Bloggoversary Giveaway Part 2 - Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Welcome to Bloggoversary Giveaway Part 2 where I'm celebrating three years of blogging!

For the Giveaway Part 1 where you can win Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini click here.

Blurb from Goodreads:

Brit Pheiffer has trained to backpack the Teton Range, but she isn't prepared when her ex-boyfriend, who still haunts her every thought, wants to join her. Before Britt can explore her feelings for Calvin, an unexpected blizzard forces her to seek shelter in a remote cabin, accepting the hospitality of its two very handsome occupants;but these men are fugitives, and they take her hostage.

Britt is forced to guide the men off the mountain, and knows she must stay alive long enough for Calvin to find her. The task is made even more complicated when Britt finds chilling evidence of a series of murders that have taken place there and in uncovering this, she may become the killer's next target.

But nothing is as it seems, and everyone is keeping secrets, including Mason, one of her kidnappers. His kindness is confusing Britt. Is he an enemy? Or an ally?

Black Ice is New York Times bestselling author Becca Fitzpatrick's riveting romantic thriller set against the treacherous backdrop of the mountains of Wyoming. Falling in love should never be this dangerous.

Like with Trail by Fire, I bought Black Ice before reading the e-arc I'd been given thinking that I would love it.

Unfortunately I didn't so I have an unread copy looking for a good home.

Enter below for the chance to win a UK hardback.

Open internationally!

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Book Blitz + Giveaway - "Love Notes": Four Musical Romance Novels

Find the blitz schedule here.

Title: "Love Notes": Four Musical Romance Novels

Release date: February 2nd 2015

Purchases: Amazon

SYNOPSIS VIA GOODREADS:

Pieces of Me by Kira Adams

For sixteen year old Peyton Lane, life has never been easy. She's not popular, overweight, and oh yeah, her sister is embarrassed of her. But over the course of a tumultuous year, everything changes for Peyton. Suddenly all eyes are on her and it's not because she's fat. From a pair of handsome twins to a couple of dangerously sexy rockers, Peyton will have to find out who she can trust with her heart. From the ups and downs to the twists and turns -- this is Peyton's story of finding one's voice and growing into your own.

This is a coming of age romance that involves realistic situations and raw emotions. This is Pieces of Me.

***

The Right Song by Shane Morgan

Pain never truly goes away, until you find something deeper and meaningful that cures the heart and fills it with love.

That is what Aurora desperately wants to believe. That somehow her music can save her, or even touch the unreachable heart of the guy she has liked for years.

Rora yearns for his attention and wants to experience this so-called love that could possibly end her long suffering and inspire her to chase after her dreams.

In deeply understanding the feelings of others and herself, will Aurora give up on ever finding true happiness, or will an intriguing soul teach her about the greatest song ever written?

***

Revenge of a Band Geek Gone Bad by Naomi Rabinowitz

Shy, overweight Melinda Rhodes' sophomore year of high school isn't going so well. Her own mother mocks her weight. Her pants split in the middle of school, earning her the nickname, "Moolinda." She then loses first chair flute in band to Kathy Meadows, her pretty and popular nemesis.

Her luck changes when she catches the eye of Josh Kowalski, a rebellious trumpet prodigy and class clown. Josh has also been hurt by Kathy and asks Melinda to help take Kathy down. Mel figures that she has nothing to lose ... and Josh is adorable with gorgeous blue eyes and a winning smile. She agrees to team up with him and looks forward to finally getting back at her rival.

At first, the pair's pranks are silly, and as they work together, Mel comes out of her shell. Even better, she finds herself falling for Josh and it appears as if he might feel the same way about her.

However, their schemes become more and more dangerous and Mel is surprised to discover her dark side. Just how far will she go to get what she wants -- and is Josh really worth the risk?

***

Straight from the Heart by Breigh Forstner

This is a story about a girl discovering and experiencing life for the first time.

Bryn Schaefler grew up rich. Her parents expected the best out of her, picked her boyfriend for her, and groomed her to be the next trophy wife fresh out of High School. But when they discover she wants to pursue music instead of following in her mothers footsteps, they wanted to hear nothing about it.

That was when Bryn left for good.

By chance, she auditioned for main stream rock band Everlasting. Never in a million years did she think she would make it.

Cale Pelton knew it was his fault for the band scrambling around to find a new guitarist. Once he saw Bryn audition, he knew he had to have her. Not just in the band, but in his mind, body and soul.

This is the first book in the Straight from the Heart series. Follow Cale and Bryn as she goes on her first tour, and discovers there's so much more to her than she ever realized.

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHORS:

Kira Adams ~ kristakakes.blogspot.com

Shane Morgan ~ www.shanemorganwrites.com

Naomi Rabinowitz ~ naomirabinowitzauthor.blogspot.com

Breigh Forstner ~ facebook.com/breighforstnerauthor

STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART MUSIC PLAYLIST

BY Breigh Forstner 

 

 

Music played a huge part in creating this story about Bryn following her dreams and doing what she loved. I’ve included here some of the music I listened to while writing “Straight from the Heart,” that also helped shaped the characters to be who they are! Note, these songs are in order of the chapters as they were used for chapter titles in the book. 

Second Chance by Shinedown: I had this song pictured in my mind the whole time writing the opening scene to the book. This was when Bryn walked out the door of her parents’ house and into her future. It’s a very emotional song and I tried to capture that same kind of emotion with Bryn as she was doing something she hasn’t thought about doing before. 

Demons by Imagine Dragons: This was the song Bryn played for her audition for Everlasting. 

Don’t Stop Believing by Journey: I thought of this as an inspirational song. This was when Bryn got the call from Cale that she made the band, and had met with him for lunch. 

Nothing But A Good Time by Poison: The perfect pick me up song for Bryn’s first day on the tour. 

King for a Day by Pierce the Veil featuring Kellan Quinn: Bryn’s first experience on stage. (I should’ve changed the title to ‘Queen’ for a day.

One Thing by One Direction: Such a sweet song. I had to add it into the book regardless if it fit or not. 

Lips of an Angel by Hinder: Bryn had agreed to go on a date with Damon Charming, lead singer of Ignite the Flames. 

Seize the Day by Avenged Sevenfold: Seize the day. Enough said! 

Face Down by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Bryn catches Cale in a compromising position. 

I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace: Bryn was still mad at Cale for doing what he did at the club. I thought this song was fitting for her emotions at the time. 

Congratulations by Sleeping with Sirens featuring Matty Mullins: Bryn was reunited with her best friends in California, Gina and Bethany! 

Addicted by Saving Abel: I added this song in, thinking immediately of the instant chemistry Bryn and Cale had from the very beginning. They had feelings for each other, and soon became addicted. 

She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5: Bryn and the group was finally back from tour and she was glad to be back to her temporary home.

Love Like War by All Time Low featuring Vic Fuentes: This was when Bryn and the group went into the studio to record their album, with Tyler, for the first time. 

Tears Don’t Fall by Bullet for my Valentine: Bryn had just found out about what happened between Cale and Tyler Donahue, a former member of the band, before she joined the group. 

Run Free by Asking Alexandria: I really connected to the lyrics when writing this chapter. The chorus says “Open your eyes and your mind to a new world,” and I found that perfectly fitting for Bryn. 

No Ordinary Love by Memphis May Fire: The title of this song describes Bryn and Cale’s relationship perfectly. This is no ordinary love. 

The Final Episode by Asking Alexandria: Everlasting had just gotten to the festival they were going to be playing at, and Bryn had a feeling something was going to wrong. 

Outside by Staind: This was the beginning of the end. Of the book that was. While Bryn and Vince were onstage something traumatic happened offstage, affecting each of the members of Everlasting, especially Bryn. 

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Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway - Sing for Me by Gracie Madison

Find the tour schedule here.

Sing For Me by Gracie Madison
Publication date: January 23rd 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Madeline Noel fled war-torn Heaven to hide within the mortal world, but the blessing that could protect her from evil is the holy realm’s forbidden power.

As a talented soprano for the Eden Theatre Company, Madeline hides among prima donnas and tone-deaf flutists. Her perfect voice may entertain audiences, but a careless laugh may shatter glass, and her greatest scream can kill. To control her unrestrained voice, the angels forbid Madeline from embracing the emotions that strengthen her song. Anger. Fear.

Love.

The demon-hunter Damascus vows to defend Madeline from Hell’s relentless evil, but he cannot protect her from her own feelings. Though they deny their dangerous attraction, her guardian becomes her greatest temptation.

Surrendering to desire may awaken the gift suppressed within Madeline’s soul, and neither Heaven nor Hell will allow such absolute power to exist.

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon

10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer 


This might be my favorite topic ever, ever, ever because I have been so fortunate to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of betas and writer friends who have shared their tips with me. I love talking writing and craft and all the nitty gritty bits of creating a novel and self-publishing, and there’s nothing more exciting than the moment when you finally put words on the computer or a pen to the paper. Here are my ten tips for becoming a better writer. 

1. Outline! This is a tricky subject since a lot of people want to feel free when they write, but having a detailed outline for the entire story, for your first act, for your first chapter, or even for your first interaction with the characters can help form the scene easier, faster, and with more clarity. A lot of the time, I’ll end up with a 1000 word outline for a 3000 word chapter. It helps me concentrate, gives me the confidence to put words down without worrying about how it fits together aesthetically or logically, and just keeps me on task and productive. 


2. Plotting! Nothing is worse than writer’s block, but there are quite a few tips and tricks to get your mind back where it belongs. 

a. What is the worst thing that can happen to your character? Do it! Sometimes making your character squirm is just the thing to get that tense, amazing plot twist.
b. Cause and Effect: Because this happened, that happened, so this decision was made, and this consequence happened, however, because of the consequence, the characters needed to do this, therefore, that happened. It’s a really cool way of thinking out the plot I learned from the creators of South Park.
c. Think of the scene from another character’s point-of-view… what would be happening or what needs to happen to impact these other characters? 


3. Characterization! Every character sees/experiences/thinks of the world differently, and it’s through their voice we grow with them. If your character is a black-jack dealer, maybe they see the world in odds and chance and numbers. If the character is a cheerleader, maybe most of their thoughts will center around popularity, gymnastics, and competition. A grumpy old man might hate rainy days, while the young romantic might find the grayness comforting and quiet. Always thinks about the world through the eyes of your character—maybe even write the same scene from two separate character’s points of view. You’ll be surprised at how difference the voice sounds. 


4. Settings! Oh, a setting is one of my favorite things to develop. Never underestimate how powerful the scene can be based on the setting alone. You can create a place that lives and breathes and acts just like its own character, filled with quirks and charm. In Sing For Me, the theater is its own entity—filled with beautiful scenery, dark wings, broken windows, and tone-deaf flutists. You story is more than just the characters—your setting can become part of the whole narrative. 


5. Tension! This might be one of the trickiest parts of writing. How do you keep readers turning the page? I think everyone struggles with this to an extent, and even I’m still learning how and when
to really twist that knife. But, one of the most important part of developing tension actually comes from your own gut—that shifty feeling you get when you think about what could happen to your characters. Yes, you love your hero and heroine, but they will have to suffer. And suffer bad. Heartache and agony and indecision and fear. It’s all gonna happen. 


a. The more the scene makes you squirm, the better you’re doing. You want to protect the characters, but shielding them from too much harm will diminish the stakes of your book. Have you ever thought I can’t make him say that, it’s too mean! or if this happens then they might separated forever! You’ve just struck gold. You’ve hit that uncomfortable, belly clenching moment where readers HAVE to know what happens. Seize that discomfort and put your characters through that ringer! 

b. Don’t forget the internal thoughts and emotions of your characters—really exaggerate and showcase exactly how they’re feeling about a situation, and why an event is challenging, demoralizing, or difficult for them. 

c. Give your protagonist the occasional victory…only to change his/her goals or create an even larger problem for them to overcome. 


6. Filter Words! Now we’re getting into the nitty gritty, and this is one of my favorite tricks to really develop a scene in a sensory and emotional way. There are a few sets of words we all rely on, but they create an artificial distance between the reader and the narration. These are your “filter” words, words that will describe what your character is experiencing but will remove readers from the actual scene.
a. See/Saw
b. Hear/Heard
c. Taste/Taste
d. Feel/Felt
e. Knew/Know
f. Realize/Realized 

And I know, sometimes this list is daunting, but check out the examples, a scene can really pop by removing some of these words.

I heard the birds singing outside my window. I knew they would keep singing for hours. I looked at the alarm clock. Six AM? I feel so tired! 

The birds always sang right on my window sill—tweeting and chirping and thrilling. They’d be about it for hours too. The alarm cheeped right back with them. Six AM. I’d start the day off exhausted. 

Hmm…I might be a little bitter towards those birds, but the prose does have a different voice, a different feel. You’re right there in the protagonist’s head cursing those darn birds. Keep an eye for filer words and where you can nip them. You’ll see a big improvement! 

7. Dialogue! I don’t have too many tricks for this, but I do have one I like to stick to in my word documents. Usually, a real conversation is filled with a lot of short and sweet exchanges. To ensure my written conversations doesn’t sound too stilted, I like to keep each person’s dialogue to one line on my word document (including tag.) It’s almost like an artificial marking in my head where I can focus on just the perfect emotion. 


8. Brevity! It’s important for your story to be logical, but sometimes authors have a hard time trimming places where the extra words bog the sentences down. Phrases like, I ran across the room, grabbed the knob, and opened the door to follow her are not only wordy, they will diminish the tension in the scene, especially compared to I chased her outside. Really focus on your character’s actions and eliminate some of the bulky bits that readers can infer from the prose itself. 


9. Passive/Weak Verbs! Verbs are your friend. We love verbs. Really exciting, really action-packed verbs give life to a story. Be wary of using the word “was” too often, especially if you can replace it with a more exciting verb that can characterize your protagonist, move the scene, and really showcase the action. This is your weapon against the dreaded “telling” we hear so much about.


a. He was angry vs. He slammed the bottle against the bar and swore.

b. He was scared vs. He flinched back.

c. She was waiting for me vs. She checked the time on her phone while I tried on the third pair of shoes.


10. Editing! This is purely anecdotal, but my editing process starts with me reading the document for major plot errors, funky/nonsensical lines, and continuity errors, as well as adding or deleting scenes.

My second pass will nip out typos and smooth over lines. Now, here is where the magic happens—Narration! If you can find a program to read your manuscript out loud, you will see and hear it so different and feel the pacing of the story so much more. I absolutely love having the story read to me to pick up on little problem areas.

I’ve also purchased an editing program (there’s a few of them out there) that help to find over-used words, general typos, lengthy sentences, etc.

Once I’ve polished, I send to the most important part of writing a book—the beta readers. Find people you know, trust, love, and value, and have them honestly and constructively critique your manuscript. Listen to them, really listen to them. Put their thoughts away for a day before dismissing anything they say. Most times, they are right on the money, and their feedback is more valuable than anything. (Obligatory shout-out to my betas Lizzy, Fiona, Kelley, and Kaylee!) 


Thank you guys so much! I hope this helps. Good luck out there with your stories, writers!

AUTHOR BIO

Gracie Madison would spend every day, all day writing…if it were socially acceptable.  Ever since she was a little girl scribbling with a crayon, Gracie’s dedicated herself to her books and all the supernatural and paranormal, creepy and beautiful stories and characters born within the pages. Now Gracie is committed to finally sharing those books with the world.  When the laptop is pried from her hands, Gracie is probably working her day job, rooting on the Steelers, or out with her husband searching for Pittsburgh’s best sushi.

Author links:

 Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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