free on Amazon, October 18-20!

Don't miss your chance to grab this young adult paranormal romance

 and

retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a werewolf twist.

A dark shadow stalks the night, watching her—waiting to claim what is his.

Seventeen-year-old Tayla Jonas longs for a simple life, but an ancient curse forces a werewolf to hunt her, to claim what is his. Will Tayla be strong enough to survive the Curse of the Beast? Or will it consume her like so many before? Find out in the first installment of this unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast. **2012 Whitney Award Nominee**

Curse of the Beast (bk 1) 

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Star Cursed (bk2) 

Amazon ~ Goodreads

After Star (bk3) Coming April 2014

Goodreads

About the Author

In addition to being a mother and wife, I teach at a charter school and enjoy scuba diving. I love to be adventurous and try new and exciting things. Some of the things I have done are sky diving, glacier hiking, cave spelunking, and kayaking on the ocean. I want to experience the world but will never be able to see it all so I write. It is like the world is at my figure tips when I open a word document and delve into another story.  Oh, the places you'll go as Dr. Seuss says.

Books that are like mine: Beastly by Flinn, Alex;  Scarlette by Davonna Juroe; Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock, Dragon Rose by Christine Pope, Scarlet Moon (Once upon a Time) by Debbie Viguié

Click your way into a great read and let the curse claim you!