Thanks everyone who entered :o) It was fun to be able to give away so many books! I'll announce the winners in a second (or you can scroll down now...), but I just wanted to note a few housekeeping things.
1) This blog will be tidied up with a shiny front page and what not, and will be linked to from my website as the 'for writers' section.
2) The Declutter Manifesto blog will be linked to from the website as my blog.
3) Any announcements about give aways, new releases, and book-related stuff will be blogged directly to the website on the front page.
4) I think - think - that when I come back to writing, I will do so without the intent to seek traditional publication, but with the intent of self-publishing strictly as a hobby. That way I still have the fun of sharing with an audience, but without the pressure - and I'll not be doing it to try to run it as a business with all the associated promoting and schedules. Just. For fun. Like, only one step above, you know, publishing everything I write on the blog :P :D
So. That's me. Now the winners. The random generator has spoken and has even managed to choose four different winners for the four different books, which is happy :D Without further ado...
Krispy will receive the ebook Create-a-Plot Clinic
Andrea will receive the ebook The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Dogs
Michelle will receive the preorder of The Raven Boys
and
Mirja will receive Paranormalcy!
I'll be in contact with you all to confirm details. Yay!
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label competition. Show all posts
26 August 2012
18 August 2012
Farewell Giveaway!
Edit: Yes, giveaway is open internationally ;)
Okay. So. First of all, just because I am closing this blog, it does not mean I shall be non-existent on the interwebs. I still have twitter, facebook, and the website (which needs updating - schedule that on the to-do list :P), and as hinted at the previous post, a new blog. If you want, you can come hang out with me at http://decluttermanifesto.wordpress.com/.
Two things about that: One, I chose wordpress just so I didn't have to keep logging out of my email (gmail) all the time if I wanted to have it not connected to the profile I use on here, which I do, just because. And two, please don't be freaked out by the title. "Declutter" doesn't mean it's a cleaning blog. If that was the case, there'd be like one post on it EVER, outlining my tempestuous relationship with cleaning and leavning it at that :P No. It's about decluttering my HEAD as much as anything else, and it's a completely ecclectic bunch of stuff - basically whatever I'm reading/thinking about on the day. Rah.
Okay, next up, books. I have three books to give away: NYT BS Kiersten White's Paranormalcy; Holly Lisle's Create-a-Plot Clinic (ebook); and a pre-order of also-bestselling Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, because OHMYGOSHYOUGUYS, this book is awesome. Edit: Oo, oo! And because my book The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Dogs has just been released, I'll throw in a copy of that, too :D (ebook)
To enter, leave a comment with your email address and which book you'd like to win (you can choose more than one). Or, if you don't like leaving your email in public places, form is below (feedreaders may need to click through). Entries close on August 25, so you have a week. Good luck! And thanks again, you guys. It's been great.
Okay. So. First of all, just because I am closing this blog, it does not mean I shall be non-existent on the interwebs. I still have twitter, facebook, and the website (which needs updating - schedule that on the to-do list :P), and as hinted at the previous post, a new blog. If you want, you can come hang out with me at http://decluttermanifesto.wordpress.com/.
Two things about that: One, I chose wordpress just so I didn't have to keep logging out of my email (gmail) all the time if I wanted to have it not connected to the profile I use on here, which I do, just because. And two, please don't be freaked out by the title. "Declutter" doesn't mean it's a cleaning blog. If that was the case, there'd be like one post on it EVER, outlining my tempestuous relationship with cleaning and leavning it at that :P No. It's about decluttering my HEAD as much as anything else, and it's a completely ecclectic bunch of stuff - basically whatever I'm reading/thinking about on the day. Rah.
Okay, next up, books. I have three books to give away: NYT BS Kiersten White's Paranormalcy; Holly Lisle's Create-a-Plot Clinic (ebook); and a pre-order of also-bestselling Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Boys, because OHMYGOSHYOUGUYS, this book is awesome. Edit: Oo, oo! And because my book The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Dogs has just been released, I'll throw in a copy of that, too :D (ebook)
To enter, leave a comment with your email address and which book you'd like to win (you can choose more than one). Or, if you don't like leaving your email in public places, form is below (feedreaders may need to click through). Entries close on August 25, so you have a week. Good luck! And thanks again, you guys. It's been great.
11 June 2012
Plugs of the Shameless Variety
In the spirit of things young and writerly (a NOT AT ALL blatant reference to the fact that you can still sponsor me in Camp NaNoWriMo - in? for? at? which preposition should be in that phrase?? - where your donation will go towards the Young Writers Program O:)), I'm also doing a promo today for the State Library of Queensland's Young Writers Award :)
It's a short story (<2500 words) comp open to writers aged 18 - 25 who live in Queensland, Australia, and first prize is $2,000. The State Library crew are Good People - I mean hi, they're librarians, and authors LOVE librarians - and the contest is definitely worth a look if you happen to fit the criteria. The contest closes July 13, and you can find out more info here.
Good luck, and remember, it's always awesome to support young writers! O:) :D
It's a short story (<2500 words) comp open to writers aged 18 - 25 who live in Queensland, Australia, and first prize is $2,000. The State Library crew are Good People - I mean hi, they're librarians, and authors LOVE librarians - and the contest is definitely worth a look if you happen to fit the criteria. The contest closes July 13, and you can find out more info here.
Good luck, and remember, it's always awesome to support young writers! O:) :D
27 March 2012
Winners!
Well, winner, I suppose O:) Diane, you've won the copy of Holly Lisle's Create-a-Plot Clinic! Woohoo! I love this book, and I hope you enjoy it too. Contact me and I'll send you your copy.
22 March 2012
Need Plot?
I meant to post the other day to let you all know, but now I'm glad I held off until today. (Cryptic enough? :P) Why? Because I just realised today I have something for a giveaway! Read to the end for details... :o)
Anyway, I've mentioned it a couple of times, but now I have an end date for you: the LAST day you will be able to sign up for How To Think Sideways (12 month version) is MARCH 31. After that, it WILL be available on other platforms (Holly is transferring all her stuff to kindle, nook, etc etc) BUT I will NOT be able to offer you the 20% rebate after March 31. So if you've been thinking of joining and want a no-questions-asked 20% discount off the total price, NOW is the time to do it. The 12 month version has all the same content as the 6 month, but delivered at a slower pace. The price is $37.95/month, and that price is going to increase when it heads to other platforms. Remember, you can drop out at ANY time and you'll receive a refund for any month you're part way through, so you really only have to commit to... well, potentially nothing, if you dropped out in the first month and that was refunded. But let's assume the maximum you're committing to is $37.95 less the 20% which is $30.36.
How to Revise Your Novel and How To Think Sideways (6 month version) are also going the same way, but I think there's a little more leeway on the timeframe there.
Holly's website-based shop is also closing, and it currently has a HUGE SALE on! 25 - 30% off everything, from what I can see, and again, if you buy through my link and send me your receipt, you'll get a no-questions-asked 20% rebate of what you paid.
And if you've been wanting to test out some of Holly's non-fic work but have been holding off, I have good news! It seems I have a spare copy of the Create-a-Plot Clinic (version 2)! Yay! This is my second favourite of all her short courses (favourite is How To Write Page Turning Scenes), so I'm excited to discover I have a copy to give away :o) To enter, just leave a note in the comments saying you're interested. And note that I've turned the captcha off, so leaving a comment should be easier ;)
Yay!
PS All links in this post are affiliate links and are good for the 20% rebate ;)
Anyway, I've mentioned it a couple of times, but now I have an end date for you: the LAST day you will be able to sign up for How To Think Sideways (12 month version) is MARCH 31. After that, it WILL be available on other platforms (Holly is transferring all her stuff to kindle, nook, etc etc) BUT I will NOT be able to offer you the 20% rebate after March 31. So if you've been thinking of joining and want a no-questions-asked 20% discount off the total price, NOW is the time to do it. The 12 month version has all the same content as the 6 month, but delivered at a slower pace. The price is $37.95/month, and that price is going to increase when it heads to other platforms. Remember, you can drop out at ANY time and you'll receive a refund for any month you're part way through, so you really only have to commit to... well, potentially nothing, if you dropped out in the first month and that was refunded. But let's assume the maximum you're committing to is $37.95 less the 20% which is $30.36.
How to Revise Your Novel and How To Think Sideways (6 month version) are also going the same way, but I think there's a little more leeway on the timeframe there.
Holly's website-based shop is also closing, and it currently has a HUGE SALE on! 25 - 30% off everything, from what I can see, and again, if you buy through my link and send me your receipt, you'll get a no-questions-asked 20% rebate of what you paid.
And if you've been wanting to test out some of Holly's non-fic work but have been holding off, I have good news! It seems I have a spare copy of the Create-a-Plot Clinic (version 2)! Yay! This is my second favourite of all her short courses (favourite is How To Write Page Turning Scenes), so I'm excited to discover I have a copy to give away :o) To enter, just leave a note in the comments saying you're interested. And note that I've turned the captcha off, so leaving a comment should be easier ;)
Yay!
PS All links in this post are affiliate links and are good for the 20% rebate ;)
27 February 2012
Winners!
Sorry it's taken me overlong to announce the winners of the contests. Life has been a little crazy the last three weeks, what with our new addition and all...
But anyway, without further ado, here are the winners (by random draw) of the various giveaways:
The 100 Followers Giveaway: Angela Ackerman - one copy of The Replacement shall be winging its way towards you shortly (unless you changed your mind and wanted a different book)
The Newsletter Subscribers Giveaway: Andrea Clunes - one copy of Divergent
The Fairytale Trap: ALSO Andrea Clunes! See the power of the random generator :)
So, girls, contact me asap (see link at the top of the blog if all else fails) and I'll get your prizes out to you as soon as I can.
Thanks to everyone for entering :)
But anyway, without further ado, here are the winners (by random draw) of the various giveaways:
The 100 Followers Giveaway: Angela Ackerman - one copy of The Replacement shall be winging its way towards you shortly (unless you changed your mind and wanted a different book)
The Newsletter Subscribers Giveaway: Andrea Clunes - one copy of Divergent
The Fairytale Trap: ALSO Andrea Clunes! See the power of the random generator :)
So, girls, contact me asap (see link at the top of the blog if all else fails) and I'll get your prizes out to you as soon as I can.
Thanks to everyone for entering :)
13 February 2012
Blog Tour + Giveaways!
Hi there! Just a quick reminder that while I've been off busy spawning a minion:
...the giveaways are still active, regardless of what they might say in-post. See here and here, and please! Encourage people to enter! Share and spread the word!
Also, belatedly, I am part of a blog tour! Random Writing Rants is a week-ish long blog hop that we are actually nearly at the end of (sigh), but it's never too late to join the fun! My post, called "When Less is More", will be up HERE TOMORROW.
Check out the rest of the contributors, starting here with Chrystalla Thoma's rant about hopping :)
...the giveaways are still active, regardless of what they might say in-post. See here and here, and please! Encourage people to enter! Share and spread the word!
Also, belatedly, I am part of a blog tour! Random Writing Rants is a week-ish long blog hop that we are actually nearly at the end of (sigh), but it's never too late to join the fun! My post, called "When Less is More", will be up HERE TOMORROW.
Check out the rest of the contributors, starting here with Chrystalla Thoma's rant about hopping :)
9 Febr: A. Merc Rustad – On Voice
10 Febr: Marie Dees – Building a Novel from Nothing
11 Febr: Krista D. Ball – Avoiding the Heroine Stupid Juice
12 Febr: Marion Sipe – Rant on Stereotypes, Cliches and Tropes
13 Febr: Ada Hoffmann – On Blundering
14 Febr: Amy Laurens – When Less is More
06 February 2012
Guest Post: How To Break A Fairy Tale
**See end for contest details**
Today I'd like to welcome Emily Casey, author of the newly-released The Fairy Tale Trap. Round of applause, if you please! In Emily's own words, she writes "everything from fairy tales to zombies, from middle grade to young adult. I write what's exciting to me and just hope someone else out there likes it." Sounds like a good philosophy to me :o)
Check out the other stops on Emily's blog tour here.
Thanks Amy, for letting me visit. I understand the need to let others take over for a bit, especially during pregnancy and soon after. That actually has something to do with what I’m blogging about today: how pregnancy led me to my new hobby: breaking fairy tales.
My main character, Ivy Thorn, was born on my blog. I was suffering from pregnancy brain at the time and didn’t feel like I could write long fiction, so I let Ivy tear apart a few fairy tales.
Of course, Ivy had to put her own spin on things. She’s not the type to sit back and let the fairy tale run its course. The thing I’m most proud of was when (in an early blog draft, not The Fairy Tale Trap) Ivy found herself stuck in the story: Snow White. She suggested that instead of going to all that trouble to kill Snow White, the queen should just use a spell to make Snow White ugly. It just made more sense!
We’ve heard the stories so many times that we just accept them. But what would happen if Cinderella refused to be a doormat? What would happen if someone broke a spell, but it didn’t work out the way they thought it would? The question I asked in The Fairy Tale Trap was: What if Beast wasn’t the gentle, civil prince on the inside? What if he was just as wild and terrible as he looked?
Ivy (who seems to have a personality of her own) asks different questions. Instead of “what if” questions, she usually just raises a defiant eyebrow and does something she’s not supposed to.
The thing is, breaking fairy tales is like eating potato chips. I can’t stop at one! There are so many fairy tales out there, and so many ways for Ivy to mess them up.
So here’s to wreaking havoc with the charming tales we grew up with! May everything blow up in your characters’ faces, and hopefully they’ll make you laugh every now and then.
Want to know if The Fairy Tale Trap might be for you? Check out what Emily has to say on the matter, read the reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, and watch the book trailer below :)
Find out more about Emily and her books on her website. You can also stalk her on Facebook or Twitter, and see her profile on Goodreads.
**CONTEST**
Finally, if you'd like the chance to win your very own e-copy (multiple formats available) of The Fairy Tale Trap, all you have to do is leave a comment below letting us know 1) what YOUR favourite fairy tale is and 2) who you've told about Emily's awesome book (and yes, if you're really struggling, your cat can count).
You can leave an email address if you like BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I'll hunt down the winner once they're chosen >:) Winner will be chosen by random draw on February 20, so you have two weeks to spread the word!
Bonus: If anyone can guess MY favourite fairy tale, I'll write a fractured version of it JUST FOR YOU, and YOU get to name the main character :) No novels, though - this will be a long short story ;) And obviously, you'll get a free copy when I'm done :D
Today I'd like to welcome Emily Casey, author of the newly-released The Fairy Tale Trap. Round of applause, if you please! In Emily's own words, she writes "everything from fairy tales to zombies, from middle grade to young adult. I write what's exciting to me and just hope someone else out there likes it." Sounds like a good philosophy to me :o)Check out the other stops on Emily's blog tour here.
Thanks Amy, for letting me visit. I understand the need to let others take over for a bit, especially during pregnancy and soon after. That actually has something to do with what I’m blogging about today: how pregnancy led me to my new hobby: breaking fairy tales.
My main character, Ivy Thorn, was born on my blog. I was suffering from pregnancy brain at the time and didn’t feel like I could write long fiction, so I let Ivy tear apart a few fairy tales.
Of course, Ivy had to put her own spin on things. She’s not the type to sit back and let the fairy tale run its course. The thing I’m most proud of was when (in an early blog draft, not The Fairy Tale Trap) Ivy found herself stuck in the story: Snow White. She suggested that instead of going to all that trouble to kill Snow White, the queen should just use a spell to make Snow White ugly. It just made more sense!
We’ve heard the stories so many times that we just accept them. But what would happen if Cinderella refused to be a doormat? What would happen if someone broke a spell, but it didn’t work out the way they thought it would? The question I asked in The Fairy Tale Trap was: What if Beast wasn’t the gentle, civil prince on the inside? What if he was just as wild and terrible as he looked?
Ivy (who seems to have a personality of her own) asks different questions. Instead of “what if” questions, she usually just raises a defiant eyebrow and does something she’s not supposed to.
The thing is, breaking fairy tales is like eating potato chips. I can’t stop at one! There are so many fairy tales out there, and so many ways for Ivy to mess them up.
So here’s to wreaking havoc with the charming tales we grew up with! May everything blow up in your characters’ faces, and hopefully they’ll make you laugh every now and then.
Want to know if The Fairy Tale Trap might be for you? Check out what Emily has to say on the matter, read the reviews on Amazon or Goodreads, and watch the book trailer below :)
Find out more about Emily and her books on her website. You can also stalk her on Facebook or Twitter, and see her profile on Goodreads.
**CONTEST**
Finally, if you'd like the chance to win your very own e-copy (multiple formats available) of The Fairy Tale Trap, all you have to do is leave a comment below letting us know 1) what YOUR favourite fairy tale is and 2) who you've told about Emily's awesome book (and yes, if you're really struggling, your cat can count).
You can leave an email address if you like BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I'll hunt down the winner once they're chosen >:) Winner will be chosen by random draw on February 20, so you have two weeks to spread the word!
Bonus: If anyone can guess MY favourite fairy tale, I'll write a fractured version of it JUST FOR YOU, and YOU get to name the main character :) No novels, though - this will be a long short story ;) And obviously, you'll get a free copy when I'm done :D
20 January 2012
Prizes! Contests! BOOKS!
Hurrah! I love announcements like this :o)
So I know I just had a couple of contests, but I found some awesome books recently and needed a good excuse to give them away, and you guys provided me with the perfect opportunity: the blog has hit 100 followers :o) You guys are awesome. I'm really not sure why most of you follow me; I'm rarely coherent, frequently random, and I'm not entirely convinced that anything I say here is of the slightest use, but nonetheless, there are a whole CENTURY of you that approve well enough to let your little avatar be displayed in the box over there --->
Thank you, also, to the exact-number-indeterminate of you that follow through other methods, like feedreaders, or who click through from CC, twitter, or facebook. Seriously: you guys rock. I quite literally would not be here on this blog without you, because really, what would be the point? I talk to myself enough in my own head, I don't need a blog to acheive that :D
SO. Contest #1.
To say thank you for being awesome and tolerating my weirdness, I will be giving away to one lucky winner their choice of the following:
Danyelle Leafty's debut Catspell (ebook pdf version)
Kiersten White's debut Paranormalcy (trade paperback)
Brenna Yovanoff's debut The Replacement (trade paperback)
Michelle Davidson Argyle's short story anthology True Colors: And Other Short Stories (e-version, multiple formats available)
And randomly, John Steinbeck's The Pearl (mass market paperback - Popular Penguins series)
To enter, you must be following me somewhere (either the blog via the sidebar gadget, me on twitter, or my facebook page) and leave a comment in the, er, comments. Just say you want to enter and which prize you'd like; I'll extricate the private details from the winner privately ;) :D
And now, Contest #2!
I recently review Divergent and raved about the awesomeness that it is. It is, in fact, SO awesome, that I bought a second copy ESPECIALLY so I could share the awesomeness with someone else. Because truly, it is awesome. So, to enter for your chance to win Divergent, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter. It's delivered right to your inbox's door once every second month (or so) by the carrier bats, and has an article, a book or blog review, a contest (yes, THAT'S RIGHT, you could WIN A BOOK EVERY SECOND MONTH! *dies of the squee*) and more of the fun and random stuff you'd expect from me. Because, you know, I live to bring the random into your life. #mottos #likegrottos #onlylesswet
So! Contests! Hurrah! Spread the word (or, you know, not, if you want to increase your chances of winning??) and join the love! HURRAH.
Remember, for Contest #1, leave a comment below saying where/how you follow my crazy ramblings.
For Contest #2, sign up for the newsletter. If you're already subscribed to the newsletter, you're entered by default ;)
BOTH CONTESTS will close on February 2 when I will draw the winners at random. I'll announce the winners asap - I'm planning to announce on Feb 2, but I reserve the right to extend that a little should the minion not have appeared by then (which he jolly well better have OR ELSE).
Yay! Contests!
So I know I just had a couple of contests, but I found some awesome books recently and needed a good excuse to give them away, and you guys provided me with the perfect opportunity: the blog has hit 100 followers :o) You guys are awesome. I'm really not sure why most of you follow me; I'm rarely coherent, frequently random, and I'm not entirely convinced that anything I say here is of the slightest use, but nonetheless, there are a whole CENTURY of you that approve well enough to let your little avatar be displayed in the box over there --->
THANK YOU.
Thank you, also, to the exact-number-indeterminate of you that follow through other methods, like feedreaders, or who click through from CC, twitter, or facebook. Seriously: you guys rock. I quite literally would not be here on this blog without you, because really, what would be the point? I talk to myself enough in my own head, I don't need a blog to acheive that :D
SO. Contest #1.
To say thank you for being awesome and tolerating my weirdness, I will be giving away to one lucky winner their choice of the following:
Danyelle Leafty's debut Catspell (ebook pdf version)
Kiersten White's debut Paranormalcy (trade paperback)
Brenna Yovanoff's debut The Replacement (trade paperback)
Michelle Davidson Argyle's short story anthology True Colors: And Other Short Stories (e-version, multiple formats available)
And randomly, John Steinbeck's The Pearl (mass market paperback - Popular Penguins series)
To enter, you must be following me somewhere (either the blog via the sidebar gadget, me on twitter, or my facebook page) and leave a comment in the, er, comments. Just say you want to enter and which prize you'd like; I'll extricate the private details from the winner privately ;) :D
And now, Contest #2!
I recently review Divergent and raved about the awesomeness that it is. It is, in fact, SO awesome, that I bought a second copy ESPECIALLY so I could share the awesomeness with someone else. Because truly, it is awesome. So, to enter for your chance to win Divergent, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter. It's delivered right to your inbox's door once every second month (or so) by the carrier bats, and has an article, a book or blog review, a contest (yes, THAT'S RIGHT, you could WIN A BOOK EVERY SECOND MONTH! *dies of the squee*) and more of the fun and random stuff you'd expect from me. Because, you know, I live to bring the random into your life. #mottos #likegrottos #onlylesswet
So! Contests! Hurrah! Spread the word (or, you know, not, if you want to increase your chances of winning??) and join the love! HURRAH.
Remember, for Contest #1, leave a comment below saying where/how you follow my crazy ramblings.
For Contest #2, sign up for the newsletter. If you're already subscribed to the newsletter, you're entered by default ;)
BOTH CONTESTS will close on February 2 when I will draw the winners at random. I'll announce the winners asap - I'm planning to announce on Feb 2, but I reserve the right to extend that a little should the minion not have appeared by then (which he jolly well better have OR ELSE).
Yay! Contests!
28 October 2011
Monarch Winners!
Thanks to everyone who entered the Monarch contest. Sorry I'm a little late drawing the winners, but I hope that those who won a prize enjoy it. There will be plenty of opportunities for everyone else to win more prizes soon* (hurrah).So, without further ado, the winners!
First winner, who will get their choice of either the final Monarch ebook, or the ARC Monarch ebook:
Chrystalla Thoma!
Second winner, who will receive the other ebook:
Cee Martinez!
And the final winner, who will receive a signed mini-poster and bookmark:
Emily W!
Congratulations, winners (I'll be in touch shortly) and thanks once again to everyone who entered.
*Hint: Sign up to my newsletter for a chance to win Veronica Roth's Divergent in November.
26 October 2011
24 Hours Left!
Just a reminder that you have 24 hours left to enter the contest to win a copy of Michelle Davidson Argyle's awesome debut, Monarch. :)
13 October 2011
Monarch - Review & Giveaway!
September 2011, Rhemalda341 pages, Paperback
Personal copy
Romantic Thriller
Some violence, closed-curtain sex
Personal copy
Romantic Thriller
Some violence, closed-curtain sex
Summary from Rhemalda:
Nick’s life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness — a wife who committed suicide and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he’ll have the chance to start his life over again.
Just when he’s on the brink of catching Ferreira, he’s framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He’s safe, but not for long …
Amy's thoughts:
Despite the dead body on the opening page (;)), Monarch was one of those books that took me a couple of chapters to really get into. However, like Blood Song that I read recently and also took time getting into, I'm really, REALLY glad I did. (And look, seriously? Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series is one of my all-time favourites, and it took me three goes to make it through the first chapter of the first book! This is a me-issue, clearly.)
Monarch is pegged as a thriller, and certainly has all the thriller paraphernalia - spies, betrayals, guns and cover stories, murders, threats, and time running out - but somehow, it's quieter than your average thriller, more thoughtful. Michelle utilises beautiful symbolism throughout and various different points of view to make this story about so much more than just a man on the run; I like to call Ender's Game, one of my all-time favourite novels, the science fiction novel for people who don't read science fiction - Monarch is the thriller for people who don't read thrillers. It's equal parts thriller and romance, contemporary and literary, and really embodies Michelle's cross-genre style. It's quiet and understated in a way that reminds you that life is not so much about what happens, as who it happens with - something worth remembering, I think.
Monarch utilises three points of view (Nick, Lilian of Monarch Inn, and Lilian's adult son Devan) and within Nick's point of view, two timelines, past and present. Occasionally the segues between Nick's timelines feel a little stiff, but overall the complex structure enhances the story and deepens our understanding of the characters and plot, and I really enjoyed seeing the story from different perspectives, especially since Michelle has done so well at giving them unique, original voices.
Overall, this is a very pleasing debut, and I can't wait for The Breakaway, Michelle's next novel (also a standalone), to be released next year. Yay!
Final Conclusion:
This is a great example of what you can do when you're not afraid to cross the genre boundaries. Congratulations on an awesome debut, Michelle!
Find out more about Michelle Davidson Argyle here including her highly awesome blog which you should all go follow right away! Sign up for her newsletter, too, because she does awesome giveaways for her subscribers. :)
Nick’s life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness — a wife who committed suicide and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he’ll have the chance to start his life over again.
Just when he’s on the brink of catching Ferreira, he’s framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He’s safe, but not for long …
Amy's thoughts:
Despite the dead body on the opening page (;)), Monarch was one of those books that took me a couple of chapters to really get into. However, like Blood Song that I read recently and also took time getting into, I'm really, REALLY glad I did. (And look, seriously? Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series is one of my all-time favourites, and it took me three goes to make it through the first chapter of the first book! This is a me-issue, clearly.)
Monarch is pegged as a thriller, and certainly has all the thriller paraphernalia - spies, betrayals, guns and cover stories, murders, threats, and time running out - but somehow, it's quieter than your average thriller, more thoughtful. Michelle utilises beautiful symbolism throughout and various different points of view to make this story about so much more than just a man on the run; I like to call Ender's Game, one of my all-time favourite novels, the science fiction novel for people who don't read science fiction - Monarch is the thriller for people who don't read thrillers. It's equal parts thriller and romance, contemporary and literary, and really embodies Michelle's cross-genre style. It's quiet and understated in a way that reminds you that life is not so much about what happens, as who it happens with - something worth remembering, I think.
Monarch utilises three points of view (Nick, Lilian of Monarch Inn, and Lilian's adult son Devan) and within Nick's point of view, two timelines, past and present. Occasionally the segues between Nick's timelines feel a little stiff, but overall the complex structure enhances the story and deepens our understanding of the characters and plot, and I really enjoyed seeing the story from different perspectives, especially since Michelle has done so well at giving them unique, original voices.
Overall, this is a very pleasing debut, and I can't wait for The Breakaway, Michelle's next novel (also a standalone), to be released next year. Yay!
Final Conclusion:
This is a great example of what you can do when you're not afraid to cross the genre boundaries. Congratulations on an awesome debut, Michelle!
Find out more about Michelle Davidson Argyle here including her highly awesome blog which you should all go follow right away! Sign up for her newsletter, too, because she does awesome giveaways for her subscribers. :)
Giveaway!
This is Michelle's debut novel, and as Michelle is a friend of mine, I'm understandably excited :D I was privileged enough to read a very early draft of this story, and I even helped a little with the opening paragraph of the novel! So I'm even MORE excited to be able to offer you the chance to win a copy of this fantastic story.
I have not one but TWO e-copies of Monarch to give away. One is an ARC, and the other is the final version (and yes, they are fractionally different). I also have a swag-bag, with a signed poster and bookmarks.
All you have to do to enter is tell someone else about this contest (anyone, anywhere, I trust you), then enter your details in the safe-and-secret online form. Contest is OPEN INTERNATIONALLY, and will close on October 27. Yay!
14 September 2011
And The Winner Is...
The winner of an ARC of Maggie Stiefvater's incredible The Scorpio Races is...
Crys Hodgens!
Congratulations :o) We'll be in touch soon.
13 September 2011
The Scorpio Races Contest Closed!
Hi all! Just a quick note to let you know the contest is closed. Thank you all so much for entering :o) We'll be announcing a winner soon, both here and on Nayuleska's blog!
12 September 2011
24 Hours Left To Win The Scorpio Races
Also, as you can read in the title, you have but 24 hours remaining to enter for your chance to win an ARC of The Scorpio Races. It's dead easy - just tell someone (anyone!) about the contest/book, fill out this form, and you're in with a chance to win, as they say! :o)
Good luck, and thanks to everyone who's entered so far!
Good luck, and thanks to everyone who's entered so far!
31 August 2011
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
October 2011, Scholastic
404 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Literary fantasy
Some brutal, horrible deaths
404 pages, Paperback
Review copy
Literary fantasy
Some brutal, horrible deaths
Summary from Scholastic:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
Amy's Thoughts:
This is not a book to squee over; this is a book to quietly die for. I really, really don't know how to do this book justice in a review, so bear with me while I try.
The Scorpio Races is set on a small island in the UK, and the ocean permeates the story. More. This story IS the ocean. The ocean is vast and deep and dangerous and compelling, moody and tempestuous and utterly, utterly charming while at the same time pervaded by a dangerous undercurrent. Ocean, water, blue-brown-grey, gull crying in loneliness from the craggy cliffs and the wind whipping in your face - this is Maggie Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races.
It's quiet, and compelling, and oh, so utterly, utterly true. No, it's not a factual story, but what it says about people and life and grief and love - it's real. It's true.
I've never in my life hated an author before, not even when J.K. killed off beloved characters in her Harry Potter series. I cried, sure, just like I bawled my eyes out for the last three chapters of Marley and Me; but I've never hated an author for something they made happen in a book.
I hated Ms Stiefvater. At a certain point in the last quarter of The Scorpio Races, I wanted to throw it against a wall and scream in outrage and horror at the unfairness of it all. But I couldn't, because what she'd written was right; it was true. And I couldn't bring myself to not read the end, not see how it finished. And I'm so, so, so glad I did finish it, because the ending was worth waiting for, and is so bittersweetly beautiful that I'm literally crying again now remembering it.
I love this book. If you love human-animal connections, real romantic relationships that are more about mutual respect and understanding than mushiness, difficult decisions, wild places, bittersweet endings and of course, killer water horses, please: love this book too.
Final Conclusion:
This is the most heart-wrenching book I can ever remember reading. I want to carry it around with me forever to remind me of all that is beautiful and important in life - and what exactly love is.
Find Maggie Stiefvater on her website, and view the trailer for The scorpio Races here.
EXCITING CONTEST NEWS: I'm doing a joint giveaway with Nayuleska of Nayu's corner. To enter for your chance to win an ARC of The Scorpio Races, tell someone about this contest (FB, Twitter, your blog, in person, whatevs) and fill in this form. And no, we don't require proof that you told someone; we trust you. Although if you came up with a way to show us that you told someone in person, that would be kind of awesome. *imagines photos, videos, audios* *cackles*
The contest will close on SEPTEMBER 13 and is open INTERNATIONALLY. Oh, and the cover is not as pictured since it's an uncorrected proof ;)
20 September 2010
Mentoring Opportunity
Hi guys! Proper post for the day coming later, but for now I just wanted to alert you all to an AWESOME writing opportunity. Author Angela Ackerman is hosting a contest right now where she is offering a 3 month mentorship for one lucky person, which will include the following:
--A three month partnership where I will help you in any manner I can toward stronger writing, publication, increasing your online platform and helping you with agenting questions/search
--I will help you build or improve your query (if needed)
--A full read of your manuscript, offering advice on improvements and helping to brainstorm solutions if desired.
--An in depth look at your web presence and suggestions to hone your blog, increase followings and make suggestions with other social media to strengthen your online exposure
--Emails to answer any questions you have about writing, blogging, getting an agent, leaving an agent or how the agent relationship works
--General support!
Head on over to her blog and check it out! :)
--A three month partnership where I will help you in any manner I can toward stronger writing, publication, increasing your online platform and helping you with agenting questions/search
--I will help you build or improve your query (if needed)
--A full read of your manuscript, offering advice on improvements and helping to brainstorm solutions if desired.
--An in depth look at your web presence and suggestions to hone your blog, increase followings and make suggestions with other social media to strengthen your online exposure
--Emails to answer any questions you have about writing, blogging, getting an agent, leaving an agent or how the agent relationship works
--General support!
Head on over to her blog and check it out! :)
23 April 2010
Contest Winners! Plus A Side of Torture
Yes, in the plural, because we are still tossing up between three names, so three people win. Wootery!
But, before we get to that, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce a new Friday feature: The Know More section! I've done Know Mores once or twice before, but I really think that a large part of being an author is being able to draw inspiration from anywhere, and to take anything and transform it into a story idea - so the theory is, the more you know, the more inspiration you'll have! Knowing more is also the unspoken caveat of the commonly-touted advice to "write what you know".
In today's Know More, Torture. Bwa ha ha.
It’s a standard scene in the action movie. The good guy finally hunts down the bad guy, pins him down, and asks for that crucial piece of information. Only the bad guy won’t talk. So what happens? Torture, of course. In many wonderful varieties, but torture nonetheless. But there’s something wrong with this picture: torture isn’t that simple, and often, it might not work. Turns out that the more stress you’re under, the less you can remember, making it hard to give up the information the torturer needs even if you want to confess. And of course, there’s natural human stubbornness: the more you want to force someone to change their mind, the less likely they are to change it. Something to bear in mind next time you write a torture scene. Read the article.
Okay. So. How many of you totally just skimmed to the end in order to find out who the winners were? You! Yes, you there, at the keyboard. I'm looking at you. Cheat. :P
Anyway. Drumroll, please!!
\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../
Our winners are.....
\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../
After many hours of deliberation, staring at the puppy, and calling him weird names to see what he'd respond to...
Shooting Star, ClareB and Melissa, for the names Max, Dart and Havoc!!
Personally, I think Max is boring. I mean really, how many dogs in the world are there named Max? Unfortunately, the Boyish One has a convincing argument, a la Maxwell Smart from Get Smart. Gentleman of Chaos, Maxwell Smart... You see where he's going with this. Even though I pointed out that Max is actually an agent for Control, not Kaos. But anyway.
Now, I have to point out that nearly every single person who entered got at least one name on the short list. So well done to you all, you awesome, creative, amazing bunch of people.
Congratulations to all our winners! I'll be in contact with you to discuss prizes! Yay, books!!!
*confetti*
Have a great weekend, everyone. Goodness knows I need one :P
But, before we get to that, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce a new Friday feature: The Know More section! I've done Know Mores once or twice before, but I really think that a large part of being an author is being able to draw inspiration from anywhere, and to take anything and transform it into a story idea - so the theory is, the more you know, the more inspiration you'll have! Knowing more is also the unspoken caveat of the commonly-touted advice to "write what you know".
In today's Know More, Torture. Bwa ha ha.
It’s a standard scene in the action movie. The good guy finally hunts down the bad guy, pins him down, and asks for that crucial piece of information. Only the bad guy won’t talk. So what happens? Torture, of course. In many wonderful varieties, but torture nonetheless. But there’s something wrong with this picture: torture isn’t that simple, and often, it might not work. Turns out that the more stress you’re under, the less you can remember, making it hard to give up the information the torturer needs even if you want to confess. And of course, there’s natural human stubbornness: the more you want to force someone to change their mind, the less likely they are to change it. Something to bear in mind next time you write a torture scene. Read the article.
Okay. So. How many of you totally just skimmed to the end in order to find out who the winners were? You! Yes, you there, at the keyboard. I'm looking at you. Cheat. :P
Anyway. Drumroll, please!!
\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../
Our winners are.....
\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../..\../
After many hours of deliberation, staring at the puppy, and calling him weird names to see what he'd respond to...
Shooting Star, ClareB and Melissa, for the names Max, Dart and Havoc!!
Personally, I think Max is boring. I mean really, how many dogs in the world are there named Max? Unfortunately, the Boyish One has a convincing argument, a la Maxwell Smart from Get Smart. Gentleman of Chaos, Maxwell Smart... You see where he's going with this. Even though I pointed out that Max is actually an agent for Control, not Kaos. But anyway.
Now, I have to point out that nearly every single person who entered got at least one name on the short list. So well done to you all, you awesome, creative, amazing bunch of people.
Congratulations to all our winners! I'll be in contact with you to discuss prizes! Yay, books!!!
*confetti*
Have a great weekend, everyone. Goodness knows I need one :P
21 April 2010
March Madness
Yes yes, I know it's like, nearly the end of April. Nowhere near March at all. March has well and truly been and gone; disappeared; evaporated; kicked the bucket.
HOWEVER.
I was on hiatus while this all happened. So you know. I didn't get to do a March recap. And I don't know about you, but my March was FROGGING AWESOME. So I kind of want to recap it B-)
So, what did I do in March that was so amazing? I FINISHED SANCTUARY! YAYAYAY! *dances madly like a mad thing*
I also wrote a play about pirates, which was fun. But you know. I FINISHED SANCTUARY!!!
(Well, almost. Technically I didn't finish; I wrote about 10k in April. But it was all done by the 5th of April! And I wrote LOTS in March! So I can still squee, right? Right?)
I won't go into detail about the book and her pretty stats, because you can find that here and here and here. However, March stats:
39,628 words total. Apparently I have a Thing lately about achieving nearly awesome numbers o.O
Of that, 30,595 on Sanctuary, and 7954 on the play, which is called Where Your Treasure Is.
I also attempted to edit Death and Foxes, and it is now Significantly Better, but the MC is still a passive whingey woman, so I need to fix that before I can really do anything with it.
So. That was my March. How was yours, if you can still remember that long ago?? :P :D
Also, the contest to name my puppy is now closed. Winners will be announced as soon as we choose a name :D
HOWEVER.
I was on hiatus while this all happened. So you know. I didn't get to do a March recap. And I don't know about you, but my March was FROGGING AWESOME. So I kind of want to recap it B-)
So, what did I do in March that was so amazing? I FINISHED SANCTUARY! YAYAYAY! *dances madly like a mad thing*
I also wrote a play about pirates, which was fun. But you know. I FINISHED SANCTUARY!!!
(Well, almost. Technically I didn't finish; I wrote about 10k in April. But it was all done by the 5th of April! And I wrote LOTS in March! So I can still squee, right? Right?)
I won't go into detail about the book and her pretty stats, because you can find that here and here and here. However, March stats:
39,628 words total. Apparently I have a Thing lately about achieving nearly awesome numbers o.O
Of that, 30,595 on Sanctuary, and 7954 on the play, which is called Where Your Treasure Is.
I also attempted to edit Death and Foxes, and it is now Significantly Better, but the MC is still a passive whingey woman, so I need to fix that before I can really do anything with it.
So. That was my March. How was yours, if you can still remember that long ago?? :P :D
Also, the contest to name my puppy is now closed. Winners will be announced as soon as we choose a name :D
20 April 2010
Welcome Back!
Not that any of YOU have been gone, but hey, welcome back anyway :) Thanks everyone for being so understanding while I had my hiatus - while life hasn't settled down especially (and we still don't know when we're getting into our new house!!), several major events have passed with reasonable success, and life is just ordinary-level insane again :D
To kick things off this week, I though I'd turn to you all for some advice. Many of you - especially if you follow me on twitter - will know that back in February, my pretty girl Laura had puppies. Turns out they're pretty good puppies, and we've decided to keep one and see how he'll go in the show ring :o) Yay for keeping puppy!
The only problem is, we can't agree on a name! I turned to twitter for inspiration this morning, and everyone has been so helpful that I thought I might as well make it a bona fide competition, and see what happens.
So, the rules are thus: Suggest a name for our puppy. You can suggest as many names as you like, and you can do it either in the comments here, or you can @ me on twitter (inksie). I'll compile a short list from your suggestions, and my husband and I will choose a winner together.
Enter your suggestion/s BEFORE 8pm Wednesday Australian Eastern Standard Time (6am Wednesday US current east coast time), and the winner (and maybe a few runners up, depending on how many names we like) will receive a book of some description. I'll probably give you either a list to choose from or a budget ;)
Go to!
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