Friday, October 28, 2016

"Unwritten Melody" Blog Tour Preview & Giveaway Opportunities!

Less than two weeks until my YA contemporary romance novel, UNWRITTEN MELODY, makes its appearance into the world on Nov. 10th! I've been experiencing a mix of all emotions: shock. excitement. nervousness. apprehension. But mostly? Shock. Because this is the story that's been on my heart since I was seventeen-years-old -- almost six years ago. It's been through several drafts since I first began writing it at eighteen-years-old. At times, I've wanted to give up. I actually did. For a couple months, I filed the book away and began a new project. 
But that didn't last long. Unwritten Melody was begging for me to complete it. The story wanted to come to life -- not just in my heart, but in the hearts of others as well. I knew the only way that could happen was if I rewrote it. {More about its journey to publication will be posted on Monday!} 



These past couple of months, I've been working hard preparing for the release -- going through three round of edits, reading the galley for a final time, planning events, and mostly, preparing for its blog tour.

I had tons of fun on the blog tour for my debut novel, PURPLE MOON, a few years ago. Just like I did for that tour, I'll be visiting about 30 blogs from November 1st - December 9th and will be sharing behind-the-scene features, excerpts from the book, bloggers will post book reviews, and more! Also, two people will have a chance to receive the UNWRITTEN MELODY Prize Pack. {The prizes are incredible this year! You won't want to miss this opportunity!} 
The blog tour will kick off RIGHT HERE on Monday. =D




Contests + Giveaways!

  • Creative Insta Photo Contest
If you're on Instagram, I'd love for you to participate in this creative photo contest! To enter, you'll need to post a picture on Instagram the week of the book's release (11/10 - 11/17). Your photo can be of you reading Unwritten Melody, an image of a quote from the book, the cover of Unwritten Melody on your Kindle and surrounded by fall leaves -- you get the idea. Your post must include the hashtag #UnwrittenMelodyContest. Two winners will be selected to receive a free ebook for their friend, as well as two free Unwritten Melody Chapter-By-Chapter Secrets downloads!



  • Twitter Live Raffle

Twitter's probably my favorite social media platform. I love how easy it is to write a short post and instantly connect with other writers and readers. If you're a Twitter fan like myself, you're not going to want to miss out on entering this raffle!

The week of the book's release (11/10 - 11/17), you can post any tweet related to Unwritten Melody. Some ideas include: A quote from the book, what you're snacking on while reading the book, your favorite chapter so far, or even a question directed to me about the book. Every person who enters using the #UnwrittenMelodyLive hashtag will instantly receive one entry into this raffle. (The more tweets, the more entries!) Two winners will be selected at random to receive a free ebook for their friend, as well as two free Unwritten Melody Chapter-By-Chapter Secrets downloads!  


  • Autumn-Inspired Bundle Giveaway


  • Unwritten Melody Prize Pack

As mentioned above, this giveaway will take place throughout the duration of the Unwritten Melody blog tour (Nov. 1st - Dec. 9th). =) 


  • Tessa's Team-Members Only Giveaways

I'll soon post an update in Tessa's Team announcing giveaway opportunities for those who contribute in promotion for Unwritten Melody. Multiple winners will be selected!


  • Unwritten Melody First Readers Prize

Want to receive the Unwritten Melody Chapter-By-Chapter Secrets Download? For those who purchase the book within the first three days of its release (Nov. 10th - Nov. 12th), email me your receipt/purchase confirmation and I'll send you this free PDF. 


This download will include chapter-by-chapter secrets from the book, as well as a copy of its first brainstorming notes, deleted scenes, the book's soundtrack, Pinterest board, and a personalized digital autograph from me. Think of this as the bonus features that's included on a film's DVD. =) 



~ ~ ~ 



THANK YOU to everyone who has joined me on this journey! Also a huge thanks to the readers of PURPLE MOON. Your encouraging emails, Tweets, comments, etc. are what gave me the perseverance to see this book to its completion. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! =D



** Since this book is a quick launch, it's going to first release as an ebook. It'll then release in paperback form depending on how well it sells. In other words -- the quicker it sells, the quicker it might release as a paperback! So I really appreciate any help you can contribute in promotional efforts. (If you know me, then you know I much prefer paperback copies -- and I'm sure many of you do, too!) **  



QUESTIONS FOR YOU: 
 
  • Do you prefer Kindle or paperback?
  • What's your favorite way to help authors in promoting their books?
  • Are you a fan of participating in giveaways and contests?



TWEETABLE:

Excited about the upcoming #YAlit blog tour for @TessaEmilyHall 's new release! http://bit.ly/2e1ol6Z #giveaways #bookworm
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Wednesday, October 26, 2016

What is Deep POV, and Why is it Important?

Pin This!


Have you ever tried to tell your friends about an experience you had, but they didn’t give you the response you hoped for? Maybe they didn’t laugh when you gave the punchline of the story. You then tried to cover up your shame by saying, “You just had to be there.”

If we write our books in a shallow POV rather than in deep POV, we risk that same “cricket chirping” response from our audience. We’re narrating a story that could come across as much more powerful if we chose to instead invite the reader to experience it.



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Wednesday, October 19, 2016

"Sound of Silver" by Rachelle Rea Birthday Blog Tour!

I'm thrilled to welcome my author friend, Rachelle Rea Cobb, on the blog today to celebrate the birthday of her book, Sound of Silver! This is the second installment in the Steadfast Love series, an inspirational historical romance set during the 16th century. Stay tuned to hear more about Silver and for a chance to win a lovely necklace, as well as your choice of any of the Steadfast Love titles!
About The Steadfast Love Series


 In 16th-century Europe, the Reformation rages between Protestants and Catholics. Gwyneth, half-Dutch, flees from England to Holland to escape the man who murdered her parents. When he follows her there and insists he came to rescue her, will she trust this man called Dirk? When tragedy strikes, will their steadfast love erode?



About The Sound of Silver




The stalwart saint and the redeemed rebel. One fights for faith, the other for honor…

After Dirk rescues Gwyneth from the Iconoclastic Fury, she discovers that faith is sometimes fragile—and hope is not as easy as it may seem. Gwyneth continues her quest to learn more about the love of God preached by Protestants she once distrusted.

Meanwhile, Dirk’s quest is to prevent his sullied name from staining hers. Will his choice to protect her prove the undoing of her first faltering steps toward a Father God? Once separated, will Dirk and Gwyneth’s searching hearts ever sing the same song?

Find The Sound of Silver on…
Amazon Paperback: http://is.gd/1HwJoi
Kindle: http://is.gd/EZ7DJ1
Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/qhoCTc
Books a Million: http://is.gd/M2y5P2
Goodreads: http://is.gd/iBE2lJ



And if you want to learn more ABOUT BOOK ONE, The Sound of Diamonds




Her only chance of getting home is trusting the man she hates.
With the protestant Elizabeth on the throne of England and her family in shambles, Catholic maiden Gwyneth seeks refuge in the Low Countries of Holland, hoping to soothe her aching soul. But when the Iconoclastic Fury descends and bloodshed overtakes her haven, she has no choice but to trust the rogue who arrives, promising to see her safely home to her uncle's castle. She doesn't dare to trust him...and yet doesn't dare to refuse her one chance to preserve her own life and those of the nuns she rescues from the burning convent.

Dirk Godfrey is determined to restore his honor at whatever cost. Running from a tortured past, Dirk knows he has only one chance at redemption, and it lies with the lovely Gwyneth, who hates him for the crimes she thinks he committed. He must see her to safety, prove to the world that he is innocent, prove that her poor eyesight is not the only thing that has blinded her, but what is he to do when those goals clash?

The home Gwyneth knew is not what she once thought. When a dark secret and a twisted plot for power collide in a castle masquerading as a haven, the saint and the sinner must either dare to hold to hope...or be overcome.
Find The Sound of Diamonds on…
Amazon: http://is.gd/7z9vls
Kindle: http://is.gd/EZ7DJ1
Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/qhoCTc
Books a Million: http://is.gd/M2y5P2
Goodreads: http://is.gd/F7HILk


Review of Sound of Diamonds
You can check out my thoughts on Sound of Diamonds by clicking here!

Interview with Rachelle






When and where did you first get the idea for the Steadfast Love Series?
A song I was listening to on the radio inspired the title of the first book. So I wrote Diamonds, but when I finished it, I realized to my great frustration that the characters weren’t done with their story, even though I had been quite adamant that I would write a stand-alone novel. But the story wasn’t finished, so I kept writing.
Readers often pick out favorite quotes from a novel. Do you have a favorite of your own from The Sound of Silver?
Yes! In fact, my friend Mindy, a calligrapher, even created a beautiful piece of art from one of my favorite quotes: “Within the pages of books one’s heart can be revealed.”
Can you tell us what first drew you to writing Inspirational Historical Romance?
My first exposure to the genre came when I read Heartsong Presents novels when I was twelve. Those small books introduced me to how much I believe in the power of story, especially love stories set in times gone by.
I saw on your website that you also write reviews, articles and offer editing services. What's one of your favorite things beyond writing novels that you enjoy?
Editing is such fun! I daresay I enjoy editing a page full of my own (or others’!) words just as much as I enjoy splashing words onto a blank page.



Now it's time for the giveaway!




Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to win a beautiful necklace created by Baubles, Beads, and Stuff and your choice of any one of Rachelle’s three books (the series begins in Book One, of course, but in case you have one or two of her books already, Rachelle will gladly send you the next one to read!).
International friends, the paperback & necklace giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only (sorry!). But do still enter, because one international winner will also be chosen to receive an e-book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway






About the Author


Times gone by snatch Rachelle Rea Cobb close, so she reads and writes about years long ago--her passions include the Reformation, Revolutions, and romance. Rachelle wrote the Steadfast Love series during college. Five months after she graduated, she signed a three-book deal with her dream publisher, WhiteFire. She's a homeschool grad, Oreo addict, and plots her novels while driving around her dream car, a pick-up truck. In June 2016, she married a man with the same name as her fictional hero, and they live happily ever after in Small Town, South.

Connect With Rachelle

Instagram: @RachelleReaCobb

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Monday, October 17, 2016

Monday's Minute Challenge: A writing prompt contest for teens & up!






A quick writing prompt challenge (and contest) for teens to get their creative juices flowing for the new week. A new prompt is posted, and winners are announced, every other Monday.


  1. The entry must be between 150 - 300 words. (In order to see how many words your entry is, write it in Microsoft Word, or you can copy and paste it here.)
  2. A new MMC will be posted once the current round receives at least 6 entries. 
  3. The winners will receive a badge for their blog.
  4. The winner will be chosen based on the judges's preferences, as well as the following questions: Does this entry capture my attention immediately? Does it make me want to continue reading? Is the writing clear? They will also take into consideration the writer's voice and style--not necessarily technical issues, such as grammar, punctuation, etc. 
  5. This is only for fun and to stretch your writing muscles--not necessarily to be taken too seriously. =)

 


The judge panel chooses these winners based on a point system. Keep in mind that the judges are not aware of which entry belongs to which participant until after the judging is complete.



It's finally time for another MMC! =D Please notice the new change of rules: there must be at least six entries before another MMC will be posted. Thanks to everyone who participated this round! 






Notes. Songs. Words. Melodies. Lifes. Deaths. Joy. Pain. Love. Hate. Sorrow. Despair. Hope.
I play all these things. I play with them and about them and for them. All on the dusty old piano sitting in the charred ruins of my home. Somehow it survived. Barely, but survived. The white keys are dusty with soot. The stool is blackened with ash. Fire has eaten part of the back. Five keys don’t play anything. They are like me. I call them my companions.
*******
I come here every day. I like the feel of this place. It feels so…. Desolate. It reminds me of my heart. I come here and watch the mist, the whispers, the ghost. It sits on the stool, and plays. Just plays. The melodies it draws from that burnt piano are otherworldly. Too beautiful to stand.
Unless you know them. My heart knows those notes. It understands the pain in those chords. It feels the loss in the song. I know what it means to lose everything. Except life. And still feel like you’re walking a living death.
That’s the worst part about being betrayed, it never comes from your enemies. It comes from the ones you love.

Congratulations, Esther! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =) 





Sarah steeled herself and turned the doorknob, stepping into the house.
She stifled a cry. The colorful knick-knacks that her parents used to leave around to decorate, the bustling energy the house always seemed to have- they were gone, and the house was half-collapsing, an inch of dust covering everything.
Her gaze turned on the table in the corner, where her father used to teach her and her siblings, then on the piano.
That rickety old piano, the subject of many wisecracks and where Sarah had learned to pour her soul into music, with the encouragement of her mother.
The keys were mildewed, the seat creaky and unstable, but Sarah didn’t care. She sat down on it, letting the memories flood her head.
Playing a few experimental notes, she smiled sadly, and ignoring the fact that the keys were badly out of tune, she began to play.
She played an old sonata, as familiar to her as the back of her hand. It was her mother’s favorite song.
Her fingers faltered on the keys and she sighed. None of this was going to bring them back.
Standing up, she stepped away from the piano. 
Congratulations, Rebecca M! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =)
“Remember what I told you, Mary,” he had said to her one tender spring morning. He gave her his hand, his gentle gaze searching hers for confirmation; “I know you are a clever girl.” he was silent for so long she thought he was finished. Suddenly, his eyes sprung back open. He stared at her, his expression laced with urgency, “Here” With this final word, the old man closed his tired eyes and opened them no more.
She bent down towards him and rested her head on his chest. The smell of his old-spice tickled her nose and she could still feel the warmth of his embrace. After a moment of silence broken only by her gentle cries, she pushed herself away.
There he was, helping her to her feet. “Shh,” he soothed, turning her to face him, “It’s going to be okay.”
She took a quivering breath, “Oh, Steven. Are you sure?”
He reached over, gently brushing away her tears, “I’m sure,” he stepped back for a moment and peered over her shoulders to her grandfather’s resting form. “Are you positive he’s gone?”
She nodded, confused, “Of course.”
“Good,” he smiled, but it was a stranger’s smile, “This has worked out beautifully.”
“Steven,” she stepped back, “What’s happening?”
“Oh, Darling,” he reached over to the nightstand, retrieving John’s weathered journal. “You should have headed your grandfather’s words long ago.” In one swift movement, he smacked her across the head. She was flung across the room and landed against the mirror on the wall, shattering its clear glass. 
“I’m glad we got married,” he sneered, “after today, the fortune is mine.” 
A single tattered leaf floated down beside her. She now understood her grandfather when he said: "The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies."
Congratulations, Natalie! Click here for your badge, and don't forget to claim your points here. =)



Honorable Recognitions: 

  1. Maddie
  2. Angela
  3. Emma


      Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

      • Submit your response in the comments below, or post it on your blog via InLink (below).
      • Your response should range between 150 - 300 words. 
      • The deadline for the contest will be the Thursday after next. 
      • If you'd rather not submit your post in the comments or on your blog, you may email it to me instead.





      Choose at least one:

      Note: You can always combine the prompts into one entry.

      (Optional) Write a passage continuing your entry from last week week (or whichever week you'd prefer). If you can, try to continue it using one of the following prompts.
      • Write a passage using these items: cloak, dirt, frost (submitted by Emma)
      • Write a passage based on this picture (submitted by Savannah)
      • Write a passage either incorporating this phrase OR based on this phrase:  

        "I never really loved her."  (submitted by Anna)


      Post your entry on your blog!:
      If you're posting your entry on your blog, please add your link below:
      Tag your friends!

      (Optional) If you post an entry on your blog, tag at least 3 writers who have never participated in Monday's Minute Challenge. Be sure to comment on their blog to let them know they've been tagged. (Thanks to Micaiah for this suggestion!)


      Do you have an idea for MMC? I'd love to hear! 
      Send me an email at christiswrite (at) gmail (dot) com. 



      Submit your prompt idea!:

      The prompts that are used for Monday's Minute Challenge are submitted by the participants. 

      Here's how this works:
      • You will be able to submit 3 prompts each week in the same format as above: three objects, one picture, and a piece of dialogue or phrase.
      • On Mondays, I will choose 3 prompts that have been submitted by 3 different people.
      • If your prompt is selected, you will receive 2 points!
      • You may submit in the comments below.






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