Blog Tour and Giveaway links

one of my favorite couple of characters happen to be dogs.  That's right. 

Dogs.

One is a vampire hunting dog named Doc.  His story takes place in contemporary time, and his human is named Kevin.  There are quite a few short stories available featuring Doc and friends.

The other dog is named Brown and her human is Elliott.  Brown has a way with ghosts.  Being border collies, both dogs have this thing called....

The Eye

if you've ever been stared down by a herder dog, you will know what I'm referring to.

anyway there is currently a blog tour happening that's featuring Brown.  I've read all (i'm pretty sure I've read all of them) of Brown's stories, and they are very entertaining - especially if you enjoy dogs.  You will recognize doggy behavior in these stories.

The entire blog tour, complete with links is listed on Campbell's website, but just in case...

Intro - June 11th @ J.A. Campbell

Part 1 - June 12th @ Sam Knight

Part 2 - June 13th @ Bea's Book Nook

Part 3 - June 14th @ Amaleen Ison

Part 4 - June 15th @ Jen Wylie

Part 5 - June 16th @ David Riley

Interview with Brown - June 17th @ Anne Michaud (can I just say, I love when people do interviews in a character's pov - shows the imagination off a bit, and is just very fun)

J.A. Campbell (aka Julie) has quite a variety of writing projects that she's finished, and is always working on new projects.  On top of being a very talented writer with all kinds of characters living in her brain, she is the caretaker of cats, an intense dog named Kira (the dog is a border collie, i.e. - intense) and is a horsewoman.  No, she doesn't turn into a horse at full moons, nor does she have a horse head, or a tail...she owns a horse and rides Triska as much as she can.  Girl is living the life; horse, dog, cats, books in print and a sailor boyfriend who is absent enough to be in love with.  (haha - that's my weird take on relationships - if you're apart regularly, you appreciate each other more.)

Keep your eyes open for J.A. Campbell - there will be more coming from her.  everytime I hear about a new project, I'm happy because I KNOW it's going to be interesting and fun to read.

other works by J.A. Campbell

This is the Clanless series - a third is in the works.  Teen vampire, learning to maintain and keeping her friends safe.

Serpent Queen is a steampunk style of short story - novella - that I would love to see more of. A vampire pirate who's airship is attacked. 

J.A. Campbell has many other works available online as free reads or e-books.  You won't find ridiculous prices for these books either - like $14.99.  Nope - all of the e-books are affordable and all are great reads.  Visit her website for more info on all available and upcoming projects.

The Giveaway  is for Science Fiction Trails #10 - which I can assure you is a very fun mag full of short stories that run the range in styles.  A great issue to have - I have a copy and love it.  Click on the cover and go enter the drawing.

Guest Post - J.A. Campbell and a giveaway (WooHoo!)

The Journey – Part 5

Mardel, thanks so much for letting me post here today. **You're Welcome!**

It begins, sometimes with an idea, sometimes with a word or a phrase, or a flash of a beautiful smile. It sets out with a letter on a page. Just one, single, solitary letter. Then another letter, and another until there is a word. Then many words, then paragraphs that lead to pages and chapters then finally to a completed story.

But that’s just the beginning of the Journey.

As part of my blog tour to celebrate the release of my first Young Adult novel, Senior Year Bites, I’m going to do a series on my perceptions of the adventure of writing a novel. Obviously there are many different ways to get inspiration and write a novel. It has happened to me in many different ways. This is just one way. Here’s part five. If you’d like to read other blog posts in this series, links are on my blog tour page: http://writerjacampbell.wordpress.com/book-tours/

The words are tearing at Kira as she pounds away at the keyboard. The last part of the story, the conclusion to months of hard work, has been stewing in her subconscious long enough. It is ready to explode forth and is limited only by the speed at which Kira can type. She spends every moment she can at her keyboard, frantically trying to keep up with the story.

There are times when things go more slowly. When she feels like she has to force the words. This always happens, but the effort required to push past the molasses is much less in the last third of the book. Everyone is looking forward to her finishing the project. She wants it done so the words will leave her alone for a time. Her friends and family want it done so they can see her once again. Her writing buddies want it done so that she’ll stop bugging them about it. Secretly they are also dying to read it.

Finally, Kira types The End. It is anti-climatic. She feels there should be fireworks and a big party, but no one notices that she has finished a novel unless she tells them. There is no giant sign that points down and says ‘hey, she finished a novel.’ It is almost disappointing. Then Kira goes back to the beginning of the document and starts reading a little bit. She remembers scenes she struggled with, scenes that make her laugh, ones that made her want to tear her hair out. She really has accomplished something, and she is pleased.

Of course, that’s just the beginning. We won’t go into the editing, revising, beta reading, query process, or any of that. We’re just happy that Kira has finally finished her novel.

Thanks for dropping in and following the writing adventure with me and Kira.

Author Bio:

Julie writes fantasy novels. When she’s not out riding her horse, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer with a cat on her lap and her dog at her side. http://www.writerjacampbell.com/.

Senior Year Bites
Fight supernatural crime, it’s what superheros do. Only I’m a vampire, not a superhero. That hasn’t deterred my best friend Steph though, so while I’m trying to survive my last year of high school as a blood-sucking non-hero, she’s dragging me and our other friend around looking for crime. Only there isn’t any, at least not until the murders start.

Buy Links

Amazon UK
Amazon

Decadent

** Mardel here...Thank you very much for being my very first Guest Post Ms Campbell. :) As always, I enjoyed your post. Now, How about a giveaway? I'll buy a lucky commenter their very own e-copy of this debut YA e-book - and believe me, folks, this is a good one. I enjoyed reading it myself - enjoyed it very much.

To celebrate Ms Campbell's debut release answer these questions -

• 
  
  
  if you suddenly found yourself a teenaged vampire going to high school, what do you think would be the most challenging aspect of your new life?



• 
  
  
  AND what would be the most fun, the best part of your new vampire Un-life?.

Leave an answer to BOTH questions and a shout out to Julie on this post. We'll announce a winner the first week of August. Since this is an e-book, I think we can do this internationally also. So spread the word, and let's start this rolling!

giveaway;contest;and or freebie

It's the new year (in case you haven't noticed quite yet)

My first complete read of the year is my second review of the new year. (unnecessary information)

I've decided to pass on Nocturne to a lucky reader. ( EXCITING news! )

So - here's the thing, I don't have a lot of followers, and I'm not go-getter when it comes to doing things to get followers. I haven't actively sought out new followers, and I never really thought about followers when I started my blog .(...although I do sob uncontrollably when I see my followers numbers drop! Just Kidding...maybe I'm not kidding ) But I would like to reward the few people who have been reading my blog and occassionally making comments (at least I know someone is reading - thank you someones!)

• 
  
  Contest is open to followers of my blog
  
  

• 
  
  to qualify further, please leave a comment with either a recommendation to a POC book (People of Color) OR a book that has a good cover depicting a POC person!

I'm asking for this because, even though I was brought up by my Latina mom, we weren't brought up learning much about our Latina heritage even though growing up with my mother and her friends, caucasions were always the other people. Haha. ...and yet my own children have significant others that are POC, and my own grandchildren are POC...well, one of them is (lol) and I'm half POC....

LOL - I am one culturally confused woman!

That was my long winded reasoning for the rules of the contest.

I want to find more POC books to read, and also feature book covers with POC characters on the cover - to satisfy that empty part of me that's been sobbing for attention for years. LOL

Seriously, for a long time it's felt like I'm missing something, and I've decided it's my other half!

Even though I took part in the POC Reading Challenge for 2010, I was only able to find a few books by POC writers that actually interested me. Part of the problem is that I'm mainly interested in fantasy or urban fantasy books, so though there may be a lot of fiction by POC authors, they might bore me as much as regular fiction by caucasion writers....Entiendes?

Contest rules recap

• 
  
  be a follower


• 
  
  leave a comment with the Name of a good POC character/writer book (preferably fantasy/horror or urban fantasy)


• 
  
  or - leave a comment telling me the name of any genre book with a cover that has POC character(s) on it....(maybe I'll put up a post later with all the cover images)


• 
  
  Make sure I have a way to contact you after one of my grandchildren picks a winner


• 
  
  contest runs until....ummmm.....how about January 21st 2011.

Sound simple? try finding the books now! Good luck and you know...enter the contest.

:)

Winner!! (new) Winner for Stormwalker

A while ago I held a giveaway for the Stormwalker novel (by Allyson James). Even though I e-mailed and left comments on her blog, the first winner never got back to me with her address. So I had another drawing, with my assistant The GrandDaughter.

First, we put the names on paper and folded them up.

Then I threw them up in the air.

When they landed, I quickly gathered them up and put them in this shoe

My GrandDaughter posed.....

(You didn't think I used a regular old smelly shoe did you? ugh, gross! Why would I DO that? What kind of person do you think I am, anyway?!?...uhh, don't answer that. LOL)

Then she reached her teeny little hand in there and grabbed a little piece of paper.

Then, she unfolded it, all by herself - acted like she read the name and then turned the paper out so I could take a picture of the new winner.

The winner is...PhoenixFireWolf.....You know what to do!

Congratulations!

Giveaway - Stormwalker

My copy of Stormwalker is very gently used (rare for me, lately!)

To celebrate that a book has survived me in fairly good shape, I'm going to try a giveaway

Stormwalker is written by Allyson James

If you're looking for a POC main character book to read, this is a good one.

To enter;

1. be a follower
2. leave a recommendation of another poc book - and the genre in the comments of this post
3. have a way for me to contact you (blog name, etc)
4. open until July 16
5. UPDATE - okay for international entries.
   

It's Monday, What are You Reading

Well, It's Monday again. I haven't made much progress in the reading department. I'm going to try to finishe The Better Part of Darkness tonight. I don't have to go to work until noon, so I'm sleepin' in!

Last week was my first It's Monday meme post, and I don't think I did the whole thing. (I'm a half-assed type of woman, sometimes). I'm going to follow J.Kaye's lead in this (she's the host of this meme by the way- click on the picture and you go to her site)

Books Completed last week:

• None, no novels anyway
  for the library we read Velva Gratch and the Way cool Butterfly (Alan Madison) which is a wonderfully humorous and informative book that uses many examples of alliteration (I just found out the meaning of alliteration last summer!) and descriptive phrases (carroty curls, spaghetti arms). I enjoyed this book, as much as the children did.


• We continued reading Herbert's Wormhole (Peter Nelson) for the Fourth and Third graders, although I had the teacher read since I'm losing my voice (this was Friday). We are almost halfway through and everyone is enjoying this book- a lot.

Books I gave up on - None

Books I am currently reading:

• The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay - ARC. Which I am enjoying immensely!
• The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King - haven't gotten too far on this one yet, but so far I like the narrator's voice and the way she's handling having lived 100 lives of a ...it's not really a spoiler - dog.

Reviews I need to write - none, I'm no pro, I don't even read fast enough anymore to have put off writing any reviews. I'm just a slacker! Okay, really I'm just tired.

Up Next;

I just bought some more books (even though I have a million in my TBR pile- hey, I read somewhere someone has a TBR ROOM! a whole room. (god, that'd be so great to have a room just for books) I'm also waiting for some books that I've WON in a couple contests. (Christmas Luck, I think)

• Deadtown - Nancy Holzner (can't wait, can't wait-good thing I have it here already)
• Spellbent - Lucy A Snyder
• Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett
• Vulnerable - Amy Lane

waiting for (from contests)

• from Debbie's World of Books Day By Day Armageddon JL Bourne; Velva Jean Learns to Drive by Jennifer Niven; and Wings by Aprilynne Pike.
• From Deadline Dames (Karen Mahoney) Spectre by Phaedra Weldon and Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge
• from OfficiallyMRS - a young high school student who writes fiction, took part in NaNo, does homework and maintains a blog- I'm impressed. (Her fiction is pretty good too) I'm receiving Girl Goddess #9 - an anthology I believe.

FEED BACK NEEDED PLEASE; I'm trying to hold a little contest at my other blog. I put up a link to there on another post. Not one person has shown any interest. I know I only have a few followers, and I'm okay with that, but I would have thought that ONE person at least would want one of these books. So is it because...

books are boring?

because they're used? (not rich, just wanted to share some books)

these are books that everyone already has?

should I just offer them on the Library thing?

Should I try putting up a few more? - believe me, there's at least 30 books I'd like to start giving out- some used, some used hard, some new, some hardback, most paperback. I won't usually give away new books, because I read my new books, and I don't have a bargain with any publishers to hold giveaways. I figure my following is way too small to even attempt it, and I wouldn't know how anyway.

Someone take pity on my and give me some feedback or advice.

Giveaway

I'm holding a small giveaway over at my LJ page. It's for two books - both used. One is in good condition, the other in fair condition. Both are paperbacks. I'm trying to cut down on some of the books in my home that I'm not going to re-read. I've never held a giveaway before, so it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.

If you're interested in this giveaway, there is more information on the books here, where you can also leave a comment to enter. Make sure there is a way to contact you in case your name is drawn.

The giveaway books are....

The Brass Bed by Jennifer Stevenson

(good condition)

and/or (depending on # of entries)

Through The Veil by Shiloh Walker

(fair condition, cover worn)









There will be more giveaways in the future. At the moment all will be used books. Some are gently used, and some have been used hard, though they are still readable. I promise I won't give away junk. :)

Suzanne McLeod giveaway

**

The first cover pictured here is the actually the second novel written by Suzanne McLeod. ** The second book pictured here is her debut novel. Her second novel (Cold Kiss of Death) is coming out in the UK July, 2009. Her first novel, (The Sweet Scent of Blood) is now available through Amazon.co.UK, and is sold out in the U.S. Amazon site (good for Suzanne, bad for us in America). I live in the United States and I have been chomping at the bit (sounds so weird, why do we say that?) to read Ms McLeod's first book, and now I am wanting both of her books. Man, I might have to break down and order through Amazon UK. I wonder how expensive that would be.............

To celebrate her upcoming release of her second novel, Suzanne McLeod is holding a giveaway, the prize is Carpe Corpus,** by Rachel Caine**. All you have to do is leave a comment regarding your comfort reads at either her Live Journal page**, or her Blogger page.** Simple.

I'm excited about these new books. I read an excerpt of the first novel a few weeks ago, and really was hooked. Already. From an excerpt. Oh well. If I have to wait until it is reissued in the U.S. (The Sweet Scent of Blood), or in the case of the second novel, released in the U.S., it will be sweeter for the waiting.

**I recently learned how to paste links thanks to a fellow Live Journal user, and have been trippin, pastin links all over the place. ;)