Wednesday, November 26, 2014

#TimeWarpTuesday~ Travel Back in Time with #UtopYAcon




UtopYA 2015 is just around the corner and you can get your tickets on BLACK FRIDAY!!! I will be there for sure so come by and see me!! Get your tickets HERE!

The theme for UtopYAcon 2015 is TIME TRAVEL so we are traveling back in time to yesteryear of UtopYA (ok so it's only 3 years ago but it's fun!). Back to the very first conference.... back to the year 2012...


This was my first writer's conference. I had been working on my first novel for awhile and had been chatting with several indie writers online. They were so sweet and so generous to visit with me and answer all my questions and encourage me along the way. I found out they were attending this conference called UtopYA and GUESS WHAT??? It was right where I was living--in Nashville, TN!! There was NO WAY I was missing it! So I went. Terrified, not truly knowing anyone other than some online conversation... but I went. I can't tell you how much it meant to me that not only did some of them recognize me, but they were so quick to invite me into their conversations and into their lives. That conference changed me. It gave me the courage and the confidence to keep writing, to believe in myself and my work, and a community to belong to. It was a smaller group of only about 70-80 people, but it was everything I needed it to be. Thank you to everyone of you that was there. 

UtopYA 2012
(I know you are not all pictured, but know that you are in my heart always)


Then came UtopYA 2013...

I was so excited to be able to return to UtopYA in 2013. Not only was I getting to see my peeps again, this year I was returning as a published author!! I released my first book just in time to be able to debut it at the conference and not only that I had the honor of speaking on panels! My novel Silent Orchids was also nominated in several categories at the awards!!  The most important to me, however, was getting to reconnect with friends...with family and also to meet so many others. This year the conference grew to about 300 people in only ONE YEAR!! The panels were helpful and I learned a ton. I got to meet and hug so many faces! (again sorry if you are not pictured. Know I love you and I'll get better each year with pics ;)



And then came UtopYA 2014 and so did the aliens...


2014 more than doubled AGAIN with attendees reaching between 700-800 people! We moved venues to the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, TN and had a ball! So many more people! So many aliens! So many more exhibits! SO MUCH FUN!! Once again, I had the honor of being on a panel and getting to share about how I use music in my marketing. Once again, I attended some very helpful panels each educating me in new ways and giving me new tools to use in my business. I had 2 books out this time and my dreams were becoming more and more of a reality with each passing year. I made more friendships and deepened older ones. I got to meet some of my beta readers and favorite bloggers!! This conference is more than just another "conference", it is more like a family reunion. Yes, it's about business and creating networks and opportunities, but it's also about connecting hearts and people.

(Again, I apologize if you are not pictured. I am getting better at selfies ;) but need to remember the camera more! Please know I love love love you!)

Thank You to Janet Wallace for following your dream! You have enabled, not only myself through so many means to continue following mine but SO MANY others. You have made a home for us all to keep coming back to. I am not going to attempt to name you all, because I am bound to forget someone, and that would break my heart. Know that I truly love all of you and you have special places in my heart. I am honored to be on our journeys together.

I am SO EXCITED to be back in Nashville in June 2015 and see what is in store for us all!!

If you are considering this conference, or are a writer beginning your journey, please consider UtopYA 2015. Tickets go on sale FRIDAY, Nov 28th!! Click HERE



Friday, November 14, 2014

Blogger Book Fair with Diantha Jones!! #BBF

Today is DAY FIVE--the last day--of the Blogger Book Fair!! If you missed the first 4 days, check out the previous posts to see who else I've been introducing on my blog. It is a giant blog hop with tons of prizes so make sure to check out the Blogger Book Fair site and also enter the HUGE GIVEAWAYS below!! You can also vote in the Reader's Choice Awards. Today is the last day!! By the way my book, Silent Orchids is up for Reader's Choice in Fantasy, I would LOVE your votes :)

I'd now like to introduce you to Diantha Jones!!


Prophecy of the Most Beautiful (Oracle of Delphi #1)

Fantasy (Mythology) | Young Adult


She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her.


Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of "Whack Job" in her home town of Adel, Georgia. Fed up with prescription meds and therapists, she wishes for a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone's jokes and mockery.


Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true.


After a vicious attack and learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future. Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own. While on a mission to discover the Most Beautiful, she strives to uncover the mysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his life…and threatens to win her heart in the process.


Buy Links:
Only $.99!


Prophecy of the Most Beautiful Excerpt



Another three blizzard-filled hours passed before their help arrived.


"Och! Check this out!" Ace exclaimed. He had been leading the group through a tight thicket of snow-covered trees. Spotting something up ahead, he took off running.


"What the…hey! Wait for me!" Swindle exclaimed and sprinted off behind him, Bill flying overhead. Soon, they were all running to see what Ace had found.


"Thank the gods!" Dropper exclaimed as they emerged from the grove. Chloe bit her lip to keep from screaming with relief herself. Way to go, Apollo.


It was a cabin, logged and sealed in the corners with bricks. It had a timber wood porch surrounding three sides and a brick chimney spouting puffs of smoke. Flickering light spilled out of the cabin's tiny windows, promising safety and warmth on the other side. The others whooped loudly and leapt up the porch stairs.


Strafford stopped her when she tried to follow them. "Why did you ask him for help?"


How did he know?


She tried her best to pull away from him, but he wasn't letting go of her arm. "It's cold,” she snapped, "and it's snowing! We were freezing to death out there!"


"Bah!" Strafford grunted, releasing her. "They're demigods! They weren' gonna freeze to death, Red!"


That ticked her off. "I'm not a demigod! Dropper isn't a demigod!"


"So it's abou' tha' wanker, eh?"


"Jealous, much? And what's your problem anyway? You can't expect everyone else to hate your dad just because you do!"


He groaned and pulled her by the back pocket of her jeans as she tried to storm away. "This isn't abou' me and Apollo, Red. This is abou' you makin' decisions without askin' me first."


"I don't have to ask you for permission to do anything!" She tried to walk away but he yanked her back, this time cupping her bottom with his hand to keep her in place. If she hadn't been so flustered, she might've slapped him, but…


"You do need my permission, Red,” he said, his face close to hers. "And if you'd consulted with me before you decided to ask a favor from a god without a tribute, I would've told you how stupid of an idea tha' was. Gods don't do anythin' without expectin' somethin' in return.” He let his voice drop a level. "And now you're in a god's debt. And believe me, Red, Apollo will collect on it, and you'll be questionin' whether the favor was worth it when it's time to pay up."




Author Bio:



Diantha was born on Thanksgiving Day so that explains why her mother calls her a "turkey." She spent the first 16 years of her life as an official Army brat (now she's a retired one), and has spent the last twelve years living in Georgia (Atlanta, then Savannah). She now resides in Washington D.C. She loves to read and watch movies (Quentin Tarantino is her fave director), and she loves cold weather and french fries (with cheese if possible).



Connect:



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Interview



When did you start writing?
I started writing (seriously) in 2010 after I realized my life was not headed in the direction I'd planned for it to go, and there was a good chance it never would. Looking back, I'm so glad I made that wrong turn.


What inspires your writing?
The Quiet. Noise distracts, but in the silence, there are endless possibilities and an entire plane for your imagination to play around in. There's nothing I enjoy more than letting my imagination run buck wild.


What is the best part about being a writer?
The Tingle. You know, that feeling in your stomach when you're about to release a new book or have just come up with your next project. The feeling never disappoints and never gets old.



Thursday, November 13, 2014

Blogger Book Fair with Garrett Robinson #BBF

Today is DAY FOUR of the Blogger Book Fair!! If you missed the first 3 days, check out the previous two posts to see who else I've been introducing on my blog. It is a giant blog hop with tons of prizes so make sure to check out the Blogger Book Fair site and also enter the HUGE GIVEAWAYS below!! You can also vote in the Reader's Choice Awards.


Nightblade

Fantasy | New Adult


Everyone begins their life dreaming of the great person they could become, only to have those hopes battered and broken by the world around them. The world tells them they’re not special. Family convinces them to abandon their goals for the safe route, the sure route.


Loren has been born to cruel parents and raised in an obscure village. She’s long resigned herself to an unremarkable life under the sway of a father who beats her and a mother who sees her only as means to a dowry. Loren’s dreams have almost burnt out—until fate rekindles their spark into a flame that will consume the world.


SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS A PUSH.


When Loren meets the fugitive wizard Xain, she dares to hope again. Escaping her village, she finds the nine kingdoms more complicated and dangerous than she could have imagined. But at long last, she’s ready to face the challenge or die in the attempt.


Loren has reclaimed her dreams—this time for good. Armed with only her wit and her courage, she will do anything to become the woman she’s always wanted to be: Nightblade, the most renowned thief in all the land.


Buy Links:
Only $.99!


Nightblade Special Offer



From November 10th through November 14th, you can pick up Nightblade, the first book of the Nightblade Volumes, for only $0.99 on Kindle! What's more — if you finish and review Nightblade, I'll send you a FREE ebook copy of Mystic, the second book in the series! Just fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic.


99 cents and a review — two books. It doesn't get much better than that.


Nightblade Excerpt



Loren imagined she could feel her father’s eyes on her back as she ran. Her steps came faster and faster still, but soon Xain began to tire and flag behind her. She had to slow her pace to match him, and every step seemed an irredeemable loss.


“You must hurry,” she said. “He will find us.”


Xain did not bother with an answer. He could move no faster, and they both knew it. After a time his ankle caught upon a protruding root and he stumbled, and in that moment her father struck.


He leapt from the shadows between two thick oaks. His hand lashed out, cracking against Loren’s cheek. She fell to the ground with a cry and struggled up before he could pin her down. But he did not come for her. When she rose she saw him atop Xain instead, wrapping an arm around the thinner man’s throat. Xain’s face turned red and edged toward purple. He fought to bring a hand around, scrabbling for her father’s face, but her father caught the hand and twisted it, prompting a screech of agony.


Hearing that cry of pain, Loren’s mind turned to ice. Never had her father hurt another in her presence—except when he fought her mother, and Loren only wanted each to hurt the other as much as possible. But now her father threatened to crush the life from her one chance, the only man who Loren had ever truly thought could save her from the life of pain and obscurity she feared.


Icy rage turned white-hot, and Loren drew the dagger. She leapt at her father with the blade held high. But her father saw her coming and released Xain, scrabbling to his knees and away from her wild swing.


He rose and roared like a bear brought to bay. The sound dampened Loren’s sudden burst of fury, and she hesitated a moment. That moment was enough, and like a snake her father lunged. One hand gripped her wrist to hold the dagger helpless. His other hand curled into a fist that he drove into her face.


Stars erupted at the edge of her vision, and Loren doubled over. Her father squeezed her wrist until the dagger dropped to the grass, then let her follow it. She gasped at the pain in her eye, blinking as she fought to clear her vision.


“Spawn of soiled seed,” said her father. “You have been a plague and a pox upon me since the day you first clawed air into your lungs.”


He kicked her. The hard leather of his boots felt like a tree trunk. She screamed, trying to roll away, but he only kicked her in the back.


She could not see. She could not think. Where was she? Who was this man, and why did he want to hurt her so? Why did some part of her mind scream that he should love her, pick her up and cradle her in his arms and promise to take the pain away? Instead he only gave her more.


Her eyes fell on Xain, who crouched several yards away. The wizard’s lips moved, and his eyes began to glow. He held a hand curled at his side, and Loren saw the flash of fire within it.


“No!” she cried. “Don’t kill him!”


Xain froze. His lips stopped moving, and the fire wisped out in his palm.


The shout drew her father’s gaze. His ugly, beady eyes fell on the wizard, and his lips split in a grimace, revealing spots of blood.


He leapt catlike upon Xain and bore the wizard to the ground. This time he wrapped his hands around Xain’s throat, digging his fingers in deep. Xain’s eyes bugged forth as though they would burst from their sockets. He gasped a phrase, and blue lightning sprang into being, but it vanished before he could unleash it.


Loren’s heart broke. Xain would not have been here if not for her. He might have died on the way to Cabrus, and he might not. But she had brought him to this place and then brought her father’s wrath, and now Xain would die for it.


She could not allow it. She saw the dagger lying near her fingers, and thought of her childish dreams. Nightblade could not allow it.


She fought to her knees. Her bow still hung on her back, and by some grace of the gods its string was whole. Her fingers felt like wood, but she forced them around the bow’s haft and pulled it free. Shakily she brought an arrow to string and half-drew, then took two stumbling steps forward. This time her father had eyes for nothing but Xain.


Loren kicked as hard as she could, and something in her father’s face broke under her boot heel.


He fell away, rolling over and over to put distance between them as he screamed in rage. In a blink he regained his feet, but there he paused. Loren’s arrow rested at full draw, aiming straight for his heart.


Slowly, her father’s hamfist hands came up on either side of his head. For every inch they climbed, the fury in his eyes redoubled.


“No more,” said Loren. It came out as a whisper. “No more will you torment me. I am leaving, father, and I mean never to return.”


“You mean to defy me?” said her father. “You will do your duty as a daughter or—”


She pulled just a little harder on the bow, gaining another inch of draw. Her father’s voice fell to silence.


“You have never done your duty as a father,” she said. “I feel I owe you nothing.”


“You owe me everything,” he said. “I could have killed you in the cradle. I could have killed you when I woke up today, and moved my bowel on your corpse. I made you, and now I see I made you worthless.”


“Then when I leave you shall suffer no great loss,” she said.


She felt that his words should have stung, but she was beyond them. They were only a stronger flavor of the same things he had said all her life. And in this moment, now that another fate beckoned her, she stood under his sway no longer.


Xain had finally regained his breath, and he came to stand at her side. He muttered, and as his eyes glowed white a ball of lightning hovered in his grasp.


“You think you can escape me?” her father said, changing tack. “I learned these lands years before I spilled you between your mother’s legs. Nowhere in Selvan can you hide from me. Ready yourself for sleepless nights by a bright fire. For if you close your eyes in sleep, if for even a moment you let yourself sit in darkness—”


Loren loosed the shaft. It sank into her father’s thigh. He collapsed to the ground without a scream, but with a gut-deep grunt of pain.


“Chase us now,” said Loren.


She turned and walked away from him, stopping for only a moment to retrieve the dagger and replace it in its sheath. She did not turn to see if Xain followed her, but after a moment she heard footfalls behind her.


Her father’s hateful screams followed them for a long while.

Interesting Information about Nightblade



The Nightblade Volumes are a WEEKLY serial — I publish a new 10,000 word episode every Friday at 12:00pm PST. Every eight episodes compose one book, which is published as a complete work in ebook and paperback.


Nightblade is the first book in the series. The second book is Mystic. Those who like Nightblade, and want to keep reading, can go review it on Amazon. If they fill out the form at http://garrettbrobinson.com/free-mystic, I'll send them an ebook copy of Mystic for FREE.


Readers can also subscribe to the series. For ebook enthusiasts, this is THE CHEAPEST way to read! Pay $2.99 a month, and I'll send you an episode every week — TWO WEEKS before it's published to Amazon! It's cheaper than buying the episodes individually, and it's even cheaper than buying the volumes!


You can check that out at http://garrettbrobinson.com/nb-sub


*****


Nightblade is a very special story to me. It comes to me so easily because I feel like I've only recently emerged from my own personal journey into adulthood. Though the setting, the place, and the person are different, this is MY story.


I love that the coming of age story is so universal, that you can put it in any setting and any genre and it still works. It doesn't matter that Harry went to Hogwarts and cast spells (although that was cool). What mattered was that he suffered through what we ALL suffer through — that terrible, wonderful time between childhood and adulthood, when you don't really know what's going on and you're trying to figure it all out.


Loren, the main character of Nightblade, is going through the same thing. Loren has dreams. BIG dreams, dreams she's never given up on no matter what. Her parents have beaten her and told her she's worthless. The world has tried to convince her that her goals are hopeless. But the spark won't die.


I think we've all been there at one point. Haven't you? Some people give up. Who can blame them? It's a cruel world. It's certainly easier to give up, to go with the flow. I legitimately cannot fault someone who chooses to do that.


To be perfectly honest, it's not worth it to keep fighting. You will suffer so much. You will go through so much pain and lose so much that is dear to you. Only the mad even attempt it, because only a tiny portion of them will ever succeed. The rest will die broken and alone in the corners and back alleys of the world.


And yet, we do love the stories about the ones who win.


Author Bio:



Garrett Robinson was born in Los Angeles, California. Throughout his childhood and into adulthood, he was encouraged to learn by his parents, who not only ensured he had access to thousands of books whenever he wanted, but who traveled with him around the world and helped him do so once he was out in the world on his own. Throughout high school, Garrett excelled in creative writing, churning out millions of words and far surpassing all of his classmates.


After school, Garrett discovered a love of, and has had a budding career in the independent film industry. In today's digital age, however, he has discoverd that new creative models are necessary to succeed. To that end, he has begun turning all of his film ideas into self-published books, in hopes of drumming up support and readership for the stories he has created.


Connect:


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Interview

When did you start writing?
I began writing as a teenager, scribbling fan fiction from my favorite science fiction and fantasy stories. But it took my mother's passing at the age of 25 to convince me that if I didn't try, honest to God, to make it as an artist, then it would never happen.


I published my first book in December of 2012, and since then I've put out more than a million words in fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, comedy and horror.


I don't plan on stopping.


What inspires your writing?
I think the most exciting phrase a writer can ever utter is, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if...?"


Ideas are all around us. Sometimes they come from things we wish we saw in the world more often. Sometimes they're just things that are really, really cool. A girl who sees thoughts when she makes skin contact. A guy who becomes a zombie, but can still think. Kids who become wizards in another world when they sleep. A girl who wants to make it in the big time — but in a fantasy setting.


No idea is a bad story idea. Find out what's important to you, and construct a story around that.


What is the best part about being a writer?
Anyone who's published a book knows what a rush it is to hear from your readers. The best writers write from inspiration. They write the sort of story that THEY would want to read. There's nothing more gratifying than hearing, from a complete stranger no less, that they were personally touched by your book.


Even better is are those who you deeply, truly affect. The best feeling in the world is to hear that a reader can relate to what my character is going through, and that in some small way I helped them through a difficult time. You can't beat that.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Blogger Book Fair with Ashley Carlson! #BBF

Today is DAY THREE of the Blogger Book Fair!! If you missed the first 2 days, check out the previous two posts to see who else I've been introducing on my blog. It is a giant blog hop with tons of prizes so make sure to check out the Blogger Book Fair site and also enter the HUGE GIVEAWAYS below!!

Cruel (Short Story)

Dystopian | New Adult


The day every child on Earth disappeared, Aveline and her family were thrown into a hellish existence that the world should've seen coming. The adult population was never given a choice: most men were possessed by the demon spirits of Cruels with women becoming their prisoners. Now Aveline's mother is sick with fever, her older sister's gone missing, and she has to sneak into the Cruel-infested city of Yearn to try and save them. When she catches the eye of a sadistic and reckless Cruel leader however, Aveline must use every ounce of strength and wit she has to escape his brutality, ultimately being faced with the toughest question of all: how far is she willing to go for humanity, even if it means dying to see it restored?


Buy Links:


Teaser from Cruel:



It’s been two years since the Regime took over, turning this country into something unrecognizable. I’m almost certain my sister was captured last week.


“I still don’t like that you’re going alone,” Tarrant says as we stand over my mother. I squeeze the rag and dribble cool water on her face; my mom bats it away.


“You wouldn’t be doing me any favors by coming and you know that,” I say, looking over at him. Beams of light stream down into the tornado shelter, illuminating dust particles and his strained expression.


I lean down and murmur a quick goodbye into my mother’s hair, but she’s too delirious at this point to hear me. I hand the rag to Tarrant and grab my tiny backpack from the ground. Nodding to the others, I climb the steps out of the shelter as he follows me.


“Wait a second,” Tarrant says, following me through the trees. I ignore him, swallowing hard. He finally grabs my arm.


“Have you thought about my proposal?”


“I don’t have a lot of time right now—you said so yourself—and the sun is setting already,” I give as my answer.


“But I need to know,” Tarrant continues. I finally look at him, the man I’ve fallen for against my better judgment, and let him embrace me.


“Yes, all right? My answer would’ve been yes, if things were different,” I murmur into his shoulder, wetting the fabric with tears. “But marriage these days is absurd, assuming I even make it back tonight—”


“Don’t you say that,” he says. “You are coming back, and when you do, I want you to be my wife.”


“Why? So we can suffer that much more if I’m taken as one of their slaves? Or you’re found and tortured long enough to give up my whereabouts? It’s dangerous to even consider it.”


“Those monsters took our homes, our families, our goddamned bodies for themselves. You’re going to let them take away the decision to love each other too?”


“They haven’t taken that away,” I say, as quiet as the rustling leaves overhead.


Tarrant breathes hard and cups my face in his calloused hands, leaning down to kiss me. His lips are familiar and soft, and a sob wells in my chest at the thought I’ll never feel this again.


“I have to go,” I say as I push him away gently. Tarrant stares at me, still clinging to my hands. It must be difficult for him to let me go into the Cruel city of Yearn without his protection, but he’s an escaped prisoner and therefore a target.


“I’ll see you soon,” he says with vehemence. “I love you.” I don’t respond, the words sticking in my throat. I turn and run.


Fun Fact about Cruel:


In my short story "Cruel" as well as my other works, I want to explore the dark sides of things. Having a background in psychology and spending some time working with mentally ill individuals has shown me the horrors that many people have experienced, and continue to on a daily basis.
I feel that it is important to address and bring light to those issues, even in an entertaining setting such as a book with fantasy elements. Thus, I infuse the issues of abuse, power struggles, spiritual warfare, and other subject matter in my work. My utmost goal is to write an entertaining, enthralling book, but it is many times going to carry those deep issues beneath the surface.




The Charismatics

Fantasy | Young Adult


An arranged marriage. A corrupt government known only as Legalia. A forbidden spiritual realm. Duchess Ambrosia Killaher was just seventeen years old when exiled to Shinery—a city of snow and darkness—to marry a man who despised her, finding her only solace in an invisible companion named Roan.


Now, as the poor starve in the streets below and rebellious acts become a frequent occurrence, Shinery holds its yearly celebration to commemorate Legalia’s rule. But when Ambrose catches a government official using a strange device on a servant, she is thrust into a secret world of the supernatural—one she never knew existed. With the help of a handsome stranger, Ambrose begins to learn of the past Legalia has covered up, and the terrible things they have in store for the future.


Releases December 13, 2014:


Fun Fact about The Charismatics:



The Charismatics is very dear to me--it is my debut novel, something written over the last three months during a very transitional period in my life. As I wrap up completion with it, I realize that I subconsciously infused numerous elements of my favorite books and movies into the book, including magical creatures (Ella Enchanted), a strong heroine (Ever After), steampunk and spiritual elements, and a talking animal friend (The Golden Compass), and a surprise ending (The Harry Potter series).


The Charismatics is very much its own storyline, but I think it's pretty exciting to realize that all of the favorites stories that shaped my love for reading and writing found their way into my novel, on their own.




Author Bio:



-Ashley is a fantasy author, freelance editor, editorial intern for Midnight Publishing, and editorial contributor for Arizona Foothills Magazine.


-Ashley is currently working on a steampunk fantasy novel series and plans to release Book One in Fall 2014.


-Ashley grew up and currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona (or the "bowels of Hell" as she affectionately refers to it during the summer months). She dreams of the greenery and water of the Pacific Northwest and plans to move there some day.


-Ashley is the proud mother of three animals-a neurotic German shepherd that follows Ashley everywhere she goes, a serene mutt from Mexico, and a cat that gives new meaning to the word "bitchy."


-Ashley enjoys Yelping for local restaurants, fostering kittens from nearby shelters, and watching the Real Housewives of...anywhere.


-Find Ashley on Twitter (@AshleyRCarlson1), Google+, or check out Ashley's blog at www.ashleyrcarlson.com for updates on her book, thoughts on writing, and thoughts on life! (And she doesn't mean Tinder, or online dating, or dating in general...no. None of that.)


Connect:


Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Official BBF Giveaways



$50 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway




$30 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway




$20 Amazon Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Interview:

When did you start writing?
I have been writing fiction haphazardly since I was in high school-having about five half-started novels to my name until November of 2013. I participated in NaNoWriMo 2013 and it ignited a dormant passion in me from that point on. I sort of feel silly for not having realized it sooner, maybe when I could've gone to COLLEGE for it (instead of psychology).


What inspires your writing?
Music! Since childhood, certain songs would send me strange reveries, imagining scenes that would take place to the melody. I like to listen to music while I'm writing, always playing songs that evoke the sort of emotions I want to weave into my book.
Also, moments from my past experiences. I think that it is important-even when writing fantasy, which I do-to remember what human emotions feel like. THAT is never going to change, no matter what setting you are in. Love, heartbreak, jealousy, parenthood, the list goes on. When I remember what it felt like to experience those feelings, I am inspired to include that in my writing.


What is the best part about being a writer?
Personally, the best part of being a writer is writing something and when it comes time to re-read, I'm surprised and entertained, as if I didn't write it myself. For me, writing is almost an out-of-body, spiritual experience, in that I don't necessarily remember what I've written. When I am able to go back and say, "this is good," or "I want to genuinely keep reading this scene," I know I've done something right.


Is there something cool, special or unique about you or your book you'd like to tell us about?
Something cool about me? I love helping animals and organizations that need it! I have a charity page on my website with links to each one, and ask every self-published author interviewed on my blog to provide their recommendation for a charity to support. Anyone is free to recommend one as well, just email me at ashleyrcarlson13@gmail.com!


I'd like to start an animal shelter one day, or offer a lot of support to existing ones to spread awareness and give animals the loving home they need.


Regarding my dystopian short story, "Cruel," it's a fast-paced story with romantic elements, dangerous encounters, and the ultimate sacrifice. Read and enjoy!


Something else cool about me? Well, maybe this isn't cool, but I love Jennifer Lawrence a freakishly large amount, and animals as well.

I also love to hear from readers, and writers, and anyone, really. Please contact me anytime via my email, ashleyrcarlson13@gmail.com, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I quit my job to write full-time until I ran out of money, and I've managed to make it last for four months and write a novel in that time. This is my dream, and I am honored to share it with anyone willing to read. Thank you!