Showing posts with label Blog Tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Tours. Show all posts

Monday, October 22, 2018

FALLEN LEAVES Blog Tour!

My upcoming release, FALLEN LEAVES (sequel to PURPLE MOON), launches on Friday! This week I'm stopping at various blogs to share behind-the-scene secrets, participate in interviews about the book, and more. See the list below to check out the various stops! 


Tour Stops


Monday, Oct 22nd 


(Thanks to Livy Jarmusch for organizing this tour!) 



About the Book







Selena Taylor thought her only worry this fall was starting her junior year at a new arts school in North Carolina, miles away from home. But when she finds out her mom could graduate from rehab sooner than expected even worse, she could work for her former nothing-but-trouble boss—Selena's determined to create a new life for them. Back in her childhood Kentucky hometown. 


Step one? Track down her dad and brother that she hasn't seen in eight years. Her anxiety is put to the test, though, when she unveils a truth that could threaten her dreams. Add to that an art competition that pushes her outside of her comfort zone and a girl who seems determined to come between Selena and her hopeful boyfriend. 


Soon Selena must decide whether or not to continue her search for her dad and brother. But is there any hope that the ruins of her broken family could be resurrected? And how could God possibly have a purpose in the midst of these changing seasons?


Book Links



Bonus Content





Wednesday, May 30, 2018

"The Rebellion" by Livy Jarmusch - Blog Tour + Giveaway!

I'm thrilled to welcome my friend and fellow author, Livy Jarmusch, to my blog to celebrate her latest release! THE REBELLION is book #2 in The Tales of Tarsurella Trilogy -- and it has probably the most eye-catching book cover of its genre. Read more about the book and the author below, and hang around until the end of the post for a giveaway!




About the Book




Prince Addison is only several weeks away from inheriting the Kingdom of Tarsurella. The entire Palace is ablaze with excitement, as the Royal Family prepares for the event of a lifetime. Despite the exciting event which is near at hand, Addison and his younger siblings (all seven of them!) must carry on with their daily activities. Addison’s sisters, Princesses Bridget, Chasity, and Hope, have their struggles with being iconic European starlets of a modern day monarchy. The teen heiresses grace magazine covers, smile for photoshoots, and gracefully glide through important interviews–until a certain American popstar arrives on the scene. 


Kennetic Energy, the wildly popular band from the United States, is chosen to play at Addison’s Coronation. David Carter, the band’s handsome lead singer, fumbles through awkward moments with Princess Hope–in front of the cameras. When an embarrassing rumor sparks that Princess Hope is dating the young fellow, she is determined to get the band fired from their Royal gig. 



Meanwhile, Princess Chasity is dealing with her own fragile affairs of the heart. Her new security guard, Hanson Fletcher, is completely captivating, yet entirely frustrating. She attempts to keep the entrance of her heart firmly protected, while following the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23. But can she be successful in guarding her heart, from her security guard?


The Coronation is Book #1 in The Tales of Tarsurella Trilogy.



View or Purchase on Amazon


About the Author:




Livy Jarmusch is a twenty-something author, singer, and songwriter. She enjoy's crafting YA fiction that is pure, lovely, inspirational, and of course, entertaining! When she's not writing, you can usually find her playing guitar, blogging, drinking peppermint tea, connecting with new friends, planning her next trip to Disney, or pinning images of Europe and Golden Retriever Puppies. Connect with Livy at www.livylynnblog.com.




Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway





Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Blog Tour - "Porch Swing Girl" by Taylor Bennett (Teen Author!): Inspiration: Chase it, Find it, CAPTURE IT!

Today I have the incredible pleasure of welcoming teen author, Taylor Bennett, to my blog as a part of her blog tour! Taylor's debut YA Christian fiction novel, PORCH SWING GIRL, recently released with Mountain Brook Ink. I'm so enthused about this -- not only because Taylor is a fabulous teen author, but also because of this story. I haven't finished reading this yet, but I can already tell that this will book will be on the shelf of my favorites. (Fans of inspirational contemporary YA fiction, you do not want to miss this!)

See below to learn more about the book, the author, and hear her advice for writers!




About the Book:







What if friendship cost you everything? Stranded in Hawaii after the death of her mother, sixteen-year-old Olive Galloway is desperate to escape. She has to get back to Boston before her dad loses all common sense and sells the family house. But plane tickets cost money—something Olive gravely lacks.

With the help of Brander, the fussy youth group worship leader, and Jazz, a mysterious girl with a passion for all things Hawaiian, Olive lands a summer job at the Shave Ice Shack and launches a scheme to buy a plane ticket home before the end of the summer.

But when Jazz reveals a painful secret, Olive’s plans are challenged. Jazz needs money. A lot of it. Olive and Brander are determined to help their friend but, when their fundraising efforts are thwarted, Olive is caught in the middle. To help Jazz means giving up her ticket home. And time is running out. You want to write. Your fingers itch to grasp a pen, hug a pencil, dance across a laptop keyboard. You have words swirling in your brain, begging to be written—to be shared with the world.





So you sit down, put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), and you…

BLANK.

You stare down at that page and the words disappear. You grasp at empty nothingness and try to catch a few—just a few—and put them down on paper. But…

BLANK.

The empty page stares at you, mocking you. Laughing, even!

“You’re not a real writer,” it hisses. “REAL writers know what to write. REAL writers know how to write. You’re just a…”

Wait!! Don’t let that empty piece of paper call you a fake. You have the passion and drive to be a real author. What you need, dear writer, is INSPIRATION.

But what do you do when your idea well is dry as a bone?

You most certainly do NOT give up—in fact, don’t even think about giving up. Don’t let that empty page get in your head, don’t let that nasty internal editor keep you from writing. Don’t let procrastination rule the day.

No, instead, capture that spark—that tiny bit of inspiration, so small you barely know it’s there. Not sure how to do that? Don’t worry. I’ll help you.

To capture that inspiration, first you have to…

Chase it

First, make a list of what inspires you—don’t know where to start? Here are a few examples:

  • Listening to your favorite music—or something brand new
  • Browsing through a used bookstore and flipping through old books
  • Sipping coffee (or tea!) and watching the rain fall outside
  • Taking a walk on a deserted country road or through a bustling park
  • People-watching at a busy place like the mall, where you can observe many different kinds of people
  • Talking to someone interesting—your grandpa, who traveled the world when he was in the military; your mom, who teaches classes at the college; your little sister, who is convinced that unicorns are real

Find it

Now, go out and do one of those inspiration-sparking activities. For example, let’s say that you’re curled up in your favorite chair, sipping your favorite warm drink. Turn on some music (instrumental works best) and let your mind wander. Sometimes (and maybe I’m a little weird, I don’t know) I imagine myself as a character in a future book. I listen to the music and imagine it as a soundtrack to a movie. If it was a movie soundtrack, what would be happening on the screen?

Or if you choose to go people-watching instead, you might do something similar. Instead of imagining a story to go along with the music, you’ll be privy to thousands of stories, all unfolding in front of you. Maybe a young couple catches your eye, or a group of three friends. Perhaps your gaze is drawn to the pensive, thoughtful young lady behind the counter at the pretzel shop…you get the picture. Pick a person or two and imagine them as a fictional character—what might be going on in their life that would explain their actions?

The most important thing to keep in mind during this stage is that, no matter what you do, you need to ask questions—the WWWWWH method works well (who, what, when, where, why, how?) but don’t be afraid to dig deeper. Brainstorm a character’s backstory, as well as where they’ll be by the end of the story. Just make sure you keep questioning—and answering—until you have the first seed of an idea.


Capture it

Now that you have that story seed—that first spark of an idea—it’s time to get it down on paper. Quick, before you forget! There are several ways to go about this. You could…

  • Write a quick chapter one—use those questions you asked earlier to build a chapter full of unanswered questions and unexplored plot points. YOU might not even know the answer to those questions, but the simple act of writing them out in story form might be just what you need to discover which ones you’d most like to explore.
  • Scrawl out a list of scenes you imagine taking place in your book. Don’t worry about plot holes or going in chronological order—just get your ideas down on paper. Later, you can go back and organize them in a more formulaic three-act structure.
  • Freewrite—don’t necessarily write Chapter One, just pick up your pencil (or crack open your laptop) and start writing. Chat with your potential main character, write an exchange between two side characters—anything goes!
  • Make a Pinterest board. This is something I do for every one of my ideas, and it’s a great way to learn more about your characters and setting. As you search for images that reflect your story idea, keep asking those questions—when you’re done, you’ll have a board with pictures of characters, locations, and important objects, plus a better understanding of your story idea.
  • Talk to someone—sometimes the simple act of explaining your idea out loud will help cement it in your mind. Plus, if you find the right person to listen, they might even have a few ideas to offer. Brainstorming with another person is always a great way to capture that inspiration.

And…there you have it. Maybe there are a few ideas that will help spark your inspiration—and maybe not. Our brains are all different, and they all work in different ways. Just because these tips and tricks have helped me in the past, that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily work for you. One of the most important things to remember while plotting and brainstorming is that what works for others might not necessarily work for you. And that’s fine. As you grow as a writer, you’ll develop your own system for finding, chasing, and capturing inspiration.


Have you already started to develop that system? If so, how do you hunt it down? I’d love to hear about your process in the comments!




About the Author:









Homeschooled since kindergarten, Taylor Bennett is the seventeen-year-old author of Porch Swing Girl, which will be released by Mountain Brook Ink on May 1st. When she’s not reading or writing, Taylor can be found playing her violin or taking walks in the beautiful Oregon countryside. She loves to connect with readers via her author website, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (her favorite!), Pinterest, and Goodreads.



Connect with Taylor:




Tweetable:


Blog Tour - "Porch Swing Girl" by Taylor Bennett (Teen Author!): Inspiration: Chase it, Find it, CAPTURE IT! @TessaEmilyHall #amwriting https://bit.ly/2Kg74US




Wednesday, July 26, 2017

"The Coronation" by Livy Jarmusch Blog Tour - Author Interview





Prince Addison is only several weeks away from inheriting the Kingdom of Tarsurella. The entire Palace is ablaze with excitement, as the Royal Family prepares for the event of a lifetime. Despite the exciting event which is near at hand, Addison and his younger siblings (all seven of them!) must carry on with their daily activities. Addison’s sisters, Princesses Bridget, Chasity, and Hope, have their struggles with being iconic European starlets of a modern day monarchy. The teen heiresses grace magazine covers, smile for photoshoots, and gracefully glide through important interviews–until a certain American popstar arrives on the scene. 

Kennetic Energy, the wildly popular band from the United States, is chosen to play at Addison’s Coronation. David Carter, the band’s handsome lead singer, fumbles through awkward moments with Princess Hope–in front of the cameras. When an embarrassing rumor sparks that Princess Hope is dating the young fellow, she is determined to get the band fired from their Royal gig.  

Meanwhile, Princess Chasity is dealing with her own fragile affairs of the heart. Her new security guard, Hanson Fletcher, is completely captivating, yet entirely frustrating. She attempts to keep the entrance of her heart firmly protected, while following the wisdom of Proverbs 4:23. But can she be successful in guarding her heart, from her security guard? The Coronation is Book #1 in The Tales of Tarsurella Trilogy.


BOOK LINKS



ABOUT THE AUTHOR




Livy Jarmusch is a dreamer, singer, songwriter and orphan advocate. She loves fairy-tales, the smell just after it rains, golden retriever puppies and peppermint ice-cream cones. If you really want to get to know her, follow her on Pinterest, and if you find yourself repinning everything, you're sure to be the best of friends! To join this princess on her pilgrimage through life, follow on instagram @livylynnglittergirl & Pinterest @livyglittergirl








AUTHOR INTERVIEW



Could you tell us what your novel, THE CORONATION, is about?


The Coronation is about a Christian family living in the fictitious, modern-day-European nation of Tarsurella. But this isn't just your average homeschooling family. Their unique family line means that they're the Royal Monarchy of Tarusrella, and twenty-year-old Prince Addison is about to become King. This story revolves around Addison and his seven younger siblings, in the days preparing for his (yep, you guessed it!) Coronation. Each sibling has a journey of their own which they embark upon, but each of their stories tie together really nicely, in a way that strengthens their family bond, as well as their faith. There are so many fun and exciting elements within this novel, and I could talk for literally hours about this, but I will say this much: if you love castles, ball gowns and handsome security guards, it's very likely that you're going to adore this story!


What inspired you to write this book?


I LOVE this question, but I'll admit that it's not very easy to answer. The Coronation is a story idea that has been brewing in my mind and heart for years, so it's hard for me to pinpoint the exact moment in which lightening struck and the ideas started flowing. I think this story was more of a puzzle for me, I slowly collected puzzle pieces throughout the years, and put them together at various points in my life. I actually started writing this story when I was sixteen (I'm twenty-three now), but the tale has evolved and changed SO much since that initial first draft, it's hard to remember where that first spark came from. But I think this is just a story that has always been in me, ever since I was a little girl. I mean, what little girl doesn't dream of castles and princes and daydream about what life might be like to grow up as modern-day royalty? Writing this book was very much a process of me just digging into my inner fantasy world and painting it with words. In the more recent years, when I was fine-tuning everything and stripping away unnecessary elements, I refined it to the core purpose which is to inspire hope and creativity.





Some trials that the characters go through are very similar to things that we each encounter in our own lives, and sometimes in this harsh world, it's easy for bitterness and forgiveness to creep in, and change the way we see the world. All of our carefree, childhood colors of faith turn to black and white, and if we don't truly forgive and let go of things that have hurt us in the past, we miss out on living the abundant life that Jesus has for us! So even though this story is very whimsical and fun, there are some intense challenges the characters go through, and at the end of the day, they realize that letting go of past offences and hurts is the only way to truly move forward in freedom and love.


Tell us about your writing and publication journey -- from initial idea to published novel.


For anyone who has never written and published a novel before, let me say this much: it is INTENSE. Everything from the first draft, to editing, editing again, again, (and again,), formatting your margins and working on your cover art; it feels a bit like mountain climbing! There are times where you wonder, "Am I really going to make it to the top? Am I ever going to finish this? Why am I doing this? Will anyone actually want to read my words?" But you have to keep going. For authors, endurance and patience are two of the most important character-traits that we have to learn! I have grown SO much emotionally and spiritually throughout the process of writing and publishing this novel. It hasn't always been easy, but I love plowing forward and stepping out in faith, blazing the trail, so to speak, because I know that there are so many of you out there who desire to do the same thing! (Or are in the middle of that process right now.) So even though it might be hard (and yes, even painful!) at times, the reward is absolutely worth it. I would encourage anyone who dreams of writing a book to step out of the boat, and onto the wild waves of the unknown. Do it, sister. Go for it! Don't expect perfection from yourself, and don't allow yourself to fall apart when things don't come together the way you thought they would: just keep going, keep praying, keep fighting, keep writing, and determine to NEVER give up. And someday, you will reach the top of your mountain!


Without giving away any spoilers, what do you hope readers will take away from THE CORONATION?


One of the taglines from The Coronation is, "Guard your heart...from your security guard." Princess Chasity, who is the third eldest sibling, has a very interesting connection with her handsome new body guard. (Who just so happens to be the same age as her...yikes!) The very real struggle of guarding her heart is a challenge that Chasity walks through, and I think ALL teenage girls have been there! I've been amazed by the emails I've gotten saying, "Wow, this book really opened my eyes and made me think about some things. I've never seen the principle of guarding your heart expressed so creatively, in such a real and raw way." Even though I didn't set out specifically to "teach a lesson on guarding your heart", it just naturally progressed because of who the characters are, and what their morals and standards are. But with all of the siblings stories, not just Chasity's, I think everything points back to the heart. Which makes sense, because Proverbs says that all of the issues of life flow out of our hearts! So no matter what, I hope that readers will be encouraged to examine and guard their own hearts, as well as be inspired to draw closer to the Lord, and not close up their hearts to Him. Jesus is our only true source of life, and within Him we're all just blinking and breathing but not truly living. So yes, it is my prayer that this story breathes life, love, and hope into the hearts of those who choose to grab their passports and visit Tarsurella!


Please share your favorite quote or passage from the book.


Oh wow, another hard question! It's been fun hearing what the readers favorite quotes are. Several of them have highlighted this one.


“We are a small country, ‘insignificant and not worth trifling with’, some may say. So small that some maps didn’t even bother to put us on them!” He chuckled and the audience joined in with quiet laughter, “But let us remember David; a small, seemingly insignificant boy who killed Goliath, the mighty giant. The stones which David used in his sling were common and ordinary, much like us. As we have seen through our country’s history, and the history of this world, God uses the weak to shame the strong. He uses the lowly and despised things to shame the proud. For even our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to the earth parading himself like they say a King should, but he came on the back of a young donkey, riding down a dusty road, with dirty, mud-stained feet, coming to be King for the lowest of the low. Humility is this country’s greatest weapon. If we were to grow proud and puffed up in our hearts, we would become fools.My Father taught me never to despise humility, for when one is humble, that is when one is acting with true honor and nobility in character."


Do you plan to continue writing novels? What are you working on now?


YES, mam! *Squeals excitedly.* The Coronation is actually the first book in The Tales of Tarsurella Trilogy. Book #2, The Rebellion, is in the editing process right now! I'm almost finished with the first draft of Book #3, and then I've got some more top-secret projects in the works. Another project that I'll be releasing this fall is Season 2 of Regal Hearts. Regal Hearts is a digital Kindle series written somewhat like a TV show, and is being released in an eposidcal format. Each 'Season' has ten episodes, and I'll be releasing a new episode each Friday, this fall. It's not the same as a traditional novel, but readers have really, really enjoyed it, so that's been a blast! For anyone who is interested, you can read Episode 1 of Regal Hearts for free on my website (www.livlynnblog.com)!






Thanks for stopping by today, Livy!


Readers: Do you have any questions for her?






Wednesday, April 19, 2017

"The Sound of Emeralds" Birthday Blog Tour by Rachelle Rea Cobb

I'm pleased to once again welcome my writer friend, Rachelle Rea Cobb, to my blog to celebrate The Sound of Emeralds birthday blog tour! The Sound of Emeralds is the third installment in the Steadfast Love series, an inspirational historical romance set during the 16th century. 


Rachelle is also the author of The Sound of Diamonds and The Sound of Silver, the first two books in the series, and she has written Write Well, a grammar guide for writers. I’m joining in this blog tour to tell you a little more about Emeralds and spread the news about the amazing giveaway Rachelle is hosting. Make sure you enter using the Rafflecopter form to win signed copies of all three books!


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 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. She is also the author of Write Well, a guide for writers, which released on March 4th!




Author Links


Instagram: @RachelleReaCobb



About The Sound of Emeralds




What once was blazing hatred has turned to lasting love, but could the union of a wild heart with that of a lady ever result in more than heartache?


With the help of an old friend with uncertain loyalties, Dirk inches ever closer to clearing his name. Gwyneth throws her faith into good tidings and the promise of a future as a family. But an old evil comes to call, just as tragedy rips apart a fledgling truce. Enemies from the past and grief for the future threaten to tear asunder what God had brought together…


As the date of Dirk’s trial approaches, his fate and his family hang in the balance. Will he be proven innocent of Gwyneth’s parents’ murders—or separated from her forever? How much pain does it take to erode a love steadfast?


Find The Sound of Emeralds on…
Amazon Paperback: http://is.gd/F53u5R
Barnes & Noble: http://is.gd/RguS9l
Books a Million: http://is.gd/NdMWGr
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Interview



1. 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.


2.  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.”


3.  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.


4.  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. I recently released my first nonfiction book, Write Well, which is a short ebook designed as a guide writers!




Time For the Giveaway!







Enter using the Rafflecopter form below to signed copies of ALL THREE of Rachelle’s novels. The whole series, signed!





International friends, this giveaway is open to continental U.S. addresses only (sorry!). But do still enter, because one international winner will also be chosen to receive all three e-books.









What blog will Rachelle stop by next?


Saturday, April 15th


Sunday, April 16th


Monday, April 17th


Tuesday, April 18th
Deanna Stevens - www.dkstevens.wordpress.com
Abigail Wilson - http://www.acwilsonbooks.com/


Wednesday, April 19th
Tessa Emily Hall - www.ChristIsWrite.blogspot.com


Thursday, April 20th
Teresa Tysinger - http://teresatysinger.com


Friday, April 21st


Saturday, April 22nd
Charity Andrews - Www.aTransParentMom.com


Sunday, April 23rd
Suzie Waltner - www.remembrancy.com


Tuesday, April 25th


Wednesday, April 26th


Thursday, April 27th


Friday, April 28th
Jennifer J. Bunderle - https://www.jenniferjbunderle.net


Saturday, April 29th


Sunday, April 30th
  


Thanks for stopping by my blog today, Rachelle! Readers: Have you read The Steadfast Love Series? If so, what were your thoughts? Share in the comments below!



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