Monday, December 31, 2012

Hey Readers!

The Reader


Author Wendy Russo is doing something really neat over on her blog: Http://wendysrusso.com

Wendy says, "We've all interviewed authors, characters, had characters interview characters. For the first of my new series...which I'm launching on December 31, I'm going to interview readers. Post their pictures and very basic information, like ages and locations. I'm going young, old, men, women, families...the idea is to put a spotlight on what people are reading, plug their favorite books and authors."

So if you want to talk about the book you're reading right now, check it out!




Thursday, December 27, 2012

Contest Winner!!!

THE WINNER OF THE FIRST COUNTDOWN TO THE RELEASE OF TRIANGLES CONTEST IS:

JACKIE!!!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read about Autumn and comment! Next month, a new character and contest will be posted, so come on back and try again! Once ARCs become available, I will offer one up, as well as swag and other prizes!

All of us here at Writers by the Shore want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May all your writing and reading dreams come true!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

My Editing List

A few months ago I showed my "Editing Folder" to a couple members of my critique group. I'm not sure if they thought I was crazy or liked the idea - lol. Anyways, it's literally a manila folder I carry around when I edit/revise. If I have a chapter or pages that I must print out to look at I will toss them in. That, however, is not its main purpose.

I write all kinds of notes to myself on it. What to look for, delete, and so on. I thought I would share those notes with you today and link to where I found most of them. Unfortunately, I didn't write down where I got some of the information from, so I don't have all the links.

I do a search when I have finished editing each chapter. Sometimes I am able to delete a word and fix the issue in one simple step. Other times I must reword the entire sentence. Occasionally I find deleting a sentence here or there makes the piece better.



Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Plot: (All from Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass) 
  • How could things get worse? 
  • When would be the worst moment for them to get worse? 
  • Public Stakes! 
  • Personal Stakes! 
  • Emotional danger
  • Choices (a) suffering & (b) sacrifice

Character: (From chriseboch.blogspot.com)
  • "Could I develop this character more, to make him or her more complicated?"
  • "How could this secondary character to be causing problems for my main character?"
  • "If the character is already causing problems, could they be even worse?"

Delete These Words: (These are my overused, implied, or filler words I use often)

that, just, seem, like, really, feel, start, already, felt, very, still, up, down, over, but

Dialogue: 
  • Who is speaking? 
  • Do they sound convincing? 
  • Are they in character? 

Tension: (In each chapter)
  • Story tension? 
  • Romantic tension? 
  • Inner tension?
Words that can be axed!!! (Rachelle Gardner)

about, actually, almost, like, appears, approximately, basically, close to, even, eventually, exactly, finally, just, just then, kind of, nearly, practically, really, seems, simply, somehow, somewhat, sort of, suddenly, truly, utterly, were


Passive Voice: (The Other Side of the Story - Janice Hardy - If you don't follow her, I highly recommend doing so.)

was, saw, heard, felt, knew, watched, decided, noticed, realized, wondered, thought, looked, is, am, are, were, has, have, had, being, been

Telling words: (The Other Side of the Story - Janice Hardy)

time (unless important), to see, to hear, could tell, to watch, to decide, to notice, to realize, to wonder, to think, to look,

Your Turn -> Do you have an editing list?

Originally posted on 11/8/2012 on Adventures in Writer Land

Monday, December 17, 2012

The Devil's Triangle Cover Reveal!!

                                            Picture

It's Here!!!  The cover reveal for my new book. Let me know what you think?

The Devil's Triangle

by Toni De Palma


When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him.




While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend who can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out.
While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping him and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined.


ISBN for Devil's





978-1-939173-03-4 Devil’s Triangle print
978-1-939173-04-1 Devil’s triangle Ebook
Find Toni and The Devil's Triangle here:






Friday, December 14, 2012

COVER REVEAL: CAMP BOYFRIEND!


CAMP BOYFRIEND
The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Title: Camp Boyfriend (Camp Boyfriend #1)
Author: J.K. Rock
Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary
ISBN: 978-1-939392-50-3 
Release Date: July 2, 2013
Formats: Paper, e-book

If you'd like to request an ARC, please use the reviewer form on our website. ARCs will ship in late spring of 2013.




Thursday, December 13, 2012

Six Month Countdown to the Release of Triangles!

TRIANGLES will be released in about six months! To kick off the countdown, I'm going to introduce the six major characters, one each month, until the release on June 18! I'm also including a contest with each character. The details follow the introduction. Today, the main character, Autumn Taylor, is up!


Hi, my name is Autumn Taylor. I'm a Jersey girl, but my one goal in life is to escape Jersey and never come back. Maybe I’ll go out west, or to New England, or even to some quiet place like Montana. I’m sure I’ll be okay out there, even though I’ve never lived anywhere else. After all, if you can survive Jersey, you can survive anything.


Anyway, too much has happened in my life for any seventeen-year-old to deal with, but I’m a survivor. No one else who loves me survives, though, or so it seems. My dad died rushing home for my seventh birthday. If I hadn’t forced everyone to wait for him to blow out my candles, he wouldn’t have been speeding and would still be alive. And my mom? Yeah, she’s in a coma because of me, lying in the hospital like a swollen slab of ham, all full of tubes and wires. If I hadn’t snuck out of the house one night and busted her car, she’d be fine, too. So now, my older sister, Jessica, is stuck babysitting me, even though I know she has better things to do.


See what I mean? I’m like a poison or something.


Besides that, all I have left for me here is my best friend, Nisha. She doesn’t want me to go, but she understands me. And the guy at work who follows me around like a puppy, Joey? I’ll be happy to lose that shadow, no matter how sweet he seems to be. I refuse to get tied down to any guy at this point. Nothing is going to stop me from making my escape.


The only thing I have to look forward to is my cruise to Bermuda with my sister. I’ve never been on a cruise before, but from what I hear, nothing beats a great tropical vacation to take your mind off the crappy stuff in life. Here’s to hoping for the best vacation ever.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Autumn and her story, coming in June! Next month, I’ll introduce Joey, the guy who likes Autumn, and have another contest! Thanks for stopping by!


TODAY’S CONTEST:



1. Comment on this blog post answering this question: What do you think happens to the people who go missing in the Bermuda Triangle? Your answer can be serious, creative, or silly!



2. Tweet about this contest using the hashtag #MysteriousBermudaTriangle. The link to that tweet must be included in your comment. If you don't have Twitter, you can do a status update on Facebook. Include that link. Doing both would be even better!



3. If you’d like, add Triangles to your Goodreads to-read list here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13610402-triangles
 and
Like the Triangles page on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/TrianglesYA?ref=hl 

That's it!

Now for the prize:

Your choice of a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card!

Some more contest details:
Contest starts December 13, 2012 and ends December 26, 2012, 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced December 27, 2012 on this blog.
Contest is International.
Each month, I will introduce another major character and have other prizes!
You must be 13 years old to enter.
Winner will be chosen using random.org.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Book Trailer - Extracted

This month we are releasing the official trailer for EXTRACTED and we need your help. See, the fantastic people at Spencer Hill Press created two trailers for us, and we love them both so much, we can't choose between them. 
So we are going to let the fans decide. It's pretty simple. Watch both trailers and then vote for your favorite by 'liking' it on YouTube, Facebook, and/or by voting below. 
That's three ways to vote, and you can vote up to three times. As a thank you for voting, we will be selecting three voters to receive very special Lost Imperials swag packs.

We will end voting on January 30th 2013 and the winning trailer will be screened at AnomalyCon 2013! 




Vote for the trailer here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z7G7WCF


Monday, December 10, 2012

Give Me 31


My friend and fellow author, Katia Raina, has a great idea. In the spirit of NaNoWrMo (National Novel Writing Month) and PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month), Katia has come up with a great idea. Give your dreams 31 minutes for 31 days and see what happens. Join up and have fun giving your dreams a chance!

http://katiaraina.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/dreaming-up-a-new-challenge/

Friday, December 7, 2012

Review: How to Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy Kings

How To Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy KingsHow To Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy Kings by Laura Pauling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After not hearing from her grandfather, Zeb, in two years Bianca and her family go in search of answers. But then Bianca does specifically what she’s been told not to do, goes into the cursed jungle with her cousin, Melvin. Forced into life or death tests to find Zeb, Bianca finds herself keeping secrets and putting both her life and Melvin’s in mortal danger. I loved How to Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy Kings so much! It was such a great fun read. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the story and characters.

Bianca was a great lead character. She is a strong character who knows how to go after what she wants and puts her family first, even if it means putting herself in danger at the same time. Melvin is the perfect cousin to Bianca. Although he isn’t quite sure what Bianca’s issues are in the beginning of the story he sticks by her because she’s family and he refuses to let her go on this crazy adventure alone. I absolutely loved Aunt June’s quirkiness. Every time she was mentioned I had to giggle. Her tactics are a bit over the top, but excellent! I loved Zeb and his preoccupation with the ancient Mayans. I can’t imagine any anthropologist/archeologist who wouldn’t get swept up in his discovery. I could clearly picture the Mayans and their desperation to find a solution to their ancient spell and prophecy.

The writing was spot on for middle grade readers. I loved how Pauling adding in little references to things gone awry in Bianca’s past with regards to school and friendships. Most of the references made me giggle, Bianca is a truly fun character to get to know. I could picture everything so well and loved having a glimpse into an ancient Mayan civilization. It was great!

This was such a great read and I can’t imagine not having it on my classroom shelf (when I get a classroom). I will definitely be recommending it to anyone who reads middle grade books.

How to Survive Ancient Spells and Crazy Kings is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
You can find out more about Laura on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Monday, December 3, 2012

The Great Spencer Hill Press Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway!!!


A bunch of us authors and staff over at the amazing Spencer Hill Press are doing a holiday giveaway! Prizes include books, swag, critiques, and gift cards! So come on and join in the fun, and hopefully win some cool stuff!

GIFT BAG NUMBER ONE!





GIFT BAG NUMBER TWO!





GRAND PRIZE Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway Bag

Books:
TOUCH OF DEATH
One Spencer Hill Press book (winner's choice--can include soon to be release selections)

Jewelery:
Bracelet
TOUCH OF DEATH Handcrafted Pendant- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com
Handcrafted Necklace and Earrings
So Many Books, So Little Time Necklace

Giftcards:
$20 Amazon or Barnes and Nobel (Winner's Choice)
$15 Starbucks
Two $10 Amazon

Critiques:
First Chapter Critique-Mary Gray
First Chapter Critique-Rhys A Jones
Query Letter Critique-Trisha Wolfe

Cool Stuff:
GUARDIAN T-shirt
BETRAYED Fridge Magnet
Flashlight
Ornaments
Holiday Towel and Potholder
Candy- nom nom nom

Swag:
BREAKING GLASS Handcrafted Bookmark
FINN FINNEGAN Handcrafted Charmed Bookmark- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com
PERFECTION
TOUCH OF DEATH
FINN FINNEGAN
BETRAYED
ANGELINA'S SECRET
COPPER GIRL
OTHER TREE
PODs
 
SECOND Prize Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway Bag

Books:
ANGELINA'S SECRET - 1st edition signed copy

Jewelery:
Bracelet
TOUCH OF DEATH Handcrafted Pendant- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com
Earrings

Giftcards:
$10 Amazon or Barnes and Nobel (Winner's Choice)
$15 Starbucks
$10 Amazon

Critiques:
First Chapter Critique-Trisha Wolfe
First Chapter Critique (2500 Words Max)-Elizabeth Langston
Query Letter Critique-Kimberly Ann Miller

Cool Stuff:
BETRAYED Fridge Magnet
Flashlight
Ornaments
Holiday Towel and Potholder
Candy- NOM NOM NOM

Swag:
FINN FINNEGAN Handcrafted Charmed Bookmark- www.stainedglasscreationsandbeyond.com
PERFECTION
TOUCH OF DEATH
FINN FINNEGAN
BETRAYED
ANGELINA'S SECRET
COPPER GIRL
OTHER TREE
PODs


THIRD PRIZE Holiday Cheer Away Holiday Giveaway 

Critiques:
First five pages--Sarah Guillory
First 250 word-DK Mok
Either query or first 250 word critique (your choice)--Michelle Pickett


HERE IS THE RAFFLECOPTER GADGET TO ENTER TO WIN!

Contest is open to anyone ages thirteen and older and will be going on until December 16th!
Contest is open to US and Canada residents only (due to mailing costs of gift bags).
Bunches of entries available in the rafflecopter below - have fun!





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Teaser Trailer - The Dollhouse Asylum

Here's a sneak peek at The Dollhouse Asylum, another upcoming title from Spencer Hill Press! 
 
Valentine's Day 2013 will mark the release of the full-length trailer of The Dollhouse Asylum, which will come with a wicked fun giveaway as well. The Dollhouse Asylum will be released through Spencer Hill Press in October 2013. Click below for the preview!


Teaser Trailer

Thursday, November 29, 2012

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!



The holidays are upon us. Thanksgiving is now over, and all the winter holidays will be here before we know it. Next will be New Year’s Eve, and then it will be 2013. Where does the time go?

The holiday season is a slow time in publishing. Lots of agents and editors take time off, and I’m sure it’s deserved. We all need a break, and what better time to take it than now?

But remember to keep writing. Even during the busy holidays, make time to keep up with your craft. Take time to celebrate with friends and family as well, but sneak in some writing. 

After all, it’s what we do, right? 

Happy Holidays. Whatever you celebrate, enjoy it!

Kimmy :)

Triangles, Spencer Hill Press, 2013