First of all, we'd like to congratulate Anna Genest, who won our Week 2 prize: the author mentorship package with Jeffe Kennedy!
This week, we're selecting not just one, but five (yes, five!) winners for our next prize. Five lucky winners will receive a first chapter critique from one of our participating authors - Evey Brett, David Bridger, Seleste Delaney, Nicole Luiken, or Shawna Thomas. Please note: Winners will be paired with authors at random. To enter, fill out the form below, and don't forget, you can still enter to win either a Kindle Fire HD or Nook HD by filling out the form here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Links of Interest
From NYTimes: "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced on Sunday that it had acquired the United States rights to publish a previously unknown work by J. R. R. Tolkien, “The Fall of Arthur.” The book, set for publication in May, chronicles the last days of King Arthur..."
The Great Spurt Study: A Seminal Look at Lora Leigh's Usage of Spurt
10 of the Grossest and Most Grotesque Vampires from Folklore. My fave is the last one. "The cats..."
Did you see the Arrow this week? If you missed it, you can watch it here. Really liked this new show.
Here Be Magic Group Announcements
What’s your favorite thing about Alpha Heroes? Veronica Scott and 200 other authors are ready to share their favorite Alpha Males, favorite things about them, and everything sexy and heated about those Alpha Males you can think of. *wink* Starting on Friday the 19th and ending on Oct 22nd, over 200 Authors and Bloggers will share their favorite things about those sexy men we know and love.
EACH author is doing a giveaway.
But that's not all....
There are THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times! The prizes are:
1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $130 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: An astounding Swag Pack!
What's new with you? Read any good books lately?
Hi! I'm one of the authors giving away a critique, so I thought I should introduce myself.
ReplyDeleteI have ten books published ranging from (and sometimes overlapping) paranormal, YA, SF and fantasy romance. I read about 200 books a year, mostly romance and SF/fantasy.
I've also belonged to a critique group for over ten years. My particular strength is plot and pacing.
And I can vouch that her latest novel, Gate to Kandrith, was an excellent story. This lady knows what she's doing. :)
DeleteI read a post on another blog about how all the heroines seem to be plucky, naive little things with some sort of loveable surface flaw while the men are allowed more freedom to be jerks.
ReplyDeleteWith all the upcoming Alpha Male...ness... it would be interesting to get your point/s of view on Alpha females and how far is too far when comes to being Alpha with boobs.
"some sort of loveable surface flaw" made me grin. Yeah, I've read those books.
ReplyDeleteFor me, alpha means most of all competent. So hero or heroine, they can cope with anything - except that flaw (inner conflict) that they're going to have to deal with by the end of the book -- oh, and of course, they can't cope with each other and the losing control of being in love. Hmm. Maybe my definition of alpha includes control freak?
I think an alpha has to be a control freak doesn't he/she? We should make an alpha character trait list.
ReplyDeleteAn alpha character trait list would be fantastic! I think Shantea has raised a great point. Alpha-ness shouldn't be a male thing (alpha with boobs, lol) but a person thing.
ReplyDeleteIn real life, alphas make me uncomfortable. Mutters, "bossy boots". But I love them in fiction.
Someone should schedule a post on alpha traits. I bet it would be very thought-provoking!
ReplyDeleteHow about a list of alpha heroes?
ReplyDeleteWhile we're on Alphas with boobs, why don't we also attack the good old 'look in the mirror and realise how I'm so not pretty as mom, sister, friend whoever.' Most novels I've read have this and it makes me wonder why do authors feel they should include that scene because I know that when people look in the mirror they see themselves as what they are- beautiful. I've also heard that when you look at the mirror you see yourself five times more beautiful then you really are. lol.
ReplyDeleteJessica, you made me grin. That whole mirror thing is such a trap to fall into -- as a writer I mean. Such a temptingly easy way to describe a person and suggest their vulnerabilities. But I didn't know we saw ourselves as more beautiful than we are!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a complete novel yet, but it would be great to have an author critique the first chapter.
ReplyDeleteJenny, Lol. I also didn't know but then I got to chatting with a boy who most people consider ugly and he was on about how he would never date Jodi-a girl that looks like her father- because he's so handsome he looks like his mother. Appalled I asked, "You look like your mom?"
ReplyDeleteWhen he nodded I thought he had wrong so I asked instead, "Your mother looks like you." Again he nodded. And then I'm like: "Are you sure."
Jenny, Lol. I also didn't know but then I got to chatting with a boy who most people consider ugly and he was on about how he would never date Jodi-a girl that looks like her father- because he's so handsome he looks like his mother. Appalled I asked, "You look like your mom?"
ReplyDeleteWhen he nodded I thought he heard wrong so I asked instead, "Your mother looks like you." Again he nodded. And then I'm like: "Are you sure."
I would also love to see an alpha ness list.
ReplyDeletePossible some thoughts on things writers, especially first timers do that can doom a book.
Thanks
Jessica, I read your story and shook my head. Who was it, Shakespeare or Kipling? said something about if only we could see ourselves as others see us. Now you've convinced me, that'd be dangerous!
ReplyDeleteBeachHouse Writer, I think that's a great idea. Maybe a title like "Alpha Sabotage" or "Alpha Jerks" or ... hmmm I think you can all see how difficult I find titling anything.
ReplyDeleteHoly mangos, congratulations to all the winners. And of course thanking all the authors and the host.
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm one of the winners! And yay, people liked my comment! Every time I see some sort of list of Alpha traits I'm like "hate, hate, hate, hate" but when they're in action in a story I'm like "love, want, love, want."
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think about the "I'm not pretty" mirror thing but yeah, it happens.
Thankfully I'm only guilty of the "is this really me? Man, I'm pretty!" mirror scenes... or the "ravaged hair, torn skin, who is this zombie cuz it can't be me" scene... :)
Thanks to all the authors for giving their time for this critique giveaway! I'm so excited!!!