Showing posts with label Imitation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Imitation. Show all posts

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Seven 11 Blog Hop: teaser & a giveaway

Every month, I offer a 7-line teaser from a WIP on the 11th of the month. This month, there are prizes involved! It's also special because it's the last month on this blog. I'm working on a new site and I can't wait to show you guys, so stay tuned!


In the meantime, here are 7 lines from Generation, coming this Tuesday 10/13! This is book 3 (the final book) in the IMitation series. I am so excited to share this one with you guys--thank you for sticking with Ven and the gang. In the comments, tell me whose wrap-up/ending you're most looking forward to!


The pause stretches into a millennium of memories.
Linc standing in the foyer that first day, leather jacket in hand, a cold smirk on his lips. My first motorcycle ride, viciously cold and addictive in its thrill. Obadiah and his vintage blue car. Ida and Lonnie. Daniel. Melanie. Raven. Becoming friends with the ones I thought were the enemy. All to beat the monster before me.
Please be happy.

I hope they understand I did this all for them.

~~~


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other authors/giveaways to check out:

Felicia Tatum giving away 5 ebooks of Scornful Sadie!
SC Ellington giving away a $25 GC!
Bethany Lopez giving away e-copy of 3 Seconds
Justine Winter giving away ebook of Sapphire's Divinity
Amanda Aksel giving ebook of The Man Test
Kayla Smith giving ebook of Return to Pandora

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Generation's cover and a bonus scene

Generation (The Imitation Series, Book 3)
Releasing October 13, 2015




After months of pretending to be Raven Rogen, Ven feels less like a clone and more like a human than ever. But when Raven’s father, Titus—the same man who engineered Ven—discovers her plan to escape, everything she’s worked so hard for is taken away in one explosive moment.

Now she’s imprisoned in Twig City, the secret warehouse where she grew up. She spends her days plotting ways to get back to the outside world, determined to topple Titus’s empire and free every last Imitation. But Titus’s reach is extensive and his plans are more deadly than she realized.

In the shocking conclusion to the Imitation series, one wrong move could mean the end for Ven and everyone she’s come to love.

AVAILABLE NOW FOR PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON.COM



**SPOILER ALERT – SPOILER ALERT**
If you have not Read Deviation Yet
STOP NOW!

Bonus Scene from Linc
*Two Months After the End of Deviation*

The car is warm despite the chill outside. My window has fogged and I shift trying to get a better view. My legs cramp at being bent so long. I stretch them slowly, first right and then left. My knee pops and I wince. Anna looks over, an apology on the edge of her lips.
“I’m fine,” I say.
She presses her lips together and I know what she’s thinking. We could leave. But neither of us is willing to give up with so little to report back.
The mission is to watch Marla, the woman Titus uses as his gatekeeper out of Twig City. She’s one option among a scant few that we’ve come up with as a way in to look for Ven. Melanie suggested we follow her and try to find a weakness, something we can use against her. But the woman is a robot. She goes to work, she comes home, she watches The Biggest Loser. If we don’t find anything tonight, we’ll move on. I need to watch, to spot something we can exploit. I can’t do that through frosted glass.
Maybe my breaths are too heavy. I will myself to calm down. Anna’s still watching me, her brow furrowed like she’s still trying to come up with a way to fix me. If she only knew.
I pretend not to see her and stare through the window. Outside, the darkness is lit by the soft glow of the street lamps but it’s eerie to me. Shadows encroaching on the light. Monsters plotting. Everything in my life feels like a damn threat these days.
“You could climb in the backseat,” Anna offers finally.
I sigh. Anna’s always trying to please others.
“I’m good,” I repeat, pretending the stiffness doesn’t linger when I reposition my legs and tuck them underneath the dashboard. We’ve been here six hours and counting. Not how I wanted to spend the night—with a girl who isn’t Ven.
As usual when I think of her, I wince at the ache it brings. Anna’s gaze sharpens as she studies me across the shadowed interior of Melanie’s car.
“She’s fine, you know,” Anna says.
I consider pretending not to catch her meaning but it’s no use. I’ve been an open book with a harsh ending for months now. I pretend to stare at Marla’s townhouse at the end of the street but I don’t register a damn thing about it. Inside my head, Ven’s eyes blink back at me, trusting. Her lips pucker affectionately. All of the images are reminders that I failed her.
“How do you know?” I ask and hate the tortured sound of my own words.
“Ven is a fighter. She always has been. She’ll find a way to be okay.”
I ran a hand over my hair, rubbing hard as if that will erase the images that taunt me. “You sound really sure about that. But you can’t know. Not really. She’s in there and we’re out here and no one has even seen her.” Anger, helpless rotten fury, wells in my veins. Without meaning to, my hands ball into fists in my lap.
“He won’t kill her,” Anna says. I don’t know whether to be relieved or dismayed that she sounds so sure. Anna can be hopeful to the point of naïve. But right now, it’s all I’ve got to cling to. “If he was going to do it, he would’ve done it long before that night,” she adds.
I lean my head back on the seat, giving up the pretense of actually performing any recon. “How do you do that?” I ask.
“Do what?”
I look over in time to see her blink at me, so unaware of her own strength. Like Ven. I grimace, shove that aside, and force myself to focus on the present. “Be so optimistic all the time,” I say. “Even when things look completely hopeless you’re upbeat.”
Sh shrugs. “My Authentic was that way. Maybe she influenced me. Maybe it’s partly my personality.” She sounds uncertain and I glance sideways at her.
“And the other part?”
“Families don’t give up on each other,” she says. And it’s a matter-of-fact kind of thing that knocks me for a loop. Guilt gnaws at me. She’s right. And she’s family too. All of them are now and I’ve been so wrapped up in losing Ven and trying to get her back, I’ve forgotten all of them are messed up too.
“You’re right,” I say, forcing myself to sound like I mean it. For Anna’s sake. I twist to face her squarely. “We are family. And families always fight.”
She smiles at me but I look away. I don’t know how to tell her that particular kind of smile, the warm, fuzzy feeling it gives, reminds me of Ven. I don’t deserve a smile like that when I lost her to  a man like Titus Rogen.
I clear my throat and look around for something to say. “How’s your arm?” I ask.
She holds it up and even in the dim lighting I see the scar is already fading. “Much better,” she says.
I grunt, glad to see the infection didn’t cause permanent damage. Cutting out a GPS tracker is risky business. But she’s right, it looks a lot better. Much more healed than my sorry ass broken heart. I look up at Marla’s house one last time and start the engine. There’s nothing for us here. We’re going to have to do this another way.



Haven’t Started the Series Yet?
Get Imitation for Your Kindle or Pre-Order Your Paperback Coming May 19!

Everyone is exactly like me. There is no one like me. 

Ven wrestles with these contradicting truths every day. A clone of wealthy eighteen-year-old Raven Rogen, Ven knows everything about the girl she was created to serve: the clothes she wears, the boys she loves, the friends she loves to hate. Yet she’s never met the Authentic Raven face-to-face. Imitations like Ven only get to leave the lab when they’re needed—to replace a dead Authentic, donate an organ, or complete a specific mission. And Raven has neverneeded Ven . . . until now.

When there is an attack on Raven’s life, Ven is thrust into the real world, posing as Raven to draw out the people who tried to harm her. But as Ven dives deeper into Raven’s world, she begins to question everything she was ever told. She exists for Raven, but is she prepared to sacrifice herself for a girl she’s never met?
Coming Soon!
Get Your Copy NOW!



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Sunday, January 11, 2015

Teaser Time: Seven 11 Blog hop is back!

It's time for the monthly Seven 11 blog hop!
If you don't already know what the Seven 11 blog hop is, it's this:

A monthly hop (on the 11th of every month, silly) where i share 7 lines to tease you from a wip or whatever I basically feel like. You're welcome. 

This month, it's Deviation (released Dec 30, 2014). 

Some of you may be experiencing de ja vu right now. It's cool, me too. Deviation was originally released by yours truly as a self-published title in March of 2014 but then right around that same moment in time, I signed the series to Alloy Entertainment (CW anyone?) and now it has a new home and therefore IS A NEW CREATURE!

I rewrote this entire story from beginning to end. So if you think you know about Deviation during March-July 2014 (these are the months the old version was available), you probably aren't correct. TO jog your memory (or introduce you), here are the 7 opening lines to the story.



I have always been two people at once. Today is no different.

I am Raven Rogen and, especially when they’re not watching, I’m also Ven. Sometimes, my identities separate into two sets of habits, two sets of desires, two sets of miseries. But then, on days like today, they collide and I am both at once.

In this moment, though, I am mostly apprehension. My palms are clammy but I don’t wipe them, fearing the three guards standing sentinel will notice my discomfort. The walls in the room are gray concrete slabs lit by a single incandescent bulb. 


To further jog your memory, for my Love Birds that have been around for a while. This is the previous cover, circa March 2014:

And THIS is the new cover:





Alloy's art design dept is kind of badass.


And if you haven't read book 1 (Imitation), you should 1-click that one first since it's on sale now through Jan 25.

Now, on to the goodies!!

GIVEAWAY time! 

A few days ago, I posted an annoucement about social media changes coming in 2015. Here it is in case you missed it:

It's become increasingly hard to reach and interact with new readers and friends here on FB and other social media outlets. Because of that, I'm making some changes to where I hang out in 2015.
The bottom line is that the EASIEST and most effective way for me to reach you is through my Love Birds newsletter. I don't want any more missing posts or not staying connected and I want you all to get the most from seeing new projects I have coming. As an incentive for you (& a THANK YOU), I am running a contest for subscribers to win signed books!
If you're signed up for already, you're entered! If not, sign up before Jan 15 (***NOW EXTENDED TO JAN 20) and I will pick 3 newsletter subscribers to win a signed paperback of Dirty Blood!


Basically, the bottom line is that you really oughtta be a Love Bird (<-- my newsletter groupies) and get me in your inbox. You can sign up here. I'll pick a winner later this month.


And finally, the HOP. This is a hop, remember? Which means there are a slew of other word-ninjas that you need to check out when you leave this page. And they are:

Felicia Tatum - Young Adult
S.M. Boyce - YA Fantasy
Steph Nuss - contemp romance, 18+ 
Bethany Lopez - NA Romance, 18+
Justine Winter - NA Romance, 18+
Kayla Smith - Young Adult
Alicia Sheehy - YA Romance
SC Ellington - Romance, 18+
Amanda Aksel - Women's Fic/Romance



Now, go discover your next favorite author!




Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Seven 11 Blog Hop: Imitation deleted scene teaser




It's time!
The monthly Seven 11 Blog Hop!
Where I share seven lines from a wip or new release to tease ya AND you get a link to a bunch of other awesome authors to check out.


This month, I'm sharing seven lines from Imitation, from a scene that got cut from the newly published version which re-released July 29 from Alloy Entertainment. 



If you didn't read that story, you should click here. It's a fun one!

Okay, on to the deleted stuff. Here goes:


Raven Rogen is the shallowest Authentic I’ve ever seen. 
She graduated from an elite private school months ago and is taking a gap year before college to do “charity work,” which mostly consists of buying tickets to fashion shows and galas for good causes. She doesn’t seem to be making her way in the world so much as following a golden path someone—her father?—has laid out for her. Josephine has never shown me Raven’s family, but I know her father is well-off, involved in politics and nonprofits, and he expects her to be the face of the family.
She’s never mentioned a mother.

***
And, if you haven't heard, book 2 will be out Dec 30 but you can pre-order yours now right here.


And don't forget to check out some other awesome authors worth reading, here's your list!

Young Adult:




New Adult:






Happy Teaser-Reading!
xoxo



Thursday, July 31, 2014

How Alloy Entertainment and I became buds.

I don't know if you really want to sit and read the entiiiirre story that is my friendship tale between myself and Alloy but I've been holding all this in for a WHILE now. Besides that, this is my blog, not yours, which puts you at my mercy. But then, the human attention span is only 7 seconds, which I've already exceeded depending on how fast or slow you read. So. I will try to compromise and tell you the high points--in all their embarrassing glory.

It's like this:
Back in March, I got an email from a publisher that was interested in purchasing the rights to Imitation (and the series). They said a ton of nice things about my ability to string words together and the story I'd created and my brain as a whole. I was obviously mucho flattered, like any author would be. But I also had never heard of them which, in my mind, made them small potatoes. Not that I wasn't the same size potato doing this on my own, but from a business standpoint, small potatoes is not enough to make me sign on a dotted line. Or a dashed line. Or any sort of signature line that you can really picture here.

SO I sort of told them no.

Yeah. I'm an idiot.

Luckily, they're persistent.

Whew. Can you imagine being the girl who told the freaking CW "No?" I would never live that one down. Anyway, on email round 2, I finally got my shit together and Googled them. And yeah. Now we ALLLLL know (Including Heather) that Alloy = CW = WfreakingB. Like, Les Morgenstein signed my contract. Holy shizz.

Once I figured out the WHO--and sufficiently happy danced--I went back to the metaphorical table and got to know everyone and said "hell yeah, let's do this" a lot of times in a row. Whatever THIS is. (seriously, for the business-savvy indies reading this, I put much more thought into it than I'm letting on here. It was a killer deal and I couldn't say no, trust. but this way is more fun to read about. Calm down, yo.)

My 2 fabulous editors got me on the phone long enough to repeat all the nice things to me, only with voices instead of typed words, and I fell hard. They're telling me I'm brilliant and a story-weaving goddess. I mean, you'd fall too. No question.

So, the deal was outlined. Terms were named. Stuff happened. Paperwork got signed. The rest, as they say, is history. I'm vaguing it up right now because honestly, the terms aren't important here. Not to you, the reader. What's important is this:

The story is essentially the same.
(I define the word "Essentially" like this: the characters, plot, and ending are the same. Most of the middle is tweaked to be awesome and different and re-readable, trust me. Linc is more Linc. Daniel is more ... Daniel. Ven has more muchness--to put it like the Mad Hatter. Go read it. Again, even.)
Oh, the cover is tweaked too, which makes it more hellaciously awesome. Check it:

Don't worry. I fought for this cover to remain--because you guys would have my head if I didn't. I pretty much told them they were putting their own lives at stake if they changed the cover. So, you're welcome.

And Deviation. here's the deets about that: It's not "essentially" changing. It's COMPLETELY changing. That's on me. I had some problems (if we're being honest) with the first version and I kind of told my editors (because I'm just this side of insane when it's due yesterday) that I am throwing the whole thing out and starting over. Some other things needed to happen inside this story that just didn't, so this deal, for Deviation and it's readers, is the best thing that could've happened since sliced clones. (ew, right!)

Aaaaannnd there's a new and UH-mazing cover for that one as well!!!!

So awesome, I want to lick it.

Or something else equally creepy. It's brilliant.
And available for PRE-ORDER. GO now, sillies! I'll wait!

Anywho.
I couldn't tell you all any of this because of the 3rd party that's sort of silently involved in all this. (again, not important for the readers because it doesn't change the story, etc but I owe you an explanation.) This whole thing with Alloy is a partnership that is called "Powered by Amazon." Which means they have both hands and at least 3 feet in the pot as well. Decisions weren't really singular here. They were made as a group and as such, the group was informed of the decision to KEEP QUIET on EVERYTHING about this until D-Day. Or P-Day (publishing day?? get it??) or whatever.

AND FINALLY I get to talk about it!!! Yayyy! and party and celebrate and converse and revel and throw confetti and dance in the metaphorical streets in my virtual underwear (or whatever happens with the wine cork popped)...

In short, I am fracking over the moon about this whole thing!
And not only that, I've been so lucky to be able to share this experience with two other incredible authors. Tracy Banghart and Aimee Salter also have books available today under the new Alloy/Powered by Amazon label. If you enjoyed Imitation, you will love both of these. You definitely want to check them out.


Every Ugly Word by Aimee Salter


Click here to check it out on Amazon!
Aimee's blog has some powerful words formulated into an inspiring message. Check it out.





Rebel Wing by Tracy Banghart

Check it out on Amazon!
and check out Tracy's blog for a chance to win something.

And last but never least, a love letter to all of my dedicated readers: THANK YOU guys for sticking with me and being patient while I basically went "radio silent" these last few months. I hated not being able to share the details of my current wip with you. But now, all the things! Let's talk about all the things! To answer any more questions, I'm taking part in a Twitter party on Thurs, August 7 from 8-10p eastern.

#YAauthorparty will be for YOU GUYS, the fans, to ask anything you want about the books, the publishing deal, or the process we went through to re-release these amazing stories to you all. See you there!! And thanks for hanging in! Mwah!

(P.S. if you want to tweet a question early or at all, be sure to use the hashtag #YAauthorparty so I can find you and tell you what you want to know!)

And if you want to read the official press release via the New York Times because you're into that sort of newsy thing, the link for that is here.

And--if you want to stay updated on future stuff like Deviation's re-release or anything else, make sure to sign up for my Love Birds newsletter so you can get all the info as it comes in. (see top right corner of the blog.)

xoxo

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Guam and New Adult new releases

WHERE THE HECK IS HEATHER???
Uh, yeah, she’s in Guam.

I feel like this is probably a typical conversation right now among some of you. I have been here for 11 days now and I’ve been pretty quiet online because, really, I’m in GUAM!! And it looks like this:


And this:



Yeah, you’re seeing right. I took this from the back of the motorcycle. The ocean is that close to the road. It’s amazing. So much beauty and sun to soak up!
Okay, but I have been working here. Between trips to beautiful beaches and hiking to waterfalls, I have been working on Deviation. It comes out 3/12 and I can’t wait to share it with you!!!
The awesome Shana at A Book Vacation has made a killer tour banner and I’m getting the prize pack together and sending out review copies. Things are happening. Also, some of you have asked me and YES, there WILL be an NA version of Deviation. It will be called The Girl Who Was, a sequel to The Girl Who Wasn’t which came out a few weeks ago and looks like this:



It’s available now for Kindle and on Smashwords for any format. I am really excited to do this companion version!! It’s a gritty, sexy version of Imitation which is how I saw the story to begin with but because it’s the SAME story as Imitation, I wasn’t sure of the response. And so far, everyone has loved it. So I am going to do the same with book 2. It should be out by end of March. I will keep you posted.
For now, it’s back to the beach…



Friday, February 14, 2014

A teaser for Valentine's Day!

Me and some of the other awesome authors over at The YA Storytellers do a really cool thing called Fun Fridays where we post about the same theme every couple of weeks. This week, the theme is Romantic Teasers, for Valentine's Day.

And what better way to TEASE than with my upcoming sequel to Imitation?????
I, for one, would really enjoy Linc Crawford--for Valentine's Day or any other day!! And the cover for this one will be revealed on MONDAY!!! wooohoooo!

Here's a romantic peek at book 2:

The darkness is so complete it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I raise my hand in front of my face but the blackness remains undisturbed. I blink. Still nothing.
“Ven?” Linc’s voice is low and gravelly. It echoes around us.
“I’m here,” I say, whispering so the sound of my own voice doesn’t startle me.
Sometimes, all I have is a flashlight and a stick. Morton gave me the stick after that first time I came through alone. Linc had been on assignment and I’d come alone.  I was a shaking mess by the time I’d reached the entrance. It’d taken me two hours to muster the courage to leave. Titus had sent security to look for me. I’d almost blown it despite Linc’s assurances that he’d remotely masked my GPS reading.
Now I have the scrambler. Linc made me promise not to use it unless absolutely necessary. He’s programmed it to redirect instead. “Remember how Williams ran in all crazy-eyed when he thought he lost you? Yeah, scrambling does that. We don’t want to alert the cavalry. Only divert them.”
I agreed and let him do the fancy finger swiping—but only if he promised to show me the workings of the device later.
I use my stick like a cane, lightly tapping the floor and wall as I shuffle forward. I don’t like the darkness here. I don’t like darkness anywhere. It feels too unpredictable. Darkness, like memory, is the sort of thing people disappear into and never surface from again.
After my previous trips navigating this tunnel, I should be accustomed to the pressing blackness. The dampness. The slimy walls and squeaky rodents I imagine scampering around at my feet. But it’s still just as terrifying as the first time Obadiah brought me here. I wish there was a better hiding place for them, but so far, I haven’t found one.
I fumble for Linc’s hand and slip my fingers through his, pulling them tight until we’re hooked securely together. Linc squeezes once, and I am reassured enough to press on. “Ready?” he asks.
“Ready,” I say.
“Let’s go.”
We move slowly, dragging our feet to detect any change in the floor.  My shoes, black ankle boots that lace up the side, scuff louder than Linc’s. I scowl at the sound—and that my wardrobe is not exactly ideal for a covert outing.
Two right turns and a low overhang of metal piping later, Linc stops. There is the slightest bit of shadowed light filtering from the path that veers left before abruptly disappearing. It’s enough to create a silhouette of Linc’s features. He hovers in front of me, his body language protective even in the absence of danger.
“Why are we stopping?” I ask, breathless from anxiety and Linc’s proximity. Now that I can see him, my senses are on alert and I am aware of how close—and how alone—we are down here in the depths of the warehouse district.
In answer, Linc leans forward and cups my cheeks with his hands. His mouth hovers less than a breath away and he whispers, “I just wanted a minute alone with you.” His lips brush the edges of my mouth. “Is that all right?”
I nod and wait, mouth open and eyes closed, for our lips to connect. When they do, it sends a ripple of pleasure through me. A small noise escapes me and Linc deepens the kiss. I am lost in a sea of passion and disbelief that these feelings are mine to experience. Linc’s tongue slips out to trace the inside of my lip and my knees weaken. I wrap my arms around his shoulders for support and lean into him. I could kiss him forever and the miracle of it would still never grow old.
His mouth leaves mine to trail kisses across my cheek. “Linc …” I whisper. His hands drift lower, cupping my hips. His mouth dips to my neck and finds its way to the space just below my ear. I shiver.
“God, I love the way you feel in my arms,” he murmurs.
I offer silent agreement in the form of more kisses.
Linc’s hands wander, slipping underneath the gauzy fabric of my blouse and working their way up my ribs. His fingertips graze the underwire of my bra. I tense.
He backs off, lowering his hands to my waistline while slowly tempering our kisses. Even so, by the time he pulls away, my chest rises and falls heavily.
I reach up and trace his lips with my fingertip. Their shape is curving and I recognize a smile. I can feel his eyes on me, a delicious tingle of awareness that trails over my skin and down my back.
I hope he’ll kiss me again.

*********************
If you want to read more YA romantic teasers, check out these other YA Storytellers:





Friday, November 29, 2013

Ultimate Black Friday Book Sale & Giveaway!

Black Friday might be the ultimate shopping day, but it's also the ultimate crowd of crazies. If you'd rather skip the mommas wrestling for a new sheet set in the middle of Wal-Mart, shop online and grab some deals on both of our favorite things... BOOKS!!!
Here's my list of best book buys for the Black Friday weekend:




Dreamwalker by Andrea Heltsley 


Meant For Her by Raine Thomas


Sacrificed in Shadow by SM Reine


The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard


Imitation by ME!
AND if you buy the paperback from Amazon for $11, get the kindle version FREE!

Skinless by LM Davis



The Indie Author Guide: A Self-Publisher's Toolbox by ME!

AND FREEBIES!!!!


Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart
FREE FOR KINDLE!

Now, for the giveaway. A $50 Amazon GC is being given along with Flash giveaways on our Facebook event page. Hang around there and good things will happen! Now, have a safe Black Friday weekend. And don't get crazy. Or at least don't let anyone take a picture of it. #socialmediatellsall

Facebook Event Page for Black Friday Extravaganza!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bucket lists and Birthdays


In honor of my awesomesauce friend Laura Elliott's 50th birthday (woot woot! Happy Birthday girlfriend! *throws confetti*), she is having a 50% off sale, EPIC giveaway, & bucket list feature on her blog. You can enter here for all of the fantastic books she is giving away, including an e-book of Imitation. 

The concept of a bucket list has become a big deal in my life over the past 18 months so I am SUPER excited about Laura’s idea to post about this! For me, a bucket list is something I keep so that I don’t forget to LIVE—something I’ve begun passionately pursuing: LIFE! Yes, I think real Living (capital "L") is something you have to pursue. Otherwise, you get comfortable and lazy and you stand/sit still until you find Life passing you by.

A while back, I went through a rough time and lost a baby. (You can read about Tyler here.) He was only five days old went he went to Heaven because of a bad heart. Losing him taught me a LOT about life, the fragility of it, and how fleeting it really is. It taught me that you only get to do this once and so what the hell was I waiting for? You don’t get a do-over so if you procrastinate or always speak of “future plans” of all those things you want to do, like “someday, I’ll _____," then someday never comes because you never let it.

In other words: Do it now! You might only have today!

My bucket list is kept on my bedroom wall because it’s important enough that I want to see my goals and desires every time I walk in. I took a paint pen and wrote the things I want to do. Things like: Buy a motorcycle (did that in December 2012!), take a ride in a hot air balloon, ride an elephant (this one is my favorite!), go to a professional basketball game, ride The Tail of the Dragon (it’s a motorcycle thing.), hit #1 on Amazon, travel everywhere (I have a shelf in my room that I wrote all of my bucket list destinations on.)



It’s funny. Once I wrote them, I saw them more as goals instead of far-off future dreams. It made them more real and present and I became more determined to experience them. Now, my favorite thing is to find new experiences, to do something I’ve never done before as often as possible, to live every day like it’s a bucket list kind of day.

And, being a writer, I found words that sum it up for me. I love this quote so much, I wrote it on the frame of my bedroom mirror:
“Write something worth reading or do something worth writing every single day.” –Benjamin Franklin

Another bucket list item: get more tattoos. My birthday was last Tuesday and look what I got:



Maktub. It means, "it is written." It's from The Alchemist by Paula Coelho and it's all about following your Path and fulfilling your Purpose. And learning to speak the Language of the Universe. If you haven't read it, you should. This book changed my life! 

Now, I want to know what's on your bucket list. Comment below and tell me one thing you want to do. Not one thing you HOPE to do or WISH to do, but WILL DO. I'll pick a winner at the end of the week to receive a swag pack in the mail including my brand new Imitation bookmarks! 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Modified: an exclusive soundtrack

I have C.A.Kunz here today with an EXCLUSIVE preview of something really exciting! Chapter one of their new YA dystopian/sci-fi novel, The Modified, is featured in the back of Imitation because it ROCKS and, like Imitation, it is very unique and different from what's out there right now. Below is the debut of something VERY cool they've put together. Read on...


First of all, we want to congratulate Heather Hildenbrand on the release of her new novel, Imitation! We seriously can’t wait to delve into this book, and be immersed in yet another wonderful world Heather has created.
So, you can imagine our excitement when were approached by this awesome author to have the first chapter of our dystopian/sci-fi novel, The Modified, to be at the back of her new release. To celebrate this news and the release of Imitation, we’re going to DEBUT the two title tracks from The Modified music soundtrack. This is the first time anyone, other than us and the artists that performed them, have heard any of these songs. Buuuuut first we wanted to tell you a little bit about The Modified and its companion soundtrack.



Back Book Blurb:

What would you sacrifice to save the ones you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen year old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.
This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.
As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.
With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.



The Modified soundtrack was produced and created by the amazing musician and engineer, Marvin (Lee) Wilson. After reading our novel, Marvin became inspired to write songs based on his reactions and the emotions the book brought out in him. The final soundtrack will include anywhere from 9 – 10 full length songs and is very close to being finished. We all hope that you enjoy the two title tracks off of the album, “Gravity” and “Fortify Me”, which you can find in a playlist below:



We must thank author Heather Hidenbrand once again for being the AMAZING person that she is by allowing us to be on her blog today to do a little promotion. We hope that you will all pick up a copy of her new release, Imitation, because we can pretty much guarantee that you’ll absolutely love what you read. Happy Reading!

This is SO COOL!!!! I love these songs and that they've been written exclusively for this story/series! Let me know in the comments below which one is your favorite. On Friday, I will pick a winner randomly and the winner will receive an e-book of BOTH The Modified AND Imitation... =) 
Of course, if you don't want to wait that long, Imitation is available now for Kindle and Nook for $2.99! 
And don't forget to follow the blog tour kicking off today! Watch Facebook for updates on where you can enter to win some awesome prizes!



Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Imitation: Cover Reveal and my excitement

Finally!!! I get to show you stuff! 
I have been waiting ... it feels like FOREVER to tell you about this one! 
If you're on Facebook, you probably already saw this because it was Everywhere on Monday. (Thank you so much for everyone who shared this amazing cover and thanks to Angeline for your vision and Stephanie Mooney for creating it and making it rock this hardcore!) 
I am so excited to do a YA dystopian. It was beyond exciting to write and I can't tell you how thrilled I am with the story. It's definitely unique and fresh. 
Imitation is Book 1 in the Clone Chronicles. 
It will be available 3/12. 
Here's the cover and a little something about it. Be sure to leave a comment and tell me what you think!




Everyone is exactly like me.
There is no one like me.
The rough fabric of my cotton nightgown chafes so I lie very still. 
They say my discomfort comes from being built like one accustomed to niceties. 
How is that fair when I myself have never experienced anything but copies of the real thing?
My entire life is an imitation.
I am an Imitation.
I’ve been here five years. Training. Preparing. Waiting.
And now I have a letter.
My assignment has begun.
I am a prisoner.
I am not Raven Rogen.
I am here to die.