It wasn’t merely inevitable, it was probably forecast by the people who sit around and forecast this stuff.

Everybody and their brother’s now writing a book.

This isn’t necessarily bad, especially if it means more people find and buy my books or if more of those authors hire me to edit their books (although to be honest, I’m pretty darn backed up right now with the editing work. Go, me! And thanks to all my authors for their patience as I work through the queue to their manuscripts).

But this one? I dunno… maybe there are some books that shouldn’t be brought into the world. Maybe there are some people who shouldn’t try to seek out their fifteen minutes, you know?

Like this guy. He’s famous for punching out the legendary Glenn Danzig, and that’s about it. And now, eight years later, he’s compiling the hate mail he got and is putting it into a book.

Could be interesting, but the blurb from the official Facebook page is … full of grammatical errors. If that’s a sign of things to come, unless I’m about to be hired as the crack editor I am, I’ll pass on this one.

Most likely.

(As always, thanks to the guys at Metal Sucks for turning me on to the truly bizarre)

Every now and then, someone comes along and does things their own way. Author Meliha Avdic is one of those people. Read on and see what I mean.

For instance, when I asked what song made her think of her book, Just Another Life, she sent me a link. No explanations, just the link.

And you know what? It makes sense. It really does.

Read the blurb and tell me what YOU think:

Only the extraordinary long for an ordinary life.

After a life lived, May learns how extraordinary an ordinary life is in the web of love and hate, sorrow and joy, friends and foes, good and evil, knowledge, understanding and ignorance, truth and illusion.

Hmm, huh? Intriguing…

But there’s more! Check out her buy links — definitely not what the rest of us are doing. And that, too, is different and very, very cool.

e-bay

GroovyCart

Feel free to contact me via e-mail if you wish to arrange alternatives: mbavdic at gmail dot com

For background information:

For extracts

FaceBook

Twitter: @MelihaAB

G+

I know it’s not quite the middle of the month yet, but the Smashwords Summer Sale is turning up some interesting results. (Go visit my profile page, if you haven’t yet)

Not surprisingly, Trevor’s Song is my top seller. This reinforces the common belief that novels sell better than short story collections.

Demo Tapes 3 comes in second, having sold one fewer book than Trevor’s Song.

Demo Tapes 1 is next

then Demo Tapes 2

and finally, Mannequin.

I know what you’re saying: “Hey, Sooz, what about King Trevor???”

Yeah. Exactly.

I know we live in a world where free is the way of life. I noticed that in the early days of the sale, when Demo Tapes 3 and Trevor’s Song, both set to free for the first time since I published them, were outselling the other books, 2-1. It was like people had been waiting to get their Trevor fix until I did the inevitable and set them to free.

Okay. I get that.

But… I’ve got bills to pay, folks.

So here’s what I’m asking, and it’s really no different than what many others are currently asking: If you like what you read, why not leave a review someplace? Leave it on the sale page at Smashwords. Post it around wherever you have an account: B&N. Amazon. Powells. GoodReads. If you have a blog, send me the url and I’ll link to it from my reviews page for each book.

Even if you write, “I liked this because…” (and fill in the blank!) and that’s your entire review, it’s a help. No one said you had to be a professional reviewer. In fact, sometimes, it’s better that you’re not. Your reaction is going to be more honest, more real. There’s an authenticity that I lose when I write for the people who pay me. Take advantage of the power that gives you, friends.

It’s also a nice way to say thanks for the freebie.

I can’t believe the world is this coordinated. I can’t, and not just because if I do buy into it, it means I’m a bigger disorganized mess than I am willing to face. That’s simply not an option.

What’s going on is that the summer is being set up for a summer of Metallica, something I ordinarily would be totally into. And maybe I am, but it’s hard to tell when I’m so focused on selling the existing books, writing new ones, and building up the editing business. Which means: my Metalli-love is limited and I didn’t travel to their inaugural Orion Music + More festival. (Hmm. I wonder if next year, I could be a vendor and go sell books, even though that’s not the sort of vendor they’re looking for… what do you guys think?) Truth be told, I was okay with missing it, if only because the only bands I’m currently interested in seeing are Avenged Sevenfold and, of course, the Mighty Met themselves. And there was that pesky matter of being at Boy Scout camp.

Sheesh. When did Metallica fall in importance to the Boy Scouts? It’s funny how life changes.

Which means if I hadn’t been at camp, I’d have stayed home and read a book. Or two. Doesn’t matter which (although one’s made me yawn already).

Two Metallica books are coming out. The first is Birth. School. Metallica. Death. Yep, it’s the one that made me yawn, and I’m still yawning even with word that the book is finally scheduled for a US release — in fall of 2013. Which is, obviously, after the Orion festival, but whatever. We’re still seeing a lot of Metallica for a band who’s NOT recording a new album, let alone releasing it.

The other book is called Metallica: The Early Years and the Rise of Metal. It’s purportedly going to focus on “the massive impact of METALLICA’s first four albums on the international metal scene. The 208-page book shows the birth and rise of the monster known as METALLICA and will link the band — and the American metal scene — with the famed New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement in the U.K. and metal originators such as BLACK SABBATH and JUDAS PRIEST.” (Quote yanked from the press release I saw.)

It’s supposed to be the first and only book to do this.

Okay… I’ll reserve judgment, if you don’t mind.

At least this book is giving details about author Neil Daniels, even if they only say, “Daniels has written about classic rock and heavy metal for a wide range of magazines, fanzines and websites. He has written books on JUDAS PRIEST, Robert Plant, BON JOVI, LINKIN PARK and JOURNEY.” — it’d be nice if they’d provide titles and/or links to some of those backlist titles…

This one’s set to release on May 28, which means you could have read it before the Orion festival and used it to get all pumped. Or, if it sucks, I suppose you could make a collection of biographies about Metallica and say THAT’s your collection required to be a vendor…

I love it when cool people drop into my inbox, and sbr martin is one of those cool people. She and I also share a cool Pittsburgh connection: the cover artist for her book, Pig, is (was? I can’t keep up) a member of Pittsburgh-based Rusted Root.

… and so, once again, music and books collide in Susan’s life. You know I’m loving this.

Anyway, let’s get to the post ’cause that’s what you’re really here for, not my babble.

What song makes you think of your book?:

“Piggy” by Nine Inch Nails – and it’s not just because of the similarity in title! If “pig” were ever made into a movie, I’d want “Piggy” to be on the soundtrack, as the series of dark, disturbing, and sensual sounds that opened the flick.

“Pig” is about domestic abuse, sexuality, reflection, and loss – and so too seem to be Trent Reznor’s unassuming lyrics.

The book’s main character, Lily, has been called a lot of things in her life – Lilith, Mom, Flower, and Pig, for example. Pig is one of the clever, thoughtful nicknames her husband gave her, and when Reznor bellows “Hey Pig,” it reminds me of the ill-intentioned, mocking way Lily’s husband might greet her, “Yeahhh you.”

“Black and blue and broken bones | You left me here, I’m all alone,” Reznor sings, though these words could very well have come out of Lily’s lips. Yep, Lily’s husband, Bender, liked to hit her sometimes; and, Lily sometimes hurt herself, in drunken accidents and the like. Too many times she wound up black and blue, with broken bones. And, too many times Bender left her there all alone – including the last time he left her, the night of his own unfortunate “accident.”

Lily was an accomplished lady when it came to enjoying the company of men. She settled for her husband, thinking he might be the one to tame her. But, instead, he caged her in a volatile relationship from which Lily could not, or did not want to, escape, and about which she could have borrowed Reznor’s lyrics: “Nothing’s turning out the way I planned… What am I supposed to do? | I lost my shit because of you.”

And as per Reznor’s refrain, “Nothing can stop me now | I don’t care anymore | Nothing can stop me now | I just don’t care” – well, that too has much to do with “pig.” But I ain’t gonna tell you about that. You’ll have to read my book to figure it out.

Read it. Live it. Love it. sbr martin. pig.

Ready for the blurb?

A troubled woman sits alone on a couch in a crowded funeral home, in wake of her husband’s “accident.” In her right hand, she holds a scrap of paper she refuses to reveal, and, in her heart, she holds a lot of secrets, including a big one she’s keeping from herself. As the familiar faces of funeral home patrons stir in her a lifetime of memories, her story and her secrets unravel in a narrative of domestic abuse, sexuality, motherhood, and loss.

And a buy link, too.

Personal links:
Facebook
GoodReads
Amazon Author Profile
YouTube
Twitter
website

Talk about a bad song that will NOT die.

Yep, it’s Warrant’s Cherry Pie, a song that made me embarrassed to be a woman back when I was something like 16. It still does. That song… ugh. Talk about one of those songs I actively run from.

The rest of this post has very little to do with that song (I think and hope). It’s really about Jani Lane’s ex-wife, Bobbie Brown, and the autobiography she’s working on. There aren’t a lot of details about the book; rather, talk was mostly about the upcoming TV show she’s starring in, which will be all about her and some other ex-rocker wives and how they’ve reinvented their lives.

Uhh… sure. I mean, why not? We saw the great Married to Rock fizzle and die after only one season. Maybe this will succeed where that one failed. Who knows?

All I know for now is that there’s another Rock Autobiography in the works, that there’s a TV show that’ll only be on Canadian TV (bummer), and that Jani Lane continues to have passed on into another world. One where, hopefully, there’s no cherry pie.

Read the press release for yourself.

By now, I think most of India Drummond’s fans know how she and I came to work together, me as her editor.

I don’t do this for all my clients, since some of them prefer to stay incognito, but with Enemy of the Fae being released, I wanted to give India some extra time over here at West of Mars. I truly loved working on Enemy of the Fae, and I’d love to see this turn into a best-seller. It’s THAT good.

Which means, of course, that I asked India my famous question: What song makes you think of your book?

I challenged India, which isn’t easy. But I did it.

Here’s what she had to say:

I find it really difficult to relate real-world music to a fantasy world! But I think I’d have to say Jump Up Behind Me by James Taylor. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekUFyTdeb3s if you don’t know it.) It has a lovely feel to it, but it also reminds me of the way Eilidh swept into Munro’s life and carried him away. Although he left behind everything he knew, his career, his family, he couldn’t turn away the chance at real love and the all the promise that came with his own personal transformation.

Here’s the blurb:

Book 3 of the Caledonia Fae urban fantasy series

With a young, inexperienced monarch on the Caledonian throne and traitorous plots implicating those nearest Queen Eilidh, unrest is rife in the kingdom. She must sift through the intrigues and lies to survive, all while trying to discover which of her trusted companions hates her enough to commit mass murder.

Pressures threaten to overcome the young ruler, and to protect Quinton Munro, her bonded druid, she must send him away. His journey becomes a mission when he stumbles on an ancient truth that will shake the foundations of the entire faerie realm. Confronted by infinite danger and the promise of limitless power, Munro faces the most difficult choices of his life. Will he hide the truth to preserve stability in the faerie kingdoms or embrace the promise of his true druid heritage?

One friend will die because of that truth, one friend’s betrayal will cause irreparable scars, and the once tightly-knit band of druids will learn that not all magic is benevolent.

Caledonia Fae:

Book 1: Blood Faerie
Book 2: Azuri Fae
Book 3: Enemy of the Fae
Book 4: Druid Lords (Dec 2012)

And, last, the buy link!

Yes, only one. Maybe, if you’re not a Kindle user, you can ask India nicely? She’s really quite wonderful.

Yep, gang, it’s that time of year again — the time when Susan throws convention and royalties to the wind and makes most (well, all but King Trevor) of her books free as part of the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale.

The idea here is exposure, gang. I’m hoping to pick up new readers, maybe some who’ll be kind enough to leave reviews at all the various spots where one can leave reviews.

Yeah, I know. Giving that many books away — last year, I blew past my previous record — means fewer royalties. That means my bank account struggles and it’ll be that much longer before my web guy and I can work on even more site improvements, but … this is Trevor and over and over, the people who meet Trevor love Trevor, once they get past his crusty, asshole exterior. With the editing taking up so much of my time right now (which is both a blessing and a curse, no?), I need all the help that I can help with spreading the Trevor love.

So… I know most of you reading this already have the books. Why not buy a copy (or two) for a friend? Take a few minutes and write a review? (Not sure how? Start here: I liked this because ____. I didn’t like _____. I wish ______. Yes, reviews CAN be that easy!)

Your support now means more good stuff in the future. I promise.

ETA: The link! How did I forget the link?

Honestly? I am so busy with editing that I haven’t been doing much writing. I miss it terribly, but by the lack of demand from you guys, I’m wondering if my little endeavor, started over six years ago, has lost some of its charm now that everyone and their sister is posting fiction online.

You tell me.

Maybe you want more Chelle, more Roadie Poet. More of the non-Trevor characters. Or maybe you miss Trevor. You tell me.

I’m also not reading terribly much, as that place who pays me to write reviews keeps assigning me stuff to read. Pesky people; don’t they know there’s a whole world of Rock Fiction I need to continue exploring? Sheesh. You’d think if they are paying me, they’d be more accommodating to my schedule. No?

(Yeah, okay. Truth is I’m extremely grateful for them and their books and their payments and the challenge of writing a 400-page book review. There’s a true art to writing a review that’s so short, and I love that I get to practice it so much.)

It’s all about balance, and right now, balance is hard to find. Balance between writing, editing, reading, and taking care of the house and the kids. And cats; I picked up another foster duo yesterday (who brought some little pesky friends with them from the feral colony they were born into. How long before the Frontline takes care of it?). It’s summer, so the kids are home. My work schedule has changed.

And I love it. I really do.

Every day is different, every day a challenge.

So if I’m slow getting back to you about an e-mail, if you’re waiting on an editing sample, if you want anything from me and I’m slow… well, you know what’s goin going on. It’s nowhere near as easy as I made it seem a couple of years ago.

But that’s okay. It’s exactly what it should be.

I know. Some things get lost in the annals of history (what the heck IS an annal, anyway? Any of you erotic writers want to weigh in here?), and one of those things is that Randy Rhoads was in a band before Ozzy’s.

Now, we can read about it. And watch and listen, as well.

“Randy Rhoads: The Quiet Riot Years”, a new book from QUIET RIOT’s personal photographer/lighting director Ron Sobol, is tentatively due this spring via Red Match Productions. As a bonus, this book comes with a 90-minute DVD documentary of the QUIET RIOT years with Randy, containing interview footage telling the story of the band.

Know how far back in history we’re going here, folks? 1975. That’s right. Raise your hands if you weren’t even born back then. (No comment from THIS member of the peanut gallery!)

The pictures, the clothing alone… this could be a lot of fun. Plus informative… really. In all my years of learning about music, I think I’d skipped the Randy Rhoads pre-Ozzy lessons. It’s like the guy had joined Ozzy right after he jumped out of the womb, fully formed and guitar blazing…

Thanks to Blabbermouth for the heads-up. Now if they’d only send me this stuff instead of waiting for me to find it myself…

(demanding, aren’t I?)

Seriously. I’ve done four loads of laundry in the past two days, which is two more per day than I like to do. But The Boy Band’s camp clothes were damp and smelly, thanks to a Friday storm that brought hail to the camp, which in turn collapsed the rain fly my fellow leaders had set up — while they stood under it, debating joining me across the way in our new, tent-like-thingie. It was impossible to laugh at their misfortune, even though had the tables been turned, I’d be hearing about it at my funeral… at the tender age of 210.

As with any week-long experience in which many (try 20!) of the kids are new to Boy Scout camp (as opposed to parent-attended Cub Scout camp), we had our share of homesickness. Apathy and lethargy. Over-eager kids, desperate for acceptance and praise from their peers and from us adults. Showers, and lack of showers. We had adventures, rank advancements, bonfires that had to be doused (oops. THAT’s what they meant by seven feet), laughter, tears, and even one puker. Only one, so far as I know.

But the worst part of coming home? It wasn’t even the 500+ e-mails that were waiting, or the increasingly cranky phone messages from people who should have been told I was out of town when they were given my number.

It was the deluge of new editing clients.

Know why this is the worst? Because they had no way of finding out I wasn’t here, and, like those increasingly cranky phone messages, the e-mails were in duplicates. And, sadly, they became discouraged. “I hope your lack of response doesn’t mean you don’t want to work with me, because I sure want to hire YOU.”

I’ve answered all those people, and I hope they feel better about life. Even more, I hope they’ll hire me.

In fact, because things are so busy over here, I’ve decided to raise my rates for NEW CLIENTS ONLY. As of August 1, my rates will go up… ready? This may break the bank! One one-thousandth of a penny. That comes out to about $.25 per page.

Yes, things are going THIS well, that I feel like I can do this. It’s a small raise, but the best, most longest-lasting change happens in the smallest of increments.

Welcome home, Sooz. It’s nice to come home and find you’re wanted. Especially when you’ve left a place where the feeling is the same.

Last year, the fates conspired against me and I had to split my time between a dance recital and Boy Scout Camp. THAT is one hard transition to make, let me tell you.

This year, I’ll be wrapping up the Dance Mom part of my life in the nick of time. The recital is (was, depending on when you read this) tonight, and tomorrow morning, I’m shoving my First Class Scout into the car and heading off for a week.

My agenda goes like this:
1. Dodge raindrops.
2. Avoid the lake.
3. Hope tent doesn’t leak on Nook.
4. Read book for the people who pay me to write reviews for them.
5. Do some writing for the Troop.
6. Earn Adult Merit Badge.
7. Excel in the part of the Adult Merit Badge that’s dedicated to taking naps.
8. Avoid being eaten by bears.
9. Keep 54 Scouts and 11 Scouters in line.
10. Bring brownie batter to camp already made. Pour into Dutch Oven. Stick on campfire. Prove the naysayer wrong and watch them turn out beautifully.

Ahh… now THAT is my kind of week.

Hope yours is every bit as good!

You don’t have to be a child of Seventies Rock to be able to appreciate all Alice Cooper has brought to the world of rock and metal. From the stage show to the persona to the music to the classics, this man and his band have earned their spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Cooper once, at a show in the early 90s, I think it was. My friend was on the production staff; I spent most of the show backstage with her. But I made a point of seeing Alice’s set. It was everything it was cracked up to be — and best of all, it wasn’t slick and polished, like you’d expect after so many years. Nor was it a train wreck of drugs and addictions.

Neither was the man, himself. He was a kind, quiet, class act.

Just the sort to make me fall a little bit in love.

We’ll see how I feel after I read Welcome to my Nightmare, a new biography by multi-published rock biographer Dave Thompson. Maybe I’ll be inspired to create an Alice-like character who changes the face of rock and roll. Who knows?

Here’s a bit about the book, shamelessly — as always — lifted from the press release I saw:

“Drawing from exclusive and unpublished interviews with a variety of names and faces from throughout Alice’s career, the book follows Cooper’s tale from his life growing up as a preacher’s son in Arizona, through the early years of struggle in Phoenix and then Los Angeles, and then onto the roller coaster ride that has been the years since then. Includes interviews with original bandmates Michael Bruce and the late Glenn Buxton, drummer Neal Smith, the late Frank Zappa, manager Shep Gordon and producer Bob Ezrin. Includes tributes and recollections from many of the artists who call Alice an influence — from THE DAMNED and THE CRAMPS, to WHITE ZOMBIE and GWAR. Session players and songwriters who have made their own contributions to the Alice story recall their days spent with this Prince of Hell-raisers. The result is a story that alternately thrills, shocks, surprises and delights. Includes full discography and bibliography.”

That’s quite a roster of people paying tribute or, more hopefully, contributing great stories, anecdotes, and tales of wild (or not-so-wild) adventures.

This is one book that’s going to have quite a reputation to live up to… I can’t wait to read it.

I’ve long had an uneasy relationship with Slipknot. They either strike a nerve with me — usually but not always in a good way — or I find them too ugly to bear. I’m sure the band’s mastermind, M. Shawn Crahan — you may think of him as Clown — would be flattered.

His art is the same way for me. Fascinating, and not always in a sick way.

So… of course I’m totally coveting his forthcoming photo and art book, The Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey.

Here’s what the press release I saw has to say:

Apocalyptic Nightmare Journey, which will be published by MTV Books in June, is a collection of explorations in darkness and light from Shawn’s experimental photography, his second and equally powerful artistic outlet which he has honed for over a decade. Weird, wired, paranoid, endlessly imaginative and cancerously prolific, he’s created thousands of dangerous representations of reality through eye-gouging Polaroids in numerous styles in this hand-picked collection.

That says everything… and absolutely nothing. Notice that?

I’ve seen pieces of Clown’s work, as it’s been posted online. It’s been enough to make me realize that for a press release that says everything and nothing all at once, it’s dead-on accurate.

The book, featuring a foreward from one of my heroes, Lars Ulrich, will be out in June.

I’m over at 1001 First Lines today, talking about … first lines! (Bet you couldn’t figure that out on your own.)

Stop in and join me ’cause there’s some fun stuff happening.

As a Rock Fiction author, I sometimes think I have an image to maintain. A rep to protect, as the famous line from Grease goes.

Here’s some help.

It’s called Wear Your Music.

Now, maybe the site’s not so well-named. I mean, this doesn’t really fly as clothing, now does it?

Still, clothing or not, I’ve longed to have one. Maybe one day, for my birthday, someone will surprise me.

There are other lovely surprises on the site, as well. How many of you remember this Thursday Thirteen post I wrote back in 2007? Maybe that’s where the inspiration for guitar string bracelets came from. Wear Your Music even has bass string bracelets.

They also have something I hit on in that Thirteen post from almost five years ago: real-life guitarists have donated used strings to the site. They are then turned into bracelets, with a portion of the proceeds going to a charity designated by the artist — and the range of charities is interesting. Prices range from $50 to $500 for Eric Clapton‘s strings. $500! Wow!

In between, there’s members of Breaking Benjamin, Avril Lavigne, Carlos Santana, lots of folk you may not have heard of before (although you may recognize band names) … and two dudes named Hetfield and Hammett.

Honestly? I’d be happy with the original, non-star-used bracelets. You know what I’m gonna say… buy books. Let me afford it…

As word of the Featured New Book spot spreads, more of you are dropping into my inbox. This is cool, and I hope these authors won’t be strangers once the post is up.

Today we’ve got Kathleen S. Allen, whose Lore of Fei is the first in a new series. Check it out!

Song is: To The Fairies They Draw Near By Lorena McKennitt

TAGLINE: Faeries vs. humans, who will win in the battle for Fei, the land of the faeries? The Book of Lore states a silver-winged faerie will be born to save their race but, no silver winged faerie has been born. There is only Ariela, a faerie without wings, and no wings means she has no magic, or does she?

Hmm…. no reason or explanation given… maybe it’s self-explanatory?

LORE OF FEI BLURB:

“I am not a human girl, Duri. I am a faerie, like you. I was born without wings.” His eyes widened, but he still did not speak. “The Old Ones sent me to find a way to stop the humans. There can be no war on Fei. I need to know what the humans plan and when they will raid Fei again. You can help save Fei from extinction, Duri. Will you help me and be loyal to me and to Fei?”

He nodded. It was a slight nod, but it was a nod.

“Thank you Duri.” I sensed relief from him. “Sunvi, of the Old Ones has been captured and is ensconced in the food area. His wings have been clipped, too. He will help us restore Fei to the land it once was.”

I moved away from Duri toward the dragons. Tashie spotted me and flew over. She gave me a look, and I laughed at her. I sensed hunger from her. I reached in my pouch and pulled a sweet out. She took it and gobbled it down. I scratched under her chin, feeling the happiness flowing from her into me. I looked over to where Duri had stood, but he had gone back to the Lair. I hoped I could trust him. Faeries were much harder to read than humans.

Intriguing, no?

Why don’t you go pick up a copy? And remember: if you like what you read, a few words in a posted review help an author out a LOT.

Buy it at Amazon

Watch the book trailer

Websites:

https://www.loreoffei.weebly.com

https://www.gaelicfairie.webs.com

Facebook Author Page

On Twitter: @kathleea

My friend, author Emily Casey, has interrupted my editing nirvana to remind me — and everyone else — that I am a born writer. She’s doing it in one of the most clever ways possible: by giving books awhile WHILE trying to educate even the most bashful reader about how important it is to support your favorite authors.

Here’s what she has to say about the Boost a Book event:

You, the reader

When you read a good book, you want to tell people about it! But aside from trying to convince your friend that they’re really going to like this random book you just found, what can you, as a reader, do to help an author?

How To Help
Word of mouth is of course really helpful, but did you know that just by leaving a review, you can make a book more visible to other readers? The review can be on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your blog, Goodreads, Shelfari, it doesn’t matter. If it’s where readers can find it, you’re helping. The more times a book shows up on the internet, the more people hear about it.
[Note from Susan: If you post a review of any of my books on your own blog, I’ll link back to it.]

You can click the “like” button at the top of the book’s Amazon page, or the “Tags People Associate with This Product” at the bottom of the page. These help the book come up in search results and the “Readers Who Bought…” section.

You can also tweet about the book, mention it on facebook or Google+, or request the book at your local library or bookstore (if it’s in paperback).

The Good Stuff
The Boost a Book authors have some great fans and we know you all do some of these things already. So as a thank you, we’d like to offer some free ebooks. And, as an added bonus, we think it’d be fun to offer more books and more contest entries for each book you boost.

So grab your free entry below for a chance to win a free ebook from one of our Boost a Book authors. And if you want to discover even more new authors (by winning free ebooks) you can let us know how you’ve boosted a book and get extra entries.

How cool is THIS???

I’ve got some books in this give, myself, helping bring the grand total of books to be given away to 45. Yes. 45. How ’bout THEM cookies?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whoops! This interview with Vanessa Eccles almost slipped past my radar.

Stop in and see why it’d have been a shame if you missed it.

I am so overdue with this one, and it’s not fair ’cause it’s a humdinger… And a favorite song around these parts!

Author Jaidis Shaw is too cool for words. She’s one of those people who makes you nervous ’cause she brings back that old high school insecurity, where you so desperately want someone to like you…

No? Only me?

Yeah. Whatever. On to the subject at hand… Jaidis wrote a book called Destiny Awaits. The synopsis follows her answer to my famed one-question interview: What song makes you think of your book?

I don’t know if there is a song that sums but the entire book but there is one song that would often make its way onto the Pandora station I listened to while writing Destiny Awaits that fits one of the main characters. I didn’t really listen to the lyrics at first but the beat was nice so I continued to listen and hesitated briefly as a few words caught my attention:

“The secret side of me, I never let you see…”

Alayna, the main female lead, is able to see visions in water but she has always kept this part of herself hidden so that she wouldn’t be considered a freak. After she is attacked by a Vampire, she becomes more comfortable with this side of herself but the bite has left her with a sense of hunger that she struggles to control:

“I feel it deep within, it’s just beneath the skin, I must confess that I feel like a monster.”

With this new thirst threatening to burst forth at a moment’s notice, especially when she is in close proximity to Jayden, she feels as though she is a monster. She doesn’t understand what she is becoming and when the effects of her blood are revealed, she realizes just how dangerous (or helpful) she can be. So it is because of those reasons that I feel “Monster” by Skillet is an accurate song for Alayna.

Link to “Monster” by Skillet on YouTube

Yes! Skillet!

I ran into their touring cellist… do I get cool points for that? He used to work for a friend of mine.

Okay. Back to Jaidis and her book. I want to read this one!

Synopsis:
Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn’t prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over.

Jayden McKnight can’t explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed.

Love blossoms, challenges are made and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive, but to understand what she has become.

LINKS!!!
Amazon

GoodReads link for Destiny Awaits

Jaidis’ Links:
Juniper Grove Blog
Amazon Author Page
GoodReads
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter
YouTube