C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Hats Off Corner Welcomes Tara Tyler

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My Special Offers Mailing goes out Wednesday. 

It’s Back to School for a lot of kids and parents and teachers! This is my way to celebrate the fall and the new school year. 


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Hats Off Corner Welcomes Tara Tyler









A couple of weeks ago, I asked another writer these questions, and so I thought it might be fun compare answers. Tara said she was game, so here are her answers.

Me: As a writer I look to others whom I enjoy reading for inspiration. Do you have a writer or writers you read for inspiration?

TT: I’ve always been inspired by the writers of books I enjoy. Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton, Piers Anthony, Janet Evanovich, George RR Martin. And many of my writer friends!

Me: Can you talk a bit about your experience with rejection, how you handled it, what you learned from it? Any “advice” to those who are still getting the “Thank you, but no thank you” letters?

TT: Rejection stinks. Especially when I slave over a query and rewrite it a million times… But once I hit send, I try to forget about it by working on other things. My advice is to expect rejection. It’s part of the process. And when the positive responses come, they make the rejections worth it!! Don’t fret, the positives will come - keep working, the right fit will present itself.

Me: Is there a story behind the story of this latest book that you wish to share? The ah-ha or lightning moment where the story inspiration struck?

TT: There’s always a story behind the story, right? After Pop Travel, I had requests for more. I picked up a trail I left with one of the characters. Hasan loves to create and experiment. In Simulation, he wanted to improve on his guard droids - and he did, but someone stole his work and tainted it… In Book Three: Disposal, Hasan will be working on the garbage/recycling problem and help Cooper and Geri bust some drug dealers making a highly addictive drug from recycled waste… Though he’s not the main character, he’s a driving force and hilarious to boot.

Me: What’s the hardest part of being a successful, published author? (i.e. finding time to write, creating new books that are of the same caliber as your other successes).

TT: Successful? Ha haha. My sales would disagree, but at least I’m published, right? The hardest part is the marketing. Authors are pretty much on their own these days unless they become a big huge deal with one of the big publishers. Finding a balance between home, work, and writing projects is high on the hard things to do list too! My days seem shorter and shorter all the time.

Thanks for hosting me, Lee! Great questions!

After Pop Travel, Geri convinced Cooper to move back to Atlanta, but for familiar reasons, things didn’t work out… In Simulation, Geri is fighting her way back to full-fledged, solo agent status, but first has to deal with one more annoying sidekick on an equally annoying case. Meanwhile, Cooper takes his mind off Geri leaving him by throwing himself into his work, investigating an illegal clone android simulation operation. Sparks fly when Cooper and Geri’s cases lead them down the same path. Of course Hasan wants to help them with their cases, and connives a plan to get them back together in the niddle of all the chaos!

SIMULATION delivers more technology, more intense action, more humor, and more exciting new characters. Come along for the ride.

SIMULATION
by Tara Tyler
Release Date: Sept 14, 2015

In 2082, androids are an essential part of daily life. Some are helpful, some would make better toasters, and some are so human-like they’re creepy. Back in Atlanta, Detective Cooper’s latest client has him searching for her boyfriend who she thinks was replaced by a simulation, an illegal clone android. The guy also happens to be a popular new congressman.

As if the case wasn’t frustrating enough, Cooper keeps crossing paths with his ex, FBI Agent Geri Harper who’s looking for the same guy. As Cooper closes in, Geri is kidnapped. But when she resurfaces in Washington and goes on a killing spree, he knows it isn’t her. Now under suspicion himself, Cooper must find the real Geri to prove her innocence, not to mention hunt down the powerful villain behind it all. Never a dull moment.

Available Now!
Amazon ~~ Barnes and Noble
Goodreads giveaway!

Tara Tyler writes sci fi and fantasy action-adventures from her little corner of the world in Ohio as she tries to keep up with her three boys and coach husband. Always making time to write, she sometimes puts off chores and lets laundry pile up… hence, she’s also the Lazy Housewife, offering advice and tips to other gals out there trying to do it all without going crazy. She and her housewife friends blog at The Really Real Housewives of America.

And don’t forget the Rafflecopter!  

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Quote for the Day: “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Benjamin Franklin

Are you ready for the fall? Does Tara’s newest sound exciting to you? It does to me. 

Hats Off Corner Welcomes Melissa Maygrove

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Hats Off Corner Welcomes Melissa Maygrove

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON

Precious Atonement, a companion novel to the highly rated western historical romance Come Back is now available!

Ruined women don’t hope, killers don’t dream, and the dead don’t feel pain.

Ruined by a brutal attack, Rachel Emerson is resigned to live as a spinster. Grieving widower Jacob Evans convinces Rachel to marry him, but giving his precious new wife the life she deserves might cost him the very thing he values most—her.

AVAILABLE NOW ON Kindle and Nook

Last Day at .99

To be notified of giveaways, sales, and future new releases by Melissa, sign up for her NEWSLETTER.
Photo Source
I screwed up this month on my calendar, and posted another author in Melissa’s place last Monday. I’ve apologized, but I still feel like a goose. I hate messing up, and it happens when I’ve got my plate overloaded. I’m scaling back a bit more and hoping I can keep things straight.
Quote for the Week: 

So there you have it. Melissa’s new book. My screw up and a quote that fit me perfectly. Ever had life pile up around your head? Every screw up? 

Hats Off Corner Welcomes Barry Lyga

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Hat’s Off Corner Welcomes Barry Lyga
Last month I read Boy Toy by Barry Lyga and knew I’d be one of his fans from then on. I admit to some gushing in a comment on his blog, and then I did a very bold (for me) thing. I emailed him and asked him if he’d care to visit my blog. And HE SAID YES!!
So here is one of new favorite authors. Mr. Barry Lyga. And here’s my REVIEW of Boy Toy if you want to see what I wrote.
Barry Lyga’s Website
You’re a busy dad and author, so I wanted you to know you made my month by taking time for this interview here on The Write Game.  
Let’s start with one question I always like to hear the answer to: As a writer I look to others whom I enjoy reading for inspiration. Do you have a writer or writers you read for inspiration?
B.L.  I tend to be inspired by whatever it is I’m into at the moment. There are some things I read in my youth — the comic books of Paul Levitz and Alan Moore, REPLAY by Ken Grimwood — that have lingered and seem to inform everything I do, but in general, I don’t go any particular author in search of inspiration. I read for amusement, for pleasure, for the joy of seeing someone craft with words. Inspiration is a nice side effect, when it happens.
Me: Can you talk a bit about your experience with rejection, how you handled it, what you learned from it? Any “advice” to those who are still getting the “Thank you, but no thank you” letters?
B.L. My advice is simple: Get used to it. There’s this myth out there that once someone says “Yes,” you’ll never hear “No” again. Nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve been a professional novelist for ten years; I’ve published over a dozen books, including a New York Times bestseller, and I still get rejections. You just have be prepared for it. I generally try to assume that everything I do will be rejected. Then, if it isn’t, I get a nice surprise! Whatever your coping mechanism for rejection happens to be, don’t toss it out the window with glee when you get that first acceptance — you’ll need it again.
Me: Is there a story behind the story of this latest book that you wish to share? The ah-ha or lightning moment where the story inspiration struck?
B.L. For AFTER THE RED RAIN, I guess the moment was when Rob and Peter told me the basic idea of it and asked me to write it! I thought, “I bet I could write the hell out of that!” It’s up to the reader to determine whether or not I did, of course!4. What’s the hardest part of being a successful, published author? (i.e. finding time to write, creating new books that are of the same caliber as your other successes).
You can get your copy NOW

Me: What’s the hardest part of being a successful, published author? (i.e. finding time to write, creating new books that are of the same caliber as your other successes).
B.L. I have trouble with this question because I don’t entirely agree with the premise — I don’t think of myself as “successful.” I think of myself as failing more gracefully, perhaps! For every book I’ve published, I can think of someway I failed it, either by missing a great moment or not pushing it out into the world hard enough. You come close with the idea of “creating new books that are of the same caliber as your other successes.” I’ve always wanted each book of mine to be better than the one before it. Sometimes, I’ve managed to hit that goal, but other times not. Finding time to write is a problem only insofar as I’m now a stay-at-home dad and my first priority is my daughter. But even with that tiny, adorable, slobbering obstacle in my way, I’ve still managed to find time to write a new book this year. The hardest part of this life, truthfully, is the very real fact that once I’ve written a book, it’s fate is pretty much out of my hands. The publisher, the booksellers, and the readers will determine its fate, and there’s pretty much nothing I can do about it at that point. A tough lesson!
Me: “Failing more gracefully” is going to go on my bulletin board. But if your other books are as riveting as Boy Toy I’ll come by and disagree with you-nicely.
Thanks again. It has been great to read your answers. Hope others will glean help from them. And here’s to your latest book-After the Red Rain-just out and getting fab reviews. 

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Quote of the Week: 

What do you think about Barry Lyga’s answers to my questions? Hope you’ll take a look at what he writes. It’s refreshing and bright stuff. How about you and rejection? What’s your take on that part of life?

Treasure at Leap Castle and Hats Off Corner Welcomes Desiree Holt

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There’s Treasure Someplace. I just know it.

Where to Dig?

According to legend, in the 1600s the ownership of Leap Castle passed on to the Darby family. Actually an O’Carroll daughter fell in love with a Darby and married him. That’s a huge change in the family pattern, isn’t it? Love. Marriage. Not hate and murder.

Anyway, during the English Civil War, one of the Darby’s buried a considerable treasure somewhere on the grounds. Can you guess what happened to the two servants who helped him? Yep. Two more ghosts-probably grumpy ones-joined the cast of many others. 

The story is that no one has found the treasure yet. 

Next week: the story of the Elemental Spirit of Leap Castle. Brrrrr!

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Earlier this month I sent my first email with a free book offer to people who were kind enough to subscribe to my list. And I’m getting ready to do my Hot August Nights Drawing. So if you’d like to enter to win, add your email to MailChimp (top right under the spinning globe). If you do sign up, check your spam for the verification email, and if it’s there, drag it to your inbox before verifying. As Charlie would say, “Good grief!”  I’ll be sending out emails about the drawing in mid August! Hope you’ll jump on board.
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Now let’s switch gears. From mysterious murder and treasure/MailChimp details, let’s go to an author who spices up our reading lives. 
Hats Off Corner Welcomes Desiree Holt

AMAZON, KENSINGTON, KOBO, iTUNES, B&N
Known the world over as The Oldest Living Erotica Author, Desiree Holt proves every day that she is more than the sum of her years and more than the grandmother who plays with Barbie and Ken dolls: She is The Hardest Working Erotica Author, producing one novel or more each month and receiving rave reviews. 
She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as twice a CAPA Award for best BDSM book of the year, winner of the Holt Medallion, multiple winner of the Whipped Cream Book of the Week Award and is published by five different houses. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail and numerous other national and international publications.
“Get out the ice water and fan…Desiree Holt delivers smoking hot alpha heroes and red hot romances.” Lea Franczak, USA Today Happy Ever After blog
Learn more about her and read her novels here:
www.desireeholt.com 
www.desiremeonly.com
www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor
www.facebook.com/desireeholt
Twitter @desireeholt
Pinterest: desiree02holt
Google: www.desiree02holt

LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/desiree01holt 
Quote for the Week: “Pleasure is more in contemplation than in realization.” Malcolm Forbes

What do you think of these Leap Castle stories? Wonder what it’s like being the oldest living erotica author? And does this quote “flesh out” today’s post? If you haven’t signed up for my mailing list, hope you will. Next month’s drawing is coming up, and if you’re on my list, you’ll have a chance at winning. Happy Monday.

Hats Off Corner Welcomes Erin Fanning

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Good News

Baltimore had a bad start in the month of May, but then something good happened. A community torn apart came together. Over 2,500 people worked to clean up the littered streets and help local businesses reopen. 









Something in the Middle


I’m revving my motor for the AtoZ Road Trip. Hope you’ll come along. I’ve found my dashboard buddy, so I thought today I’d introduce him. Meet Mario the Muse. He’ll be on the trip with me, so you’ll get to know him quite well. 

Say Hi to Mario. He loves to travel, so he’ll be hitting the road a lot the rest of this year to bring you Road Side Rest Stops, Best Books for the Road, On the Road Games to keep you and the kids sane-along with other bits for us as we roll across those miles.










Hats Off Corner Welcomes Erin Fanning

First let’s get to know just a tad more about this author. No matter what interview questions authors are asked, there are always essential basics. Let’s start with those: You’ll notice that this author actually played the lightning round right! She answered with a single word. For that she gets a prize. 

A) Coffee or Tea? Coffee
B) Vanilla or Chocolate? Chocolate
C) Paper or ebook? Paper
D) Morning or night? Morning
E) Cake or pie?  Pie
Now that we know what’s important to know about an author, I’m going to ask one more thing. Ready? 
If you could change one thing about your writing career, what would that be?
I wrote all the time when I was young, everything from poetry in elementary school to news stories for my college newspaper, but for some reason I quit writing when I graduated and didn’t pick it up again until I was in my early 30s. So I wish I could get that time back. I would say to all want-to-be authors: never give up. Hard work, patience, and perseverance are rewarded in the world of writing, even more so than raw talent.
Now take a look at what Erin writes.

Blood Stitches

By Erin Fanning
Available now from Kensington Publishing/Lyrical Press

Love and danger intertwine…

It’s called El Toque de la Luna—The Touch of the Moon. At least that’s how nineteen-year-old Gabby’s older sister, Esperanza, refers to the magical powers she inherited from their Mayan ancestors. Esperanza says women with El Toque weave magic into their knitting, creating tapestries capable of saving—or devastating—the world. Gabby thinks Esperanza is more like touched in the head—until a man dressed like a candy corn arrives at their Seattle home on Halloween. But “Mr. C” is far from sweet…
Soon, Gabby and her almost-more-than-friend, Frank, find themselves spirited away to a demon ball, complete with shape shifters—and on a mission to destroy Esperanza’s tapestries before they cause an apocalyptic disaster… And before it’s too late to confess their true feelings for each other.
Here’s her super book trailer. Take a look. 

Buy it here:

Kensington/Lyrical  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Kobo  Google  Itunes
Erin Fanning spends her summers on a northern Michigan lake, where her imagination explores the water and dense forest for undiscovered creatures. In the winter, she migrates to central Idaho, exchanging mountain bikes and kayaks for skis and snowshoes. She’s the author of a mountain biking guidebook, as well as numerous articles, essays, and short stories. 
Find Erin online: Website  Goodreads Twitter Amazon 
Rafflecopter Giveway: Enter to win a Rafflecopter giveaway for a $20 Amazon gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Quote for the Day: If everything seems under control. you’re just not going fast enough.” Mario Andretti (This is my muse’s cousin. Our 2015 Road Trip ought be interesting and speedy!)

Hats Off Corner Welcomes J.H. Moncrief

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Good News

Riley Gets a Home
When shelters become overloaded with unwanted animals, those animals are euthanized.  Over 4 million a day! But Pilots N Paws is helping by shuttling these at risk sweethearts to places people want to adopt. You can help, too. Here’s the LINK to take you to their page. I donated and will do so again. My trip to Burma has made me even more aware of animal needs.




Something in the Middle

Beware the Little White Rabbit is his hosted at Thornton Berry Shire Press. Please stop by and say hello. I’m at the bottom, but there are some other authors you might enjoy along the way, too.

T.B. Markinson is giving some books away! Enter to win.
a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Hats Off Corner Welcomes J.H. Moncrief

Sometimes evil looks like a fuzzy teddy bear.

Still grieving the untimely death of his dad, ten-year-old Josh Leary is reluctant to accept a well-worn stuffed teddy bear from his new stepfather. He soon learns he was right to be wary. Edgar is no ordinary toy…and he doesn’t like being rejected. When Josh banishes him to the closet, terrible things begin to happen.
Desperate to be rid of the bear, Josh engages the help of a friend. As the boys’ efforts rebound on them with horrifying results, Josh is forced to accept the truth—Edgar will always get even. 
Raised in the far north, amid Jack London’s world of dog sleds and dark winters, J.H. Moncrieff has been a professional writer all of her adult life.
During her years as a journalist, she tracked down snipers and canoed through crocodile-infested waters. She has published hundreds of articles in national and international magazines and newspapers.
When she’s not writing, J.H. loves to travel to exotic locations, advocate for animal rights, and muay thai kickbox. She’s an avid reader of many different genres, including thrillers, suspense, true crime, memoirs, cookbooks, women’s fiction, and horror.
Want some spine-tingling? Take a peek at this trailer:

Buy Now 
Amazon US  Amazon UK Amazon Canada  Kobo  B&N  Samhain

Quote for the Day: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act: the rest is merely tenacity.” Amelia Earhart

Will you consider helping out the animals in need? Did you hop on that Rafflecopter to win a book? And don’t forget to click on one of J.H, Moncrief’s links to buy her book. Have to read this one on a dark and stormy night. 

Good News, Meet the Muffin Commandos, and Hats Off Corner Welcomes Patricia Lynne

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Good News with a touch of Gossip.

George Clooney received a lifetime achievement award and was roasted a bit by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. They pointed out that his wife, who is a human rights lawyer, has a significant list of lifetime achievements to her credit and didn’t it seem strange it was her husband getting the award. Read More



Last Day for Goodreads Giveaway for The Great Time Lock Disaster. Hope you’ve entered to win. 

Muffin Commando Squad, Part 2 A couple of weeks ago you met one half of this #AtoZChallenge Team. Now here’s the other half. 

Q. What’s your latest WIP/publication?

BROKEN BRANCH FALLS (MG fantasy) was published last June and SIMULATION (techno thriller) comes out in September!

Find out more about Tara Tyler

Q: Who are you anyways?

I’m the sugar in your muffin, the cup liner in your tin, the hotness in your oven, and the muffin flavor with a spin. I am the Muffin Commando that goes commando every now and then. No shame…

Find out more about Tammy Theriault

Q. What’s your latest book, short story, publication?

A Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts, A Pocket-Sized Jumble of 500+ Writing Prompts (paperback), and Jumble Journals 1 and 2. Like they sound, these are books chock full of writing prompts.

Find out more about Tyrean Martinson

Q. What’s your Favorite Food?

Peanut butter. I bet you thought I’d say chocolate. A gal can’t live on chocolate alone, but she can survive on peanut butter. 

Find out more about Elizabeth Seckman

Hats Off Corner With Patricia Lynne

There is only one path.

Born mortal along with his three brothers, Michael is an Archangel with a specific role: hunt fallen angels and send them back to Hell. He is determined in his mission, never straying from his appointed path, until he meets Lake Divine, and discovers there may be more to his beliefs than blind duty.
But Lake is not who he seems. Offspring of a human and a fallen angel, a Nephilim, Lake must choose his own destiny: give in to the coldness and embrace the dark, or seek the light and rise above the sins of his father.
Two paths lay before them, but only one has the potential to destroy them both.
Tweets to share:
Walk the path. Face evil. Defeat it. #PathOfAngels
#urbanfantasy #NA #NewAdult
Michael thought he knew what lay on his path, but he didn’t see Lake coming. #PathOfAngels #urbanfantasy #NALit
Lake knew he was divine, but is he strong enough to prove it to the world? #PathOfAngels #NA #lgbt
About the Author:
Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn’t regretted a moment. She writes young adult under the name Patricia Lynne.
Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.
Connect with Patricia
Twitter 
Website 
Google+  
Wattpad  
Goodreads  
Quote for the Day: “Love is like quicksilver in the hand. Leave the fingers open and it stays. Clutch it and it darts away.” Dorothy Parker
Hope you’ll help Patricia by sharing her Tweets. And be sure to connect with her on her social media. Are you a George Clooney fan? Why did he have to marry and why did she have to be someone absolutely perfect? Are these Muffins fab or what?

Good News, AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal and Hats Off Corner Welcomes Nick Wilford

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Good News


Principal Kyle Niederman deserves a pat on the back for putting his Cincinnati school kids at the forefront of concern. The school was to be closed for the 5th day in a row due to severe weather, and many of his students depend on free or subsidized lunches to guarantee one meal a day. No school. No lunch. So this principal asked his staff to deliver bags of food to those kids most in need. Now that’s a caring kind of guy.

 And Now. . . The AtoZ Challenge Theme Reveal!

SIGN UP FOR THE ATOZ NOW

If you’ve been here a few times this past year, you know I was in Burma (Myanmar) in November. Some of you who’ve stuck with me for a few years know I have the travel bug, and it bites quite frequently, so it can’t be any surprise that my theme this is going to be. . .Burma from A to Z.

I’ve added a small T/F quiz at the end of each post, so you can test you knowledge about this part of the world.  No grades. Just a bit of a challenge to pique your interest.

Hats Off Corner Welcomes Nick Wilford


REBEKAH ROMANI
A Change of Mind and Other Stories consists of a novella, four short stories and one flash fiction piece. This collection puts the extremes of human behavior under the microscope with the help of lashings of dark humor, and includes four pieces previously published in Writer’s Muse magazine.
In A Change of Mind, Reuben is an office worker so meek and mild he puts up with daily bullying from his boorish male colleagues as if it’s just a normal part of his day. But when a stranger points him in the direction of a surgeon offering a revolutionary new procedure, he can’t pass up the chance to turn his life around.
But this isn’t your average surgeon. For a start, he operates alone in a small room above a mechanic’s. And he promises to alter his patients’ personality so they can be anything they want to be…
In Marissa, a man who is determined to find evidence of his girlfriend’s infidelity ends up wondering if he should have left well alone.
The Dog God finds a chink in the armor of a man with a megalomaniacal desire to take over the world.
In The Insomniac, a man who leads an obsessively regimented lifestyle on one hour’s sleep a night finds a disruption to his routine doesn’t work for him.
Hole In One sees a dedicated golfer achieving a lifelong ambition.
The Loner ends the collection on a note of hope as two family members try to rebuild their lives after they are torn apart by jealousy.
Bio
Nick Wilford is a writer and stay-at-home dad. Once a journalist, he now makes use of those rare times when the house is quiet to explore the realms of fiction, with a little freelance editing and formatting thrown in. When not working, he can usually be found spending time with his family or cleaning something. Nick is also the editor of Overcoming Adversity: An Anthology for Andrew. You can find him hanging out on his blog or on Goodreads or Twitter.
Preorder Links: Amazon US, Amazon UK

Add it on Goodreads



Quote for the Day “The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball.” Columnist Doug Larson

Will you be AtoZing? Does learning a bit about Burma interest you at all? (Lie if the answer is no.) Was the news good enough about the principal? 




Some Good News, Hat’s Off Corner with Angela Brown and AtoZChallenge!

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Some Good News

Yes, there is some. It doesn’t hit the headlines all the time, but it exists and it makes me hopeful that more will follow because of it. So here’s one bit of good news from Kentucky.
Raymond Burse, President Kentucky State University
The President of Kentucky State University took a pay cut of $90,000 (imagine that salary). That meant that all the minimum wage employees got a $3.00/hr. raise. 




Now on to the. . . 

Hat’s Off Corner

Here’s to Angela on her latest Evernight Teen book. Here’s her character having a bit of a chat with that hunk of a Vampire, Edward Cullen. Shiver me timbers. A vampire on my blog!


Beacon and Twilight

I want to thank C. Lee for making the magic happen. My name is Macie Breen. Angela Brown is the author who created me. I’m not sure what she was going through when she wrote Beacon. Are all authors so cruel?

Wait, will Angela see this? Because, if she can… I think you rock, lots and lots, Angela!! (Please don’t torture me so bad in the next book).

Anyway, C. Lee asked me here to have a chat with a character from one of the books I recently read from the banned books list. Hey, if The Colony wants to censor it, I HAVE to read it. I chose Twilight. Some of you know of this novel, maybe? Vampires that sparkle, werewolves that seem to always be shirtless, and a girl who is sought after by both a were and a vamp. I would not want to be her, all confused behind two guys. Give me Thane any day. 

Wait… there is Rig…
Yeah, let’s not go there. Oh, look, Edward Cullen just arrived.

*Macie stands up, offers her hand, but Edward quickly settles into the chair opposite her.*

Macie: Uh, okay.

*She drops her hand and sits back down.*

Macie: Nice to meet you, Edward.

*Edward sniffs the air a couple of times then dissolves into an even more pale state.*

Macie: I hope the lights are okay. C. Lee said she adjusted them so they are dim enough for you. 

Edward: The lights are fine.

Macie: Oh, good. So let’s get started. Now, I have to know, do you and Bella really - 

Edward: What are you?

*Macie’s mouth is left wide open by the sudden interruption but then she closes it.*

Macie: I’m a character in Angela’s novel, Beacon. It’s a YA urban fantasy dystopian. I think it’s pretty cool but I’m probably a little biased.

*Edward leans forward, eyes narrowed.*

Edward: C. Lee told me that. But she didn’t tell me what you are. 

Macie: I’m just a girl nobody likes. That’s all.

*Macie’s eyes widen.*

Edward: No. You’re not. And that’s a big problem.

*Macie visibly shivers*

Macie: Uh…why?

Edward:  Because I was also told that you liked Jasper so I brought him along to surprise you. One whiff of you and he will go berserk. Honestly…

*Edwards casts his eyes downward.*

Edward: I’m having a hard time holding my bloodlust back.

Macie: Uh…wait…what?

*Edward jumps to his feet, breathing hard.*

Edward: Seriously, what are you? You smell so… delicious.

*C. Lee enters the chat*
C. Lee: And that will be all for now folks. Edward, thank you for coming today. Macie, I suggest we find a different exit for you. And for anyone wanting to know what Macie is - which I better go find out myself - check out Beacon.


Enter to win a $75 Amazon or B/N GC by clicking and entering. Rafflecopter.

Be sure to stop by the OTHER TOUR HOSTS to increase your chances  of winning this great gift. 

My Quote for the Day: “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Thoreau

Any good news in your part of the world? Would you chat with a vampire? Are you entering to win Angela’s GC? Hope you’ve already entered the #AtoZChallenge. If not, sign up now!

AND. . . DON’T FORGET THE THEME REVEAL
MARCH 23

Good News and Hat’s Off Corner With Kai Strand

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Good News

Reunited
Benji Baker is one lucky guy. He was in Australia, about to reunite with a father he hadn’t seen in years. Before the reunion, Benji went ocean kayaking where he suffered an epileptic seizure. Proof that fact is stranger than fiction, he was rescued by his father. Neither of the them knew who the other was until later.
Alligators Overhead gets a new look!

The Hat’s Off Corner Welcomes Kai Strand!

Being good isn’t so bad – oh, but it’s so good to be
bad.

Excerpt from Super Bad:
Source stepped in front of her,
balancing on the edge of the curb. He grasped her shoulders and stared her
straight in the eye. “Everything, everyone, will be all right. You have to
believe that, Sandra.”
Tears flooded her eyes again.
She hated that she didn’t believe him. “I’m scared, Source. I’m afraid Whisper
will never wake up. Or that I’ll never walk right again. I’m worried about
Mom’s state of mind. I’m scared the world will never right itself, and all this
violence will become the new normal.”
Source drew a ragged breath and
lightly dragged his thumb across her tear-stained cheek.
Closing her eyes, as though
afraid to see the full truth, she whispered her biggest fear. “I’m scared we’ll
never find Jeff.”
SUPER BAD The unexpected conclusion to the
Super Villain Academy series.
The world is in chaos. Violence and thievery reign. And with
the supers still balanced, it’s only getting worse. Without good versus evil,
the supers care less and less. In order to restore purpose, the world needs its
super heroes and its super villains, but the one who balanced them in the first
place is missing.
Sandra’s concern over finding her brother, Jeff, isn’t her
only problem. Her pathetic excuse for super powers has left her needing a new
ankle. And though she’s still very much committed to her boyfriend, Source,
she’s growing unreasonably attracted to Set, the boy who double crossed Jeff by
stealing his girlfriend.
When Sandra is taken and held as bait by kids who want to
unbalance the super world, it becomes the inciting event that changes things
for supers everywhere and forces them to answer the question, “Hero or
villain?”
***
Super Bad is scheduled for release in June, but there have been whispers
of it releasing sooner. Don’t miss out. Subscribe to Kai’s mailing list and be
among the first to know.
***
King of Bad - Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules. He wears his bad
boy image like a favorite old hoodie; until he learns he has superpowers and is
recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad.
Is Jeff bad enough for SVA?
Polar Opposites - Heroes and villains are balanced.
After Oceanus is kidnapped, Jeff learns the supers are so balanced, they no
longer care to get involved. Ironically Jeff’s superpowers are spiraling out of
control. Will they find Oci before he looses it completely, and will they find
her alive?
***

Win a $10 Amazon gift card or an ecopy of either King
of Bad or Polar Opposites. Plenty of chances to win. Open internationally. Enter
here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

When
her children were young and the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her
family around the fireplace and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her
boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died. The end.” Now an
award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to
provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for
young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for the younger ones,
Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults. Learn more about Kai and
her books on her website, www.kaistrand.com.


My Quote for the Day: “Far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person.” Gloria Steinem

Do you think you could ever write a story like the Good News one of today and not be accused of using coincidence? What do you think of Kai’s latest book? Great cover, right? And what do you think of Alligators Overhead’s new cover?