Anniversary Cruise

Hubby and I are flying to San Diego today for an anniversary cruise. I'll be back on February 10th. Here's a map of my itinerary:

Hope's Watch Release

I'm super happy today.

It's the official launch of Hope's Watch, a Safe Harbors short story, #1.5

Elle Reinhardt loves people and has a gift for turning groups of strangers into friends. When she talks her best friend Lyn into taking a month-long Pacific cruise, Elle is in her element, gathering fellow passengers to her. But things go horribly wrong when a ship excursion ends in death and disaster at the hands of modern-day pirates. 

Filled with her own emotional wounds from the experience, Elle tries desperately to buoy up the grieving loved ones as they wait for news on those lost at sea. Malcolm Armstrong, friend of one of the missing men, arrives to act as family spokesman. Elle knows it’s unreasonable, but she resents his presence. When Mal offers the strength she so desperately needs, will she be able to let go of her animosity and accept his support? 

This ebook-exclusive short story includes special excerpts from both A Change of Plans and Torn Canvas (coming April 2014).

This little offering tells the story of Elle's first days after being kidnapped and during a cruise excursion and then rescued, while the Coast Guard searches for her friend Lyn, who is now lost at sea. It fits nicely between A Change of Plans and Torn Canvas (Jori's tale) which releases in April.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

To celebrate, A Change of Plans is on sale.

When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old Colorado high school teacher wants is to forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. What she plans is a vacation diversion; what fate provides is Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and its temporary friendships, her emotions come alive.

However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he navigates, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship—on the very anniversary Lyn came on the cruise to forget. But Lyn’s painful memories are too powerful, and she runs off in a panic.

Things are bad enough when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise’s snorkeling excursions in American Samoa. However, paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped. Lyn’s fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

AMAZON | AUDIBLE | BARNES & NOBLE | GOODREADS

And, how cool is this? There's a $50 giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'd like to express special thanks to the awesome Elana Johnson who put this Blog Blitz together. You can check out more about what she offers here.

Indie Publishing and Quitting

Some interesting articles today.

Author Natalie Whipple wrote an charming "apology" blog to indie authors here.

You're probably thinking these apologies have everything to do with the fact that I am working to self-publish a novel right now—you would be entirely correct and I'm okay with admitting that. Sometimes you have to step into the same shoes to really get it, and I can assure you I'm beginning to see both sides so much more clearly. 

The judging, I can already see it happening to me. I admit I thought because of my traditionally published books that I would be spared a little, but I'm starting to understand that is not the case. It's been a big lesson to me. A humbling one.

She says more--good stuff and I suggest you read her entire post--and she hits the nail on the head. I've been traditionally published and, now that my publisher has closed their doors, I'm branching off on my own. It carries a lot more pressure.

Source: PowerPoint

On another note, Author Kristen Lamb wrote an entertaining blog post: Want More Writing Success? Learn to be a QUITTER.

Learn to Quit from the Best
Most of us are lousy at knowing how and when to quit. This is one of the reasons it is a good idea to surround ourselves with successful people, because successful people are expert quitters. When I started out, I had all the wrong mentors. I had writer pals who quit writing when it was boring or who quit querying after a handful of rejections. They quit attending critique because they got their feelings hurt when people didn't rave their book was the best thing since kitten calendars. 

All this wrong kind of quitting is easy to fall into. Excuses are free, but they cost us everything.

 and later...

Artists Actually Need More Quitting
Quit your day job. Today. This moment. Now, by quitting, I don’t mean you should throw your laptop in a waste can and take a bat to that copy machine that’s eaten every presentation you’ve tried to photocopy since the day you were hired….though that might be fun.

No, I mean mentally QUIT, then hire yourself to the dream. Screw aspiring. Aspiring is for pansies. It takes guts to be a writer. It takes guts to be any kind of creative professional. Hire yourself to the job you dream about. TODAY.

She gives some great, specific examples of quitting. They weren't what I expected but made perfect sense. Check them out.

Are you a quitter? Of the right things? What are those things for you?

Special Guest Andrea Pearson

I have a special guest today--Author Andrea Pearson, who has finished her Kilenya series. You can see my reviews of the first two books in the series, here and here. Take it away, Andrea.

Hi, Everyone!

My name is Andrea Pearson and I'm an author of middle grade and young adult fantasy. In celebration of the completion of my Kilenya Series, I'm giving away eBooks! Read on for more details. :-)

The Key of Kilenya, first book in the Kilenya Series (with 50 five-star reviews on Amazon), is available everywhere for free (Kindle, Nook, Smashwords), but only until the 18th of January.

It's originally $3.99, and is geared to readers 10 and older. If it were a movie, it would be rated PG. No swearing or vulgarity, and very minimal violence.

Here's the book description:

We all have a choice—but we can’t choose the consequences.

Jacob Clark is chased down a path that takes him to another world—a world where he is a wanted young man. The Lorkon want to control him and the special powers he possesses. The people of the new world want him to save them from the destruction of the Lorkon. All Jacob wants is to go home, but even that choice has consequences. He doesn’t know what to do and if he waits too long, the new world and the one he came from will be destroyed. As Jacob looks for people he can trust, he finds himself in the center of the fight for freedom—both for himself and the people he’s come to know.

Jacob has no idea where the path he chooses will take him, but once the choice has been made—bring on the consequences.

Back to Andrea. :-) I had so much fun writing this book! I came up with the idea for the magical key when I was 10 - the same age as many of my readers - and built on it until I was 22, when I sat down and actually wrote the book. The Kilenya Series has sold really well and I've been so excited to find people just as passionate about the books as I am. :-)

The second book, The Ember Gods, is available for $0.99 until January 18, but you don't have to buy it if you don't want to, because I'm giving it away for free. In fact, I'm giving away three different eBooks. The only thing required on your part is to decide which one you want, mention it on this blog post, then email me the info, and I'll send you the file. :-)

Here are the books to choose from:

The Ember Gods, Kilenya Series Book Two

Original and discounted price: $3.99 to $0.99
(or free, if you choose this eBook :-))

Discounted Until January 18th

Genre and target audience: Fantasy for teens

If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG

If you don't want it for free (ha ha :-)), you can download it from: Kindle, Nook

Book description: 

Jacob Clark’s new abilities are a blessing and a curse. He’s a hero for returning the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners, but at school he's starting to get noticed for something other than his basketball skills. And the attention is freaking him out.

Balancing both worlds is tricky enough, but Jacob has tasked himself with saving Aloren who’s trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods. He doesn't want to wait for the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon, but the desire to prove himself to the high school basketball coach conflicts with his plans to rescue her.

Feeling pulled by both sides, Jacob must walk a tightrope of warring worlds with lives on the line. Lives that will be lost if he doesn’t figure out how to complete his quest and balance his abilities. Fast.

August Fortress, Kilenya Series Book Three

Price: $3.99 (or free, if you choose this eBook :-))
Genre and target audience: Fantasy for teens
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? PG
If you don't want it for free, you can download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book description:

Since Jacob Clark discovered his abilities, his life has changed for the better—and the worse.

The basketball coach won't notice him and high school is much more complicated than before. Jacob finds himself needed more and more in Eklaron where his abilities are saving lives. And then the call comes—he and his friends must rescue the powerful Sheingols from August Fortress where they've been held for fifteen years. The only problem is, Lorkon traps are everywhere and getting past them might be impossible.

The closer he gets to his goal, the harder the traps are to overcome. Can he master more of his powers to fight the traps? Or has Jacob finally met his match?

Samara: A Kilenya Romance

Original price:$1.99 (or free, if you choose this eBook :-))
Genre and target audience: Clean teen romance
If this book were a movie, what would it be rated? G (or a very, very soft PG)
If you don't want it for free, you can download it from: Kindle, Nook, Smashwords

Book description:

When Samara Oldroyd meets the most amazing guy ever, she's frustrated their conversation is cut short. Her wishes that they'll run into each other again come true when she meets her sister's new boyfriend. It's him! Eeek!
Inspired by the film Dan in Real Life, this novella will tickle you pink as Samara tries—in vain—to undo her crush.

(There is no magic involved in this story. It contains characters you'll meet in the Kilenya Series and can be read separately.)

Now that you've chosen which free eBook you want, here's how you get it:

1. Comment on this blog, saying which eBook you want
2. Send me an email (ap@andreapearsonbooks.com) and tell me:
1. The title of the book
2. The name of the blog that sent you
3. Which format you want the eBook in (Kindle, Nook, etc.)

And that's all!

I can't wait for you to delve into the world of Kilenya and discover the magic, monsters, and people there!

Andrea Pearson, author of the Kilenya Series, Kilenya Romances, and Katon University series, lives with her husband and daughter in a small valley framed with hills. She is Executive Director of the Indie Author Hub group and creator of the writing application, Writer’s Progress Bar. She is an editor for the website Gather.com.

Andrea spends as much time with her husband and daughter as possible. Favorite activities include painting, watching movies, collecting and listening to music, and discussing books and authors.

Her mother says they can't possibly be related because Andrea isn't in love with chocolate and tomatoes, though she’ll eat either. (But not together.) She would much rather snack on toasted English muffins with lots of butter or nearly anything with cheese.

January IWSG - Creativity

Click here to find out more and to see a list of other IWSG blogs.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

I'm feeling pretty good this month. Kinda. Just a little pressure, but I've marked some things off my to-do list. A FB picture by an author friend gave me an idea on how to proceed. So, I'm just sharing a few quotes by famous authors. I figure they understand.

Have you ever wondered what a famous author, from many years ago, might write about--today, on a blog?

Cost of "Free" Ebooks?

You see it a lot anymore. Free ebooks. It's a marketing move. Some books are free as promos, and others are on perma free. But is that a good marketing strategy for everyone? And if it is, when?

There was an interesting article at Kristen Lamb's blog, entitled
R-E-S-P-E-C-T isn't FREE!

I think writers, especially self-published writers, get overly fascinated with marketing, and the allure of FREE! only makes this worse. I see far too many writers uploading that ONE manuscript and then spending every spare waking moment, promoting that one book to the point of being viewed as spam. They tweet with every imaginable hashtag, “Come get my book for FREE! FREE NOW! A book for FREE!” ….and after the 40th time we get this tweet, we are willing to pay the writer to stop tweeting. 

They remind me of gamblers chasing their losses. Because ONE DAY they had X number of downloads, they are back at the track trying to make that number appear again. If we run around handing our one and only manuscript for FREE! then what good does it gain us? I am sure there is some good that can come from it, but not the real game-changing benefit that I want all of you to enjoy.

You'll want to read the entire article because she raises some interesting points about when and how to make the most of FREE!

What about you? What's been experience, either as a reader or a writer?