5 bloggers you should be friends with ... and my life in pictures.

It's Fun Friday on the blog! 

This week, the YA Storytellers and I want to share some blogger love. It's a whole month of focusing on being thankful and as an author, I am the MOST thankful for bloggers.
And my eyesight.
And typing hands.
And my weirdo brain that tells me things.
And my computer.
Okay, I'll stop.

Anyway, I want to share some blogger faves of mine with you. If you're an author, you should work with them. If you're a reader, you should peruse their blogs and reviews. And if you're a random person who is not a stalker, you should make friends with them. So, here's a list of just a few of the spectacular homies I call blogger buds, in no particular order.

Oh, and I have pics of my life at the bottom. So that you can say you're totally informed. Read on!


1. Kez's Korner is a really fun blogger that I found when she reviews A Risk Worth Taking for me a while back. She needs some FB love and she is always talking about books and authors I totally love! Our reading tastes are so similar.

To give her FB page a like, click here.


2. Shana Benedict from A Book Vacation. I. Fracking. Love. Her. Guts.
First, she's been there for me since the beginning. Whisper wouldn't be published if it weren't for her insisting I go through with it despite the throw-up threatening.... yeah, it was a rough day. And she's the manager of Heather's Hotshots now (my blogger street team) and words can't even express how grateful I am for her. She does so much for me and a ton of other authors and she does it beacuse she loves it. I have ridiculous love for this girl. And her reviews and literary opinions are so smart! You need to read her blog. Regularly.

Click here to find her on FB.

She also has the BEST Halloween costumes ever.

(UtopYA 2014)

3. Natalie @ Book Lover's Life is another. She is always there for me, always. And that makes her a Hotshot. Also, she is actually a Hotshot, a member of my street team and you can read all about her awesomeness as it relates to our group AND her as a human person. She rocks. Check her out.

4. Jackie @ Sated Faery. 

First, she lives in my city. Second, she's heading up the Moonshine Holiday Gift Exchange. That alone makes her my kinda girl. aka A Badass. Beyond that, she is ALWAYS there for me and other author in promoting and reading and reviewing in between her full life. I love her for all that.

You can check out her blog here. 

5. Last but NOT LEAST, my stalker. (Don't worry, she's official, so it's not weird.) Maghon from Happy Tails and Tales. She's another that's been with me since the beginning. Yeah, I like longevity. What girl doesn't? Anyway, Maghon is awesome on the blog about gushing over my books AND she's awesome in real life. She has about three million dogs and she's even written reviews from their POV. Hilarious. You should look them up. 

And last year, I got to spend a weekend in her city and hang with her where I tried Gator Bites for the first time. (tastes like chicken, okay not really.) I had a blast in Orleans with you, Maghon! Can't wait to go back!

October 2013 in New Orleans!

I'm stopping at 5 because otherwise, I would feel compelled to Energizer Bunny it and keep going and going and going and ... Yeah. So that's it for today for bloggers I adore. 

Oh, but I promised you pictures of my life. Right. So, here's what I've been up to since the end of summer in a picture story. 

writing and editing Deviation, the COMPLETELY NEW version coming to you 12/30. You can pre-order here! This one's going to leave you going "Whaaaa?"

Rode a Segway through SanFran. Rocked it. Mall Cop style.

Saw the Redwoods in California for the first time ever

#dream #fulfilled

Went home to Virginia for 2 weeks and hung out with my minions and took some quiet walks with the new husband in Williamsburg.

Wait, HUSBAND?!

Yep, got married.

Boom.

Done.

Beautiful setting! 

And now I'm back in Guam for a couple more weeks before heading home for the holidays. 

#MyOutRAGEousLife

My life. In pictures. 

You're welcome. 

Extra, Extra...!

SO MANY THINGS. New things. Old things. Anticipated things. Surprising things <-- can't tell you about those yet. But I want to!!

First-this.
Deviation is out!!!
woot woot!!!

This cover just amazes me. Fascinates me. Seriously, Emily Tippetts is a genius and sort of my new idol. After these past few weeks I'm now convinced, she can do everything. I mean, everything. If you want to know how to turn water into wine, you should probably email her. Just sayin'.

Anyway, Deviation, book 2 in the Clone Chronicles, is now available for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.

Coming soon in pb and everywhere else that's important. 

And to kick things off, there's a giveaway (there should always be a giveaway) and it's this:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And the tour kicks off at A Book Vacation with Shana who rocks because she made me this:

And goes to places like Happy Tails and Tales on 3/15 with Maghon 

who will have a special announcement!!!!

and end with Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews

and then Cameron at What the Cat Read on 3/26. 

Be sure to enter the giveaway by then!!

Also, in the "New and Fantastically exciting department" is this AWESOME ANNOUNCEMENT I CAN FINALLY SHARE WITH YOU ALL!!!

I feel like I should do a cheerleader kick here--but I don't know how, so I'll just say it:

I am officially the proud (one-third) owner of a publishing company!!!!!!

OH yeah-- you heard me right!!! Check it:

And the best part is that we're not your average, run-of-the-mill publisher. Oh no (I don't do anything average and I don't really know what run-of-the-mill looks like so...)

What are we about?

This.

While sharing marketing tips and discussing cover art, independent authors Amanda Aksel, Heather Hildenbrand, and Sara Panek all came to the same conclusion; wouldn’t it be great if there was a publishing house that offered all the resources of traditional publishing, while still allowing the creative freedom of independent publishing? They set out to create their vision, and Elephantine Publishing was born.

Elephantine is a collaborative publisher. Our goal is to partner with you to turn your love of writing into a successful career for years to come. We work side by side with our authors through every step of the publishing process to create a unique and professional title to share with the world. Using strategic marketing, we provide our authors with industry tools and resources to build readership and grow sales.

Our aim is simple. We seek to provide access to all stories worth telling, whether or not the words fit into a neatly labeled box. Words that resonate in your bones. Stories you’ll never forget.

***

I am so excited to be able to FINALLY share this news with you!!! 

(THIS is where I've been hiding for months.)

I hope you'll check us out.

I'm pretty proud of my elephant baby.

www.elephantinepublishing.com

AND ALSO 

in the "EXCITING STORY OF MY LIFE" department

(I'm just full of good things lately and I love it)

I am still in Guam, still soaking it up. 

Still hanging out in places that look like this:

And I just want you guys to know I am so GRATEFUL for so many awesome readers and bloggers. You guys are what makes this possible for my life!!! Thank you so much for giving me this gift!! <3

Every day I wake up in awe of the life I get to lead. 

Much love. 

giveaway winner and free copies of DreamKiller

I'm so excited to announce the winner of the pawprint earrings giveaway. Congratulations to:

DIANA!!!! 

Thanks for becoming a blog follower and enjoy the earrings. You'll also be getting a signed bookmark for Dirty Blood. =) Enjoy!

Now, I promised info on how to win free copies - yes, more than one - of DreamKiller, Book 1 & 2 - the combined version. Here's the deets:

Shana at A Book Vacation is doing a special 2-day review post today and tomorrow for 1 and 2 and she will be giving away 5 copies of DreamKiller to 5 lucky winners, in the e-book format of your choice. So make sure to get over there and enter to win one of those!

And Wednesday, she will be posting a special short story prequel to DreamKiller that I've written from Lukas' point of view. It involved his days in the circus as a fortune teller and gives a great look at some of his past before joining the other 'specials' and meeting Marlena. That's all the details I can spill for now, so be sure to check that out tomorrow.

Oh and one more thing:  THREE more days until Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace!!!!

Some things worthy of mentioning... and other stuff

This week has been miserable and wonderful all at once.

Miserable because I've been ill <--- perfect word for the all around nastiness I feel which kept me on the couch for most of the week. Boo!!

But wonderful because of all the nice things people are saying about Dirty Blood. Katrina over at Page Flipperz has the most recent review, I think, which was not only a super awesome review, but ALSO got her entered into my Race to Reviews giveaway. =)

Speaking of.. Let's update those numbers, shall we?

Across the Galaxy reviews/entries  - 6
Dirty Blood reviews/entries - 5

*Don't forget: if you 'tag' either book on Amazon, you get an entry for that too, but you MUST email me with what tags you used so I know to enter you for it.

Oh and another thing that must be said: Congratulations to A Book Vacation for winning the Dirty Blood giveaway this week over at the Bookish Babes. Enjoy ;)

Whew. Okay I'm actually sort of tired of talking about myself (or, more accurately, my book). Who ever thought I would say that? haha.

I'm sure I'll recharge and be back at it again later, fully amped to talk about and promote myself and my masterpeice, but for now, I need to take a break by thinking about something totally random and having nothing to do with me. I just read Water for Elephants which was brilliant but I can't talk about that because that sentence had the word 'I' in it so nevermind.

Oh, but that brings Robert Pattinson to mind, since he is in the movie. I could definitely sit and talk about him, as he's gorgeous and yummy and ... yeah you don't want to sit and listen to me though. It gets sappier and sappier. I'll just take a moment to myself. <pause. deep breath> Okay, I'm good now.

Actually, if I'm honest, there is an actor I love more than Rob. Its an affair that has been around since I was like twelve (yeah, I'm good at commitment) and I've never wavered in my devotion. CHRISTIAN BALE. Oh wow, he's just... Even when he was crazy in American Psycho. I usually can't watch movies like that (scaredy cat) but I watched that one, just to support him. I'm sure it meant alot to him that I did that.

It all started with a movie called Newsies and if you've never heard of it, then sadly, you have no idea that Christian can sing and dance - and you're missing out!! He was romantical and handsome and a bad boy and sweet all at once and I just couldn't help myself. (I was twelve!!) I think that was the beginning of my love for bad boys.

Oh and if you're wondering, yes, my husband knows about this. He's okay with it. He's still got a thing for Olivia Newton John so he can't say much.

So. I'm curious now... Who is your favorite male actor?