It's A Party!

Today is the day! The Iron Locket is officially out in the world, making its debut! There are two ways you can grab a copy. First, sign up for the giveaway below. And if that doesn't work out, there are links below that to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Enjoy!

If you're on Facebook, head on over and join the launch party for some extra prizes! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

 

A Yurtcation, a new friend, and a launch

Hello fellow readers, writers, and other humanoids! I know, I've cut back on blogs a lot in the past couple months. While they're fun to write most of the time, I found myself spending too much time figuring out what to do for the blog and not enough time focusing on the writing, which is what I really need to be doing. Fear not, I will still be posting here, just not nearly at the same frequency. So what's in store for today? A little glimpse into the past, present, and future!

The Past
A couple weeks ago, I took a mini writing vacation to get The Iron Locket finished. I like taking a couple mini vacations a year. Getting away from it all helps me clear my head, destress, and come back a little less crazy. Just a little. When I was deciding where to go this time, I stumbled across a cute little place a couple hours away.

Have you ever been in a yurt? It's a tent, a very big, very stable tent that isn't likely to blow away in a strong wind. This one was gorgeous. The inside was HUGE, bigger than many apartments I've seen. It had a separate bathroom and master bedroom, and it had this adorable loft where you could look out through the glass dome at the top to see the stars. The loft was a little scary since you had to go up this really steep ladder to get to it, but I'm sure kids would love it.

This was a wonderful getaway. It's really close to the owners' house, but Michelle and her father George are super helpful. They leave local coffee in the fridge and organic local chocolate on the table for you. During the summer when the garden is in full bloom, you can pick from the garden and gather eggs from the chicken coop. If you have kids, this place is ideal. Not only is it set up for them, but Michelle has children of her own so there is a playground and other fun toys to use. Fancy a walk? The famed Ithaca Gorges are just down back through the woods (follow the fox).

The Present
In awesome news, I have a new friend. His name is Mr Hugo Cadberry I of the Egghollow Cadberries. He comes from a very long and distinguished line of Cadberry bunnies and is a big sweetheart to boot.

The Future

And now for the big news! The Iron Locket is almost ready and is out for ARC reviews right now! On April 18th, we'll celebrate its release with a fun all-day event, The Iron Locket Launch Party! There will be trivia, sneak peeks, and lots and lots of prizes! There will be jewelry, books, gift cards, and much more! The main giveaway will be available here on the blog, but most of the smaller prizes will be awarded through Facebook. Head on over and sign up for the launch party to get in on the fun!

Strong Heroines in YA

 I initially wrote this post ages ago right before TSKOA released for another website. They never published it, so I've reclaimed it. Enjoy!

When you think of YA heroines, who pops to mind? Bella Swan? Katniss Everdeen?

Outlining from a Supremo Pantser

Today's post comes from Shah Wharton, author of The Supes Series: Finding Esta. Take it away, Shah!

Hello all, and thank you, Samantha, for having me here with you today.

A few years ago, when I only wrote for myself, I found a site called webook.com. In case you don’t already know, it’s writing forum, and where I first shared my words. It’s also where I cut my ‘story-writing’ teeth. Prior to this, I’d only ever written poetry, so writing stories was new to me. Getting any kind of feedback was so liberating, I became a little addicted. I enjoyed how much I learned from the feedback.

It's A Date!

(c) Lynn Kelley

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and we want to set you up! With a book, that is. It's like a blind date, but instead of dressing up and going out, you get in your pajamas and curl up with a cup of cocoa! 

FMP: I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You

One of my absolute favorite movies is Garden State, with Zach Braff and Natalie Portman. The soundtrack is fantastic (seriously, go listen to it), but one of the best songs on there is I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You by Colin Hay. Now I'm off to watch Garden State for the 18 billionth time.

 

"But don't try to kidnap me or anything 

because my uncle is a bounty hunter 

and he could have you tracked and killed."