C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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Four Uses for an Insecure Writer & Evernight Teen Giveaway

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Alex Cavanaugh’s Brain Child

Awesome co-hosts today are Allison Gammons, Tamara Narayan, Eva E. Solar, Rachel Pattison, and Ann V. Friend!

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

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  • You’re washed up before you begin. 
  • Nobody wants to read your stuff. 
  • The rejections come back before the send key is cool. 

What’s so strange then about being just a little INSECURE? 

Nothing, but to ease any tension-should any of these be nagging at you-I’ve come up with some alternative uses for you… and me. Don’t thank me, please. I’m preparing for all of these after this post goes live.

Inspect Keyboards

Do Line Edits

Generate Memes

Function as a Door Stop

Any other uses for Insecure Writers that you can think of? For heaven sakes share! But call me first because this was my idea. And read on because there’s some free books and a $100 dollar gift certificate waiting for you below.

Visit EVERNIGHT TEEN to see all of their books.
EVERNIGHT TEEN is celebrating their anniversary this month with a 3rd Birthday Blog Hop. It’s EVERNIGHT TEEN’s birthday but we’re giving out the presents with a Grand Prize of a $100 Amazon gift certificate!
EVERNIGHT TEEN books feature fresh teen fiction that is raw, gritty and real. Whether paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi or suspense, our books are about real issues and pack a strong emotional punch. You’ll find cutting edge fiction that today’s young adults can relate to and will keep you turning the pages long into the night.

Here are some excerpts of some reviews.

By Carla Davis

I decided to give Double Negative a try because the sample dragged me in from the first paragraph until I had to read the whole thing! It’s so rare to see well done first person, but this book does it masterfully. Hutch has a real voice that must be rendered in the way the author has chosen. No lazy writing here!

By ltg584

I could tell within pages that this book was pure genius and it only became more apparent the deeper I was pulled into the story. I devoured it as quickly as I could… and now it’s over! 🙁 I wish there was some way that it could be a series, just so I could have more! I have already been perusing the author’s other works, debating over which one to read next.

By Night Owl Reviews

Double Negative is just amazing. Reading it felt like being on emotional roller-coaster.

I’m proud to be an EVERNIGHT TEEN author. Enjoy this tease from my book, Double Negative.

“My life was going, going, gone, and I hadn’t been laid yet. I couldn’t go into the slammer before that happened.” Hutch McQueen
TEASE: This is a short bit of a scene between Hutch and Fat Nyla. They get along most of the time, but not today. Nyla’s one of my favorite characters in this book because she’s often fragile and under attack by the “in-group” of girls, especially on a website called Mona Knows. Yet Nyla refuses to be beaten. 

I see her before she sees me, but when she does, man, does she shoot lasers at me with her eyes. I walk fast and stop her at the edge of the lawn. “Look, I’m a sleaze, okay? I’m sorry, but that’s just the way I was made.”

“What do you need?” 

“Nothing.” That’s pretty much the truth at the moment. By using one eye to read I’m doing more of the homework. If I hold one of them magnifying glasses over a page I can even look up words in the dictionary, so while it takes a lot of time, I can almost get through Deek’s assignments. Still I don’t want to take any chances. Nyla’s brain could be the difference between me staying a junior for a long time or making it to my senior year. I need to be on her good side.

She passes me and starts toward Larkston High.

“I said I’m sorry. Liz and me . . . well we kind of—”

“Just shut up.” She keeps walking, her eyes down.

“I came to try and—”

She wheels around so fast I run smack into her and have to back up.

“You’re a creep.” Nyla pokes me in the chest with her finger, and I back up some more. “I know what you call me. Not to my face, but when you talk about me to other kids.”
I try for one of those neutral looks, like I don’t know what she’s talking about.
“Let me refresh your memory.” She’s squared off in front of me with her hands on her hips. “Fat Nyla! That’s what you call me. That’s what Mona Knows calls me, and she got it from you.”
“Mona who?”

I don’t expect her to sock me, so when her fist comes at me I take the full wallop on the left side of my jaw. One minute I’m there with the sidewalk under my feet and the next that sidewalk is pressed against my cheek. 

I’m offering two eBooks of Double Negative during Evernight Teen’s super celebration.  All you have to do is say you’d like a copy and leave your email in a comment. I’ll put your name in the “hat”.

Be sure visit each stop on the BLOG HOP for more chances to WIN the GRAND PRIZE of a $100 Amazon Gift Card. You’ll receive bonus entries for commenting on each blog!

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Comments

  4. Hahaha! I'd function as a door stop but my ruby slippers are in the shop. Till they come back I'll just lie here and be a throw rug. Have a great weekend and Super Bowl if you watch. Gooo Broncooooss!! 🙂

  5. Is there a waiting list for the keyboard inspector and human door stop positions? This was fun, Lee! Congrats on your well-deserved reviews and Evernight's third anniversary!

    Julie

    Julie

  6. Hi human, Lee,

    Pawesome pawst! Of course, I'm not an insecure writer. I do like your suggestions. I would suggest you might have an non-insecure writer's blog hop, or fest, or whatever you blogger gatherers call them these days.

    Well done to Evernight Teen for reaching a third birthday.

    Heck, well done on everything because I thoroughly skimmed through your pawst!

    Pawsitive wishes and doggy kisses,

    Penny xx

  10. You're right, those do ease the tension a bit 🙂 I think there have been some times I've functioned as a door stop. Double Negative sounds like a good read, Happy Birthday to Evernight Teen!

  13. I have Double Negative and look forward to reading it. 🙂 Great excerpt.

    Happy Birthday Evernight Teen! Thanks for the amazing giveaway.
    ~Jess

  18. Hire them to hand out drinks at a starving artist show? Just to prove we're in good company.

    Happy Birthday to Evernight!! I still need to read Double Negative. It looks great.

  20. I TRULY loved your post! You 'nailed' the feeling of insecurity. But you forgot "Oh, my ideas are NOT good enough!" Or any other excuse we can come up with.

    I do appreciate your comments on my blog. Thanks for being a great support~

  24. Okay, I went on to listen to your podcast you have post and I grab a copy of Alligators Overhead. I love the title, the trailer and it sounds like a fun read. Your cover is gorgeous. The cover on the sequel is also great, Anyway just had to tell you. I have not been taken and surprised by something like that—you actually excited my Muse, since you are a writer I know you understand what I mean. I want to affect readers the way you affected me. Yup, you're awesome. Now I gotta go read the book.
    Juneta Writer's Gambit

    • This is one of the best compliments I've had since I started writing and publishing. Thanks for taking the time to leave it, and thank you for buying Alligators Overhead!

  25. What an excellent book trailer. It was one of the best I've seen. It hooked me and I'm an adult.

    I also enjoyed your post. Love your writing/posting voice, very enjoyable. Loved your uses for insecure writers too, You are just awesome. Seriously I really had fun reading your post.
    Happy Writing
    Juneta Writer's Gambit

    • Good gravy. I haven't been called awesome since I was fifteen and might have been. Well, only in my own mind. But it felt good then and it feels good now. Great to meet you! Come back.

  27. Well, who knew there were so many uses for us insecure writers! Talk about turning lemons into lemonade! 🙂

    A big congratulations to you! Excited for you!

  31. "Function as a doorstop." Haha! I want those fake legs and Ruby shoes sticking out from under my bookcase. 😉

    Congrats on those great reviews!

  33. Well Deserved Reviews!!! I've said it before, loved Double Negative!!

    I need to do more line edits. I was going over a finished ms and no matter how hard I try, I find silly errors….

    Have a nice week!!!

    • I was thinking that I could make the big bucks if I supplied writers with tiny pills guaranteed to take all insecurity away. Or maybe just sell new keyboards to those who chew them or throw them out.

  41. Hi Lee - 'Learn to Study', I guess this should come first 'Learn to Read' … the Evernight Teen Blog Hop .. sure would love a copy of your book … and my email is … as you know …

    All the best - cheers Hilary