Lovely Lit.

Calling All YA Bloggers and Blog Readers!

2012-02-28T00:08:00.001-06:00

February is Indie Author month and we've already gotten lots of author to signup!! Wow its very exciting!! But our event needs a little bit more work to become an uber-success! First of all i need to get the word out about the events. That way people have time to plan and prepare!

The mini-events are as follows:

Reading Challenge - Feb 1st to Feb 28 (month long)

ReadAThons - Each Weekend in February! Fri Noon to Sun Midnight!

Giveaway Hop - All Month.

Indie Awards - Nominations all month. Voting starts on Feb 27 to Feb 29. Results March 1st

Huge Giveaway - Entries all month. Drawing March 1st

Indie Index - All month.

Things you (and your readers can do) can do:
-You could advertise some or all of the event on your blog and/or twitter.
-Place the button on your blog
-Create a post for and Participate in the mini-Event.
-Sponsor a Giveaway in the Hop for a Indie Ebook (most are less than $3.00)
-Nominate your favorite books in each category in the nomination form
-Add your reviews and book recommendations to the Indie Index

If you havent already, check out the Giveaway widget on the main page! Everything you do this month will earn you entries in the huge giveaway at the end of the month! There are over 100 entries possible! :D The prizes (over 20 of them) include Ebooks, Signed Books, Bookmarks, ebook sets and a Giftcard! Wwwoooo! The more you participate the more chances you get! :)

Good luck and have fun! Thanks for reading!

Indie Author Month: "Book of the Day" Schedule

2012-02-27T00:14:00.000-06:00

If you have a review for one of theses books, be sure to post it in the comments whenever the post is published. It will get you entries for the super huge giveaway at the end of the month!!

2/1 @RianaLucas - Poppy
2/2 @JessieHarrell - Destined
2/3 @AuthQuinnLoftis - Prince of Wolves
2/4 @HopeCollier - Haven
2/5 @Charlotte_Abel - Taken
2/6 @AmyJonesSQ - Guardian of Souls
2/7 @RusWritesZombies - Zombies Dont Cry
2/8 @SRJohannes - Untraceable
2/9 @KiraSaito - Bound
2/10 @Raine_Thomas - Becoming
2/11 @JuliaCrane2 - Coexist
2/12 @MeggJensen - Sleepers
2/13 @HeatherHildenbr - Dirty Blood
2/15 @Angeline_Kace - Descended by Blood
2/16 @MichelleMadow - Remembrance
2/17 @MichelleMuto - Don't Fear the Reaper
2/18 @Martha_Bourke - Jaguar Sun
2/19 @CatKalen - Pride Run
2/20 @DawnRaeMiller - Larkstorm
2/21 @AmykWrites - Ascent
2/22 @JATempleton - The Deepest Cut
2/23 @ImogenRoseTweet - Initiation
2/24 @K_C_King - Legacy
2/25 @AlyssaRoseIvy - Beckoning Light
2/26 @BreaEssex - Foreshadow
2/27 @LauraWriting - Winnemucca
2/28 @ClaudiaLefeve - Parallel
2/29 @SusanKayeQuinn - Open Minds

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Alivia Anders

2012-02-24T23:36:00.001-06:00

The second book to The Illumine Series By @AliviaAnders.

Book 1 in the Series

Synopsis: Essallie Hanley just wishes her life could go back to normal. But what's normal when you carry the burden of knowing you're a half-angel created for war, that the only person who can help you is a demon still waiting to kill you, and that your only chance for salvation lied in a boy who died in front of you?

If Essallie had turned her back on everything she'd learned, she could have made the most of her fractured life. That is, until Kayden told her that she's a ticking time-bomb; that at any given moment her blood could betray her, her veins burning her alive from the inside out until nothing but ash remains.

Desperate to find answers, and possibly find her only chance for survival, Essallie heads back for New York City, back to the place where it all began. With every answer comes a price, and with every price the risks and rewards become greater. But when Essallie soon finds herself the target of an unknown hunter determined to kill her, she's at wits' end. That is, until a fellow Nephilim named Ari steps in. But is Ari a piece of the puzzle to her salvation, or the promise of her demise?

OBUMBRATE Excerpts:

Once upon a time, on a cold winters night

A young and fair maiden was given a fright

She had awoken to chaos beyond her control

A horrorful sight, a new world to behold

The ocean sealed under a mass of chains

While perched atop, one coffin remains

A circlet of fire wrapped about like a cage

As muffled screams sounded desperate with rage

Yet the only comfort the maiden received

Was watching the white roses burn as she grieved

"Miss Hanley."
I jolted against my plastic-backed chair, muscles clenched. The pencil in my hand froze mid-stroke as my mind went blank. I dared the chance to look up. Mr. Whitley, my Biology teacher, gave me a disapproving stare, lips pulled tightly across his aged face. Behind him, my classmates all stared at me, stone-cold silence filling the room.
Instantly I relaxed. A man like Whitley was about as threatening as a newborn hamster. I kept a cool face as I asked, "Was there something you needed?"

Behind him, I heard some of the kids snicker. He did his best to appear intimidating, but only succeeded in looking like a moth-eaten teddy bear. "I was going to commend you on your excellent note-taking for the final next week. Thankfully, I held my tongue." His hand rested lightly on the edge of my desk, tapping it twice to the paper on my desk. "It is good to know though, that you won't be failing your art final."
I glanced down at the paper in front of me. A large human eye encompassed the whole sheet from corner to corner, dark lashes framing a detailed interior sketch of chains settling over ocean waves, a sole hand reaching out from under the surface. Above the chains rested a coffin with several white roses on top, fire licking around the base. It was a scene straight from a macabre book.

"Uh, thanks? The idea sort of stemmed from a poem." I half-shrugged. Whitley didn't seem to notice.
"I'd put the drawings away and lay off the Edgar Allen Poe, Miss Hanley. You missed a lot while daydreaming away. Unless your wish is to have my class again next year, while all your peers are off at college," he straightened and moved his hand off my desk, returning up to the white board up front to continue mapping out the portions of our upcoming final.

Tugging the sleeves of my cream sweater over my hands, I tried to focus on the board in front of me. My eyes however, had another plan. They continued to drift down to the drawing laid out before me. It was one of dozens I had completed in the last two weeks, each one more detailed than the last. It always started with the same eye shape; same curve of the pencil under my hand, same smudging and detailing, everything perfectly identical, save for one thing. Some of the eyes told stories of black birds and blood, others told stories of sunlight and fire. The aching part was that each had been created while I revisited Leo's death in my mind.

Leo... he was gone. Everything had happened so fast, my head was still trying to collect itself from that night. I let out an involuntary shiver as scattered fragments from that night played over in my head. One minute it had been all about dressing up and having fun at a circus event for the ages. Then it had turned to blood, so much blood. Blood in my hands, the dark red staining the cracks of my palms and cuticles. Blood on my white dress, on Leo's button-up, sticky and slick as it clung to his pale skin, two lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling-
I snapped my notebook shut, hiding the drawings from sight, shoulders bunched together. I made sure to pay extreme attention to the white board, writing down as much as I could before the bell rang ten minutes later. Whitley seemed pleased when I passed by him to leave, apparently taking my sudden interest in last-minute note-taking was on his accord. Maybe he thought I'd fail, like the notion of having to repeat a year in a public education system terrified me.

Hah. If only he knew.
I drew out time at my locker, pretending to debate on what books would be most important to take home with me for studying. Not like it mattered much to me. What Whitley and the other teachers didn't know was that in theory I could fail every one of my finals and still graduate with low C's. I had to give a hand to my grandparents, for if it hadn't been for them pushing me into one of NYC's select private schools I wouldn't have the luxury of slacking off like I had been. Again, it still didn't matter much. The idea of even seeing graduation rested on the assumption that I'd live long enough to actually need my schooling. Seeing as they didn't teach the ins and outs of being half of a mythical creature, I was betting that would be a no.

Nothing had gone right since I set foot in Belfast. Only a couple of weeks had passed before I had learned a bitter truth, that every part of my life had been a sick, crafted lie. From the second I came into existence, I had been shuffled and shoved, picked on by a lunatic mother, abandoned by an unimaginable father. I had learned the hard way that running from your past only brings it front and center with a vengeance. Life felt like a tragic painting. A sparrow with clipped wings, still thinking it could fly.

---

I shrugged and brushed off her question. I was in no mood to deal with any kind of mind games she might try to enact on me. "Did you need something? Or do you just enjoy taking afternoon strolls in the mortal realm?"
The Queen appeared unfazed by my cold shoulder. "Kayden said you were brash. I can see he was right." She smiled. "Do you speak to him like this as well?"

"You answer my question, and I'll answer yours."
Her smile faltered by a fraction before she recovered with poised grace. "Very well, then. I came to see you. You had left in such haste after the... incident. I was worried for your well being."
Her lies lingered in the air like bitter puffs of sulfur, strong enough to taste, strong enough to gag on. "Two weeks is an awfully long time to wait. You could have just been honest and said you wanted to see if I was dead yet."
She opened her mouth slightly to speak, only to close it. Rich honey brown eyes narrowed at me. "You haven't answered my question, Nephilim."

"Essallie. It's Essallie," I corrected with a snap.
"Essallie it is, then. You haven't answered my question."
I turned my eyes back to the drawing on my lap. With a jerk of the paper, I ripped it from the sketchbook, crumbled it into a wad and chucked over my shoulder. "Only those who smell to high heavens of bullshit and ulterior motives." I rose to my feet and faced her, heat lancing through my veins like spears ready for the fight. "Spit it out. You didn't come here to check on me. So why are you here?"
Her eyes widened in surprise as I stood there, waiting. After today's nonsense with Abigail and Kayden, I had heard enough bullshit to span my lifetime six times over. Queen or no Queen, I didn't owe her anything. If anything, she owed me her life. It had been my hands covered in Chase's blood, not hers. For sacrificing my own lifespan to a torture of burning veins so her and all her little supernatural freaks could continue on in their meaningless existence.

Finally, she spoke. "You're smart. Smart enough to know not to trust me." Brushing past me, I watched as the shadows moved with her, forming a small pool around the hem of her dress. "I am, however, surprised to see you trust a demon of all things. Especially someone like Kayden."

It was bait, I knew it. She was testing to see if I'd wait to see the shoe drop off the other foot. Fire spread from my fingers and washed over my hands. I pointed an emblazoned finger at her. "Your simple mind tricks won't work on me. I'm not interested in playing your petty game."

She laughed, a horrid smile spreading so far across her face I thought it might split in half. She stepped closer, until all I could see was the kohl lining the rims of her narrowed eyes. "Oh, you'll play my game whether you like it or not."

God, she sounded like a freaking cartoon villain. I started to turn and leave, my hands still engulfed in the angelic flame. "Sure thing, Queenie."

Shadows erupted from the ground, bursting skyward in sharp, jagged spikes. They spiraled together until a thick black cocoon sealed around the graveyard. I pushed a burst of flame through my veins to light up the inside when I saw a glimmering black spear launch into my hand. I screamed and the shadows launched into a fury, dozens of them stabbing at my hands, my arms, anywhere the fire pulsed from my body.

As I screamed and thrashed, the Queen spoke. "You see, Essallie, there isn't an option to ignore my voice. When you control the dark and all its splendor, you'll find many are willing to listen if it means their lives will be spared, if but for a moment."

Pressure crushed my chest as I fought to breathe. Breathy whispers spoke to me, like wind whistling through barren tree tops. My fire was gone, swallowed by the stabbing shadows that sunk into every inch of me. Emptiness seeped into my pores and filled me with a hollow sensation. Everything was so dark, so empty, so lost.
The shadows retreated, and I collapsed onto the ground. I watched through watery eyes as they took their place just under the Queen, shifting and swirling. She reached down and ran her hand across the shadows in a loving gesture. Some of them had spun up and into the fabric of her gown, forming swirls of deep violet against the black. "Now, let's chat."

I unsteadily rose to my feet, every inch of my body shaking. I felt like a leaf in the wind- powerless, frail, empty. The burn inside of my veins was gone, cooled to an bitter icy sensation that spread throughout my body. I reached deep inside to trigger the fire only to find a cold hollow instead. My fire was gone.
"What," my voice cracked. "What did you do to me?"

---

"Don't talk to me about Abby." I sat down on the middle of my bed with my arms on my knees, hands splayed palms up toward the ceiling. My eyes lingered on Kayden's hands, and I instinctively wished he'd take my hands into his and tell me everything would be okay. That the rampant chaos running my reality was all a terrible, horrible nightmare.

His voice brought me back from my wishful thinking. I watched as he ran a hand through his hair repeatedly. "She was just trying to help. It's in her blood." He came over to sit next to me, careful that we didn't touch in case we set the bed on fire. "Would you preferred being undefended?"

"I wasn't undefended. You were there," I pointed out.
"Yes, I was. But I was no where near you, Essie. If Abigail hadn't been there, you'd be dead. Would you rather she let you die?"
Yes, yes I would. My death could have been the end of all of this. A war everyone believes is coming now, all because of me. The countless deaths that could and would occur. Kayden had said Leo was just the beginning. Who else would I lose that meant everything to me?

I changed subject. "The Queen came to see me today."
Shoulders bunched, his body tensed at the mention of her. When he looked at me, I noticed his eyes had returned to the color of coal. I could barely make the words through his tightened jaw. "What did she want?"
"To warn me of people who may hurt me," I said carefully. His body tensed tighter, wound like a metal coil prepared to spring at the slightest snap. Cords of black smoke rose from his skin, as if he were barbecuing alive on my bed. I did my best to keep my lips pressed tight as I watched him. The Queen's words repeated in my head with a growing force.

You don't seem to be easily manipulated. Then again, I didn't kiss you like he had.
"You don't like her." The words slipped from off my tongue faster than I could catch them.
Kayden's eyes locked onto mine. His shoulders slowly deflated, the tendrils of smoke dissipating into thin air. When he spoke, his voice sounded calm, but I could still hear the pressure it took him to keep his tone in check.
"Annabelle," he began with a barely contained sneer, "is like the Queen piece on a chess board. She has every move available in her arsenal, and any piece could be hers."

In that moment I wished I could see into his mind and understand the tumbling of emotions lying under his mask. Someone with such a level of dislike for a person had to have a reason for it.
"She mentioned you. I was told that you were distrustful. Dangerous, even."
"Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me."

I leaned in closer to him, looked at him curiously. Ever since the kiss he'd been aloof, distant. It was almost as if he'd reverted back to the Kayden I'd met in New York, not the Kayden who'd helped me understand what I was. Not the Kayden who'd encouraged me, pushed me to better myself, to prepare for the inevitable I still wasn't ready to accept.

I decided to act on impulse. "Kiss me, Kayden."

**WOW :D **

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 24

2012-02-23T23:35:00.000-06:00

Today's Indie Book of the Day is: Legacy by @K_C_King

Synopsis: “Had I not been so entranced by her, things might have turned out differently. My senses might have triggered more appropriate feelings of trepidation, and perhaps I could have prevented the treacherous act she would commit in the name of the mantle she craved. But I did not. And it was a grievous error for a mentor to make.”

As a double ascended guardian of anomalous origins, Bree Spencer has been forced to traverse a perilous road on account of ethereal prejudice. And now, as Hannah’s mentor, she is determined to prevent her from suffering the same fate.

But when Hannah evidences powers that only the ascended should have, it triggers dire consequences that will force Bree, and the Scions who love her, to face a chilling new reality. A reality marred with loss and betrayal.

And where someone will be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Kindle

If you have a Review for this book, please put the link in the comments so you can get entries in the Mega Giveaway!

Indie Interview: Charlotte Abel

2012-02-23T23:24:00.000-06:00

1. How do you pick your character's names?
I don't pick them, they tell me. They also tell me what sort of sports they play, where they live and who they want to fall in love with.

I wanted Josh to be a male cheerleader but he flat out refused ... said he was a BMX racer and didn't care one bit that I didn't know anything about the sport and had to do a ton of research before writing his story. Stubborn boy!

2. Name an excellent indie book that you think needs more recognition.
There's so many! "Beg for Mercy" by Shannon Dermott "The Destiny Series" by Nancy Straight "The Premonition Series" by Amy A Bartol

3. Share some quotes you love! Either from your book or someone else's!
"You can’t help but listen to your heart. The damn thing won’t shut up until you do." From "Enchantment" by Charlotte Abel

Kindle

Guest Post: How do authors approach their writing? w/ Amy Maurer Jones

2012-02-23T23:18:00.000-06:00

Contributed by @AmyJonesSQ

What does the author of a story do first in her writing adventure? Does she draw up the plot or create her characters? Stephanie Meyer once said that her idea for Twilight blossomed from a dream. She dreamt about a beautiful, magical boy who fell in love with a lovely mortal teenage girl. She envisioned the two star crossed lovers in a quiet meadow. In the same interview she mentioned that the famous meadow scene from Twilight was the first scene written even though we all know it didn’t take place until close to the middle of the story. If this is true one could make the argument that Stephanie Meyer created her characters before she whipped up her plot. Personally, I find this very difficult to do. While I do feel strong characterization is the key to a strong story or dramatization I have to know the world and circumstances the characters exit in before I can really develop them. For this reason I begin my writing journey with a loose plot. For example, my loose plot for Soul Quest went something like this.

A God – like being discovers demon - like creatures on Earth. The demons are trying to kill human kind and take over the world. His resolution is to empower four teenagers with supernatural abilities in an effort to save the world from disaster.

This scenario actually evolved from a dream I had. So, it must be a common strategy for authors to literally dream up their stories. From this loose plot I immediately knew I had to create at least six powerful characters. I needed to create a God – like being, four teenagers who possessed supernatural abilities and a demon. Before I could begin to develop these characters I realized I needed to know/decide why the demons were attacking the Earth and why the God – like creature cared about what they were doing. Once I achieved this I was able to flesh out the characters I’ve come to know and love in The Soul Quest Trilogy.

What is my process for developing characters? There is a science to my madness. I start in the magazine isle at the grocery store. I swear to you I am not bluffing. All of the paranormal excitement begins on isle six at Food Lion. Seriously, magazines are a great tool for character development. I use this same technique with my theater arts students in the class room. A snap shot of a woman in a field of flowers could be a character in a play or a book. Who is she? What is she doing? Why is she there? When did she go there? How long has she been there? How does she feel? Why does she feel that way? You can grasp a million ideas from a single picture. You know what they say… a picture is worth a thousand words. Magazines are helpful when you are researching characters of any age but I find them particularly useful when writing about my younger characters. I am a young adult writer so I have to know what types of people my readers will relate to and truly believe to be teenagers in my story. This can only happen if they fit into the current popular culture. I flip through the popular teen magazines to see who young people find cool, handsome and interesting. I want to know why they feel that way about them. I’m especially interested in their appearance and attitude. What do they look like, what do they wear, what is their style and personality? From this I can create my character’s physical appearance, personality strengths and weaknesses, their objective or goal in the story, the obstacles that stand in their way and tactics they may use to resolve their problems (… and you thought I was crazy for doing character research in the grocery store).

Of course, magazines are just a starting place. Most of my character’s emotions and feelings stem from my own experiences and perceptions in life. My main character in Soul Quest is Liv Glyn. Liv is a smart, sweet and outgoing girl with a lot of common sense and good ideas. She is incredibly perceptive and humble and she believes overly impulsive, boastful people are naïve and careless. Many of Liv’s feelings and views on life are similar to my own. I named her after my daughter, Olivia and gave her similar physical attributes to define her beauty. The name Olivia is Latin in origin and means olive tree or branch of life. It is from this meaning that I came up with the idea for my teenage Oracles to possess affinities for Earth, fire, wind and water.

Whether an author begins with an idea for a plot or character first doesn’t really matter. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Each person is different creatively and so creativity is going to manifest itself in a unique way in all of us. When I choreograph a dance I rarely start at the beginning, I usually begin somewhere in the middle. I don’t know why exactly, I just know that when the piece starts I like to know the direction its taking and when it completes itself I need to understand where it evolved from. Similarly, when I am directing a play I will not necessarily begin with scene one. Instead, I will analyze the script and determine what scenes prove to be the most difficult. In most cases these scenes are at the heart of the story where the characterization and plot are most complex. If I can effectively direct these scenes the rest of the play should naturally lead up to them and wind down to a resolution. Writing isn’t any different. Begin with a plot or a character. Flesh out your storyline and invent your characters later. Write about your character’s feelings and interactions with one another first and then build a plot to support the scene. It is simply a matter of what process works best for you or your current work in progress.

- Amy Maurer Jones, author of The Soul Quest Trilogy

Lovely Lit.

Calling All YA Bloggers and Blog Readers!

Indie Author Month: "Book of the Day" Schedule

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Alivia Anders

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 24

Indie Interview: Charlotte Abel

Guest Post: How do authors approach their writing? w/ Amy Maurer Jones

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 23

Indie Interview: Riana Lucas

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 22

First Look w/ Keary Taylor

Indie Interview: Martha Bourke

Indie Author Month: Week 4

Guest Post: Seven Questions to Ask Before Self-Publishing w/ Susan Kaye Quinn

Indie Interview: Addison Moore

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Sarah Billington

Indie Interview: Megg Jensen

Indie Sneak Peek: Mel Cusick-Jones

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 21

Guest Post: The War of Worldcraft: Creating New Worlds w/ Hope Collier

Indie First Look w/ Brea Essex

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 20

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Laura Elliott & Giveaway

Indie Guest Post: Pandora For Books w/ M. Clifford

Indie Interview: Jessie Harrell

Indie Interview: Lorena Angell

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 18

Indie Interview: Amy Kinzer

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 18

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Rusty Fischer

Indie Interview: Katherine Pine

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 17

Indie Interview: Amy A. Bartol

Indie Month Sneak Peak: Felinian by M. Clifford

Indie Guest Post: I think I might be a stalker w/ Mel Cusick-Jones

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 16

Indie Interview: Amy Maurer Jones

Indie Guest Post: So a funning thing happened to me . . . w/ Nancy Straight

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 15

Indie Author Month: Week 3

Indie Cover Reveal: Transfer Student

Indie New Release: In His Eyes

Indie New Release: Death by Chocolate

Valentine's Day Party, 3 p.m.

Guest Post: Advice for new Writers w/ Riana Lucas

Indie Interview: Raine Thomas

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 13

Indie Interview: Brea Essex

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 12

Indie Interview: Cat Kalen

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 11

Indie Month: A Tribute to Firsts

Indie Interview: Sarah Billington

Indie Interview: Angeline Kace

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 10

Indie Guest Post: w/ Lorena Angell

Indie Interview: Hope Collier

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 9

Indie Scavenger Hunt: Week 1

Indie Author Month: Week 2

Indie Index and Review Database!

Indie Interview: RaShelle Workman

Indie Guest Post: Death and Other Distractions w/ Nikki Jefford

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 8

Calling All Indie YA Authors!!

Indie Author Month: Week 1

Indie Sneak Peek w/ Quinn Loftis

Indie Month: New Release

Indie Interview: Rebecca A. Rogers

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 7

Indie Guest Post w/ Claudia Lefeve

Indie Guest Post: Cover Love w/ Jessie Harrell

Indie Author Month Giveaway Hop

Indie Interview: Heather Hildenbrand

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 6

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 5

Special Freebie Book of the Day

Indie Interview: K.C. King

Indie Book of the Day: Feb. 4

Indie Interview: Michelle Muto