Anna's Getting Revamped- Changes to the Giveaway & Cover Reveal...

Hi all,

Yes, as the post title said above, I have made changes to the giveaway. Life likes to throw you curves and though that isn't an entirely bad thing, sometimes however these curves do tend to get overwhelming and  right now I am. There is just not enough time for everything for me right now. Poo... I need more hours in the day and more hours in the night! Ugg!

So here it is...

Anna's revamping is gonna take a little bit longer. But that's OK! It should. That's the idea of the revamping, I am trying to put out there a book near to perfection and hurrying it along is not the ideal approach :0) Readers deserve this, my readers deserve this. If not then how's a poor Indie gal gonna gain more readers :0)

I love writing, but I love my family more. And right now my family needs me a lot. A little over a year ago my grandmother passed away and I am my grandpa's rock. When he needs me in the week, I am there. Even if its three to four to everyday.  My sixth kiddo just entered Kindergarten ( he was my severely premature babe) and he is struggling. I need to be there for him, for all my kids. I am mom first and writer second. I love them both, but have to balance both and right now, I just can't. Somethings gotta give and sadly, it's poor Anna. (Sorry Anna, I love you!)

So again, Anna's revamping is gonna take a little while longer. But I cannot stress enough my humble thanks to all my supporters/readers for all of that support you give. Of course it would be absolutely cruel of me to cancel the giveaway all together... HEY! WE LOVES PRIZES! So I won't.  Instead of the four revamped Anna Kippling books right now, instead, I'll hike up that Amazon gift card goodie to $20 dollars! How many ebooks can ya get with that?! Go Indie and ya may get more...hint, hint:0)

So, I know it's not much, but you'll win a couple bookmarks with my new cover on them and twenty bucks for books...it's still pretty cool. Plus,when those revamped books come out, I will contact the winner and still get them those free copies. Plus! Plus, I'll do up another giveaway...win the set, some bookmarks and probably some more Amazon cash! Yeppie!


Not  to bad right? YEah...yeah A.D. not bad at all :0) (She smiles)

Well, before I go, I did promise you a cover reveal and thanks for the votes guys, helped a lot! Here it is! (she squees)

Wathca think? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment bar. Of course, the three following books have their revamped covers, but you'll have to wait to see those...

Again, my biggest thanks and hugs to all of you who have dropped by, made a vote, entered and shared along. Thank you for your support! You didn't have to, but you did. (Big smile)

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Thanks for the drop by!

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: D J Lowbridge, author of Ghost Haunts- A Collection of Short Stories

Author D.J.  Lowbridge

      I love meeting new authors and welcome D.J. to my blog. I also love, I mean love Ghost stories. Who doesn't right? Well, D.J. has the perfect book for you. He has a collection of them inside of the bind titled Ghost Haunts. Oh I love it! I love the cover too!

Click the book to go to Amazon's US page for it.

 

Book description:

From the trenches of World War One to the vastness of space we meet: relentless pursuers that feed on fear; omens of impending doom and true love that goes beyond the grave.

When realms collide there is no certainty of what is to come...

Show more

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     The interview:

     1. Where do you call home?

I live in Essex in the United Kingdom. I live in a small village that is not far from the sea for inspiration and quick trips down with the kids, but far enough back that during the summer that I can have some peace if I want it.

2. What is the title of your most recent book?

“Ghost Haunts” – it’s an 11 short story collection about ghosts. But instead of it being a horror fest I decided to sneak in a couple of family dramas in there.

3. What's your Genre?

Well obviously by my first book people would assume horror, but that is more of a sideline for me. Something that Ghost Haunts fell into. I think of myself more of a paranormal / supernatural author with a tinge of horror who sometimes crosses over into science fiction.

4. Plans for a next book? Is this part of a Series?

The next book will be the first book in the Paranormal Investigation Series, or PIT for short. The series follows a military led team who investigate paranormal activity and try to protect the world from the demons. The first story came to me while I was putting my rabbits to bed one night and eventually one story has turned into six or seven ideas.

5. Are you a self published author (Indie)?

I wouldn’t have it any other way. To have total control over your work and being paid a decent rate for your work, there is really no option.

6. Who's your favorite author?

Well that is a tough question. Elizabeth Moon got me writing, but I love India Drummond (another indie author) and her Faerie series that is based in Scotland. Her characters and storylines are amazing.

7. Your favorite book?

I think my favourite book is Elizabeth Moon’s Command Decision which is her 4^thbook in the Vatta’s War series. It is brilliant for military science fiction lovers.

8. What book are you currently reading?

I am currently reading an indie book called Eden M51 by G. R. Paskoff

      9. A book you would recommend?

       Not at the moment, I haven’t finished it.

      10. How do you pick your books?

    Well I run a review site. So mostly I am sent books. I use to select books by the blurb and front cover but due to the sheer number of requests I know insist on looking at the first chapter. If it is good, then I will select it.

     11. Advice for other authors?

    Write, write, write.- So agree!

     12. Do you write under a pen name?

      I write under D J Lowbridge.

     13. Where do you write?

    Normally at the dinner table; facing away from the window. It can get very cold in there so sometimes I set myself a target and when I’ve reached it and can get back into the warmer rooms.

     14. What do you wear when you write?

      Whatever I am wearing at the time.

     15. Do you have a pet (s)?

    Oh yeah. I have two tanks of fish, a leopard Gecko named Steph, two Guinea Pigs and two rabbits. -I myself am a momma of Guinea pigs and rabbits. Of all my pets my Gecko is my baby, I’ve had since before I was married. A year ago her sister died which was very sad and she has not responded well to the loss either. But I have become fond of our latest edition, Elmo. Elmo is the male rabbit from a rescue centre. He was found in a field living wild yet is a domesticated albino cross breed – he was definitely abandoned. There is no telling how old he really is or how long he was left to fend for himself without any skills to do so, but according to the centre he was brought in a bad state and was probably out there months if not over a year. I feel sad because someone must have done that to him without thinking of his welfare. Now he is very wary of most people, yet he still comes to me and even likes to jump on my back for comfort.

     16. Favorite food?

    Chinese. Not even going to debate that one.

     17. If you were deserted on an island, who are 3 famous people you would want with you?

The current President of the United States because the US would spend millions trying to find and rescue him; Paul Merton because he is a funny guy and Miranda Hart, because she is funny too.

     18. Of your characters, which one would you say is most like you and why?

     I would say in Ghost Haunts I am most like Tony in some aspects (loves his wife to pieces, very protective), but he is someone who likes to spend his cash to show off, which is not like me at all. In my next project I am very much like Major Trevor Reed. He is a character who is in command of the unit, yet despite the fact that he is supposed to be strong and unwavering he turns out to be someone who is forgiving and a little soft to his colleagues.

    19. What made you want to be a writer?

     I was on holiday one day in Norfolk when I was reading a book and I put it down and in my head suddenly an idea just flowed in. That’s the day I decided to be a writer. But in truth I’ve always enjoyed writing and I would probably have gotten here sooner or later.

     20. Any weird talent?

      No...

     21. A favorite quote?

    “A life is made up of its darkest moments and destroyed when it takes nothing from them” – can never remember where that came from, but it always reminds me to learn from my mistakes. -learning from mistakes is always good advice :0)

     22. What is the one thing you never go without?

    My family; support is key to success and they are my support.

     23. Your biggest influence?

     I don’t think anything has particularly influenced me in my life.

      24. Favorite TV show?

     Stargate SG-1 – there is no finer show. It was on the air for 10 seasons and had two direct to DVD movies plus two spin off shows. Anything that has that legacy has to be great.

      25. A great blog you would like to recommend for others to discover?

     http://twomidlistindies.com/ - its a great blog written by two stars of the indie author world – Valerie Douglas and Kai Wilson. If you want to succeed as an indie author listening to these two is a great help.

 

D.J. was so wonderful to make connecting with him so easy! Click the links below to connect with him and any or all the sites below.

 

Website: http://djlowbridge.wix.com/djlowbridgeauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DLowbridge

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/D-J-Lowbridge/196076050528509

Blog: http://indieebookreview.blogspot.co.uk/

Book Links:

US: www.amazon.com/Ghost-Haunts-ebook/dp/B00BDTUIU4/

UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Haunts-ebook/dp/B00BDTUIU4/

Thanks so much D.J. for letting little ol' me spotlight ya! Loved getting to know you and about your Ghostly offering- Ghost Haunts. Visitors, my lovely readers, hop on over to Amazon and pick up your copy, only $2.99.

Thanks for dropping by!

Guest post by Author Shari Guess- Once Upon a Baby- A tale of Adoption

Once Upon A Baby- Tale of Adoption Blog Tour Stop

 

Welcome and thank you for stopping by! I would like to introduce to you Author Shari Guess and  her wonderful book Once Upon a Baby: A tale of Adoption. Stay tuned for my review of her book, hop on over to my Book Review page. Read below to learn the story about adopting her special bundle of joy and the inspiration to her book...

 

A Baby On Short Notice

 

Thinking back over my adoption always has me remembering the roller-coaster of many different emotions surrounding the big event. There was the waiting and wondering about the usual things any expectant couple would think about: would it be a boy or a girl? Would the baby be happy or sad? Would the child grow up to love or despise us through no fault of our own? The leap into parenthood always brings so much excitement, and in my case, paranoia!

 

Then there are things that adoptive couples think about; When will we be chosen? What will we say to the birthmother? How do we discuss adoption with our family and with our child? What can we do to help them know they are loved? How will I bond with this child? What about those unplanned moments regarding a new little life?

 

To put it mildly, I am a planner. When we adopted I had changed 5 diapers in my life-and put 3 of them on backwards! I had no experience with children and here I was about to dive in head first. If that wasn’t enough, we received ‘the call’ on Wednesday, were meeting with our birth mother on Friday and bringing a soon-to-be-born child home on Wednesday!

 

There was no time to ‘know’ much of my birthmother, or her family, or really to even prepare! Thankfully, we had registered early on in the process, so we immediately went into ‘auto-pilot’, throwing essentials into our shopping cart when the glorious news came. Looking back, it was all somewhat of a dream! There were gifts and showers and vacation days and new things to learn-quickly! Most women have 9 months for this sort of thing….I had 8 days!

 

Is there anything I could tell hopeful adoptive parents who might find themselves in our situation one fine day? About the most I can muster is to hang on for the ride! It will be one of the wildest and most worthwhile journeys of your life. Sleep while you can and work on that bucket list while you wait. After that little bundle-of-joy comes into your life it will never be the same! It’s a great experience but you won’t sleep much and you really can’t plan for it. You find out very quickly that you must become super flexible and just have to take one day at a time! Before long you truly won’t remember what your life was like before children came into it and you will be joining the ranks of parents around the world that all look at each other, sometimes like deer –in-the-headlights, silently thinking ‘I know….’!

 

Click on the cover to go to the Amazon page and read the sneek peek & buy the book!

 



Shari is also doing a giveaway, winner to recieve a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of Once Upon A Baby! Click HERE to go there and enter!

 

Thanks for the drop by!

 

Author Spotlight- Author Neesha Hosein of I of the Storm

The lovely author Neesha Hosein has allowed me to spotlight her on my humble little blog in this vast webverse and I just enjoyed getting to know about her! Don't forget to click her links below to connect with Neesha on Twitter & Facebook, also check out her book and blog!

Isn't she lovely!!!

1. Where do you call home?
Houston, TX
2. What is the title of your most recent book?
I of the Storm

Book Blurb:

Being struck by lightning as a child sets Kira on a path to realization. Her life becomes a riveting series of events, and her guiding light is the supernatural. Her adventurous visions lead her through some spine-tingling discoveries about her husband, the man whose rigorous rules she obediently follows in a life filled with both tribulation and triumph.

3. What's your Genre?
Adult/fiction, suspense, thriller, with a dash of supernatural and a healthy dose of mystery and crime all in one.

4. Plans for a next book? Is this part of a Series?
At first, I wasnt sure, but when I saw an amazing photo on National Geographics Facebook page, it inspired me to go for book two! It was perfect for the next book cover. And better yet, I too a wild chance and emailed the photographer about using the photo and asked the cost, and he gave me permission at no charge. So that makes me believe book two is meant to be. Its in the works.
5. Are you a self-published author (Indie) ?
Yes, and proudly so. Even my book cover is a photo I took from an airplane. Im a huge fan of do-it-yourself projects, major to minor. And I made my own book trailer, too. Here it is on Youtube 

6. Who's your favorite author?
I try not to have a favorite because there are just way too many great ones out there. I enjoy the works of Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Michael Connelly, Judy Blume, Charlotte Bronte, Khaled Hosseini and lots more.
7. Your favorite book?
Again, I feel bad to just pick one. I love The Kite Runner, A Secret Life of Bees, all seven Harry Potter books (which I read twice), A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Outsiders, A Time to Kill, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chasing the Dime, Jane Eyre, and countless more.

8. What book are you currently reading?
Next in line is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire. And I always try to read at least two indie books per month. I just finished Fairy Metal Thunder, by J.L. Bryan, which was very good.

9. A book you would recommend?
The Hunger Games
10. How do you pick your books?
All I need to know is the title, genre and a very, very brief synopsis, like one sentence. Like Its a book about a zombie apocalypse and has a mediocre romance. I like to find out the rest myself.
11. Advice for other authors?
Promote, promote, promote. Even when it seems futile, keep on going. Never stop trying and never ever stop writing.

12. Do you write under a pen name?
Nope, Im always Neesha Hosein.
13. Where do you write?
On my bed, surrounded by soft snuggly pillows, a/c on 68F and under my pink fuzzy blanket. Ambiance is everything to me. Although! If a bright idea hits me, I pull out my trusty brain book (if I dont have my laptop) and purple pen and start scribbling until Ive purged all ideas that wanted to be written.

14. What do you wear when you write?
Preferably, PJs.  Im a journalist, professional writer/editor by day, so at my job, its not possible to get THAT comfy when I write.
15. Do you have a pet (s)?
No, but I did keep my Pound Puppy stuffed toy I got for my 11th birthday. Hes the perfect pet for me. Quiet, loves to cuddle, doesnt require food and doesnt poop.
16. Favorite food?
Margherita pizza or chicken fajitas. I could eat either of those every day.

17. If you were deserted on an island, who are 3 famous people you would want with you?
Maxwell so he could sing to me. Bill Hader of SNL to make me laugh. And J.K. Rowling so we could talk about Harry Potter all day.
18. Of your characters, which one would you say is most like you and why?
The main character, protagonist  Kira. She was born of me, my life experiences and things Ive seen and heard, many of which are embellished in the book to create the graphic scenes.

19. What made you want to be a writer?
My mom taught me how to read before age 5, so my love for words grew from then into a lifelong passion. It wasnt enough just to read. I had stories brewing in my mind, and writing felt like second nature. I wrote my first short story at age 11.
20. Any weird talent?
People always seem amazed when they find out Im ambidextrous. I can write with both hands, and I have three different handwritings (2 on the right, 1 on the left). And I can do most things with both hands, like put on make-up, brush my teeth, shoot a basketball, etc. - that is too awesome!

21. A favorite quote?
I intend to live forever or die trying. (Groucho Marx)
22. What is the one thing you never go without?
Chocolate.
23. Your biggest influence?
Motherhood. I had my oldest at 18, so he taught me responsibility, patience and how to be selfless. My youngest has autism, which has been one of my lifes greatest challenges. I have a blog series called Autism vs. Neesha where I discuss all the terrifying, funny, quirky and sometimes sad things I go through with my kiddo. (www.Novellarella.blogspot.com )

24. Favorite TV show?
Impossible to pick only one. Im hooked on Law & Order: SVU, Saturday Night Live, and The Golden Girls from the 80s. Give it a chance. Its HILARIOUS!
25. A great blog you would like to recommend for others to discover?
Aside from mine? *wink* I really enjoy reading - http://15minutelunch.blogspot.com/ It is so fun


Neesha's website
'Like' Neesha on Facebook
Follow her blog
Follow Neesha on Twitter

Thanks for dropping by and thanks again Neesha!


P.S.
Click the Giveaway link above to check out my latest and upcoming giveaways!

FREE on SMASHWORDS- The Key (#1 of Anna Kippling Series) Paranormal Fantasy Romance by : A.D. Duling

Yes you read that right, it's no mistake...FREE! For a limited time I am making my book available for FREE to reach my readers! And if you have the time.....I would really appreciate your review (on Smashwords) (b/c it is important to me:0) and if you have a little more time.... on either Amazon or B& N.

Many thanks and Enjoy!!

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