Monday, December 10, 2012

W!N a copy of Priceless, a sexy Urban fantasy Mystery



For anyone who hasn't yet picked up "Priceless" there is a contest running over at FREEBOOKSY where you can enter to win 1 of 10 kindle copies. Get over there while the getting is good, there is a time limit on how long you have to enter.

And if you are reading this, there is a good chance you already have qualified (which makes entering the contest even easier!)

Okay, that's it for today. I'm off to get some writing done now. I promise to write a full on blog post in the near future. ;p





Saturday, November 24, 2012

Need Amazing Cover Art? #amwriting






I've introduced you before, but I want you to all say hi to Ryan Bibby, cover artist extrordinaire! Ryan lives in New Zealand with his wife and kids and is building up his clientele list as a cover artist. Not only his he an AMAZING artist that SERIOUSLY will knock your socks off. He produces high quality work that stands alongside some of the BEST covers in the industry. There is no doubt in my mind that without his amazing covers, my books wouldn't sell even half as well as they do. People judge books by their covers, plain and simple.

Its a funny story how I met Ryan. You remember the cover art polls I was doing late last year? Ryan contacted me and offered his services as a prize for the cover art that recieved the lowest number of votes. Aww, what a sweetie! I did point out that might not go over so well with the "winner" of the new cover art, so instead we did a draw off another posting all about Ryan. If you want to check that out, click HERE.

After that, it was all downhill! Just kidding!

 Ryan put together my Zombie-ish Apopcalypse cover art, Ingredients of a Cauldron and my most recent title, Priceless. He works across the board with different genres, and honestly is FABULOUSLY easy to work with.
Ryan is still building his clientele list, so if you are looking for cover art, I can recommend Ryan without reservation as a talented artist, great guy and all around workhorse when it comes to making sure your cover art is spot on.

So take a minute and check out just a few of Ryan's cover art in a variety of genres.

To contact Ryan email him at ryan.a.bibby@gmail.com OR you can check out his new website
 
 
 
 
 








Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Release Party Extension, "Priceless" is on FIRE! #amreading

Wow, I am literally shaking as I write this.

"Priceless" has climbed to the top 400 (as of this posting) and is #1 in the Occult Horror top 100 list.

With a release like that, and because I KNOW the book wouldn't have done so well without your support, I'm extending the review drive.

Get a review of "Priceless" up on Amazon.com by November 30 at midnight PST and your name will be placed in a draw to win a KINDLE FIRE. And if things continue to go this well, I think I will add in some other prizes too. Surprise prizes!!



All you have to do is leave a review, I will take your info from there and contact the winner on December 1st.

If I haven't said it already, or made it abundantly clear, THANK YOU for your support, reviews, cheering me on and belief in me and my writing. You, my readers, friends and family are the reason I do this. *hugs to you all*




Monday, November 12, 2012

Release Party for "Priceless" with BIG PR!ZES

NOW AVAILABLE! (And I am so freaking excited!)"Priceless" can be purchased now for just .99 a price that will go up in the next little while.

As an added BONUS, all reviews for "Priceless" put up on AMAZON between now and November 22nd will be placed into a DRAW FOR A KINDLE FIRE!

No hoops to jump through, just put your review up on AMAZON and you're in! 
 
 
*Warning* If you are my mother, do not read this book. There are things like "F" bombs, sexual tension, and naughty, sexy supernatural creatures. Please don't say I didn't warn you.

When children go missing without a trace, there is only one person who can find them.

Welcome to the world of Rylee Adamson, a woman with unique abilities, some wild friends and a unstoppable drive to save those who can’t save themselves.

But when the details of a missing child duplicate that of her worst case, things start to get freaky. And not in a good way.
 
Purchase Now on Amazon!

 




Saturday, November 10, 2012

"Priceless" kick ass Cover Art #amreading


Very excited to share this with you! Please tell me what you think, and hang on for the MASSIVE release party with great prizes which is only a few short days away!




*Warning* If you are my mother, do not read this book. There are things like "F" bombs, sexual tension, and naughty, sexy supernatural creatures. Please don't say I didn't warn you.

When children go missing without a trace, there is only one person who can find them.
 
Welcome to the world of Rylee Adamson, a woman with unique abilities, some wild friends and a unstoppable drive to save those who can't save themselves.
 
But when the details of a missing child duplicate that of her worst case, things start to get freaky. And not in a good way.


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Loving the dark of Hallowe'en

I wrote this post for another site, but I guess it was too girly for them to post ;p I like it though, and wanted to share it with you.
 
Oh baby, I love Autumn, but more than that, I love October! The sharp, crisp frosted air in the morning the falling leaves, the days of hot apple cider and cool nights huddled inside with a special someone. Not to mention Samhain and Halloween whichever you celebrate, this is the month it happens.
I don’t know about you, but Halloween and all it encompasses makes me a bit giddy. The costumes, make-up, strange snacks (have you eaten finger cookies lately?) bonfires and foggy nights, the pranks we pull on each other, parties that run late into the night, favorite scary movies we watch every year, the laughter and whispered stories that make the hair stand up on the back of our necks and give goose bumps all over our bodies; maybe I love this because I write horror, but I think it’s more than that.
The whole idea that the distance between the living and the dead thins on that one special night gives me, not unpleasant, chills. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have one last chance to speak to a loved one who’s passed on before their time? Again though, it’s more than that, I believe it is a visceral understanding that one day we will be the ones on the other side and that our loved ones may be reaching out across to us for comfort and that one last goodbye.
This time for celebrating the darker side of life, the fears, terrifying thrills and sweet startling scares, I believe, that they remind us of one very powerful thing. We are alive, the darkness hasn’t closed in over us . . .yet. And that is the same visceral understanding of the darkness that draws us to horror stories. We read things that, at times, leave us quaking with fear, unable to sleep, startled by shadows in the night. But as long as we feel these intense emotions, can hear the thump of our blood pounding in our ears, the harsh rasp of our own breathing . . . we are alive.
Horror, thrillers and other related writing can bring us as much gratitude for our lives as a self help book, if we stop to recognize our reasons behind our love of the darkness, and all the richness and appreciation they can bring to each of us.
So rather than grabbing “Oprah’s” pick and searching out some gem for renewed happiness, grab a book that encompasses all that the darkness COULD be, and be glad that your life holds none of it.
Happy Hallowe'en!


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The last batch of Funny #amwriting tips . . . Promise

Okay, this is it. The last batch. All good, all funny. Enjoy. Stolen from http://psychoprogs.com

67. Strangely enough, it is impossible to construct a sentence that illustrates the meaning of the word 'irony.'

68. Consult a writing manual to assure that your English is correct.

69. It has been suggested that some words are absolute, not relative. This is very true.

70. Be careful when forming words into a sentence-all orderings are not correct.

71. Many words can ostensibly be deleted.

72. In your quest for clarity, stop at nothing.

73. Complete mastery of the English language comes with conscientious study, notwithstanding around in bars. Moreover the next page. Inasmuch detail as possible.

74. Sporting analogies won't even get you to first base.

75. If you must quote, quote from one of the all-time greats (Cedric.P. Snodworthy, 1964).
 

76. In the absence of a dictionary, stick to words of one syllabus.

77. Steer clear of word-making-up-ism.

78. Readers will not stand for any intolerance.

79. If there's one thing you must avoid it's over-simplification.

80. Double entendres will get you in the end.

81. Vagueness is the root of miscommunication, in a sense.

82. Don't bother with those "increase-your-word-power" books that cost an absorbent amount of
money.

83. Self-contradiction is confusing, and yet strangely enlightening.

84. Surrealism without purpose is like fish.

85. Ignorance: good writers don't even know the meaning of the word.

86. The spoken word can look strange when written down, I'm afraid.

87. Stimpy the Squirrel says "Don't treat the reader like a little child."

88. Intimidatory writing is for wimps.

89. Learn one new maths word every day, and you'll soon find your vocabulary growing exponentially.

90. My old high school English teacher put it perfectly when she said: "Quoting is lazy. Express
things in your own words."

91. She also said: "Don't use that trick of paraphrasing...... [other people's words]...... inside a quote."

92. A lack of compassion in a writer is unforgivable.

93. On a scale of 0 to 10, internal consistency is very important.

94. Thankfully, by the year 2016 rash predictions will be a thing of the past.

95. There is no place for overemphasis, whatsoever.

96. Leave out the David Hockney rhyming slang.

97. Bad writers are hopefully ashamed of themselves.

98. Eschew the highfalutin.

99. Sometimes you publish a sentence and then, on reflection, feel that you shouldn't ought to have been and gone and written it quite that way.

100. Practice humility until you feel that you're really good at it.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

33 more LOL Funny #amwriting Tips

In case you didn't get enough with the last batch . . . again, stolen from http://psychoprogs.com :0)


34. Take care with pluri.

35. If you can't think of the exact word that you need, look it up in one of those dictionary-type things.

36. Colons: try to do without them.

37. Nouns should never be verbed.

38. Do you really think people are impressed by rhetorical questions?

39. Pick a font, and stick with it.

40. Sufficient clarity is necessary, but not necessarily sufficient.

41. Less is more. This means that a short, cryptic statement is often preferable to an accurate, but drawn out, explanation that lacks punch and loses the reader.

42. Sarcasm-yes, I bet that will go down really well.

43. The problem of ambiguity cannot be underestimated.

44. Never appear cynical, unless you're sure you can get away with it.

45. Many writer's punctuate incorrectly.

46. Colloquialisms are for barmpots.

47. There is a lot to be said for brevity.

48. To qualify is to weaken, in most cases.

49. Many readers assume that a word will not assume two meanings in the same sentence.

50. Be spontaneous at regular intervals.

51. The era of the euphemism is sadly no longer with us.

52. Want to be funny? Just add some exclamation marks!!!

53. Want to appear whimsical? Simply append a smiley :)

54. Some writers introduce a large number, N, of unnecessary symbols.

55. Restrict your hyphen-usage.

56. Choosing the correct phrase is important compared to most things.

57. Some early drafts of this document had had clumsy juxtapositions.

58. Try not to leave a word dangling on its own

59. line.

60. The number of arbitrary constants per page should not exceed .13.

61. Use mathematical jargon if it is absolutely necessary.

62. And avoid math symbols unless ? a good reason.

63. Poor writing effects the impact of your work.

64. And the dictionary on your shelf was not put there just for affect.

65. If there's a word on the tip of your tongue that you can't quite pin down, use a cinnamon.

66. If somebody were to give me a pound for every irrelevant statement I've ever read, then I would
be very surprised.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

33 Pee your Pants Funny #amwriting Tips

I didn't come up with these on my own, I stole them from http://psychoprogs.com :0) But they were totally worth the theft . . .and I will be giving you some more later in the week . . .

1. Every sentence should make sense in isolation. Like that one.

2. Excessive hyperbole is literally the kiss of death.

3. ASBMAETP: Acronyms Should Be Memorable And Easy To Pronounce, and SATAN: Select Acronyms That Are Non-offensive.

4. Finish your point on an up-beat note, unless you can't think of one.

5. Don't patronise the reader-he or she might well be intelligent enough to spot it.

6. A writer needs three qualities: creativity, originality, clarity and a good short term memory.

7. Choose your words carefully and incitefully.

8. Avoid unnecessary examples; e.g. this one.

9. Don't use commas, to separate text unnecessarily.

10. It can be shown that you shouldn't miss out too many details.

11. Similes are about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

12. Avoid ugly abr'v'ns.

13. Spellcheckers are not perfect; they can kiss my errs.

14. Somebody once said that all quotes should be accurately attributed.

15. Americanisms suck.

16. Capitalising for emphasis is UGLY and DISTRACTING.

17. Underlining is also a big no-no.

18. Mixed metaphors can kill two birds without a paddle.

19. Before using a cliché, run it up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes.

20. There is one cheap gimmick that should be avoided at all costs..............suspense.

21. State your opinions forcefully-this is perhaps the key to successful writing.

22. Never reveal your sources (Alistair Watson, 1993).

23. Pile on lots of subtlety.

24. Sure signs of lazy writing are incomplete lists, etc.

25. Introduce meaningless jargon on a strict need-to-know basis.

26. The word "gullible" possesses magic powers and hence it should be used with care.

27. The importance of comprehensive cross-referencing will be covered elsewhere.

28. Resist the temptation to roll up the trouser-legs of convention, cast off the shoes and socks of good taste, and dip your toes refreshingly into the cool, flowing waters of fanciful analogy.

29. Don't mess with Mr. Anthropomorphism.

30. Understatement is a mindblowingly effective weapon.

31. Injecting enthusiasm probably won't do any harm.

32. It is nice to be important, but it is more important to avoid using the word 'nice'.

33. Appropriate metaphors are worth their weight in gold.

Friday, October 05, 2012

The finesse of a Blog Hijacker


Blog Hijack!!!!

 

Psst! Jesi Lea Ryan here.  Shannon is off writing her new contemporary romance novel right now, so while she’s not looking, I’m taking over her blog.  Hopefully, by the time she notices, I’ll be long gone.  (Hee, hee!)

I want to take a moment to tell you about my new young adult, paranormal romance, Arcadia’s Gift. 

 
 

Most people who experience death don’t live to tell about it.

 

When sixteen year old Arcadia “Cady” Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom’s spiraling depression and her sister’s boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan’s around, Cady can almost pretend she’s a regular girl, living a regular life; when he’s not, she’s wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…

I am so excited to share this book with the world!  Cady is such an amazing character.  I think what I like best about her is that she has to deal with some seriously heavy family issues in addition to her new gifts.  Because of this, both teen and adult readers will be able to find different ways to relate to her on an emotional level. 

Where did the idea for Arcadia’s Gift come from?  I honestly don’t remember.  I knew I wanted to write a young adult paranormal, since I read a lot of young adult literature.  Vampires are a tad overdone right now and werewolves just don’t appeal to me.  (Hello? Doggy breath is NOT sexy!)  I seem to recall the character of Cady forming in my mind first.  I wanted her to be as realistic as possible.  I truly believe some people have psychic abilities, so it seemed natural to develop them in Cady.  Once I figured out what those abilities would be, the story of how she got them unfolded naturally. 

 Why set the story in Dubuque, Iowa?  My first novel, Four Thousand Miles, was set in England. While I have been to England and all of the places in my book, I had to do a ton of research into the setting, the culture and the speech.  With Arcadia’s Gift, I chose to set the story in my hometown of Dubuque where I am intimately familiar with the city.  Cady goes to the same high school I attended, lives in the neighborhood I used to live in and hangs out in the places my friends and I used to haunt on Saturday nights.  What I discovered is that I felt a greater emotional connection to this story because I could draw on my sense of nostalgia. 

 The other reason I chose Dubuque is because it hasn’t been done before.  I can’t think of another young adult novel set there, can you?  Bordered by the Mississippi River on one side and the Great Plains on the other, Dubuque is unique to Iowa for its incredible bluffs and hills.  It truly has a natural beauty.  The landscape plays a strong role in the plot of the novel. 

What’s next for Arcadia?  Nice try!  I’m not giving you any spoilers.  I can tell you that Arcadia’s Gift is the first in a planned trilogy.  The second book, Arcadia’s Curse, is planned to release in May or June 2013. 

 I think I hear Shannon coming, so I have to dash!  Before I go, I’ll leave you with an excerpt from my novel.
 
  Tell me what you think of it in the comments and leave your email address for a chance to win a copy of Arcadia’s Gift!!

 
~Jesi Lea Ryan, Future Bestselling Author and International Hijacker of Blogs

 Excerpt:


It felt like ripping… ripping through me, ripping from me. A deafening roar reverberated all around as I lay flat on my back, drowning the shrieks and screams echoing on the river valley walls. My eyes were wide open, unblinking, but all I could see were abstract forms in shades of black, gray and red. A searing burn cut across both of my thighs as if I’d been struck by a flaming hot iron. My flesh melted and bubbled, absorbing the phantom burning metal and shattering my femur bones like glass. Although I was screaming as loud as I could, the sound was distant, like someone screaming under water.

 

A hub of activity swirled around me, but I had the distinct feeling of being alone… alone in hell. I groped around on the cool soil at my sides, sparse patches of long grass and loose gravel, trying to remember where I was and what had happened to me. The pain prevented any coherent thoughts.

 

Voices. Panic all around me. Yet I was alone in my hell.

 

A flash of heat seared through my head, pounding rhythmically. Rust coated my tongue. The heat began to sink down my torso, leaking out of the stumps left under my hips. I sucked in jagged breaths as I realized that the heat was my blood, pumping through my arteries and spilling onto the cool ground.

 

No! I don’t want to die! Again, the screams tore out of me. No one answered my cries.

 

My body grew colder. The pain faded to numbness. They say when you know that you are dying, your life flashes before your eyes. I knew I was dying, but curiously, it was my twin sister Lony’s life that came to me in last minute mourning, not mine. I saw her love for me, even if we fought more than talked these days. I saw her fierce hope that our parents would reconcile their failed marriage and reunite, before nothing remained to salvage. I saw her boyfriend, Cane, and the lost promise of young love. A swell of love and pain filled my chest when I pictured Cane. It made no sense…I didn’t even like him.

 

The forms in my vision began moving more slowly, becoming even darker. I struggled to reach out to them, but my arms were as heavy as iron weights. I opened my mouth to scream again, but only rust flavored foam escaped my throat and rolled down the corner of my mouth and into my hair. The skin on my face broke into a cold sweat as I steadily bled out.

 

It was almost over. I wanted my mom.

 

A shock of pain ripped through my chest as my heart raced, running out of blood.

 

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

 

The faster my heart pumped, the less time I had left. My back reared up, head scraping the ground. My lungs heaved, panting. The forms in my vision swirled so dark they blended with the night. I reached out desperately with my hands, fingers not even finding a hand to hold. Breath rattled in my chest as it left my body for the final time and the whole world faded to black.

 

Arcadia’s Gift is available for purchase at the following retailers:

 







Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Amazing Books You've Got to Have!

For two days only you can grab these 6 books for FREE, NOTHING, NADA, ZILCH!

Abby Carpenter is a woman with a few problems: a little red diary that has a way of showing up at the worst times, a creepy coworker trying to sabotage her career, and a philandering ex-husband who won't stay dead---and now, the CEO of the largest account to land on the doorstep of the marketing firm she works for, happens to be a man she made a complete fool of herself over fourteen years ago. Abby's convinced if he recognizes her the firm could lose the account, and she could lose her job.
Gage Faraday can't shake the feeling his new account manager, Abigail Carpenter, reminds him of someone, he just can't place who. As he begins working with her to develop a marketing plan for his company's new development, he realizes they've run into a snag---he's developed a major attraction for his new business associate---but, he's a man who goes after what he wants, and he wants Abby.
Just when Abby begins to think things may finally be going her way, her ex turns up dead---really dead---and she becomes the primary suspect in the murder investigation. Now she's being pursued by a relentless detective, a sleazy tabloid reporter, and a man who won't take no for an answer. Will the forces working to tear Abby and Gage apart prevail, or will destiny have its' due?

Link- http://www.amazon.com/A-Murderous-Game-ebook/dp/B0057ZF5I0/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349033128&sr=1-4&keywords=patricia+paris


Who do YOU pledge allegiance to? After  exposing one of the most notorious rings of police corruption in history, lawyer Cruz Marquez planned on starting a new life south of the border. That plan unraveled when an extremist group of Minutemen captured and tortured him and his wife.
Will Cruz pledge allegiance to do right, or will he do anything to serve up revenge?
 
 
Michael Prim does what any good cop would do after discovering a soul reaving sorcerer is hunting on his beat, he goes to war, even as hellhounds and Rashfellen warriors come after him. He gets a little help from his friends—a tough as nails veteran and a zombie like prostitute who holds a soul trapped in a magical jar—but when the apocalypse comes, there is only his most hated enemy, the gang member who murdered his partner, to stand against Travass Isegurad and his demons.

 
 
 YOU KNOW WHO YOUR ENEMY IS?
The streets aren't safe when your enemy wears a blue uniform and a gold badge.

What if the good guys weren't good?

What if a cop went rogue and killed an innocent man?




Will justice be served?
 When darkness falls, whose side will you be on?For the past six years, Zoë has been anything but “normal.” Struggling to accept her immortality and thrown into a war that’s been waging in the shadows for over a thousand years, Zoë must now become who she was meant to be, joining the other Chosen to save what’s left of humanity. When the endless night falls over the Earth, will she be able to save the one man who reminds her what it is to be human or will it be too late?
The bond between sisters is stretched to the limit as they are thrown into the world of the Fae. As they learn their places in this new world, secrets and dangers from the past emerge setting them on a dangerous path; one that would see them face off not as sisters, but enemies. Add in a wicked love triangle and you have the start of a new twist on classic Irish lore.




Monday, October 01, 2012

Cover Reveal- Purgatory Reign by L.M Preston W/ Rafflecopter




Peter Saint's life stinks. But things are about to get much worst. First, his parents are murdered in front of him. Then another victim dies in his arms. Visions plague Peter with warnings that something wants him for a sinister cause. It desires the one thing that Peter refuses to give—his blood. Peter carries within him the one gift or curse that could unlock a secret to destroy the human race. On the run with Angel, a scruffy kid, Peter starts to unravel the mystery. It's the one treasure the heavens sought to hide from the world. Unfortunately, when Peter finds the answer that he hopes will save the girl he loves, he opens the door to a great evil that happens to be salivating to meet him.

E-Book release date- March 2013
Paperback release date- May 2013

Book Trailer Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvKA9E4bPI&feature=youtu.be

Read sample: http://www.freado.com/book/13273/purgatory-reign


Pre-Order Link- http://www.amazon.com/Purgatory-Reign-Series/dp/0985025131/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344012202&sr=8-1&keywords=purgatory+reign+by+lm+preston


http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bc05446/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway





Sunday, September 30, 2012

I want to write for "The Walking Dead" and other strange Ideas


There. I said it. I want to write for that show. Amazing, fantastic show that it is, the only way I'd ever get even a smidgen of a shot at being a part for it would be as a writer. I mean, I have already written my own zombie-ish acpocalypse and I have ideas for others, so why not put them to good use? Because it's the only way if I'm going to get to be on this show.

I can't act.

I ain't no stunt woman.

Camera's confuse me on the best of days.

The idea of directing anyone is laughable, my own dogs don't listen to me, why would anyone else?

Okay, maybe they could dress me up as a zombie, but that's a one shot deal.

So, here we go. I could send them ideas. Like maybe killing off Carl. (Was that my outside voice?) And I'm not the only one who thinks killing him would be a good idea.

Or how about some top less shots . . . of the men.

 
 
 
 





  Now don't act like you ladies don't watch the show. My neighbour, who is in her fifties loves it, most of the women I know watch it and LOVE it. In fact, I know several women who have *ahem* expressed interest in seeing the above men with less clothes. I don't know if it would work on "The Walking Dead" but damn, why not ask?

Feel free to leave a comment on the character you'd like to see "more" of, who knows, we might just get lucky. (Yes, the pun was intended)


 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Do you read excerpts?

That's the question of the day. I see people (I should say authors) putting up excerpts of their books, quite often as #SampleSundays but not only. With the KDP program, authors cannot put excerpts up on their blogs, (which seems odd seeing as it is a form of advertising) but that's a post for another day.

What I want to know is, do you read excerpts? Ever? A little? Leave a comment, let's get a discussion going because I'd really like to know.

Because I don't read excerpts. Ever. Not even my favorite authors. I read the blurb, maybe a few reviews and then decide. But maybe I'm missing the boat here. Of course, part of my reason for questioning is this . . .

Before I put up my next books, before they go into the KDP select program and I can no longer share like this, would you like to see excerpts?

Like from "The Chronicles of Sin: Gluttony" or my new Urban Fantasy "Priceless" or maybe even from my contemporary romance I've just started, "High Risk Love."

Again, this is because I don't read excerpts, but maybe you do, and maybe you want to see more from me . . . (or less, I suppose that's possible too!)




Saturday, September 22, 2012

Werewolves, Vampires and Shifters . . . Oh My!

 This is a post from last year that I decided to put up again. Why? Not only because Jen is a good friend, but because Amazon has taken down close to THIRTY of her reviews, leaving her with only NINE! Wow, that was a blow. So, I'm hoping that the book will intrigue you, and that you'll the time to leave this lovely writer, and person, a review. Now, on to the interview!

Jennifer Simas is the debut author of Until Dawn: Last Light. I've read the book and will be doing a review on it (as soon as I can find time!) but a sneak peak would be YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT! Oops, sorry about the caps, I get a little excited about this book. Really, it is well written, has a super fast pace and every supernatural monster you could want in it. Vampires, shifters, immortals, heroes, action and romance. You know what, just go and get it, at .99 it is a freaking steal! But, now, let me shut up, and let Jen tell you a little about herself, and her writing.

1. Jen, tell us a little about your book Until Dawn: Last Light. Do you have a favorite scene?

Until Dawn: Last Light is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy blend about a woman named Zoë who’s struggling to accept her immortality – and the end of the world. For the past six years, Zoë has been anything but “normal,” let alone human. The story follows her as she’s thrown into this war that’s been waging in the shadows for over a thousand years. Through the book, Zoë must find a way to become what she’s meant to be, joining the other Chosen to save what’s left of humanity. When the endless night falls over the Earth, the reader will find out if Zoë will be able to save the one man who reminds her what it is to be human or if will it be too late. It’s really a story of death and despair, love and longing, hope and hopelessness, and the ability to survive and keep going even when it seems impossible – when you want nothing more than to give up.

As far as my favorite scene goes, that’s a tough one. Almost as tough as making me pick out a favorite character – or child. I wrestled back and forth with this one, but I think it’s going to have to go to a scene from the end of chapter twenty-one. I can’t exactly explain it without giving anything away to new readers. It takes place in Zoë’s bedroom chamber in the castle in England and, let’s just say, it got a lot of great reactions out of readers and I had a blast writing it.

2. How long did it take you from your initial idea for the book until you actually started to write it?

I actually had a dream about the book while driving to the coast one afternoon – don’t worry, I wasn’t the one actually driving! That had to be back in my senior year of high school. I jotted down some notes back then and kind of put the project on the back burner for a while. I think I started writing the first draft (which was awful mind you) about a year or so later. From that point it probably took me about four years to finish the entire book. There were a lot of breaks in between each draft and the story has transformed drastically from then to now; in fact, it’d probably be unrecognizable.

3. What draws you to writing?

I’ve always been very passionate about writing; that is, aside from when I was younger and my dream was to have giant zoo in my backyard! I started at a very young age with poetry. That continued up until sophomore year of high school when one of my English teachers assigned us a short story project. I got the highest grade in the class and realized how much fun it was to create my own worlds and characters – I got to be the one to control how everything ended. It was exciting, to say the least! Shortly after that I started my very first novel about a group of kids that fell into a lake with an eerie history and started passing that out to my friends. When I saw their reactions and their need to know what happened next, I just knew that I had to write. And I have ever since!

Hm, come to think of it, I wonder if I still have that short story and novel anywhere. They’d both make for some fun YA books!

4. Which author do you find the most inspiring?

I’ll probably get a lot of crap for this, but as far as “most inspiring” goes, it has to be Stephenie Meyer. Not for her writing but for what she accomplished as a first time, debut author. She really achieved that goal that we all aspire to when we first start writing. We all want that major book deal, having millions of readers, seeing our characters portrayed on the big screen – we want our books to be read and loved and talked about. That could just be me, haha.

As far as writing goes, it’s a tie between Charlaine Harris; I’m a sucker for those bloodsuckers of hers, and Francine Rivers, who’s Redeeming Love influenced me to dabble in the world of romance.

5. Favorite position when writing- recliner, couch, bed or straight backed chair?

I really enjoy writing while lying down in bed. It’s peaceful – perhaps a little too peaceful, haha. I usually get quite a bit for about the first 20-30 minutes before falling asleep. Maybe I just have one super comfy bed! As far as a productive position, it’d have to be snuggled up on the sofa with the laptop either sitting in my lap or, preferably, on a TV tray. As long as I have some great music play, I’m not too picky.

6. In your off time, what do you do for fun? Or is there such a thing as off time for you?

Hm, what is this “off time” you speak of? No, I actually do get off time, during which my brain is still going over new ideas for stories and characters. I guess that switch is hard to turn off for writers, I’m sure you know what that’s like, Shannon.

With how much of my time is spent sitting in front of a computer screen, I like to be as active as I can during my off time. I love water sports (swimming, wake boarding, etc.) I’m also big into rock climbing. As of late, if I’m not typing away at the computer, you could probably find me at my local rock climbing gym or in Yosemite 800 feet up on a mountain. There’s something extremely peaceful about being that high up. It is the ultimate escape.

5. Biggest supporter of you and your writing.

I’ve got some phenomenal friends that have supported my writing from the very start. Along the way, I’ve met some other authors that have also kept me going. My boyfriend has proved to be one of my biggest supporters. Not only in writing but also in life. Anytime I find myself at the end of my rope, ready to just give up, he’s been there to tie on a few extra feet. There was also another person who, in the early stages, made sure that I didn’t give up when I was going through the dreaded query process. This old friend gave me a framed picture, which I keep on my desk to this day, that reads: Persistence – now that we’ve exhausted all possibilities…let’s get started.


This is Jen, ain't she cute? :D
6.What are you planning next for your writing project? Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Right now, I’m really trying to focus on finishing up the Until Dawn series. Still playing with where I want to end it off, not sure if I’m ready to say goodbye to Zoë and the other characters just yet. Also, I might be doing a back-story for the Until Dawn series of the first Chosen, but that’s still on the shelf for now. I do have a handful of ideas jotted down for other novels, one of which would be told from a male character’s point of view. I’m really looking forward to diving into that one.

For now, readers can look forward to Until Dawn: Into the Dark, coming in Winter 2012!






Thursday, September 20, 2012

Time is Running out On your iPad 2!




Write a Review---Win an iPad 2!


That’s right, er, write! You have the choice of five (5) AWESOME, STELLAR books to choose from, and by


leaving a review, and sending us the link to that review (send to onedaybookpush@yahoo.ca ), you are in the draw to


Win an iPad 2 16gb Wifi Enabled (Black or White, your choice)!


It’s that simple. Your review doesn’t have to be 3 pages long, nor do you have to be a “Pro Reviewer”. As authors, we value ALL reviews. Even the ones that give us some tough love.


This is not an attempt to buy good reviews. Every review will be counted for the appropriate number of entry(ies). We value honesty, as does Amazon.


You will have between September 5th-26th to get your review LIVE on Amazon**


For each book you review, you’ll get an entry into our draw for the GRAND PRIZE of an


iPad 2!






Allegiance by Derek Blass
http://bit.ly/N7lGWGAlleg



The Bedeviled Heart by Carmen Caine http://bit.ly/N7lC9eHeart

Dark Waters by Shannon Mayer http://bit.ly/SbI7gDWaters

This Time Forever by Patricia Paris http://bit.ly/PRnQpATime

Jockey’s and Jewels by Bev Petterson http://bit.ly/PZp8jNJewels






Now, if you decide to read and review MULTIPLE books, that of course will get you more entries. As in multiplied entries.

Read and review two (2) books, you’ll get four (4) entries.

Three (3) books you say? Well then, you get six (6) entries.

You’ve managed four (4) books. Wow. Eight (8) entries.

All five (5)? Ten (10) entries it is!

So what are you waiting for?





*Minor details*

**You can post to Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.If you have an Amazon.co.uk account, please post your review on Amazon.com as well*

If there are less than 10 reviews per book that come through in the contest the prize will be lowered to an iPod touch. This will be at the discretion of the organizers.

All reviews MUST be an Amazon Verified purchase (this lights up in green under your name on the review you leave) OR you must show a proof of purchase. In other words, no fake reviews please and thank you very much.

Only one (1) grand prize will be awarded




All reviews that would like to be entered into the contest MUST send in their link to their review at onedaybookpush@yahoo.caAny reviews that go live during this time period on Amazon that do not send in their links to the above email will NOT be entered into the draw.

Winner will be announced October 1, 2012 at Rogue Books- http://www.rogue-books.com as well as contacted by email.