The Rollercoaster

So, as you know, I’ve been absent.  A lot.  Couldn’t be helped really. The past couple months have been a rollercoaster of highs and lows.  First, my dad passed away less than two weeks ago.  With his health as poor as it was, his passing was a blessing of sorts, but that doesn’t make it any easier, especially since we didn’t have the greatest relationship near the end.  He was a very difficult man.  But he’s my dad; I love him regardless, and I’m gonna miss him.  A lot.

But the bad was tempered with a bit of good. A few months ago, I mentioned that my debut, The Mistaken, had been nominated for four, then finaled for three, 2014 eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards. Well, turns out, yesterday, it WON two of those awards—Best Thriller & Best Audiobook!  I found this out not ten minutes before I picked up my father’s ashes.  I’d like to think there was some magic at work there.

But I wasn’t the only winner.  While you can watch the video presentation of all the winners here, and I had many other friends in nearly every single category, I would like to give a special shout out to my Blogger buddies who won or were runners-up:

Lisa Regan - Aberration - "I've Been Shyamalaned" Award (tied for Best Twist)

Michael J. Infinito Jr. - In Blog We Trust - "I've Been Shyamalaned" Award (tied for Best Twist) & - 12:19  - Runner-up Best Horror

Carrie Butler - Strength - Best New Adult & Best Series (Mark of Nexus)

Alex J. Cavanaugh - CassaStorm - Best Science Fiction

Cassie Mae - Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend - Runner-up The Harvey Award  

Congrats to every one of you fabulous authors! 

And now to wrap it all up, I decided to play filmmaker last week.  I put together a little book trailer for my second novel, Leverage, book 2 in The Mistaken Series. Take a looksee, and give it a thumbs up if you like it.  Thanks!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!

Heart & Soul by Lee Strauss

Introducing

Heart & Soul

Heart & Soul is the third book in The Minstrel Series

(This is a connected book series - while each book can stand alone, they are best enjoyed in sequence.)

ROMANCE. SUSPENSE. MUSIC. DANGER. HOT BRITISH GUY

She's heartbroken. He's heartless.

Gabriele Baumann-Smith is deliriously in love with her young husband Lennon.

Except, it turns out that Lennon Smith isn't his real name. In fact, he's full of secrets: a cottage on the southern British coast, an old girlfriend and... an identical twin brother.

Callum Jones—not his real name—can't believe his brother's widow came to England. He'd warned Mick—Lennon—that an inheritance could put the girl's life in danger, and he was right.

“Mrs. Smith” is the last thing Callum needs to worry about right now. She's beautiful, sure, takes his breath away at times. But when she looks at him, who does she see?

Gabriele's heart is battered and bruised. Can one brother fix what the other left behind? And will they live long enough to find out?

BUZZ for Heart & Soul

"...this took a turn for the spy/thriller genre, which surprised me, but still carried the strong romantic flavor and wonderful accompanying music, like the first two books. I think this is a great series and would recommend it to contemporary romance fans." Denise Jaden, author of Foreign Exchange

"Another great book by Lee! This one had action, wit and a forbidden love! Love the characters and their interaction with each other! Can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!" Tressa Sager, Amazon reviewer

"I don't want to give away what the danger is, but suffice it to say, it's a real and plausible threat. Gabrielle is a good leading lady. She doesn't back down from anything or anyone in this book, but she's still vulnerable, making her well-rounded and likable." J Harrell, Amazon reviewer

AMAZON | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | itunes | Google Play

Heart & Soul in Print

Createspace 

The Music from The Minstrel Series Volume 3 Heart & Soul

Amazon

Featuring the author's daughter, Tasia Strauss!

Lee Strauss' thoughts on The Minstrel Series and Heart & Soul:

"My musician husband and I just randomly started talking about the idea of working on a project together - wouldn't it be great if we could collaborate and merge our two artistic worlds? Writing and Music? That was the seed that started the muse talking, and soon afterward The Minstrel Series was born!

For Heart & Soul, I knew I wanted to move the series from Germany to England (next to Ireland and Boston!) and that I needed a small coastal town not far from London. I used Google Earth to examine the British coastline to search for the perfect town and found it in Emsworth. Living in Germany part-time has its advantages and one of them is its proximity to England. My husband and I did a quick five day research trip. (It also came in handy for the next book, a Christmas novella set in London - stay tuned!)

Because of the musical aspect of this series, I'm always on the prowl for songs and singers. My connection to the singer-songwriter world via my musical husband has been a big advantage. My husband's musical genes have also been down to our kids, so it's exciting to involve my daughter Tasia in the project to be the singing voice of Gabriele."

Click HERE to read the first chapter of Heart & Soul. 

**One of the entry options will ask a question from the above chapter.

About The Minstrel Series:

The Minstrel Series is a collection of contemporary romance novels set in the singer/songwriter world. The books are companion novels, with shared settings and characters, but each is a complete stand-alone story with a HEA (happily ever after) and no cliffhangers!

The books include MP3 links to original music by talented Indie Artists, so you can hear the characters sing!

#1     Sun & Moon

#2     Flesh & Bone 

#3     Heart & Soul 

#3.5  Peace & Goodwill (Christmas Novella coming Fall 2014)

It also has its own FACEBOOK (link) page and its own BANDCAMP (link) page where you can listen to the original music associated with the books. Albums are also available on AMAZON.

About Lee Strauss:

Lee Strauss is the author of The Minstrel Series (contemporary romance), The Perception Series (young adult dystopian) and young adult historical fiction. She is the married mother of four grown children, three boys and a girl, and divides her time between British Columbia, Canada and Dresden, Germany. When she's not writing or reading she likes to cycle, hike and do yoga. She enjoys traveling (but not jet lag >:0), soy lattes, red wine and dark chocolate.

EASY TWEETS:

New Release! HEART & SOUL, bk3 in a connected series by @leestrauss #Romance #Thriller #suspense #music #musicians http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Soul-contemporary-romance-Minstrel-ebook/dp/B00LBFETFU/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=ellestra-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=3D6K75PVF2Y62FBT&creativeASIN=B00LBFETFU

Love #Romance and #Suspense? #Music? HEART & SOUL, bk3 in a connected series by @leestraussbooks http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Soul-contemporary-romance-Minstrel-ebook/dp/B00LBFETFU/ref=as_sl_pc_ss_til?tag=ellestra-20&linkCode=w01&linkId=3D6K75PVF2Y62FBT&creativeASIN=B00LBFETFU

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IWSG - The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, time for

Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

I’ve been quite remiss for the last month or so, only dropping in for the IWSG when I clearly announced my return from a much-prolonged hiatus.  Seems habits are hard to break.  It’s more than that though.  It’s been rough for me lately.  Personal stuff.  My dad.  He has Alzheimer’s and had to be admitted to a care facility.  It’s for the best, especially for my mom, and I thought, hey, he deserves it; he’s treated everyone in his life like crap for as long as I can remember.  But…yeah…easier said than done.  My heart isn’t quite as hard as I thought it was.  Then bad went to worse, and he was hospitalized yesterday.  They think it’s a stroke.  Whatever it is, just like everything else, it’s not a solvable problem.  There’s no happily ever after to this story. 

And yet, every nugget of misery seems accompanied by a hint of happiness.  While I struggled with with my dad, I had some really good news come in.  My debut dark romantic thriller, The Mistaken, became a three-category finalist (best hero-heroine, best thriller, and best audiobook) in the eFestival of Words 2014 Best of the Independent eBook Awards.  It had to pass the peer nominations stage to get there, but now that it’s a finalist, it’s all up to public voting. 

And while you might have never heard of these awards before, winning, or even coming in second, can be very impactful.  My BFF, Lisa Regan, won in 2013 for Best Heroine and was the runner-up for Best Novel for her debut, Finding Claire Fletcher, and it’s gone on to be very successful, and Lisa now has a contract with Amazon Publishing’s Thomas and Mercer imprint.  This year, Lisa’s follow-up, Aberration, is a multi-category finalist, including Best Thriller, Best Villain, and I’ve Been Shameylaned (best twist).  How’s that for impressive? 

So I’m hopeful. Maybe something will come of this for me.  I could really, really REALLY use your help though.  The registration is a tad convoluted, not too bad, but the voting is super easy.  I’ll leave easy-to-follow instructions at the end to assist you should you want to vote.  Either way, I have a LOT of friends who’ve also finaled, many of whom you’ve heard of, like…

Alex J. Cavanaugh, Best Science Fiction, CassaStorm

Cassie Mae, Best YA & The Harvey Award, Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat friend

Michelle Kemper Brownlow, Best NA & Best Villain, In Too Deep

Michael Infinito, Best Horror, 12;19 & I’ve Been Shameylaned, In Blog We Trust

Carrie Butler, Best Series, The Nexus Series, & Best NA, Strength

And some you might not have heard of, but should definitely check out, like…

MK Harkins, Best NA, Best Sweet Romance, & Best Villain, Intentional

Julie A Richman, Best Romance, Searching for Moore

JB Hartnett, Best Erotica, Inky

Kristine Cayne, The Harvey Award, Deadly Addiction

Dana Mason, Best Romance & Best Mystery/Suspense, Dangerous Embrace & Best Hero, Precious Embrace

And before you think anyone has any category wrapped up, think again.  We’ve got two long months of public voting to endure, so each and every vote helps every single one of us.  I know I’d appreciate your vote if you have a moment.  Thanks in advance for your support!

Instructions to register and vote:

1. Go to: eFestival of Words.com

2. Click ‘Register’ and fill out the form.

3. Confirm your account: To pass validation, click on the survey question (typically a benign question about your car or income,) then type the revealed, easy CAPTCHA into ‘Your answer’.

4. Ignore the sponsor offers and click ‘Submit’. You are now registered and may login

5. After logging in, click best thriller  

6. Select 'The Mistaken, by Nancy S. Thompson’ then click 'Submit vote'. You’ll receive a confirmation.

7. Repeat for best audiobook & best hero-heroine

Happy Birthday Edge of Truth!

Edge of Truth (YA Dystopian) is officially 1-year old today! 

 In celebration, Natasha Hanova is hosting a big giveaway with book contributions from multiple authors. Since June 6, 2013, Edge of Truth has landed a spot on Amazon's Teen & Young Adult Science Fiction and Dystopian Top 100 List, earned an average review rating of 4+ stars, got facelift a.k.a. new cover, and now has bonus content. Please be sure to enter the Rafflecopter contest for a chance to win chocolate, an Amazon Gift card, or free books. First, enjoy this short excerpt of Rena's first in-person encounter with love interest Nevan. She's out past curfew and on the run from the Overlord's robotic lawmen. This scene takes place right after she knocks on Nevan's door seeking refuge:

+++

Nevan’s dual-colored eyes—one blue, one hazel—captivated Rena. She drowned in them, in his dark eyebrows, his long, wide-based nose, his full lips. Even the faint V-shaped scar on his forehead that first appeared two years ago was too beautiful to look at. Her heart pounded, as if struggling to close the distance between them. She chewed her lip, dreading the usual shock of pain from emotional spikes like this, only it never hit.

When Blaze poked her in the back, she exhaled, but couldn’t force any words out. Warmth rushed through her from being near Nevan, with his slight smile and shoulder length dreads. In spite of the cool night air, her armpits prickled with sweat. Looking at him made her cheeks hurt. She focused on a random spot near his shoulder and struggled to think of something, anything to say. This wasn’t how she pictured their first conversation. But what if it didn’t amount to words? What if he slammed the door on her?

Blaze pushed hard enough to move her two steps forward. The way Nevan focused on her made her knees wobbly. He traced a finger across his forehead and down his temple. She’d never observed him make that gesture before. Was it meant to calm himself? Or did he feel the heat, too? The thought made another burst of warmth blanket her.

“Ummm…uhhhh.” It was all she could force out.

She backed away. Her friend, turned roadblock, caged her in. Down the street, the second set of Synbots reached scanning distance and headed for them. Panic raced through her, spiked her heart with adrenaline, and jump-started her survival instincts. She spun toward Nevan.

“We need a safe place to stay for a few hours. I know you don’t know us, but I’d…we’d be really grateful if you would let us inside.”

He leaned forward, glancing down the sidewalk. The movement stirred the air between them, and his warm citrus scent surrounded Rena. He stepped aside and spoke in a loud, booming voice, most likely for the Syns’ monitoring devices. “Yes, we’ve been waiting for you.”

She blinked twice in disbelief. The Syns marched up the sidewalk. Blaze grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her into the house.

The machines didn’t stop.

Nevan’s dad came to the door. Rena shifted back to make eye contact. Nevan definitely got his height from him. They also shared the same smooth, creamy brown complexion.

His dad studied Rena and Blaze for a second before he flashed his son a ‘what did you do’ look and whispered, “Mr. Elliott won’t like this.” Then he stepped outside, holding the door in place with one hand while shielding the girls from the Syns’ lasers.

“I’m glad you girls finally made it.” He sounded much nicer this time, like he really meant it. “We were starting to worry. Why don’t you kids go with Risa? I’ll take care of this.”

+++

About the Author

Natasha Hanova is an award-winning author of young adult and adult dark fantasy/paranormal fiction. Edge of Truth (June 2013) is her debut novel. Her short stories appear in multiple anthologies. She loves nibbling Peanut M&Ms while reading paranormal, dark fantasy, and/or dystopian books with heavy doses of romance. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and children. Find her blog at NatashaHanova.com.  

Social Media Links

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Google+

Edge of Truth Buy Links

Amazon • Smashwords • Barnes & Noble • BooksAMillion

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IWSG: OY!

It’s the first Wednesday of the month.

Time for Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

So, yeah, I forgot to post my IWSG piece.  Or almost forgot.  I remembered this morning.  But, UGH!  I just can’t seem to get with the program after a lengthy hiatus.  Now, in my defense, I did go through another health scare this week, just on Monday, in fact, but the biopsy came back clear yesterday afternoon, so I have no real excuse, except to say I was a bit preoccupied.  So here’s my problem…

How do you all do it?  How do you manage to write the great American novel, publish, market, work, attend your family, AND blog?  No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to fit it all in.  I keep reminders on my phone, but I usually end up just moving the reminder closer and closer to the actual event until I miss it altogether. 

I attended an event last night in Seattle with my dear friend, Jennifer Hillier.  It was a bust, basically a sales pitch by Amazon on self-publishing, which annoyed me since I knew it all already because I just self-pubbed my second book a month ago. But I didn’t mind.  I got to spend some quality girl time with my girl, Jenny.  I was supposed to write my IWSG post when I got home though.  And I didn’t.  It slipped through.  Again. 

My life has changed so much in the last year or so.  I’ve learned a lot and met many awesome people, but I really miss my homies in Bloggyland.  I’m trying hard to get back in the groove.  I’m hitting most of my targets.  And yet, I still missed this one.  It’s aggravating.  It’s disappointing.  It’s embarrassing.  And I apologize for not properly prioritizing.

By the way, my debut, The Mistaken, will be on sale for 99 cents starting tomorrow, June 5^th, and running through June 10^th.  So go pick yourself up a cheap thrill ride!

Cover Reveal: OTHERBORN by Anna Silver

My friend and pub-sister, Anna Silver, has given her debut novel, Otherborn, a little facelift.
And now for the big reveal...

TAA DAA!!!  Pretty, huh?

"In a reprocessed world, London and her friends must dream their way to a New hope."

Title: Otherborn (Otherborn Series, #1)

Author: Anna Silver  -  Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing  -  Release Date: April 4, 2013

Pages: 290  -  Format: Paperback, ebook

Genre: YA  -  Subgenres: dystopian, science fiction, fantasy

Blurbity blurb:

London and her teenage friends live in a reprocessed world.

Confined within Capital City’s concrete walls, London has done the impossible and the illegal. She’s created something New- a song. But her mentor, club owner Pauly, is not impressed. Since the historic Energy Crisis forced everyone behind walls generations ago, the Tycoons have ensured there is truly nothing new allowed under the sun. Pauly warns London to keep her song to herself, if she knows what’s good for her.

What he doesn’t know is that London is keeping an even bigger secret: she dreams. And she’s not alone. London’s band-mates and friends have begun dreaming as well, seeing themselves in “night pictures” as beings from another world. As Otherborn, they must piece together the story of their astral avatars, the Others, in order to save their world from a dreamless, hopeless future.

When Pauly is murdered and an Otherborn goes missing, London realizes someone is hunting them down. Escaping along the Outroads, they brave the deserted Houselands with only their dreams to guide them. Can they find their friend before the assassin finds them? Will being Otherborn save their lives, or destroy them?

Links:

Otherborn on Goodreads    Otherborn book trailer on YouTube    Otherborn excerpt

Otherbor n in paperback     Otherborn in the Kindle store    Otherborn for Nook

1^st 5 chapters of Otherborn on Wattpad

 

Who's that girl?:

Anna Silver is an author and artist living in the greater Houston area with her family, pets, and overactive imagination. Her art has been featured in the Houston gallery Las Manos Magicas. She studied English Writing & Rhetoric at St. Edward’s University. She's freelanced for private clients and small publications like the Hill Country Current. OTHERBORN, her first published novel, has been featured on 2 of Amazon's "Bestsellers" lists. ASTRAL TIDE is her second published novel.

Find Anna here:

On the Web - Blog - Twitter - Facebook - Goodreads - Pinterest - publisher

A little horn-tooting:

"Anna Silver weaves a dark new world full of taut suspense and characters that leap off the page." –Sophie Jordan, NYT bestselling author of the Firelight trilogy

"Travel to a world where dreaming is a radical act that can save the world… Anna Silver’s post-apocalyptic vision is rich with imagery and metaphysical ideas, grounded by vivid, three-dimensional characters. A truly fresh take on dystopian." –Nina Berry, author of the OTHERKIN series

“Silver built the right amount of conflict and tension to draw readers into her dystopian world, and created characters who are leery, yet determined to embrace New.” –Natasha Hanova, author of Edge of Truth

A Well-Deserved Salute

And remember...

Have a safe holiday!

And the Nominations Are...OR...I Think God Just Bitch-Slapped Me

So, after a long hiatus, I’m starting to ease back into this whole blogging thing.  I have to make it a part of my schedule again, not easy when there’s so much to be done.  I didn’t count on a health issue getting in the way, but it did, just last week, right as I jumped back into the IWSG.  But at least I have answers to long-nagging questions, and, with proper treatment, I hope to be on the mend soon and back to making the rounds, getting reacquainted with everyone.

In addition to the bad news last week, I did get some good.  My first novel, The Mistaken, was just nominated for 4 eFestival of Words 2014 Best of the Independent eBook Awards—Best Thriller, Best Hero, Best Audiobook, and The Harvey Award.  Cassie Mae told me that last one was for the book voters most want to see made into a movie, which she would know about since her book, Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend, was also nominated in that category, as well as Best YA.  But she’s not the only one of my bloggy friends whose books were nominated. 

Alex J. Cavanaugh’s CassaStorm was nominated for best Sci-fi, Lisa Regan’s Aberration for Best Novel, Thriller, Villain, and the “I’ve Been Shamyland” Award, Carrie Butler’s Strength  for Best NA and her Mark of Nexus Series for Best Series, Michael Infinito’s 12:19 for Best Horror and In Blog We Trust for the “I’ve Been Shamyland” Award,  Michelle Brownlow’s In Too Deep for Best NA and Best Villain, and Dana Mason’s Dangerous Embrace for Best Romance and Best Mystery/Suspense. 

A few of my Facebook friends were nominated, too, like Kristine Cayne, Julie Richman, Julie Hartnett, and MK Harkins. Even one of the books I edited last year got nominated for best editing, AL Jackson’s If Forever Comes, though my name was mysteriously left off that list. 

All in all, it made my spirits rise a bit while I battle this “profound anemia” I was diagnosed with.  I feel confident that, with successful treatment, I will be back to my old self and bugging all of you once again.

And if you have the chance, I'd LOVE to know what you think of my newly released novel, Leverage, a dark romantic thriller with twists and turns galore! 

IWSG - I'm BAAA-AAAACK!

It’s the first Wednesday of the month, time for
Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group!

Wow, it’s been so long, and I’ve missed you all SO much during my rather lengthy hiatus, but it was unavoidable and proved to be very valuable time spent.  The biggest news to come out of my prolonged absence?  

I published my second novel!

Now, this was no easy feat. Once I signed with a small press for my first title, The Mistaken, I was excited to get started on the sequel. Unfortunately, the stars don’t often align and I was disappointed when my publisher closed to all submissions due to the tough economy. That sidetracked me on many levels. I had to take up ALL the slack on promoting my first book while trying to focus on finishing the second, another dark romantic thriller called Leverage. And since it’s a sequel, trying to sell it to another publisher seemed unlikely, so I jumped into the indie pool and self-published Leverage. 

Of course, that’s no easy task when you’re a novice with no extra money. At least, as an editor myself, I knew that aspect was pretty much under control, though I did have an editor friend of mine give it a once over. But I had to do all the formatting myself. Now, for the paperback, it was no problem, but the ebook was something else altogether. I didn’t want to just put my baby through a grinder. I wanted it properly indexed and validated across all venues, so doing all that code stuff was a tad daunting.

Next, the cover! I had commissioned original artwork, but the timing didn’t work out, so I went the stock photo route and prayed Carrie Butler at Forward Authority Design Services could help me out, and boy did she ever! Just look at this puppy! Obviously, this is the paperback cover. The ebook consists of the front portion only.

Isn't it Purty?!!

I seriously couldn’t be happier. Carrie Butler produced exactly what I asked for and in record time, which was important because, while I had said I would launch May 20^th so it would coincide with my first blog tour, I needed to release on Amazon Kindle by May 1^st if I wanted to enter Kindle Book Review’s 2014 Best Kindle Book Awards. And WHEW, I made it!

While I do have to spend some time this week listing it on Kobo and Barnes & Noble, I feel pretty good. The early reviews are outstanding and, so far, I have a perfect 5-star rating on Amazon.  Even The Mistaken still rates 4.6 stars on 115 reviews. I’m doing okay and look forward to my first tour in a few weeks. And hey, if you’re interested in joining the tour, Book Plug Promotions has prepared this Google Doc for sign-ups. I hope it’s still open, but I’m not entirely sure. I do have another coming up August, so if you’re interested in that one, contact Nazarea Andrews at Inkslinger PR. 

Okay, you might be wondering what my point is here. Well, as I’ve lamented here before, I find all this publishing stuff, especially the marketing, immensely intimidating, but, with the help of my, many of whom I’ve met here, I’ve more than just muddled through. I still have a long way to go, but, geez, if I can do it, anyone can!

Giveaway & Cover Reveal: A Good Man's Life

Synopsis:

Daniel Nash struggles to reconcile his feelings of betrayal with his desire to understand his life.  His hopes of uncovering the secrets revealed in his father’s journals are quickly dashed, and he works with a private investigator to discover the truth.  Worry about his wife, Sarah, combines with his efforts to cope with his childhood trauma, an unexpected death, and the recent revelations. His obsession with the past threatens to destroy his stable life.  Meanwhile, Sarah and her father, Tristan, continue to combat the lingering discord that developed between them years before but refuse to take their main focus from Daniel.  As he reviews his biological father’s efforts to be a good man, Daniel searches for a way to comprehend shocking disclosures.  He questions his own goodness as he fights not to emotionally withdraw from those around him, especially the two people he knows will always love him, Sarah and Tristan.   

To celebrate Barbara's new cover and forthcoming release, she's holding an awesome giveaway!  

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Excerpt:

Although he felt Tristan’s arm go around his shoulders, Daniel kept studying the stars for several minutes.  Finally, he allowed himself to be pulled against Tristan’s chest.  Neither man spoke.  Neither man moved.

“I’m a poor substitute for Max,” Tristan offered.  “I wish there was more I could say or do for you.”

“You do fine,” Daniel insisted, as he shifted slightly and listened to the leather on his jacket move in tandem.  “You do better than Max if you want to know the truth.  You may not be a therapist, but you’re more of a father than he ever was.”

“He loved you, Dan.”

“I know.  He was an okay father, but he can’t compare to you, Tris.  It’s not the same.”

“I’m honored.”

“Don’t die on me any time soon, Tris.  Mom and Lillian are gone.  Max is gone.  I don’t want to lose any more parents for at least another five decades or so.”

“I’ll do my best,” he vowed, wrapping a hand around the side of Daniel’s head in a paternal gesture.  

The Dauntless Authors Giveaway!

Join The Dauntless Authors for a giveaway for 2 $25 Amazon Giftcards during the week of January 13. Throughout the week they'll also be giving away TONS of ebooks at their Facebook Party!

Team Dauntless:

Kate Avery Ellison 

Nancy S Thompson

Wendy Knight

Amber Argyle

RaShelle Workman

Elle Strauss

Megg Jensen

Angela Corbett

Cindy Hogan

Christy Dorrity

Rachel Morgan

Shantal Hiatt

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IWSG: Success!

It’s the first…er…second Wednesday of the month.

Time for Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It’s been a very busy time for me lately.  I finally finished my second book, Leverage, the sequel to my first, The Mistaken, and I  must say, even though I haven’t gotten a whole lot back yet from my CPs (it’s only been a couple days after all), I do feel pretty good about it.  What they have said is they can’t put it down, so I’m feeling pretty solid.  No rookie mistakes this time around.  And where most of my reviewers called The Mistaken a rollercoaster, Leverage is  more of an amped-on-steroids rocket ride. 

Speaking of The Mistaken, November was a rather dreary month for sales.  Most all of my author friends had the same complaint, so I felt in good company.  But I decided it was time for a shot to the arm, so I placed it on sale for 99¢ for five days in early December to celebrate turning 50. 

Prior to that, I’d applied for a very expensive BookBub ad to run on the 4^th day of my sale and was accepted, but it was well worth the price.  The Mistaken went as low as #87 overall out of all Amazon Kindle ebooks.  I made several bestseller and top-rated lists and have managed to hold on to two of them so far.  And while it’s slowly creeping back up in rank, it’s still in a nice, comfortable range, so mission accomplished! 

Also very exciting, The Mistaken audiobook was finally released by Cherry Hill Publishing and can now be found on Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. 

My point to all this?  Well, in this rather sucky business of publishing, it’s always an uphill battle and can be downright depressing at times.  But don’t give up.  Figure out how to deal with it and move forward.  There are a lot people out there in the same boat or who’ve experienced the same thing and have managed to pull through it.  Ask them for advice.  I bet they’d be only too willing to help out.  That’s how I was able to experience success last month.  I’ve found that all of my author friends are very Pay-It-Forward people.  It’s how we stay sane in an industry that will eat you alive if you’re not willing to play.