Awesome Giveaway Number Two!!

Last week's winner of Keturah and Lord Death is Michael Offutt!! Congratulations.

This week I'm giving away two books by the author Mary Stewart. She is often called the founder of the romantic suspense genre. I've read at least a dozen of her books. My favorite is Nine Coaches Waiting, followed by her Merlin Trilogy (which isn't romantic suspense, but they are amazing).

Since my novel, A Blind Eye, is romantic suspense, I'm sticking to that category and giving away a copy of Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree.

These are classics. Her interesting characters, intriguing plots, and exotic settings are her trademarks. Mary Stewart's books have been a big influence on my writing.

Also, for the lucky winner, I'll throw in a bit of swag to promote my own book. A Blind Eye bookmark and an Oregon bumper sticker. Exciting, I know, but try to keep calm.

If you want to know why the bumper sticker--you have to read the book!

Enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Next week the prizes get even better! TWO Shannon Hale books, signed, and a copy of my book, A BLIND EYE! plus more swag. You know you want them all!

And So It Begins

The time has come for me to start promoting my book. I'll be running a series of giveaways leading up to the release of A Blind Eye in February.

I've decided to give away copies of my favorite books by the authors who have really influenced me as a writer.

I will tell you a story of magic and love, of daring and death, and one to comfort your heart. It will be the truest story I have ever told. Now listen, and tell me if it is not so.

Keturah follows a legendary hart deep into the forest, where she becomes hopelessly lost. Her strength diminishes until, finally, she realizes that death is near--and learns then that death is a young lord, melancholy and stern. Renowned for her storytelling, Keturah is able to charm Lord Death with a story and gain a reprieve--but he grants her only a day, and within that day she must find true love. 

This week's prize is a brand new copy of Martine Leavitt's Keturah and Lord Death.

I LOVE this book. The story is sweet and sad and wonderful, the writing is divine. I can honestly say this book changed my life.

I had the great privilege of taking a week-long writing workshop from Martine Leavitt. She is brilliant, and I learned more than I ever thought possible about the craft of writing and storytelling. She is an amazing person.

If you haven't read any of Martine Leavitt's works, you should. Her latest book, "My Book of Life by Angel," is a breathtaking novel in verse about a young girl trapped in the world of prostitution.

You have several chances to win this delightful book. Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter below--and thanks for helping me spread the word about my own book!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


I'll be giving away TWO awesome books next week by another author who influenced me!

What Is Your Character's Shire?

I've been reading several stories lately with struggling characters. And by struggling, I mean characters that are inconsistent and hard to believe.

If you are struggling to make your characters come across as real, believable, and engaging to readers, here is a little piece of advice that might help.

Establish what each character's motives are. What is the one thing that that character wants, and why? Once you figure that out, everything a character does should be to achieve that goal. Even if the choices they make aren't always the smartest, in the character's mind they should be to achieve that one, all important goal. This will keep your character consistent and believable.

Your main character's objective should be obvious to the reader in the first chapter.

Example: The Hunger Games
What one goal of Katniss's drives the story forward and is at the root of nearly everything she does? Her desire to protect her sister, Prim. She volunteers to go to the games in place of Prim, and she wants to win not just to survive, but so she can be there for Prim.

Example: The Forest of Hands and Teeth
What is it that Mary longs for? To see the ocean, and thus have a connection with her mother. This is what drives Mary out when the walls are breached and keeps her going. In my opinion, this comes across as a selfish motive, but at least it is consistent. And let's face it, teens often have selfish motives.

Example: The Lord of the Rings
What objective does Frodo have in his heart that keeps him going on his impossible quest? The Shire. He wants to get back home to the Shire, and he wants the Shire to be safe and uncorrupted by Sauron.

You have to find your character's Shire.

Come back next Monday for the first of many contests leading up to the release of A Blind Eye in February!

Freedom from Fear

Freedom from Fear, by Norman Rockwell

"Freedom from Fear." 

Sadly, this is a freedom our children may not enjoy for long in their lives. Innocence is stripped from them at an increasingly alarming rate. My heart goes out to all those affected by the senseless events in Connecticut--and especially the families of the victims.

Everyone is desperate to find a solution--a way to stop things like this from happening. I wish I had an answer, but I think there will always be evil in the world. Unstoppable and uncontrollable evil.

What I would love to hear from you readers, are your thoughts on how we as parents, teachers, and adults can help our children have a life with Freedom from Fear.

Cover Reveal: A Blind Eye

From Covenant Communications

At last I get to reveal to the world my book cover! I'm so happy with how it turned out. It's perfect for the book. Hats off to my publisher's design team!

Coming February, 2013

 Seventeen-year-old Christian Morris decides the only way to save himself from his father's neglect is to run away from home. On his way out of town, he finds a stowaway hiding in his car—Scarlett, who has been kidnapped from London. Blind since birth, Scarlett has developed a sixth sense: she dreams about someone’s death before it happens. And now, she has dreamed about her own. 

Christian’s attempt to leave home turns into a race to save Scarlett from death by scientific experimentation. His growing relationship with the girl helps him to look past his own blindness and confront the truth about his father. But first, he must find the kidnappers before they can get to Scarlett.

Earn brownie points AND good karma by spreading the word. Tweet and Facebook and send people this way. I will always return the favor.

How Do You Feel about Love Triangles

All, right. Let's get right down to it. In YA literature, love triangles are everywhere. Example from Twilight: the Edward-Bella-Jacob triangle.

I want to know how you feel about love triangles. Do you like them? Hate them? Don't really care? Depends on how it's written?

As a genreal rule, I don't like them. I don't mind so much if it's simply a case of two people liking the same person. Two boys like the same girl. What I hate is when that one person strings along the other two.

I have to fall back on the Twilight example. Bella likes Edward, and she seems set in her feelings towards him. But she also sort of likes Jacob, even though she claims there is no chance she'll ever end up with him. Instead of cutting him loose she strings him along. We see this kind of thing all the time in YA lit.

I think the reason I can't stand this type of scenario is because it makes the character doing the stringing appear unfaithful, cruel, and selfish. Why would either of the guys put up with that? The story loses credibility and my sympathy for the characters.

What are your thoughts on the love triangle?

Freedom from Want

Freedom from Want ~Norman Rockwell

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this week. 

I've always loved this Norman Rockwell painting. Freedom from Want. Look at those faces! I love it. A typical family with a typical thanksgiving meal, but they look so happy just to be together. 

Norman Rockwell painted a whole series of Freedom paintings: Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Worship... They're stunning. 

Sometimes we get so caught up in the little things, our pet-peeves and our grievances, that we overlook the big picture--our innumerable blessings.

So here's me hoping we all can find gratitude in our hearts this season to forgive someone we feel has wronged us, to smile and let go of any bitterness we may be harboring, and to dwell on the good in our lives. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relatives.” 

― Oscar Wilde

“I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.” 

― Jon Stewart

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” 

― Erma Bombeck

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” 

― W.T. Purkiser